Release Question

[Snicker Bar]

I’ve hesitated to post this ; I know there are views and opinions that I may not want to hear, but I know I NEED to hear, to make the best decisions for the life I’ve allowed to stay in my care since last Nov. This may be a bit long but I need help here. I’ve worried the cuss out of a couple here lol. Asking (and asking...) and then convincing myself I’ve come to a decision. And then a day later uncertain again .

It’s little Elliot; I took him in Nov 13 while we were sick with COVID. He was probably about 5/6 weeks old. They left him in a box on our truck. I was glad to care for him during our two week quarantine. I was so worried Jon was going to end up in hospital. Elliot kept my mind busy and Jon was just fine. I tried many locals to find some buddies for him to grow with, so he wouldn’t be a singleton. No luck in middle of winter here . I should have reached out here but I didn’t . I know now I should have sent him to someone here, even if we had to travel, to find some buddies to grow with :(
but I worried about his teeth ; were they off ? I was sure he would be a NR. I posted pics here and most agreed they look fine. I also had some local rehabbers come check his mouth in person last weekend ; they look fine .

Over the last few months I’ve had some health issues and some heavy stuff with our youngest daughter , etc . Kind of scary /stormy season in life . Elliot has been a joy in the midst of all this. Like a little light in the darkness. Now, he’s an active , agile little man with signs of puberty developing under his tail. And, I’m
absolutely heart sick over the thought of letting him go. I had to raise him inside because there were two older overwinter boys that I felt were just too young to turn out last fall. They would have killed Elliot if I had tried to integrate him with them. So they occupied the indoor/outdoor set up we made out in our treatment building near the woods. They are good and “wild” as they should be. The leaves are getting full and they can go soon as tornados slow down!
But Elliot .. he was more hands on . He had the cushy life with the NR girls. He had to be handled/tame enough to monitor his mouth.
He’s spoiled . Too spoiled I’m afraid; and this is my fault. I realize this. And I hope now it’s not a death sentence ; too late ?

So my questions are :
If he could even be soft released, is it better to do it here, where I can “see” him, reassure him, and “know” if he’s terrified, bullied, and doesn’t want to leave?? He can stay , if all else fails. I will make a way. I’ll make it work. And will have learned a hard lesson from all this.
And never , EVER let this happen again :(
Or
Should I travel/ take him to someone here, and cut the apron strings , for his sake ( put my emotions aside ) ; maybe to a member who doesn’t have a ridiculous amount of hawks , owls, etc in their release area? I’ve released 7 males and one female here in last two years and I’ve seen how the residents bully the newcomers. My little female release lost a hunk of her tail within a month, and I never saw her again :( I watched a bully chase little “Toot” (from last fall) and he literally fell from a two story tall pine , desperately grabbing flimsy limbs until he finally caught one just before impact on the ground right before my eyes.
I loved all these release kids. Still feed them everyday . But I don’t know if I can handle the horror of what if’s , the hawks , the owls, even eagles now I’ve heard ... out here with this little guy. But if it’s best for HIM, I will try??

He gives me mixed signals. He wants to go straight to the squirrel porch now, each morning when I open his door. It’s connected to our bedroom where they all have cages for their food bedtime nests. But then he perches on a limb and bobble heads, looking to come back inside. It’s like he wants the best of both worlds ?? Is this evil to consider ??
He’s never shown aggression to me , except over a nut . He won’t bite, but he warns me not to move when he eats a nut on my shoulder . They all act possessive so I don’t think it’s anything unusual. When I come in, and tuck him in, he grooms me for 30 min. Wants scratches and loves. It’s hard to resist not doing so! He’s such a love ; I’m just torn!

I can’t do a soft release from the porch like some suggested . We have working dogs.
He would have to be taken to the woods, all alone. This is killing me to think about.

I need tough love here.
Well, maybe not too tough, if possible ? But suggestions please.

[Rock Monkey]

Helen and I had a very, very close bond. She never lived in a cage and we spent a lot of time together. However, the older she got, the more she wanted to be outside. Their wild instincts are genetically wired in, it is the presence of familiar, care-taking humans that turns the volume down on these, but they are always there and come roaring back once they are out in the wild.

Even though she never lived in a cage, Helen was always making nests and always chose the most secure location as the one where she would sleep. Her instincts were very much alive. She was always looking for sources of food. She wanted to be independent. If she heard the crows stirring up a commotion, she came to alert attention. If another squirrel outside alarmed, she would too. Often I struggled to hear what she heard. If I entered the room where she was sleeping and didn't speak out loud first before making noise, she would bolt in fear. She knew whether water was or good or bad to drink. Etc.

The point is, her instincts were never far away.

Helen has now been out in the world for more than a month and a half and now she doesn't even show herself in my presence. Originally I had thought she would come running when she heard my voice and jump on me. That has not been the case. She has remained cautious, spending most of her time in her home.

Maybe you can make Elliot's release an even slower process, to better acclimate all parties, reducing battles, maybe.

My two cents, for whatever that is worth.

[Snicker Bar]

I’ve seen her amazing journey and you did well! Went above and beyond for her. Thank you for your 2 cents , it’s worth much more !

[Buddy]

I don't have an advice for you particularly, as I'm struggling with my own emotions about Buddy's release myself. Buddy is the sweetest thing too; he never ever shows any aggression at all; even with nuts; he would just make a noise to indicate that he is not happy that he is not fully in control of the nut. He loves scratches and petting. The other day, as I move my hand away from him, he grabs my hand and brings it closer to him; basically saying "keep scratching me, mommy!". :love Not only once or twice, but several times! :love He is the most playful little boy, such a bundle of joy! :Love_Icon

I'm just here offering my understanding of your concerns and worry. :grouphug

This is such a difficult thing not knowing what would be 100% the best choice for them; we just simply cannot know the future...

I know whatever decision you make, would be out of love and I hope that would turn out to be the best decision for little Elliot! :w00t :Love_Icon

[Buddy]

Thankfully Helen's adventure turned out to be a happy one and I know RM did everything he can to make sure that Helen's release was a success. :w00t

She is now healthy, has a great home to keep her warm. She is holding her space and getting help and support from RM periodically. :Love_Icon

However, I'm not sure leaving a squirrel in the middle of the woods; especially someone like Elliot; who seems to be a bit more dependent than Helen would be the best choice.

I feel like hard releases are probably not easy on the squirrels; no matter how much of their wild instincts are intact!

[Snicker Bar]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Buddy; glad to know there’s more than a couple here struggling.
And I should have clarified, I meant alone in the woods in the release cage (without a little friend or two to launch with ) . He would never survive a hard release . And neither would his Mama :(
We have set ups for slow release , a walking distance away from the house (and other pets). He just would be in shock, I fear . But maybe I could try ,

[Buddy]

Good to know that you didn't mean a hard release. Sorry I misunderstood.

Well, my understanding of the purpose of the soft release is to get them wilden up and give them the chance to get familiar with the environment, weather elements etc, so if there are other squirrels living around where you plan to do the soft release, I think that should be fine. Especially, if you'll be able to keep an eye on him. Maybe visit him first few days more frequently and stay with him for a while; and then reduce the visit time and frequency as he gets more comfortable.

Wishing you and Elliot all the best! :grouphug :Love_Icon

[Chirps]

Good to know that you didn't mean a hard release. Sorry I misunderstood.

Well, my understanding of the purpose of the soft release is to get them wilden up and give them the chance to get familiar with the environment, weather elements etc, so if there are other squirrels living around where you plan to do the soft release, I think that should be fine. Especially, if you'll be able to keep an eye on him. Maybe visit him first few days more frequently and stay with him for a while; and then reduce the visit time and frequency as he gets more comfortable.

Wishing you and Elliot all the best! :grouphug :Love_Icon

I was thinking much the same after reading this thread. What the heck, even take a sleeping bag and camp in the cage with him to hold his paw the first two nights. Okay, kidding . . . . maybe. :(

You still have time though, yes? Just because he's curious and wants to check out the goings on at the squirrel porch doesn't sound like he's pining for the big world yet. What would it hurt to wait for him to show you if he wants more than what you're giving him? He can always go to the release cage and you can hang with him as much as time allows when he shows he's ready for that step. And the bigger he is when he gets in the world the more he can hold his own with the others maybe.

Maybe I should shut up though, because I hurt for what you're dealing with and don't want to see you lose this special happy thing in your life, and you don't want someone enabling your emotional reasons for keeping him. You want level headed, pragmatic advice. But I also don't see any harm in indulging yourself just a little for the time being. From what a lot of people here have said about their own experiences he will let you know when he NEEDS to take that next step, and that should make it easier to do right by him WHEN the time comes. And maybe by then other things you're dealing with will resolve at least somewhat and you'll be more ready to help him on his next stage of life. I guess I'm saying I hope the timing will be right that you won't need him so much when he shows you he needs to go be a squirrel in the trees, so it will ease you just a bit.

:hug

[Snicker Bar]

I could actually sleep out in the treatment building ... Not out of question !
Not at all enabling either ; I’m trying to just open the door for thoughts, even though I know some may be hard to hear.

I guess one nagging question is it emotionally better for Elliot (any soft release) for it to be done by the person who raised it from a baby... than turning him over to a trustworthy rehabber who is NOT so emotionally invested into the animal? Is it tougher for him to try and wild up, if he sees a familiar person daily .. Or is it more merciful to cut ties ? Either way, I will be a wreck! But what is best for the animal? Saying goodbye to a domestic pet ( when rehoming is needed) isn’t the same . We can visit a pet dog/cat without changing its life skills needed for survival. But a baby wild, that has imprinted (I guess?) on me, even though I have resident NR’s that he sees , smells, and can still safely (no testicles yet ) interact with, and yet still prefers a human tree vs those on the porch... Is my presence during an attempt to soft release going to HINDER or HELP him, I guess is also what I worry about. Does that make sense ? I’m not sure at this point if I even make sense to myself :( !

[Buddy]

I'm trying to remind myself, even the momma squirrel stops feeding the baby (it was in another threat in the forum) and encourages the babies to take care of themselves after certain age.

I guess I would try to weigh my options based on the environment. If your environment is not squirrel friendly, releasing him properly somewhere else would be better for him; but with someone absolutely trustworthy!

If your environment is fine (and I understand every place has its own advantages and stuff that is not ideal), and other squirrels are living and thriving, it might be better to release him close to you; so you can keep and eye on him and supporting him when he needs it.

[Tuff]

I’ve hesitated to post this ; I know there are views and opinions that I may not want to hear, but I know I NEED to hear, to make the best decisions for the life I’ve allowed to stay in my care since last Nov. This may be a bit long but I need help here. I’ve worried the cuss out of a couple here lol. Asking (and asking...) and then convincing myself I’ve come to a decision. And then a day later uncertain again .

It’s little Elliot; I took him in Nov 13 while we were sick with COVID. He was probably about 5/6 weeks old. They left him in a box on our truck. I was glad to care for him during our two week quarantine. I was so worried Jon was going to end up in hospital. Elliot kept my mind busy and Jon was just fine. I tried many locals to find some buddies for him to grow with, so he wouldn’t be a singleton. No luck in middle of winter here . I should have reached out here but I didn’t . I know now I should have sent him to someone here, even if we had to travel, to find some buddies to grow with :(
but I worried about his teeth ; were they off ? I was sure he would be a NR. I posted pics here and most agreed they look fine. I also had some local rehabbers come check his mouth in person last weekend ; they look fine .

Over the last few months I’ve had some health issues and some heavy stuff with our youngest daughter , etc . Kind of scary /stormy season in life . Elliot has been a joy in the midst of all this. Like a little light in the darkness. Now, he’s an active , agile little man with signs of puberty developing under his tail. And, I’m
absolutely heart sick over the thought of letting him go. I had to raise him inside because there were two older overwinter boys that I felt were just too young to turn out last fall. They would have killed Elliot if I had tried to integrate him with them. So they occupied the indoor/outdoor set up we made out in our treatment building near the woods. They are good and “wild” as they should be. The leaves are getting full and they can go soon as tornados slow down!
But Elliot .. he was more hands on . He had the cushy life with the NR girls. He had to be handled/tame enough to monitor his mouth.
He’s spoiled . Too spoiled I’m afraid; and this is my fault. I realize this. And I hope now it’s not a death sentence ; too late ?

So my questions are :
If he could even be soft released, is it better to do it here, where I can “see” him, reassure him, and “know” if he’s terrified, bullied, and doesn’t want to leave?? He can stay , if all else fails. I will make a way. I’ll make it work. And will have learned a hard lesson from all this.
And never , EVER let this happen again :(
Or
Should I travel/ take him to someone here, and cut the apron strings , for his sake ( put my emotions aside ) ; maybe to a member who doesn’t have a ridiculous amount of hawks , owls, etc in their release area? I’ve released 7 males and one female here in last two years and I’ve seen how the residents bully the newcomers. My little female release lost a hunk of her tail within a month, and I never saw her again :( I watched a bully chase little “Toot” (from last fall) and he literally fell from a two story tall pine , desperately grabbing flimsy limbs until he finally caught one just before impact on the ground right before my eyes.
I loved all these release kids. Still feed them everyday . But I don’t know if I can handle the horror of what if’s , the hawks , the owls, even eagles now I’ve heard ... out here with this little guy. But if it’s best for HIM, I will try??

He gives me mixed signals. He wants to go straight to the squirrel porch now, each morning when I open his door. It’s connected to our bedroom where they all have cages for their food bedtime nests. But then he perches on a limb and bobble heads, looking to come back inside. It’s like he wants the best of both worlds ?? Is this evil to consider ??
He’s never shown aggression to me , except over a nut . He won’t bite, but he warns me not to move when he eats a nut on my shoulder . They all act possessive so I don’t think it’s anything unusual. When I come in, and tuck him in, he grooms me for 30 min. Wants scratches and loves. It’s hard to resist not doing so! He’s such a love ; I’m just torn!

I can’t do a soft release from the porch like some suggested . We have working dogs.
He would have to be taken to the woods, all alone. This is killing me to think about.

I need tough love here.
Well, maybe not too tough, if possible ? But suggestions please.


Me, I am this person also...

[Mel1959]

Marie, I think Elliot will do best being released by you. :Love_Icon. I think your heart will feel best with this scenario, too. It has been my limited experience, that even with the ones that we think will NEVER be interested in the trees...they are....eventually. And if Elliot decides not to be interested in the trees, then you are there to bring him back home. :Love_Icon

I think singletons are at an advantage with the bond that is created with their caregiver. They tend to stick around and want to remain friendly...to some degree. I think he will learn the dogs are a danger and time in a release cage will get him familiar with other squirrels alarming and what he needs to look out for. In my opinion if you have the option....all squirrels do better being released when they are a little older...especially a singleton.

So, hang on to him till the crazy mating season subsides. Put him in the treatment release room initially where you can still interact with him or sleep with him, if you want. After he’s spent time there and you feel confident that he’s ready to move to a release cage near the woods, then do it. There’s no “carved in stone” timeline. You are free to adapt your needs to his needs and vice versa.

My girl, May, is proof positive that keeping them longer is not a bad thing. I knew when she was ready to go. She no longer wanted my cuddles and lovings. I think Elliot will tell you, too.

And if he doesn’t want to go then you’ll have a special boy like Nancy’s Fluffer. :Love_Icon:hug

[RockyPops]

The hawks, dogs etc. may be where ever he's released. If you keep him near, he at least has a chance with you as a backup.

My 2 cents. I'm a big squishey when it comes to these babies though!

[Chirps]

I could actually sleep out in the treatment building ... Not out of question !
Not at all enabling either ; I’m trying to just open the door for thoughts, even though I know some may be hard to hear.

I guess one nagging question is it emotionally better for Elliot (any soft release) for it to be done by the person who raised it from a baby... than turning him over to a trustworthy rehabber who is NOT so emotionally invested into the animal? Is it tougher for him to try and wild up, if he sees a familiar person daily .. Or is it more merciful to cut ties ?
I'm thinking turning him over to someone else means he has to adjust to that person. While I get the point of cutting ties, that's almost like when people here find a baby whose mother has died etc. and that baby has to adjust to the human who tries to help it. Having the person who raised him do the release is more like when the kids become teenagers and Mom has less and less to do with them and they want/need less and less to do with her. . . .

Or maybe not. Maybe if/when he gets to the point where you know it's time for him to be a squirrel it won't bother him so much since he'd be ready at that point to begin his new life adventure, so it might not be as troubling for him to see less and less of any human. :thinking


Either way, I will be a wreck! But what is best for the animal? Saying goodbye to a domestic pet ( when rehoming is needed) isn’t the same . We can visit a pet dog/cat without changing its life skills needed for survival. But a baby wild, that has imprinted (I guess?) on me, even though I have resident NR’s that he sees , smells, and can still safely (no testicles yet ) interact with, and yet still prefers a human tree vs those on the porch... Is my presence during an attempt to soft release going to HINDER or HELP him, I guess is also what I worry about. Does that make sense ? I’m not sure at this point if I even make sense to myself :( !
Makes a lot of sense to me. Like will he try to be near you when the dogs are around, and would he know that HE can't trust them even though Mom is with them? I guess some things may also depend on your layout, like can he safely approach you to "check in" once totally loose without risking getting grabbed by one of the dogs? Are there enough trees that he can get off the ground quickly from almost anywhere he might need to? How do you communicate dangers to him? How much will instinct kick in and learning from observing the wilds? Will he know to avoid you if he sees dangerous animals in your vicinity? And on and on. I don't know either, but can appreciate what you're wrestling with.

I had only slightly similar worries with my Love from my dog and cat that luckily were non-issues (dog too old, cat mellowed with age). I also don't think squirrels generalize about predators. Like they know my calico cat is generally safe, but don't transfer that trust to the black cat that comes around. They don't think cat=okay. They think multi-colored predator=not too dangerous and black predator=very dangerous. My worries turned out to be more of whether she would transfer her trust of me to human=jump on/tree/food. I don't know if you have to worry about humans so much as animals where you are.

Something else I ponder is: Is a human-raised squirrel at risk of trust transference? Like do they fall into the trap of human=okay/safe more readily than a wild or do they know that they have to suss out individuals? It seems to vary by squirrel. A couple of my wilds have learned to trust me and can be a bit pushy and demanding, yet when any of my family comes close they disappear. They don't transfer their trust of me to all humans. I don't know if my Love did though, and I wonder if I failed her there.

Sorry, not much help I guess, got to ruminating on all this. Funny, for a while I SO wanted a baby to raise again, but now am SO glad to not deal with the angst you are now. :(

[Snicker Bar]

Thanks for all the input and answers , and I did not even consider the mating season factor! Wow... glad to know this and it also gives me a few weeks to get things moving . I actually transferred the two big overwinter boys yesterday to the tree line here , just a few feet away from the building and plan to let them go. They are big, strong boys and this will be a new location from all the previous ones over last two years . I moved their “inside”cage they are familiar with, (and most of time sleep in) and placed it on a big iron table , elevating it several feet high , against the tree. And placed their wooden nest box (with guards) on the top of cage . All are secured to the tree. Fixing to open the portal here in a few. This will vacate the building so that , I guess , I can try Elliot. I could move his Critter Nation inside and attach it to the portal . I’ll have to clean out the big outdoor cage and stuff it with fresh things . And he will need his own nest box.
Thankfully Chirps their is no risk of human interaction out here...other than myself and my husband . We rarely have company other than family . We don’t have Homechurch anymore; our pastor moved. And no neighbors, we are on a farm . So it’s pretty quiet out here and like it that way !

[Rock Monkey]

I think you will be less of a wreck if you release Elliot yourself on your property. Otherwise, you will fill your head with how you imagine things might be going for him elsewhere, usually the way we imagine it is far worse than the reality.

The slow release process isn't just for him, but for you too. Both of you are slowly adjusting to change.

It will be much less scary for him if you are nearby and he sees you on a regular basis. I think handing him over to someone else will be much more traumatic for him.

During this slow, slow release process you will be able to sense what he wants to do and provide for him during this time. I think you will find that his wild side will get stronger and stronger during this process. Knowing this will reassure you.

Also, once he becomes sexually mature and there is female in heat somewhere, his wild side will truly rise up.

[Rock Monkey]

I feel like hard releases are probably not easy on the squirrels; no matter how much of their wild instincts are intact!

Yes, if at all possible, slow release is very much preferable.

In my case a whole bunch of circumstances aligned together such that the path I traveled was the best I could manage among numerous non-ideal choices. Helen is now just slightly over one year old. I delayed her release because I wasn't able to finish her house in time for a fall release (The house was the one way I could always be there protecting her, the one way I could give her a huge advantage over the other wilds.), but also because I was procrastinating hoping to figure out better solutions to the various issues. I never thought up a better way. I was also procrastinating because despite her destructive side, she is so sweet. In our last weeks together we grew much closer than we had been in a while during the time she was healing from her bad fall. She would have happily spent most of the day on my head being petted, but now won't even show herself to get her favorite treats. Sigh.

The future is unknown, such is the challenge of life.

[Buddy]

Thanks RM! I know your circumstances were not ideal at all and you did the best you can for Helen and it turned out to be a success. She is now a happy, independent, adult squirrel; possibly a momma-to-be, with a very nice house! :w00t :Love_Icon

Every situation and every squirrel is different and yes, the future is unknown, so our decision making capabilities are limited to what we know from our past experiences and knowledge and what we know at the moment.

Happy to hear that you two grew much closer and experienced a rare, precious connection, bond and love, which I think never goes away or disappears; whether she runs to you or she won't show herself. To be honest; the fact that she is cautious and doesn't show herself is a better outcome! She is being a wild squirrel which you assumed the role of helping her become one! :Love_Icon

As much as I would miss petting and playing with Buddy unimaginatively; I'd rather million times prefer that he stays away from anything that can hurt him; including humans; even if that means, he is cautious with me as well.

[island rehabber]

Snicker Bar:grouphug

Ancient Latin text, c. 2000 BC:


Inamabilis sciurus et decernere

:grin3 let the squirrel decide! :grin3

[Snicker Bar]

I’m so thankful for these encouraging success stories , and for those that are still in progress. It’s a huge help to me and others here that are really struggling ; especially with the singletons.

[Buddy]

It's been helpful for me too! Thank you for posting. I realize I'm good at giving advice but not so good at listening to my own! :grin3

It's definitely hard to let them go; like you said, especially singletons! :Love_Icon

[Tuff]

I think you will be less of a wreck if you release Elliot yourself on your property. Otherwise, you will fill your head with how you imagine things might be going for him elsewhere, usually the way we imagine it is far worse than the reality.

The slow release process isn't just for him, but for you too. Both of you are slowly adjusting to change.

It will be much less scary for him if you are nearby and he sees you on a regular basis. I think handing him over to someone else will be much more traumatic for him.

During this slow, slow release process you will be able to sense what he wants to do and provide for him during this time. I think you will find that his wild side will get stronger and stronger during this process. Knowing this will reassure you.

Also, once he becomes sexually mature and there is female in heat somewhere, his wild side will truly rise up.

Releasing him yourself let’s you know it’s on your terms (lack of a better phrase really his terms). Making you less of a wreck, absolutely not..I am an emotion basket case that may start adding alcohol to my coffee and see haw the day goes. I talked to several people yesterday including Marie. I’ve taken in loads of advice and thoughts. Over the course of the last few days Tuff has changed dramatically. I don’t think anyone prepared me for that. All the reading and studying of everything posted here, nope not prepared. He bit me yesterday unprovoked, during a moment in time that we had done 20 thousand times. He didn’t clamp down like he could have, but my pinkie knuckle is swollen and sore this morning. This morning he chartered his teeth at me sitting on my shoulder..now he is back in his cage which kills me. He’s upset, I’m upset, which does nothing for the situation. I’ve said all that to say this. I don’t think there is a text book for this. You move at their pace, they will let you know. They have loved us the only way they know how, and we loved them with everything we have. As I sit here after moving his inside cage out to the sunroom so we can begin this process of setting us both free no matter how painful it is.

[Tuff]

I’m so thankful for these encouraging success stories , and for those that are still in progress. It’s a huge help to me and others here that are really struggling ; especially with the singletons.

Marie we are going to have one more success story hopefully in a few weeks.