October release

[Lucky17Joy]

I'm hoping to get help on my question!

I have only one squirrel, and she is a fox squirrel that is maybe 13 weeks, weight is at 7.1oz, just started to crack open sunflower seeds, don't have any interest in walnuts. I was taking here outside everyday, but then she discovered the trees, and of course she picks the tallest one to hang out in for couple hours before she came back down to me. My question is, is it safe for me to release her since she is still so small and defenseless, just in case she doesn't come back and its October, its getting cold here in Michigan? And should I keep putting her cage outside even if I can't release her till spring, she loves her cage and nesting box?

Thank you and I appreciate any help or advice.
Lucky17Joy

[TubeDriver]

Hi,

Thirteen weeks is not really old enough to start a controlled, slow-release process. She should be 14-16 weeks old before considering a slow-release.

The slow release process involved placing her in a outdoor release cage for 2-4 weeks which gets her used to the sights, sounds, smells and weather. During this period, you should have minimal contact with her, this will help her wild instincts to kick in (we call this "wilding-up). Finally, after several weeks in a outdoor release cage, we open a small port in the morning and let her out for the day. This portal is closed after she returns each evening. During this period, she will start to learn how to find food, deal with other squirrels and animals, build shelter and find her own territory. At some point, she will not return as she will have made her own nest out in the wild! A successful release.

Just bringing her outside and letting her roam is a really unsafe thing to do. She will eventually wander off and she does not know how to build a nest, or find food and she might not survive. She needs a couple more weeks before the soft-release process should be started.

If you can overwinter her inside for the entire winter, that would probably be better because she is small, young and you have very cold winters. It is getting to the point where young squirrels should not be soft-released due to winter coming. If you keep her over the winter, you could still allow her to go outside but ONLY if she is in a cage!

I'm hoping to get help on my question!

I have only one squirrel, and she is a fox squirrel that is maybe 13 weeks, weight is at 7.1oz, just started to crack open sunflower seeds, don't have any interest in walnuts. I was taking here outside everyday, but then she discovered the trees, and of course she picks the tallest one to hang out in for couple hours before she came back down to me. My question is, is it safe for me to release her since she is still so small and defenseless, just in case she doesn't come back and its October, its getting cold here in Michigan? And should I keep putting her cage outside even if I can't release her till spring, she loves her cage and nesting box?

Thank you and I appreciate any help or advice.
Lucky17Joy

[Lucky17Joy]

Thank you, that was my thought! I will keep her for the winter months only, and yes I agree that she should be free and wild.