Hi!
I can't believe I've just found this group. I raised my first orphaned grey several years ago and since then have steadily become the 'squirrel lady' in my local area.
I've raised 3 into adulthood and sadly last year was a terrible year with me getting three poorly ones who just weren't well enough to make it. The year was finally finished off with my latest addition, Sandy who is doing great.
Sandy's the first squirrel I've actually kept at home - the other two went wild successfully and did great but Sandy falls a lot and so she stayed with me.
Here in the UK it's not legal to help grey squirrels anymore (all the licenses are being revoked so the only option will be pts) so it's all a bit on the quiet (hence I don't disclose who I am!) and there's really not a lot of info available. I've very much been experimenting and guessing when it comes to nutrition for her (I found some bits to read and have read up as much as possible!) so I'm really excited to be able to read up on the all the nutrition threads and make sure she gets what she needs.
As a baby, Sandy wasn't raised with the intention of keeping her in captivity so whilst she is 'ok' she is not entirely handleable - doesn't like to be restrained. We get around it though because I have clicker trained her to follow a target stick, to go into a carrier on cue and to sit on scales so that she doesn't have to be physically placed anywhere. The only problem is when trying to check her over.
I just wanted to say thank you for the board because it's going to be a massive help when it comes to info that just isn't readily available in the UK!
Oh also... what do you all do with those insane nails?! I think at some point I'm going to have to clip them but will need someone to help as it will take one to hold her and the other to clip, and I worry about stressing her!
She does have her own facebook page, but don't know if I'm allowed to share that here?