Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: How to release a “rehabbed” squirrel?

  1. #1
    Mawibuggy Guest

    Question How to release a “rehabbed” squirrel?

    Hello, this is my first time posting here so a little bit of background is in order, I recently took in a baby squirrel who fell out of a tree, which the person who found it assumed it was gonna die and was going to “put it out of it’s misery” I immediately told them not to and took it in to care for it myself considering I’ve found baby squirrels before and was able to get them to a licensed rehabber for proper care, however I was not able to contact any rehabbers in my area this time and took it upon myself to care for the squirrel which I have named Risu (it means smile in Latin and squirrel in Japanese lol). I took her to the vet because she had pneumonia and got her treated for it as well as rehydrated, I fed her Fox Valley formula until she started refusing it/only wanting a little bit. I have been feeding her rodent block,veggies and fruit, also nuts in the shell which she quickly learned to open :) I recently added Exotic Nutrition Deluxe squirrel food to her diet along with calcium supplements and multivitamins. In other words I have done my research and cared for her to the best of my ability and she’s extremely healthy and active, so my question is what now? The vet told me I was taking very good care of her and I should keep her as a pet but I don’t want to limit her life to that and she paces by the window longing to go outside and I feel so bad I want to just let her outside but I’m afraid she is not prepared especially for the winter to come. She is not afraid of humans, dogs or cats and is very crazy and fearless lol i have woods all around my house and I see squirrels all the time In my yard and I know the resources are available here for her to survive, I’m just scared the other squirrels will run her off or kill her, or she womt be afraid of predators etc. what can I do so that she has the best possible chance to survive on her own? I’ve bought her a nesting box to put outside in a tree so she has a shelter when we release her, I’m just very scared and not confident that my care has prepared her for the wild :( I will be extremely heartbroken if all I have done was for nothing and she doesn’t survive, I would feel equally as bad if she can’t be released and has to live inside forever. I really need some advice on what to do? ( I inserted a picture of her when I first got her and a picture of her currently) the first picture was taken on August 18th 2017 and the last picture was taken today October 15th
    Attached Images Attached Images   

  2. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Mawibuggy from:

    LR (10-15-2017)

  3. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Southeast US
    Posts
    2,021
    Thanked: 3621

    Default Re: How to release a “rehabbed” squirrel?

    How long have you had her and how old is she now? If given the choice most squirrels will choose a wild life. Of course there are always exceptions to that rule.

    I’d imagine the best thing given your location would be to over winter her and plan for a spring release. You’ll need to have a release cage that she can be kept outside in to acclimate to the weather, surroundings, and sounds. Most people keep them in the release cage about a month I believe but it really depends on the individual baby. While in the release cage She can wild up and gain a fear of humans and other animals. Then when you feel she’s ready you can open the release cage but leave it there for her to have something to come home to until she is able to make her own. Continue to supply water and food in the cage until she no longer comes for it. You’ll want to make sure that only a squirrel can enter the cage so that no predators can come in after her.

    There is a ton of information on the board with advise on release and cages and so many people with much more experience than myself. Please don’t hesitate to ask your questions. I’m sure there will be more people that will come to offer some advice. Thank you for helping this sweet baby and welcome to TSB!

    “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” ― John Bunyan



    Sammy's TSB Thread Marvin and Charlie's TSB Thread Sadie's TSB Thread

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    SC (Madison)
    Posts
    7,177
    Thanked: 6807

    Default Re: How to release a “rehabbed” squirrel?

    I would suggest to stop feeding the "Exotic Nutrition Deluxe" immediately as is ingredients do not seem to support the nutritional needs of a captive squirrel and may likely cause in MBD as your squirrel ages a few more months. Read up on Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) and review the healthy squirrel diet pyramid:
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-Pet-Squirrels

    The release process includes the squirrel being in a large outdoor enclosure for many, many weeks where the "wild up" and are allowed to observe and learn from the wild squirrels.

    What area of Michigan are you located... we may be able to assist in locating a qualified member or facility to assist with a proper release.

  5. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Spanky from:

    cava (10-15-2017)

  6. #4
    Mawibuggy Guest

    Default Re: How to release a “rehabbed” squirrel?

    Okay, thanks for the advice. I’ll look into MBD. I live in Taylor MI I looked up numbers for rehabbers near me and tried calling most weren’t current numbers or I left a message and never got a call back :/

  7. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    West Coast
    Posts
    3,587
    Thanked: 3398

    Default Re: How to release a “rehabbed” squirrel?

    As long as the squirrel has no fear of humans or pets it isn't ready to be released. It needs to be isolated from you and your pets and your home outside in a release cage if the weather permits in your area to support a release. If not then you will have to wait till next year, which if you continue to treat it as a pet have the run of your home, and feed her by hand, wilding up will not be accomplish.

    Yet since the weather in your region at time of year and the time it will take to wild up the squirrel, you moreover have run out of time to accomplish this. The best option with this level of habituation, and the time frame, would be for you to bring the squirrel to a wildlife group that can winter this squirrel over away from you and your family, not just let it go. To support this end you would first need to make it clear by phone to a wildlife group that does this, that the squirrel is very habituated to you and your pets, and needs to be rehabilited to wild it up before its release, and see then whether they agree to winter it over to spring or not?

    If not, then you will need to construct a large at least 3 1/2 ft. to 4 ft. wide and 6 ft. tall cage to house the squirrel in, no longer letting it have the run of your home, in order to isolate the squirrel from you and your pets. You will also need to provide a nest box with the opening up towards the top to support a high entrance, with a drop down next chamber. Include a round piece of the wood you made the box out of, so it will swivel into place to block the opening when you move the squirrel in the nest box into the cage outside.

    From this time on do not feed the squirrel by hand, or handle it or speak to it as a pet, but instead limit your contact will the squirrel in order to support it wilding up over the winter into spring in a room separate from the rest of your home life. In the spring bring the cage outside for the squirrel to experience the wild with its senses for a couple of weeks, and to be further isolated from you, again not feeding it by hand, or handling it save for in an emergency. Provide a hole just big enough to put a walnut through with a tight wire hatch and latch over it when not using it. Keep your visits short and do not talk to the squirrel as you did with endearment when they were in your home.

    When you are ready to move the squirrel, remove the squirrel in its nest box with the swivel hatch secured, and then move cage outside. Add to the cage boards securing them on the sides of the prevailing winds, and on the top of the same side to provide shelter from the sun, rain and snow. On this same side place the nest box. Again put food in through the hatched hole on the top of the cage on the covered side, which will mean you will need to put a hole in the board on that side, before moving the squirrel into the cage. On this same side place the nest box, and water bottle. Also provide branches from safe woods only for the squirrel to climb on.

    Any wild food sources given must be harvested off the trees, or not included, for squirrels in captivity often do not differentiate between the good sources and the bad acorns, pinecones, on the ground, which at this time of year are moreover all bad anyway with lethal fungus contamination inside the nutshell (not visible from the outside). As for seedpods, only offer those left on the trees.

    Considering all this, giving this squirrel to a wildlife rescue group that agrees to care for the squirrel, is a very good option.

  8. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Diggie's Friend from:

    island rehabber (10-15-2017)

  9. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    SC (Madison)
    Posts
    7,177
    Thanked: 6807

    Default Re: How to release a “rehabbed” squirrel?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mawibuggy View Post
    Okay, thanks for the advice. I’ll look into MBD. I live in Taylor MI I looked up numbers for rehabbers near me and tried calling most weren’t current numbers or I left a message and never got a call back :/
    This place in Lowell has helped several members successful release their squirrels and if memory serves that includes at least 1 squirrel that was well acclimate to people (1 year + old). I took a car hit squirrel to her when visiting Michigan a few years back and I thought she was terrific.

    farmwildlife.org



Members who have read this thread: 0

There are no members to list at the moment.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •