Squirrel estrus

[bobby taylor]

Does anyone know how long squirrels breed? Sally has been out for 2 days and is still leading the train. She acknowledges me, but wont come all the way to me. She has a male very close to her and he is probably telling her not to come to me. I just want to know if anyone knows how long this ritual lasts.

[Duckman]

I believe it is 7-10 days of full heat on the females. Anyone else know?

[Nancy in New York]

I just found this:

What Is Estrus
Once or twice a year, a squirrel experiences an estrus period. While a human's menstrual cycle gives her several days a month during which she is ovulating and likelier to become pregnant, a squirrel's estrus cycle limits this to one or two days per year. Estrus is the result of her body preparing itself to receive a male and become impregnated -- her uterine tissues thicken and her vulva swells, and she will accept a male's advances rather than rebuffing him.

Window of Opportunity
The female's actual estrus period is short-lived, and may last only about eight hours to one day. In some species, like the red squirrel, she may mate with one or several males, and may mate with the same male several times within this single day. In other species, like the eastern gray squirrel, only one male gets the opportunity, as her vaginal opening seals itself off after copulating to prevent other suitors from mating with her.

[czarina]

That grey squirrel info was quite interesting.
More effective than a chastity belt.

[farrelli]

Is she outside? I though I read something about her escaping and you getting her back. Is she out again? Isn't she a NR?

[Duckman]

I just found this:

What Is Estrus
Once or twice a year, a squirrel experiences an estrus period. While a human's menstrual cycle gives her several days a month during which she is ovulating and likelier to become pregnant, a squirrel's estrus cycle limits this to one or two days per year. Estrus is the result of her body preparing itself to receive a male and become impregnated -- her uterine tissues thicken and her vulva swells, and she will accept a male's advances rather than rebuffing him.

Window of Opportunity
The female's actual estrus period is short-lived, and may last only about eight hours to one day. In some species, like the red squirrel, she may mate with one or several males, and may mate with the same male several times within this single day. In other species, like the eastern gray squirrel, only one male gets the opportunity, as her vaginal opening seals itself off after copulating to prevent other suitors from mating with her.

I learn something here everyday! Thanks Nancy!!

[bobby taylor]

Just for the record. She is being chased hard for the 3 rd day, so they are still after her for 3 days now. I almost just picked her up and brought her back in this morning. I gave her some water and she lay on the cool damn ground next to me and dug her a cool spot where she rested for about 2 min. and then off again. She has one hell of a following. If this keeps up I am going to rescue her as she is constantly crying when the pin her out on a limb. I really think she has had enough. She did not go up wild and I know this is physically draining her and I feel her pain(Big Bad Bill Clinton) loved to say.

[farrelli]

Again, wasn;t she an inside-only squirrel? Why is she out now?

[bobby taylor]

She felt the call of the wild. I love her so much and I believe I made the right decision until now, but with all the boyz afta her that may change. She has been in and out of season so much and had slipped out several times and recently started chewing holes in the screen. I felt that if she wanted to go so much I would give it a try. Good chance she will be back in the house before sunset...I just left her and she was on the ground beside a bush cooling off while 2 boyz over my shoulder looked on. The one male that claims her may be one of my releases. He will come right up to me.

[farrelli]

Wasn't there something about her that made her NR?

[bobby taylor]

I thought at one time she had 2 left feet.

[Nancy in New York]

I thought at one time she had 2 left feet.

I thought you told me two RIGHT feet?
It's great to see you back Bobby, I've missed you!

[bobby taylor]

Sally has always been a perfect little girl. Chester is the one in question. He never grew any whiskers, but was normal in all other ways, especially teeth.... I released him in the middle of May. He got where he liked to bite and it really hurt and I am on an aspirin regimen and I bleed like a stuck hog.

[bobby taylor]

Hey Nancy girl, I miss you and think of you sooooo much. You will always be the greatest!!

[Nancy in New York]

Hey Nancy girl, I miss you and think of you sooooo much. You will always be the greatest!!

Oh Bobby, you will always have my heart!
Please don't be such a stranger.

[bobby taylor]

Well today everything in the trees is calm and no running squirrels just several boyz at the feeder. I am going to express my opinion on what happened. I released Sally 4 days ago and everything was pretty calm until yesterday. I believe she was starting estrus the day I released her and it led up to yesterday, the big day. I think every boy in the neighborhood was here. They ran and ran and they fought and fought, all day. I saw Sally late yesterday afternoon and she had a cut on her head and got at the base of a bush and rested for about 15 min. She was laying on her side with her eyes partially closed worn out. After a long rest she took off again as if nothing was wrong. Now today its all over so it looks like they do all their love making in one day. It was pretty cool watching the show. I recognized 3 boys that were in on the chase. I think the alpha male was able to hold the others off. I guess its over for this time and now for the wait.

[bobby taylor]

I have Sally back in pen for now. I was on the back porch when she came to see me today. I hardly recognized her, she has lost so much weight and was extremely dehydrated. I put her back in her pen so she could just rest for a day or so. I hope I am doing the right thing by doing this. She keeps drinking water and it has been so hot outside I want her to at least get hydrated again. Also I feel sure she is pregnant. Has anyone had any experience of squirrels giving birth in their pen. I do not plan on letting this happen at this time. I just would like some feedback on what I have done.

[Nancy in New York]

I have Sally back in pen for now. I was on the back porch when she came to see me today. I hardly recognized her, she has lost so much weight and was extremely dehydrated. I put her back in her pen so she could just rest for a day or so. I hope I am doing the right thing by doing this. She keeps drinking water and it has been so hot outside I want her to at least get hydrated again. Also I feel sure she is pregnant. Has anyone had any experience of squirrels giving birth in their pen. I do not plan on letting this happen at this time. I just would like some feedback on what I have done.

I'm glad she is back inside Bobby, she needs some good rest and relaxation.
They HAVE given birth before in captivity. I will direct a couple of members here who have
actually gone through this. One was a wild car hit squirrel who was pregnant and gave birth
in the cage shortly after the rehabber took her in. Two of the babies passed, and the rehabber
took the third to feed and care for herself, as mama was too stressed and weak to care for her.
You did the right thing Bobby if she cooperates. IF she acts antsy and desperate to get back outside,
I would open the door. She will trust you if you give her the choice, she already does, and we don't want
to break that bond.

[bobby taylor]

Nancy,

She ate like she was starved and drank a lot of water. She has been in her bed sleeping for several hrs. In the past when she spent a day or so in the wild she would come back and sleep for several days. I have a gallon paint bucket that never has had paint in it on a table there on the porch. . I keep it on the porch with sunflower seeds in it that I feed the wilds. I got up pretty early as I have been doing since my surgery and went straight to porch. As I was sitting in my favorite porch chair something caught my eye. I was still about half asleep and didn't know what I was seeing at first. I kept looking at my seed bucket, eyes beginning to focus, and low and behold there was a squirrel tail sticking out. Yep, it was Sally Girl. I went over and checked her out and my heart sank when I saw how with drawn she looked. She ran around the porch and hid a few nuts before entering her pen. She spent a lot of time smelling her belongings. I had to make a quick decision so I closed the door and rolled the pen in my room where she was raised and she seems content. I am going to try to get her back to where she was before leaving then I will I will make another big decision.

[bobby taylor]

I feel as if I am writing to myself each time I post, but here it goes anyway and probably for my last post for now. I felt that Sally could not re-adjust to being a pet anymore, so I released her this morning. After recapturing her last week and feeding her some good food and rehydrating her I went along with her request and released her this morning bright and early. Once they get a taste of the wild and mate it is now their new life. I love her so much and she has been so much fun for the past 2 years. I have 2 little girls and my wife and Sally never ever showed any sign of aggression toward anyone even neighbors that would come over and that is something you don't see everyday with squirrels. She filled a huge void left from Ivy's death. I pray for her safety and health and hope she has lots of little ones as sweet as she is.