released squirrel missing

[la dame à l'écureuil]

Hi. Jillis is about 13 weeks old. I raised him since before he opened his eyes and he is very attached to me. He wants to play all the time and fortunately I've been out of work so I had the time to spend with him. About two weeks ago as soon as I would stop paying attention to him he would wander off my balcony to explore the yards below. It really worried me but he always came back within a few hours and always before dark. Last week he got curious about the wild squirrels and was chased by the mothers of some other juveniles but nothing too aggressive. He is cautious of humans but will approach them. I kept him apart from my dog and cat and he was afraid of the dog but not much afraid of the cat though he got angry if she came near his cage.
3 days ago he did not return. I live in a neighborhood where the houses are close together but there are lots of trees but also cats. My gut feeling is that he was killed by one of these cats because he did not like the dark or rain and I don't think he would stay away by choice. He liked his cage and I had little trouble putting him back in for the night. He was very playful and happy and gentle once he learned not to nip hard.
My question is should I give up looking for him? I am heartbroken and can't barely eat or sleep worrying that he was chased off by the wild squirrels or may be wounded. Or he may have gone into someone house. He tried to get in my downstairs neighbor's door once. My neighbors are all looking out for him and I've had many false alerts. I put his cage out on the balcony with the door open the past two nights a raccoon was in it looking for food.
Has anyone one had the experience of a very tame squirrel just taking off like that?
PS. This board has been extremely helpful to me. I was not able to find a rehabilitator so I did it on my own and all went well up till now.

[island rehabber]

Madame, your experience sounds very much like my first squirrel experience. I didn't work with a rehabber either -- didn't know they existed -- so I raised my little rescue guy as a pet. He had the run of the house. When he was about 18 wks old we started letting him go out during the day and back in at night. He did this for about 7-8 days, then he stayed out a couple of nights, then came back, then stayed out longer...until we didn't see him for a month. He was doing exactly what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it and we thought that was OK. Here's the interesting part: after 5-6 weeks outside he somehow broke his leg (probably because I knew nothing about squirrel nutrition at the time I was raising him and he probably had MBD). He crawled back to us on New Year's Day, two flights up and through the open sliding door. In other words, when he needed us he knew where to return to....otherwise he was wild. After being treated and healing beautifully he stayed for about two weeks and took off again, as HE wanted. There is always the possibility that "something bad happened" ....it is also just as likely that he is so happy to be free in the trees that he is ready to be a wild squirrel, because you rescued him and raised him so well! And, if he does need you, it is more than likely he will seek you out. I really hope this helps....I have been there, where you are tonight. :grouphug

[la dame à l'écureuil]

Thank you so much! It is good to hear encouragement from someone who has had the same experience. You have given me hope that he doing fine on his own and that he may be back to visit. Perhaps for some creme Chantilly and a massage!

[island rehabber]

Thank you so much! It is good to hear encouragement from someone who has had the same experience. You have given me hope that he doing fine on his own and that he may be back to visit. Perhaps for some creme Chantilly and a massage!

Careful -- you'll have half the members of the Squirrel Board driving up to Roxbury tonight, LOL!! Good luck and here's hoping you see him safe and sound.

[Mrs. Jack]

Good luck and here's hoping you see him safe and sound.

from me too :grouphug

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

La Dame, I had a similar heartbreak last fall, but don't give up hope. Read on . . .

I received a malnurished baby from a lady that had good intentions, but she didn't know the diet for baby squirrels. I got him back on track, but he was always small, and picked on by other babies I was raising. When the other babies got older and didn't want to be held anymore, this one squirrel remained timid like a kitten.

When he was old enough, I released him, but he kept coming back to the release cage to sleep and eat. He had this clingy personality, and he was very habitual. For 2 weeks, he continued to live in the release cage after everybody else moved on.

I also have an aggressive female that I released 3 years ago, and she chased all of the newbies off of my yard. However, my little timid squirrel would find his way back to the cage. One morning, my little hanger-on vanished. I was certain a hawk or racoon got him, because I could count on him coming back for water - like clockwork. I cried for a week, and regretted releasing him. I could see my little guy not defending himself against a predator.

However, about a month ago, I spotted a little male about his age in my yard, with the exact facial shape, and he walked up within 5 feet of me. It was not likely a wild squirrel. It's been 7 months, and he was not afraid of me. I believe he was just chased off by my aggressive female.

It's a heartbreaker when something like that happens, but you may spot your baby again in a couple of days, weeks or months. You did a great job in raising your baby, and gave it the chance to have a life. Keep putting food out, and maybe you'll receive a really happy day in the near future.

[la dame à l'écureuil]

Thanks for your story of the timid little one's survival! When I posted my question a few days ago I was full of doom and gloom. I am less worried that one of the neighborhood cats caught him and tend to think that, like yours, mine was chased off by another squirrel. One battlescarred mother squirrel who lives in the tree closest to me is always chasing off a lone juvenile who comes to eat the birdseed I throw on the roof below. One day she even tried to chase Jillis off my lap and off our balcony!
He is big and healthy but only about 13 weeks old which seems a bit too young for release compared to what I've been reading on this board and other sites.
I will leave his cage out for a while longer and look for him over a wider area. Thanks for responding!

[la dame à l'écureuil]

Jillis at about 7 weeks

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

What a doll! Please let us know if you find him.

[Left]

my heart goes out to you. I sure hope you see or find your Jillis soon. i can only imagine the anguish you are going through. We will keep our fingers crossed! Keep us posted.

[la dame à l'écureuil]

Thank you, all of you, for your support. It has been a difficult week. I have still not seen any sign of Jillis. However yesterday evening a pair of wild squirrels his age came onto my balcony and the female took a nut from my hand and sat near me while she ate it. I think I have a new friend!