Getting ready to let go

[roguetiger]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this topic, but I need some questions answered.

Wart is about 12 weeks old. We need to start working on releasing him. Based on some very sound advise, I think it would be better to get him to a rehabber who can accomodate his needs and prepare him for the wild and interaction with other squirrels better than I (we live in an apt. complex).

This being said, how do we deal with the following:

1. He is pretty attached to me. He runs over my fiance too, but I'm his tree/napping spot/feeder, etc. How do you deal with just handing him over to a stranger?

2. He still drinks formula. No signs of not wanting it..piggy...is he still to young to let go?

3. He has no concept of instincts. Everything is provided to him. I do secretly belive that those will kick in as needed, but I wonder.

4. And finally, about 300 more little tiny questions that pop into my mind.

I want to do what is best for him. I promised him trees and open sky, but I don't want to worry that he'll be dead within 24 hours of handing him over to someone else. Also, dealing with the guilt that I am just "handing him over". He won't understand that...in order for him to have what is best...he has to leave us.

[jules]

Hi!

I think that letting Wart go to a rehabber is a brilliant idea!
Don't worry about him getting used to another environment, they adapt pretty quick, especially when there are other squirrels he can learn from.
It is possible in most cases for you to visit Wart after he has gone, this would help to put your mind at rest.
It's never easy letting go, but you know in your heart that you are doing it for their best interests.
They will still give him his milk or what ever is necessary and his natural instincts will grow, being around other squirrels.
He will thank you in the end...by becoming a free and wild animal who lives the life he was born to!

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug
Jules. :Love_Icon

[pamela lee]

First I'd like to thank you for wanting to do what's right for Wart. I think you still have atleast 2 to 4 more weeks before Wart needs to get ready to leave. You don't need to worry too much about his instincts kicking in, because they will. A rehabber would be a great choice because they will have other squirrels as well and he'll learn to be squirrely with them. This release thing hurts us way more then it hurts them. It's where they were meant to be and they know it. It is a very admirable and unselfish thing you are doing by offering him his freedom and he will remember that. You will miss him and hurt for awhile but just think of him running and climbing through the tree's and smile and know that that was possible because of YOU.
Good luck
Pamela

[thundersquirrel]

first, let me say you are SO kind and brave to consider the squirrel's wants and needs. thank you. :bowdown

1. He is pretty attached to me. He runs over my fiance too, but I'm his tree/napping spot/feeder, etc. How do you deal with just handing him over to a stranger?

the squirrel is likely to miss you for a couple of days, but he will move on. they love their mothers, too, but they manage to let go. without you around, he will find new things to love- hopefully sibling squirrels.

as far as YOU two coping, you'd have to do that on your own time. just keep in mind how happy he'll be with other squirrels in the trees.

2. He still drinks formula. No signs of not wanting it..piggy...is he still to young to let go?

he is DEFINITELY old enough to be weaned. you simply need to refuse him the formula more often and offer healthy solid-food choices. what have you been giving him besides formula?

3. He has no concept of instincts. Everything is provided to him. I do secretly belive that those will kick in as needed, but I wonder.

when a squirrel is raised alone, they do have trouble tuning into their natural instincts. however, if you can find a rehabber with other squirrels his age, then his time with them will eventually make him catch up. and keep in mind, a rehabber will remember his background- whoever it is will use techniques to bring the wild side out of him.

he won't be dead in someone else's care. if the person has a license and a heart, they will take wonderful care of him. squirrels in the wild are used to losing those that raise them- as far as we humans can tell, mothers move on and don't worry about their offspring once they're old enough.

i would also say that, in his best interest, you need to decrease your interaction with him a great deal. that means the only time he sees you is when you bring food, and after that you let him be. don't talk around him, don't pet him.....i KNOW this will be EXTREMELY difficult, but in the wild he needs to KNOW not to trust humans. if he ever met a hunter or just a mean person, and he trusted them.....it would be horrible!

gotta let him go....but we'll help you along the way. :)

[roguetiger]

i would also say that, in his best interest, you need to decrease your interaction with him a great deal. that means the only time he sees you is when you bring food, and after that you let him be. don't talk around him, don't pet him

Yes, this will be the hardest part. When I leave him in the cage, he doesn't get much exercise. He just rests in his box. He has things to play with, climb and chew on, but doesn't have much interest. When I bring him out, he love to run, climb and play. My only concern here is that he won't be getting enough exercise just left alone.


he is DEFINITELY old enough to be weaned. you simply need to refuse him the formula more often and offer healthy solid-food choices. what have you been giving him besides formula?

Right now he is being fed a varying diet of green beens, radishes, carrots, banannas, apples, acorns, yellow squash, mustard spinach, sweet potato, tomato, raisins and grapes. I try to keep mostly veggies in there, since he will eat the fruit first and ignore the rest. We tried the zupreem buscuits but they upset his stomach. I gave him a hard boiled egg this morning, but he just ignored it.

So, in regards to formula, should I just cut down the amount, or how many times he is fed? I don't want him to be undernourished.

Thank you guys for the quick and informative responses. This is going to be harder than I thought...I just didn't realize how much I was going to miss him.

[thundersquirrel]

as far as exercise goes, you're welcome to take him out and be a tree- but when i say be a tree, you are REALLY a tree. as in don't talk, don't pet....you can move around a little bit, see if you can get him to jump from arm to arm, just....anything distinctly human needs to go.

you have a nicely varied diet, there- good job! cutting back on formula, if i were you i'd only feed him formula twice a day, and only let him take 6 ccs. he will NOT like this at first- he'll be scrambling for more. but if you were a momma squirrel, you'd be saying "tough luck kid, go get some solid food, my nipples hurt!" he'll have plenty of things to eat inside his cage.

if the monkey biscuits don't work, try mazuri rodent blocks. if you can't find any at the pet store, bring the ingredient list (found in the online chris's store) and there will probably be a brand that is very similar.

you should probably offer him more nuts, too- walnuts, almonds, pecans, and peanuts (peanuts in moderation) are excellent for them. these are foods he's more likely to find in the wild- meanwhile you could take out some foods that he'll never find in the wild.

i'm sorry to have to tell you all this- you've got this cute, fluffy lil' fuzzer and i'm "take away his formula" and "stop petting him!" and such. but that's what needs to be done if he's going to be wild, and at his age it's a bit late to start doing all this.

hope this stuff helps. :)

[roguetiger]

No, no - not at all. I'm glad you are telling me this stuff. I've gotten rather attached, but I realize that it can be a detriment to his development. If he thinks of himself as a pet, he won't make it. I want him to be happy outdoors, I just want to make sure I'm doing the right things for him. Thank you very much for the information!

[island rehabber]

roguetiger, you have gotten excellent advice here and there isn't much that I can add except that you are doing the absolutely right thing for your squirrel friend there. The very same pleasure he takes when he is out of the cage and able to go "up" -- onto you, using you for a tree -- will increase tenfold when he sees his first real tree. And realizes there are no ceilings anymore and he can just go "UP" as far as his heart desires. You will see how joyful he is and then you'll know you did the right thing.

Missing him....that's another story. I've released a lot and I always miss them all for awhile. :)

[pamela lee]

Rest assured you are doing the right thing for him and when he's climbing through the trees FREE and HAPPY you will know that.


It is not a perfect world you rescued him from.
It will never be a perfect world you return him to.
But it is HIS world.

[macytree]

It is not a perfect world you rescued him from.
It will never be a perfect world you return him to.
But it is HIS world.


That's was really well said. I'm going to hang on to that and reread it often as it gets closer to time to let hunny out.

[roguetiger]

I know, you guys are making me cry like a baby over here. We still have a little time left with him and I plan to enjoy all the moments I'm given, but in the end, I know how happy he will be in his world. Thank you all for the advise and kind words.

[marchvey]

The fact that a healthy 14 week old baby has aleady been euthanized; how very tragic . I agree she is in the wrong field if she is going to be fearful of every squirrel bite ??




(Links to junk sites and spam removed by Administrator)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[island rehabber]

The fact that a healthy 14 week old baby has aleady been euthanized; how very tragic . I agree she is in the wrong field if she is going to be fearful of every squirrel bite ??




marchvey, please don't come on this board trying to sound like a legitimate member when all you want to do is spam us with crap...This thread is five years old....and by the way WTH are you even talking about? Now you'll understand why you were not granted access to The Squirrel Board. :shakehead