Concern with bringing branches to cage

[BahamaThom]

Should there be any precautions with bringing branches for climbing? Spraying with insecticide or anything such as permethrin?

[GoldenEyes]

Should there be any precautions with bringing branches for climbing? Spraying with insecticide or anything such as permethrin?

People usually recommend using branches from trees that have not been sprayed with pesticides/insecticides. Give them a good inspection so you're not bringing in insects/larvae/eggs into your home. And choose branches from trees listed under "Safe Trees" for squirrels here:

https://www.henryspets.com/healthy-diet-for-pet-squirrels/

I googled permethrin and found that it's an insecticide used against lice. If lice and other insects are a big problem/concern in your area, maybe stick to buying things squirrels could use for climbing from stores as long as they're not toxic if gnawed/ingested or harmful in other ways.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I cut branches from safe trees with varying diameters. I have a couple larger branches that stay in the cage. They have about a 3 inch diameter. I use oak. I also put fresh branches that have leaves and small branches from the end. This serves two purposes. It gives them the feel of climbing on real tree branches. By the way, I secure the large branches so they can't fall. A falling large limb could kill them. The wispy small branches are just shoved in the cage. They love chewing the bark and eating the young leaves. They will even collect leaves to put in the nest box. I like the idea of small wispy branches. They learn quickly that these will not hold their weigh and they can fall. I would rather they learn that in a small cage than 50 ft in the top of an oak tree although I've seen that happen also.

I cut from the large oaks in my yard so of course they have not been sprayed.

Invariably the branches are stripped bare by the time I release them.