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Thread: Releasing in Cold Weather

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
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    Cincinatti, Ohio
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    Default Releasing in Cold Weather

    About eight weeks ago I adopted three baby squirrels who appeared to be around three weeks old. So, it is now the end of October, and they're about 11-13 weeks old. The cold weather here in Ohio has begun and will be dropping drastically in the coming weeks, and the squirrels have not yet been exposed to the outdoors. Is it wise at this point to begin the release process for them, or would keeping them until Spring be better? If they are kept indoors until Spring, will they still have the ability to adapt to outdoor living?
    Thanks: Joshua

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Default Re: Releasing in Cold Weather

    Quote Originally Posted by JoshuaDBr View Post
    About eight weeks ago I adopted three baby squirrels who appeared to be around three weeks old. So, it is now the end of October, and they're about 11-13 weeks old. The cold weather here in Ohio has begun and will be dropping drastically in the coming weeks, and the squirrels have not yet been exposed to the outdoors. Is it wise at this point to begin the release process for them, or would keeping them until Spring be better? If they are kept indoors until Spring, will they still have the ability to adapt to outdoor living?
    Thanks: Joshua
    They do need to be over wintered and yes, they will adapt and be ready for a soft release process come spring.
    Step-N-Stone
    State Licensed
    Wildlife Master Rehabilitator


  3. Serious fuzzy thank you's to stepnstone from:

    gunpackingrandma (10-31-2020)

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    North Carolina
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    Default Re: Releasing in Cold Weather

    Squirrels will typically build three or four nests and if all of the leaves have dropped that will be impossible unless they can find a vacant hollow in a tree. Furthermore, they typically spend much of this time of year burying large quantities of food so that they have enough to stay warm until things start to green back up in the spring. Also, young squirrels like yours still have more growing to do and will be better able to stay safe when they are older and wiser.

  5. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Rock Monkey:

    Buddy (11-01-2020), gunpackingrandma (10-31-2020)

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