What kind of toys are safe & fun?

[Danali]

I have a 6 wk old grey squirrel that I plan to keep. Are there any safe & fun toys that I could let him play with at this age? Plush cat toys maybe? If so, should they be free of any extras hanging off of them like a plush mouse has a tail...should I cut the tail off, take the tag off and the eyes or any threading?

Thx in advance.

[thundersquirrel]

i'm not sure about the toys- i think anything with loose threads is a bad idea when they're young.

and just as a side thought, you may want to wait a little longer before deciding for certain to keep him forever. sometimes squirrels are very sweet when they're young, but when they reach a certain age they make it clear they want to be outside. this isn't for certain going to happen, but i want you to be prepared for anything.

no disrespect. just advising for the future. :peace

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

I have beanie babies..and any stuffed animal that doesn't have eye's that can be pulled off..and hang them..with shoe laces..at the level where if Oliver's on his back..he can reach it...and jump onto it and kick it's butt...
I also put in empty toilet paper spools..a bird cuttle bone...bulky fat rope..to balance on..be sure to put a thick bath towel on the bottom in case he falls...I know he fell from a HUGUNGUS tree..but no, more falls..now matter how far they are..protect the head..legs..butt.etc..and other eehh hemmm things..lol
If you go to Bean's thread you can see his set up..Ill show you one..thats a good one..to see his set up..
And as far as HIS deciding to be your extended family member...yeah thats always the possibility..BUT you can enjoy the heck out of him NOW:wahoo :alright.gif :jump :flash3 :wott
Rachel...........and do what you have to do..as far as an alterante living arrangement for him..in side or an outside thing..well you'll figure that one out..too...
ENJOY him..oliver is a cutie!!:thumbsup

[pamela lee]

Please don't use Beanie Babies, they have little pellety type filling. Only use stuffed animals that have cotton type polyfil. That way if they tear it open and they probably will, they can just use it as bedding and won't try to eat it. Just a warning to keep them safe.

[TexanSquirrel]

Please don't use Beanie Babies, they have little pellety type filling. Only use stuffed animals that have cotton type polyfil. That way if they tear it open and they probably will, they can just use it as bedding and won't try to eat it. Just a warning to keep them safe.

Maybe you could sew your own...?

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

I suppose all squirrels are different..but Bean hasn't ripped open any of his toy's..maybe because he has enough to eat ..he's not interested in plastic beads....to eat... More yummy things to eat..Pea pods..green beans,purplecabbage,broc,c.flower,carrots,ALL kinds of RAW nuts,pine cones,acorns..:jump
I think even I I offered him a plastic bead..he's cock hi head..like are you NUTS??:flash3
LOL..but like you said..Some one may eat it..???:dono
So,,do what you think is best for your baby.....:thumbsup

[Danali]

Thanks everyone for their imput.

I plan on keeping him and will deal with any unexpected behavior that might arise. I've been totally treating him like a puppy or a kitten ( I actually have a 7 wk old kitten now). I've read in many areas on the net that squirrels are just like cats, they're all very different in personalities. I'm hoping that because I spend a lot of time with him, (outside of eating time), playing, holding him and talking pretty, that he will develope a loving personality. My cats I have now are absolutely spoiled azz rotton to the core. So Oliver will get the same treatment. I have also been slowly introducing him to my cats and the cats or just like "whatever", lol.

I have some small cat toys, mice to be exact, that are plushed filled that I will take everything off and put one in there and see if he likes it. :)

[Amber Squirl]

My vets have told me not to let my pets, that includes rodents;birds.cats, and dogs, to play with anything like cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls or anything that is held with commercial glue because if they eat the glue they can get brain damage. It can cause seziures.
Fluffynuttail, believe me eventually your squirrel will start tearing open the toys and chewing on the toilet paper rolls. Most likely he will start tearing out the eyes on the toys first. There seems to be something about the eyes that they either don't like or are attracked to. My squirrel had a toy that she didn't do anything but simply toss them and attack them but after about a year old she learned to rip them open. So like previously mentioned it is best to have only toys ( stuffed ones ) that are cotton polly filled so that when they do start tearing them open it isn't filled with anything that they can swallow and get choked on or in anyway harm them internally.

[Rhapsody]

Might I suggest looking at TOYS made for Sugar Gliders...... they should be safe for a Squirrel, for both of these animals like to chew and tear any thing they can get in their mouth.


Here are a few SG Links:


http://www.callejean.com/


http://www.sugar-gliders.com/store.htm


http://www.thesugargliderstore.com/index.html


http://www.gliderdaydreams.com/pages/toys.php


http://www.luckyyou-gliders.com/theshop.htm#Toys


http://gliderconnection.com/glider/index.php?cPath=65&osCsid=2e27d9b1529af3ee1237f6f41fda

[Lady Squirrelly]

I am also having trouble finding good toys. They seem to either have hard eyes, beads, or the squeeker thing in them.

I was excited about the info till I looked at the items.

So many of the Sugar Glider toys are made of plastic. That bothers me because Jack loves to chew on anything plastic. The back of 2 remotes, a calculator, his lamp for his full spectrum light, the hooks and adjustment buckles on his new hammock, and the front edge of my TV have all fallen victim to his gnawing. :nono

I am so afraid he will swallow some of that stuff. What about these toys?



Anyone else with this problem?

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

My vets have told me not to let my pets, that includes rodents;birds.cats, and dogs, to play with anything like cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls or anything that is held with commercial glue because if they eat the glue they can get brain damage. It can cause seziures.
Fluffynuttail, believe me eventually your squirrel will start tearing open the toys and chewing on the toilet paper rolls. Most likely he will start tearing out the eyes on the toys first. There seems to be something about the eyes that they either don't like or are attracked to. My squirrel had a toy that she didn't do anything but simply toss them and attack them but after about a year old she learned to rip them open. So like previously mentioned it is best to have only toys ( stuffed ones ) that are cotton polly filled so that when they do start tearing them open it isn't filled with anything that they can swallow and get choked on or in anyway harm them internally.

Yeah:peace kkkk..Amber .well I got the paper towl cardboard thing form A SQUIRREL book....and as for the beanie baby...I got it...:poke
I swear...N ever mind..Im not going to even go..with this...let's just let it Go.......::::never mind::: :shakehead
Im getting agravated...here for 2 seconds..and knows all....WHAT EVER...:dono

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

:wott thank you Rhap..for the idea'!!:thumbsup :wahoo :alright.gif :jump

[Rhapsody]

Maybe these sites will have some tough toys for the Squirrel Teeth.
... I order bird toys for my SG as well.





http://www.exoticnutrition.com/Cage-Accessories.htm


http://www.thesugargliderstore.com/SugarGliderToys.html


http://stores.ebay.com/O-K-Petstuff-Bird-Toys_PLAY-GYMS-AND-PERCHES_W0QQcolZ2QQdirZQ2d1QQfsubZ3QQftidZ2QQtZkm

[thundersquirrel]

FTN, we're just tossing ideas around here. don't worry. :thumbsup

i use cardboard boxes (small ones) as nest boxes. i think it is ok as long as you CAREFULLY examine the cardboard for any traces of glue. if i find glue, i either cut that part out or just get a different one.

as far as beanie babies go, i think they're comfortable, but just to be on the safe side, there are better stuffed animals out there. i'm sure there are cozy stuffed animals meant for young babies that would work.

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

::::sigh::: you know..you have ALOT of class!!! Tippen hat to you!!!
I can take things..when they are said ..properly....
THANK YOU!!!!:thumbsup :grouphug :peace :jump :wott :bowdown :bowdown
Rachel...................................
You have a way about you..I think your really cool!!
Thank you!! Really...I dont feel like YOUR a know it all..it's very refreshing....

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

YOU too Rhap!!:thumbsup

[Mrs. Jack]

for a long time Mr. Pillowman was happy. Then one day he was DECIMATED.

Squirrels are like babies, better to be safe in the extreme than be the reason the recall goes out :(

[thundersquirrel]

HEY i've got an idea. we should make guidelines for toys.....that would help prevent any confusion.

there is one type of stuffed "animal" that i think would work. have you ever heard of ugly dolls? :D they're these little stuffed monsters. not certain, but from what i've seen, i think it's just cloth and stuffing.

[Mrs. Jack]

I have heard of ugli fruit. They are rather unattractive. But not the dolls.

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

No more beanie babies..Got it.....ALL GONE......:grouphug :jump :peace :wahoo :flash3

[Mrs. Jack]

No more beanie babies..Got it.....ALL GONE......:grouphug :jump :peace :wahoo :flash3


lol. from what I've seen, that squirrel is so spoiled he won't miss them :D plus I'm sure you'll replace them with twenty different things :jump

[thundersquirrel]

here's what i'm thinking of. i have the one called babo. :)

some of them have loose threads though, and that's a NONO. other than that, i think they're alright...

http://www.shopatron.com/index/322.0.10257.0.0.0.0

[Amber Squirl]

Sorry, I wasn't trying to be a know it all. I was simply telling you what I know from experience and what my VETS (not just one but several) told me especially after I had had trouble with a hamster of mine that was having seziures. And I have a 3 year old squirrel and I have given her toys that I have taken the glass or plastic eyes out of and sewn the holes shut and also some bought toy with embroidered eyes and she always goes for them first. I have other friends with pet squirrels and they all eat the eyes out to.
But if I can't offer my opinion or share what I have been told by Medical people to help enlighten others then I guess I don't need to be here. There are sites out there where people like to share info and help not fight.

[Mrs. Jack]

oh they're cutE! why are they ugly?

[Mrs. Jack]

Sorry, I wasn't trying to be a know it all. I was simply telling you what I know from experience and what my VETS (not just one but several) told me especially after I had had trouble with a hamster of mine that was having seziures. And I have a 3 year old squirrel and I have given her toys that I have taken the glass or plastic eyes out of and sewn the holes shut and also some bought toy with embroidered eyes and she always goes for them first. I have other friends with pet squirrels and they all eat the eyes out to.
But if I can't offer my opinion or share what I have been told by Medical people to help enlighten others then I guess I don't need to be here. There are sites out there where people like to share info and help not fight.

Hey there Amber Squirl, Your opinions are most welcome. We're a sort of dysfunctional family who share a BIG STRONG TIE we LOVVVVE squirrels. obviously you fit us to a t. Don't get mad, stick to your guns if you know something. often everything gets tossed into a salad spinner, spun around, looks a little crazy, but when arranged on the plate it comes out just dandy.
:thumbsup :Welcome

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

Im cool..sorry for being a hot head.....walking away slowly.....:poke :peace :bowdown

[thundersquirrel]

awesome analogy mrs. jack! :D i love salads.....

[LynninIN]

Sammy has what I call his eyeless army. He removes the eyes from all the toys (except the chippies). If they are embroidered it just takes longer. He also unstuffs most of his toys. I've never given him the beanie kind because the beads would be everywhere and I'm afraid he will choke on one.

[Danali]

WOW! So much has gone on in this thread since I was here last, lol

I gave Oliver the cat toy, minus the eyes, whiskers, tails, tag...aww hell, I cut everything off that poor toy and now it doesn't look like a mouse anymore, lol. He played with it and was rolling on his back, like a kitten playing with it. So cute!

You all have given some great suggestions that I will be using. Thank you! :thumbsup

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

Im glad you got him some cool toy's..have you given him any vegi's yet??

[Buddy'sMom]

DANGLEY SOCKS!! These were a HUGE hit for Buddy and many others.

Take a pair of socks and knot the toes together. Place knot over a bar outside the top of the cage and thread the socks into the cage to hang down. If they aren't long enough to reach the bottom, add more socks to make a sock chain. They love to grab, climb, swing ..... :) (If you are using a wooden cage (vs. one with bars across the top), you can attach the socks to a piece of the wood with a screw/washer combo.) The same effect can be achieved with a knotted rope.

Also, check out yard sales, thrift shops, dollar stores -- look for baby toys. We got a few tiny stuffed animals with clips that could attach to the cage -- he loved pouncing on them.

Pine cones, fresh twigs, small clumps of leaves (I put some in a zip top bag in the freezer before they turned brown and fell last fall, so we could keep giving Buddy some fresh ones) -- all bring much squirrely joy and fun!

:grouphug :grouphug

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

Awesome Ideas Buddy's mom!!!Ill have to try some!:thumbsup

[muffinsquirrel]

Yeah, Amber Squirl, please do stick around. We need lots of input from lots of people - that's how we keep on learning.

muffinsquirrel

[Danali]

Im glad you got him some cool toy's..have you given him any vegi's yet??


I happened to be eating a banana earlier this evening and I gave him a little slice. He ate most of it. :)

Should I be giving him veggie's at 6 wks?

[muffinsquirrel]

Have any of you ever heard of a 'dammit doll'? Everyone needs one :D . It's just two pieces of cloth, cut out to resemble a person (more or less), and sew the pieces together, leaving a small opening to stuff it. Draw on features with non-toxic markers, then stuff with fiberfill and sew opening closed. Then, when your day is going all wrong or you get mad for whatever reason, take the doll by the arm or leg and beat it on the edge of a table or desk, while yelling "DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT. Try it - you'll feel better :D :crazy . (It might also get you sent home from work/school early - or maybe just to the closest padded cell!!)

Anyhow, they make great squirrel toys, too. They're cheap, quick and easy to make, and you can just make another one when that one gets torn up.

So now you know the secret to my 'sanity'(?????) and my squirrels' happiness!

muffinsquirrel