Oak Tree Branch

[roguetiger]

Hey guys,

We found an oak tree branch (a big one!) that would be great for Wart to climb and chew on in his cage. Just wanted to check with ya'll - it has some of that characteristic oaky fungus/lichen stuff on it, which is a green color. Will that be ok for him?

I couldn't find it anywhere on the toxic lists so I thought I'd ask.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c297/RogueTiger/oak.jpg

[thundersquirrel]

RT-

squirrels hang out on oak trees in the wild, i don't see the harm in putting it in his cage. just check the branch carefully for bugs, even on the inside (some bugs infest the inside).

other than that, i can't think of anything wrong. maybe scrape off anything that looks like a fungus.

[hazel]

Nice to hear from you! :thumbsup

How is your Wart doing? :thinking

[roguetiger]

Oh, he is doing great! He has taken to eating Kale leaves, so he is really getting a rounded diet. We washed down that branch really well last night with hot! water and let it dry. He loves it! He's already eaten some of the bark off and he is much happier in his cage now, though he is still trying to escape whenever I'm in the room. I've taken to letting him out in the bedroom (where the cage is) and leaning against the shut door to keep an eye on him. He is all over the place! He gets 1 or 2 acorns a day and an occassional walnut, plus all the other goodies he has been eating.

Poor thing is trying to learn to hide his food. He tries to 'hide' it up against his house, or under the ears of a stuffed animal he plays with. I felt so bad about it, I made him a dirt box to hide things in, but so far, he just digs and rolls around it in. He still hides stuff in paper towels and whatnot.

I talked to the Vet School here at the state university. They have licensed rehabbers and a habitat. I'm going to drop by and check it out before I take him down there next week or the week after. They have a spot where they release squirrels and if it looks good, he'll have a new home before being set loose, which is good for him. We've been taking videos like mad! Thank you guys for asking about him!

[susanw]

It's so great what you have done for him! May he live a full and happy life being free!:thumbsup

[Buddy'sMom]

:) Aren't they just adorable when they "hide" things inside? :rotfl We still have nuts tucked up against table legs even though Buddy is long-ago-released -- I think it's so cute that I can't bear to move them. :D

Sounds like he is doing great -- and you are doing a very good job checking out the best way and place to release him. :thumbsup :thumbsup