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Thread: Missing release

  1. #1
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    Default Missing release

    What are the chances that a squirrel would just leave its "home woods" all of a sudden? Blue has been missing for 2 days now. I usually go over every day and feed them, and then my bf goes over when he gets off work and feeds them again. Yesterday it was raining all morning so I didnt get a chance to go over. When my bf went, Blue never came to him like she usually does. We went over again today & still nothing. There is an oak tree right on other side of road and of course a bunch of other squirrels lately. Then waaaay in the back yard of that house is woods that go forever. Do you think she moved across the street where acorns are? I give her acorns every day along with variety of other nuts.
    Or do you think its more likely that something bad has happened to her? Shes been coming to me daily when i whistle for a couple months now. This just isnt like her

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Missing release

    She has just been released, and it's autumn... Your sweetie is a lucky little squirrel and I'm sure she may be quite busy building herself a nest - or even 2 - or building a stash of some kind before all the leaves and choice food disappear. If there is a full forest nearby, that has to be an irrestible attraction... so many new scents, so many new things to explore, new friends to discover...! She is in all likelyhood a very busy little squirrel these days, and as much as she loves you and can be thankful, the call of the wild can be stronger - at least for a while.

    I know it's not much reassurance for you, and you must be beside yourself - I know, I've been there myself, too many times before. It's one of the hardest parts of rehabbing.. and you have to stay positive, and trust Creator that your little protégée has chosen to go live her squirrel life and that means you did your job right. I pray she does what very many of them do and decides to come pay a visit back sometime soon, just to reassure you.
    "In the midst of our lives we must find the magic that makes our souls soar."
    My darling Scooter, beloved Hami, sweet gentle Simon... YOU are the ones who brought that magic in my life. You've changed the way I see all things around me now and, because of you, I want to be a better person. This is not goodbye, my sweethearts. You be at peace, your work here on earth is done... now you are finally, truly free. Until we meet at the Bridge again, please remember that I will always love you.
    The greatness of a nation can be measured by the way it treats its animals.
    - Gandhi -

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  4. #3
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    Default Re: Missing release

    I have come to realize that "a change all of a sudden" seems to be the way of squirrels.

    Just last night I was beside myself with worry because my release who always comes to see me before bed, didn't come. He came this morning.

    A few weeks ago, a wild, who is a special friend, who was in the pattern of coming every day at 1pm for nuts for months, didn't show up. For over a week and a half, I feared the worst. Then she showed back up. Then disappeared for a few more days, and now I seem to be back in her daily routine.

    Another wild who is like a best friend was living in the tree right in the patio. It would stand at it's nest at night as if saying goodnight, and would be there in the morning. Coming down the tree for a morning treat. Who wouldn't love that arrangement. I got used to seeing her all the time. Then one evening she wasn't there. ? Again, I worried. Then she came during the day. But not in the tree again. For some reason, she's now living somewhere else, but visiting almost daily.

    What I realize is that just like I have ways of being and thinking that other humans don't get, or understand. I must realize that my squirrel friends are not thinking in ways that I am. Whatever they are doing makes perfect good sense to them. If we could understand through their eyes and not ours, we might understand.

    All that said, I think it is one of the hardest things to overcome worry when we love and have become so attached. I wish you well on your journey. And I trust that your squirrel friend is living it's own life well, and will soon come to visit you.

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  6. #4
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    Default Re: Missing release

    I wouldn't give them acorns. They can go bad and you wouldn't know it unless you sliced it open. If you give it to them they may assume that it is okay. A bad acorn can be quite harmful.

    Allow them with their super sensitive noses to select the acorns that are safe to eat.

    Exploring their environment is an essential piece of information. They try to find all of the food sources that are available to them because they never know when one will dry up.

  7. #5
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Quote Originally Posted by Lighten-Up View Post
    I have come to realize that "a change all of a sudden" seems to be the way of squirrels.

    Just last night I was beside myself with worry because my release who always comes to see me before bed, didn't come. He came this morning.

    A few weeks ago, a wild, who is a special friend, who was in the pattern of coming every day at 1pm for nuts for months, didn't show up. For over a week and a half, I feared the worst. Then she showed back up. Then disappeared for a few more days, and now I seem to be back in her daily routine.

    Another wild who is like a best friend was living in the tree right in the patio. It would stand at it's nest at night as if saying goodnight, and would be there in the morning. Coming down the tree for a morning treat. Who wouldn't love that arrangement. I got used to seeing her all the time. Then one evening she wasn't there. ? Again, I worried. Then she came during the day. But not in the tree again. For some reason, she's now living somewhere else, but visiting almost daily.

    What I realize is that just like I have ways of being and thinking that other humans don't get, or understand. I must realize that my squirrel friends are not thinking in ways that I am. Whatever they are doing makes perfect good sense to them. If we could understand through their eyes and not ours, we might understand.

    All that said, I think it is one of the hardest things to overcome worry when we love and have become so attached. I wish you well on your journey. And I trust that your squirrel friend is living it's own life well, and will soon come to visit you.


    Thank you. I hope you are right and she is just off elsewhere being a happy squirrel. It just doesnt make sense to move all of a sudden when the weather just got cold... 80° three days ago, 45° today. But like you said, its not supposed to make sense to us. Im trying to think positive and being thankful that at least Runt is still here to see me everyday. Runt doesnt let me pet her like Blue did though Shes actually quite an a$$hole at times and will growl at me when i repeatedly try 😏😁😍 She used to flop back in my hands and eat before being released. It was so cute!

    I tried to upload a video but couldnt figure out how beings its not on youtube.

  8. #6
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Quote Originally Posted by Rock Monkey View Post
    I wouldn't give them acorns. They can go bad and you wouldn't know it unless you sliced it open. If you give it to them they may assume that it is okay. A bad acorn can be quite harmful.

    Allow them with their super sensitive noses to select the acorns that are safe to eat.

    Exploring their environment is an essential piece of information. They try to find all of the food sources that are available to them because they never know when one will dry up.
    They only eat the ones that i assume are good. There are several that they will pick up and check out and then throw them down.

  9. #7
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Conservative practice is not to give an acorn unless you have cut it open and inspected it yourself.

    If is typical for a squirrel to have three or four nests, in case one gets blown out or there is a predator lurking nearby. They don't always use the same one.

  10. #8
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    Default Re: Missing release

    It's been 9 days and still no sign of Blue. Really starting to lose hope. Was so relieved and thankful that she survived her fall, only to have her come up missing few days later 😔 Im trying to convince myself that she just got tired of Runt chasing her and decided to move across the street to bigger woods. Hopefully shes off being happy and enjoying her squirrel life.

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  12. #9
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    Default Re: Missing release

    I understand, I've been there. Sometimes they show up and sometimes they don't. It's hard to come to terms with the just not knowing. It is one of the most difficult part of loving our little squirrel friends, I have found. I can relate to what you are feeling. It sure isn't easy when we really want to see them because we have had a great relationship with them and want more.

    A number of years ago I had a wild squirrel come out of nowhere, and scare me silly. She would run straight at me if I had nuts in my pocket that I was giving to my other squirrel friends. I would jump backward and toss her a nut. She came daily to do this to me. Finally I had had enough and decided to offer my hand straight to her face with nuts in it; I had to do something to make this change. She backed up, assessed the situation, and to my utter amazement, came forward calmly and carefully took a nut from my offered hand. That was the end of her terrorizing me so to speak, and the beginning of a lovely relationship. She would surprise me by just showing up, like when I was swinging a broom wildly while sweeping, she would come up right behind me. Or once I was banging something very loudly, and on my next swing, there she was running right up to me. I couldn't believe she had no fear of the things I was doing, I called her Nutkin, and we had a very fun relationship. She got picked on by the other squirrels often, so she and I together figured out a hiding space amoungst my piles of terra cotta pots. I would place a pile of nuts and seeds in there, and she would know to go run to the pile of pots when other squirrels were out. I would look in and see her head or ears sticking up amid the pots and know she was comfortably eating her special stash. One day she didn't show up. I missed her so much, and finally had to give up hope. I let her go in my mind, figuring that something had happened to her. Was it 5, or 6 months later, a squirrel came running up to me that wasn't one of my regulars, it took a while for me to figure out, but the next day when I was making a lot of noise and she came running up, I then realized it was my special Nutkin, and our relationship resumed, I put her nuts in the pile of pots and she knew to go there. Why she left for over 5 months I have no idea. I surely wasn't looking for her by then.

    I'm not asking you to keep up hope, because I have no idea how your situation will unfold. I'm only seeking to give you a story of a very long disappearance that did happen.

    Lenny's Mom has a great quote that I really appreciate. I don't find it easy to live by, but I seek to be able to every day. "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." If one is feeling sad, it is almost impossible to find the resonance of this, I truly understand that. But I seek to learn how to reach for the positive feelings of gladness that of which I truly did enjoy, and realize that here on earth all things do end some soon and some later, and to come to peace with that so that I can continue to enjoy the new things that will continue to come. Easier said than done, and I am not at all suggesting that you shouldn't be struggling. Many of us do.

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  14. #10
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Quote Originally Posted by Lighten-Up View Post
    I understand, I've been there. Sometimes they show up and sometimes they don't. It's hard to come to terms with the just not knowing. It is one of the most difficult part of loving our little squirrel friends, I have found. I can relate to what you are feeling. It sure isn't easy when we really want to see them because we have had a great relationship with them and want more.

    A number of years ago I had a wild squirrel come out of nowhere, and scare me silly. She would run straight at me if I had nuts in my pocket that I was giving to my other squirrel friends. I would jump backward and toss her a nut. She came daily to do this to me. Finally I had had enough and decided to offer my hand straight to her face with nuts in it; I had to do something to make this change. She backed up, assessed the situation, and to my utter amazement, came forward calmly and carefully took a nut from my offered hand. That was the end of her terrorizing me so to speak, and the beginning of a lovely relationship. She would surprise me by just showing up, like when I was swinging a broom wildly while sweeping, she would come up right behind me. Or once I was banging something very loudly, and on my next swing, there she was running right up to me. I couldn't believe she had no fear of the things I was doing, I called her Nutkin, and we had a very fun relationship. She got picked on by the other squirrels often, so she and I together figured out a hiding space amoungst my piles of terra cotta pots. I would place a pile of nuts and seeds in there, and she would know to go run to the pile of pots when other squirrels were out. I would look in and see her head or ears sticking up amid the pots and know she was comfortably eating her special stash. One day she didn't show up. I missed her so much, and finally had to give up hope. I let her go in my mind, figuring that something had happened to her. Was it 5, or 6 months later, a squirrel came running up to me that wasn't one of my regulars, it took a while for me to figure out, but the next day when I was making a lot of noise and she came running up, I then realized it was my special Nutkin, and our relationship resumed, I put her nuts in the pile of pots and she knew to go there. Why she left for over 5 months I have no idea. I surely wasn't looking for her by then.

    I'm not asking you to keep up hope, because I have no idea how your situation will unfold. I'm only seeking to give you a story of a very long disappearance that did happen.

    Lenny's Mom has a great quote that I really appreciate. I don't find it easy to live by, but I seek to be able to every day. "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." If one is feeling sad, it is almost impossible to find the resonance of this, I truly understand that. But I seek to learn how to reach for the positive feelings of gladness that of which I truly did enjoy, and realize that here on earth all things do end some soon and some later, and to come to peace with that so that I can continue to enjoy the new things that will continue to come. Easier said than done, and I am not at all suggesting that you shouldn't be struggling. Many of us do.
    Thank you! This made me smile. I had a young wild red that i thought was gonna jump on me the othr day. It was coming down the tree and i figured once it noticed me that it would run. But it came right down about 5 ft away and looked right at me. I made noise as if to call it to me and it started to do the head bob'n thing as if it was going to jump on me. I was like Oh No, Shouldnt We Get To Know Each Other First?! Lol.
    But thanks again. It is good to know that there is still hope.

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  16. #11
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Its been 5 1/2 wks and no sign of Blue still. 😔
    Tonight my bf witnessed a red squirrel chasing and fighting with Runt and Runt fell out of tree 😢 Same tree that Blue had fallen out of. Runt wasnt lucky enough to land on trailer roof. Of course she wouldnt come to us but it looked like her mouth/jaw was swollen. Then if that wasnt bad enough, right before it was way dark, the red squirrel went up and got in the drey that Runt had been staying in. I guess I should have let my bf chase the red squirrel away. Im afraid my little Runt Runt wont make it through the night.

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  18. #12
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Runt probably has another drey somewhere. They usually do. Don’t give up hope.

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  20. #13
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    Runt probably has another drey somewhere. They usually do. Don’t give up hope.
    She went down inside a dead broken off part of a tree. Hopefully its warm and cozy in there. Praying she isnt seriously hurt and swelling is down in the morning. I thought it was odd earlier today when she ran away from the red a couple times. She is usually the mean one that chases all the others.

  21. #14
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Don't give up hope! Sending prayers and good luck vibes for both!
    Animals are magical....Thank you everyone who tries to help them, save them tirelessly...

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  23. #15
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    Default Re: Missing release

    The little ones who get chased often end up becoming alpha yard squirrels because they have to be tough. We have a little squirrel, Stubbs, who was injured in an attack and lost his tail and had hind leg injuries. Stubbs is the son of Mia who we released so we were always extra concerned about him. Stubbs was picked on by the other squirrels but he has grown bigger and stronger and now is one of the top squirrels in the yard. He visits daily and chases most everyone else away.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
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  25. #16
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    Default Re: Missing release

    That's great to know/hear! I keep worrying about Buddy's size (compared to the ones I see around).
    Animals are magical....Thank you everyone who tries to help them, save them tirelessly...

  26. #17
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Quote Originally Posted by jessijuju View Post
    Its been 5 1/2 wks and no sign of Blue still. 😔
    Im afraid my little Runt Runt wont make it through the night.
    Instinct drives grays to have/create multiple nests. It takes them just a few hours to construct a drey. They instinctively know that their drey may get blown out of the tree by high winds. Also, they make multiple nests in case there is a predator lurking by one of their nests then they go to an alternate location.

    Helen has created four nests within the house, in addition to her chosen, primary bed.

    Usually grey squirrels are solitary. However, during the winter it isn't uncommon for them to share a nest with other grays, though I am pretty sure always of the same gender. Having more than one squirrel in the nest makes it warmer. In the event of a loss of home they have been known to approach strangers on a cold day and be accepted in if they pass the smell test. Its kind of a win win.

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  28. #18
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Runt survived the night! 😍😁 She was busy this morning adding on to an old nest up in the same tree she fell out of. When i went over again later, i started to get way worried as she was not coming to my whistles. I finally whistled 1 last time & hollered "RUNT RUNT" and then seen her tail fuzz 😄 She was just taking a nap. Is it just me or does any1 else thnk its the cutest thing ever when they wake up and STRETCHHHHH? I just dont really like it when they do it on the underneath side of a branch way up n the air n the tree that they fell out of 😕

  29. #19
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    Default Re: Missing release

    Quote Originally Posted by jessijuju View Post
    Runt survived the night! 😍😁 She was busy this morning adding on to an old nest up in the same tree she fell out of. When i went over again later, i started to get way worried as she was not coming to my whistles. I finally whistled 1 last time & hollered "RUNT RUNT" and then seen her tail fuzz 😄 She was just taking a nap. Is it just me or does any1 else thnk its the cutest thing ever when they wake up and STRETCHHHHH? I just dont really like it when they do it on the underneath side of a branch way up n the air n the tree that they fell out of 😕
    Great news! I also think that their stretches are sooo cute! Especially accompanied by the cutest little yawn, with their precious pink mouth opening!!
    Animals are magical....Thank you everyone who tries to help them, save them tirelessly...

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  31. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buddy View Post
    Great news! I also think that their stretches are sooo cute! Especially accompanied by the cutest little yawn, with their precious pink mouth opening!!
    Yes, quite cute when they stretch, one foot then the other. It is when they yawn that you realize how truly wide their mouths open. Yikes!

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