HELP! FIRST TIME OVERWINTERING GREY SQUIRREL

[aamoon]

Hello! I live in Va and rescued an orphaned squirrel. She is 12 weeks old, so I know I cannot release her until Spring. I bought a very large cage for her. I let her out frequently, but as she is getting older she is getting very destructive and snippy. Any advice on how to endure this long winter and keep my insanity would be great. I also have 2 dogs and a cat. So it gets very chaotic. Does she need to be out of the cage for long periods of time? I do not have a spare room that can be just hers. I wish. Advice on how do I have a Christmas tree with her around?? Makes me think of Christmas vacation. LOL!

[aamoon]

[ATTACH]312323

[aamoon]

312324

[RockyPops]

You will get lots of advice so just hang on.

You don't need to let your baby interact with your dogs and cat. She may lose her natural fear which would spell disaster when released.

The more time out of the cage and allowed to run free the better IMHO.

And diet is very important.

How old was your baby when you got her?

They love Christmas trees...don't ask how I know!

Thanks for the pictures and for loving her!

[aamoon]

She was 4 weeks. Eyes still closed. She is getting veggies and fruit, rodent block, Yummy balls as a treat twice a week and nuts 2 almonds and pecans per day. I’m following the food list from Henry’s website. Thanks for responding. 🐿 Doodlebug is her name. I wanted Sweetpea but my boys chose otherwise. 🤷*♀️

[lukaslolamaus]

I love the name.
Henry's blocks and following the squirrel food pyramid is great :great
I would cut down on the nuts.
Be careful that she isn't stashing the nuts, squirrels often develop nut aggression.

[RockyPops]

If possible, keep your other pets isolated from her as much as possible. Even when she's in her cage they can get close to her causing her to lose her natural fear.

And her out of cage time needs to be closely supervised. They can chew wires, plastic chemical bottles under sinks, and yes, even a fuel line going to the gas tank on your truck that costs over $600.00 to have fixed...Don't ask me how I know.

Rocky built a nest in his nest box on top of my bookcase by the fireplace where he would put himself to bed every night. He would get up at dawn and play until I had to go to work when he went in his indoor cage.

At lunch I would let him out to play for about 45 minutes and he would go into his outdoor portable cage in my garage which was a lot bigger and had another view until I got home from work.

Then he was allowed to play until he put himself to bed that night. On weekends I'd roll him cage and all to his release cage where I joined the two cages together with a pass thru tunnel. That would give him lots of running and climbing time.

I think they enjoy and thrive on the interaction with you as their adopted sibling. They love to play fight and wrestle. It hones their skills they need for life in the trees.

[island rehabber]

:goodpost

[aamoon]

Please help!! Every time I let Doodle out of her cage she is crazy wild (as expected), but she is destroying everything. My house looks like a tornado just went through. 🤦🏼*♀️ Will she be ok if I contact a rehabber to find someone else to keep her for release in Spring?

[RockyPops]

I'm sure there are some re-habbers that are near you that would take her.

Just keep checking back here.

When she's out of her cage will she come to you at all or how do you get her back in her cage?

[aamoon]

Oh I’m her person. She climbs on me like a tree and cleans my hands and fingers. I love her so. I just don’t know what to do with her so she can play out of the cage frequently. She doesn’t like going back into her cage. Gives me the stare with the side look.