I'm crazy for my little girl squirrel!!

[Barby]

I raised a brother-sister duo from two weeks. The boy made his own decision when it was time to release. :( My girl I kept til 14 weeks. She is now nicely established in a nesting box in a tree in my side yard where I also have bunnies so lots of pleasant activity. I had to go out of town for just three days so I saw her on Tuesday, gone Wednesday and back Thursday night. She poked her head out of the nesting box Thursday night when checked on her but wouldn't come out. This morning she came to me but a bit apprehensive. Well this afternoon I guess she remembered she remembered me! She was all over me, let me HOLD her and perched on me all afternoon! So, here's my question: we are going out of town even longer for Thanksgiving. Tuesday to Sunday so I will not see her at all Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Would it be too stressful (and selfish?) for me to put her back into her prerelease cage for those days? It's a big cage and I could take her nesting box down and put it in for her but I don't know if that would be too stressful for her.

[TubeDriver]

How long has she been out now? Fourteen weeks is the absolute min age I would consider soft-release, 16 weeks would be better. By Thanksgiving, she will have had 4 more weeks outside, at that point I would NOT bring her back in during your 3 day trip unless she is really not doing well out there. But if she seems to be doing well, she should be fine without you for a couple days.



I raised a brother-sister duo from two weeks. The boy made his own decision when it was time to release. :( My girl I kept til 14 weeks. She is now nicely established in a nesting box in a tree in my side yard where I also have bunnies so lots of pleasant activity. I had to go out of town for just three days so I saw her on Tuesday, gone Wednesday and back Thursday night. She poked her head out of the nesting box Thursday night when checked on her but wouldn't come out. This morning she came to me but a bit apprehensive. Well this afternoon I guess she remembered she remembered me! She was all over me, let me HOLD her and perched on me all afternoon! So, here's my question: we are going out of town even longer for Thanksgiving. Tuesday to Sunday so I will not see her at all Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Would it be too stressful (and selfish?) for me to put her back into her prerelease cage for those days? It's a big cage and I could take her nesting box down and put it in for her but I don't know if that would be too stressful for her.

[Barby]

Thank you. She seems to be doing really well so I won't stress her by locking her up. Hopefully she will remember me after my trip. My cousin is taking care of my other critters so she will be supplied food, etc.