Originally Posted by
Sciurus1
This is something that is on allot of rehabbers minds of late. Though most watch out for the squirrels in their release cages, they can't be home all the time, and others have had to release in more remote areas, as well leave the squirrels they have lovingly raised alone in cages as well. Sadly, my friend did this, and when she checked on them a couple of days later, sadly found the squirrels there had been all killed by raccoons who got in. She even had a cement foundation and double wire grid, but that didn't stop them. If she had had a full surround chainlink barrier they would not have gotten in.
I have tried to share this many times here, hoping that our members would consider adding Chainlink surrounds to their release cages, but so far few if any have commented on this as a matter of real need. We all hope it won't happen to one of our members squirrels, but statitically it will if chainlink surrounds are not employed around the release cage, it will.
I have seen these surrounds offered online under wildlife supplies, with various sizes. How hard can chainlink be to put up with a couple of friends anyway, and take down if needed. When ii comes down to it a squirrel in a release cage with no chainlink around the cage is like a TV dinner, set out for them to take. sorry, but that's a fact. So far our members have not have this happen, at least I had no heard of it, but since I had heard of it from my friend who rehabs squirrels, I wanted to share with you all what she sadly had to learn about the hard way. My hope in this is that those that rehab regularly will consider investing in what is no more than what one would provide as a dog kennel to keep their precious rehabbed squirrels safe till the day they let them go.