Twiggy Blossom was too young to release in the fall so I kept her during the winter. She was about 3 weeks (no fur yet) when I took her in so all she really knows is that I am her person.
We moved her outside into a 4x6x8 cage which she has been in the past few weeks. At first she was quite depressed, not eating or interacting with me. She would turn her back on me when I came outside to talk to her. She still seems to be afraid of any sound that she hears. We have chickens and they are always making noise. She still runs to her bed and hides with most sounds.
We have developed a pretty strong bond and it hurts my heart to send her "to the lion's den" so to speak. I know she will have a blast in the trees but we have hawks and owls in our area. Most squirrels only make it about 1-2 years around here. We plan to put squirrel boxes in several trees for safety (if recommended) and leave her outdoor cage up as long as she wants to use it.
When will I know she is ready to be introduced into the yard?