Releasing her

[macytree]

Hunny is obviously capable of living on her own now. We take her outside everyday and let climb trees and hunt for food on her own. She explores for awhile and then comes back to us to make sure that everything is okay. Every day she goes a little bit further and stays gone a little bit longer. I know she's eating because there are acorns everywhere and I watch her do it, she also eats some of the flowers, the tree bark, and leaves. I will of course supplement that with some monkey biscuits and other food for a bit.

So how do I do this? I don't have a release cage, and can't because I live in an apartment. Can I just put her cage outside and leave the door open for her to come and go for awhile? Should I just take her out one day and eventually walk away and leave her? My big fear, other than hawks, is that she'll attack someone. We live in a busy apartment complex and I'm afraid she'll hop on someone's head one of these days. Is that a legitimate fear or does she just hop on us because she knows us? Help, I don't want to do anymore damage to her! Maybe I should take her to a park and just drop food off for her every day?

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Before you release her, you need to make sure that she is afraid of humans. It is normal for them to still like their "mommy" human and not be afraid of you, but they should be afraid of other people. Try having one of your friends walk around her when she is free outside and see how she reacts to them. If she is friendly to them and jumps on them or goes up to them looking for food, she is not ready for release. She should run away or at least not approach other people.
As for how to release her, I wouldn't just leave her out there one day, although I am sure she would be fine. What I do since I can't soft release (where you put them in an outside cage and let them come and go as they please) is to release them in their nestbox. I screw it onto the tree with them in it (so they know where their home is), then I wait for them to calm down and take the covering off the hole. They are usually scared for a while and stay in the box for a good hour or two just sniffing out the hole, but eventually they come out and venture farther and farther from the box. Eventually they make their own nest and move out altogether, but the nestbox is a safe place that is familiar to them as they get used to their new surroundings. Maybe you could do that with her.

[pamela lee]

When I released Peanut, I didn't have a seperate outside release cage. I moved his ferret cage outside. I kept the door closed for awhile, until I knew he was comfortable outside at night and then one day after his breakfast I opened the door and let him free. I kept the cage outside with the door open so he had somewhere to come home to. He still visits me every once in awhile. Good Luck with the Hunny's release.

[TexanSquirrel]

Good luck with her!

[Buddy'sMom]

:thumbsup for brainstorming and seeking ideas for what will work best for Hunny! :)

Would it be feasible for you to (discretely) put a nestbox in one of the trees in your complex? Is the complex a good place for squirrels (I can't recall if that is where you found her :thinking) It would be easiest (and most comforting) for you, if you could release her there, but it might not be the best for Hunny (I'm not saying that it isn't -- only you can judge that).

If not, do you have any friends/acquaintences that have their own yards and might be willing to have her cage or nestbox there for a while? There are a number of rehabbers or others that do this because they don't live in suitable release areas.

If that doesn't seem to work, would you be willing to work with a rehabber who has greater access to good release sites? (Again, I don't recall Hunny's origins and you may have raised her because you couldn't locate a rehabber when you found her. But it would be worth thinking about, especially as you aren't in as big a rush now as when a baby needs someone right then. Some of the TSB rehabbers have lists of contacts and might be able to find someone close enough to you .....). When we had Buddy, we didn't really want to consider having him released someplace else, but with the benefit of hindsight :shakehead :shakehead , that might have been the easiest adjustment for him --- and for us! And Hunny has the benefit of already knowing how to find food in the wild.

Best of luck to you in figuring out a good plan -- and to Hunny, wherever her new outside life takes her!! :thumbsup :thumbsup

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[macytree]

thanks so much for the advice! I think my complex would be perfect for squirrels except that there is a lot of foot traffic and apparently Hunny isn't scared of other people. I assumed because she was so mean to me that she would be scared of strangers but my hubby had her outside and she hopped right up on two different people. That can't be good.

We are moving in two weeks though and we'll live next to a large wooded area so I'm thinking that releasing her there might work. I can put a nest box up there and she'll still be close to us but there won't be any pedestrians who can be ambushed.

We had a rehabber who was going to take her but I am having a hard time getting ahold of her. I think she suspects how difficult my Hunny is and is ducking me now! I really think a rehabber would be the best bet but if I can't find one I think the new neighborhood will work.

[Buddy'sMom]

....We are moving in two weeks though and we'll live next to a large wooded area so I'm thinking that releasing her there might work. I can put a nest box up there and she'll still be close to us but there won't be any pedestrians who can be ambushed.

We had a rehabber who was going to take her but I am having a hard time getting ahold of her. I think she suspects how difficult my Hunny is and is ducking me now! I really think a rehabber would be the best bet but if I can't find one I think the new neighborhood will work.

You have two good options there -- I'm sure one of them will work for you. :thumbsup Let us know how it goes (in your SPARE time, in between packing ........ :D )

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

I like the idea..of maybe..taking to where you are moving so, hunny can be with you..out side...to vivit..when she pleases..