Originally Posted by
vickyjhnsn
First, thank you so much for taking the time to help me. Yes, I don't mind keeping them in a release cage over the winter outside but I don't have a garage or carport or anything like that. I don't feel comfortable about letting them out of the cage for the very reason you explained to me. I would worry too much about them not being able to find their way back, getting bullied by the other squirrels, and other animals out there.
This is what I was thinking and I'd love it if someone would tell me what they think. When I build the release cage, I would put a roof on it to protect from rain and snow, etc. I would put the release cage in the woods in back of my house, probably 75 feet away from our house. It will be big enough for me to walk into with the smaller release cage and the nest box inside that smaller release cage. As soon as they are completely off the formula and eating complete solid foods, I would bring the out to the release cage. This way it would still be warm enough to give them time to adapt to the weather gradually. We are still getting 70 - 80 degree weather and by then it varies but it is still warm out. I would spend a great amount of time back there with them so they know I'm still there the first month and after that go every day for short visits a few times a day to check on them, clean up for them, and feed them. There are three of them so they have each other to keep each other warm and I can provide plenty of blankets for them daily.
I also plan on going in the cage and showing them how to bury their nuts, although I think that is instinct because they do that in their cage. I would also provide materials for them to build their own nests and would research what they use and make sure they have it readily available in the release cage. The when spring gets here, going outside will not be a shock to them and they will be itching to get out by then pretty bad.
To me, them being wild animals, I would imagine this is a better solution then keeping them in the house in a room by themselves all winter long with me visiting them to take care of them. They seem to be resentful that they are being caged. That might be my imagination but that is the way it looks to me. They are fine when I let them run the room but the second I put them back in the cage, they get vicious running to my hand to bite me. They just seem pissed off at me.
For those of you who have kept some over the winter in the house, does that work out well for anyone? It just seems like the faster I get them in the "wild" even though its controlled a bit, the better.
Thanks in advance for anything you can share. I really don't know what I would do without this board.