relocating my five week old

[AvianWondersTLC]

I have questions... don't I always? I know, I'm worse than a child. I promise I won't ask why the sky is blue!

I have PeeWee in a crate. His eyes are now fully opened, he's furred and he's bouncing off the walls. Time to get out of the crate. 20 gallon "long" aquarium with a screen lid, is that okay..the aquarium itself and the size? If not an aquarium, then what should I put him in until he's a little older? I have an enclosure to put him in for inside the house but it's like 6'x6' wire mesh and it seems WAY too big for his lil butt right now.

The nestbox that I will eventually put in the tree for release.... Is it possible that he will continue to use this box and ultimately build a nest in it? If so I need to have a box built that will withstand the weather long term and be of suitable size.......to house PeeWee AND his family? Could that happen?
:thankyou

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I always keep mine in an aquarium at that age. Just give him some sticks to climb on and stuff and he should love it. Like GB said, be sure to put something on the lid so he can't get out! They are escape artists.

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

To answer your question about the nest box, my releases almost always move into their nest box that they had from the cage. They are familiar with the smell, size, entrance, and layout, and they go right on in when it's hung on a tree. They usually stay in it until the following summer when it gets too hot. Then they build their own nest.

You can build your own, which will protect baby from predators and weather, or you can buy one. www.woodlandhabitat.com has a nice deep one that is safe from raccoon paws, and she sells them barely over her cost.