Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Arm waving - air hugging - interpretive dance

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2021
    Location
    Yogyakarta
    Posts
    10
    Thanked: 3

    Default Arm waving - air hugging - interpretive dance

    Hi everyone - I'm in Indonesia with a baby (I'm guessing 5 or 6 week old, eyes opened a week ago) plantain squirrel that fell out of a nest above our house or was dropped by mum after a large tree snake raided it. The snake hung around for a long time and she's still reluctant to come back to the tree. So far he's been doing well on a formula, goats milk and yogurt mix, and mushy mangosteen (seems to be the favourite fruit that he eats by himself) and is plumping out and bushing up very fast. I have two questions.. the first one, is -
    Are there any tricks to getting the mum to take him back?
    She's around and comes by at dawn every morning but I can't get her to take him. I've tried playing baby squirrel calls and leaving him half way up his nest tree in a basket for her, but she gets scared and won't go any further down the tree. Now he's also way too active to be placed up the tree and there are way too many birds of prey (and snakes) around.. so we're trying to build a cage aviary that he would be safe in, but that she can access him from if needed. Any chance it would work? How long will she keep coming back for him?
    The second question is -
    Why does he wave his arms at me in an interpretive dance when I put him down? It's a reaching for the sky, air hugging wave, one arm at a time. It's terribly cute and perplexing haha Would very much love any insights! We are new to the world of squirrels..
    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    eastcoast
    Posts
    4,810
    Thanked: 5578

    Default Re: Arm waving - air hugging - interpretive dance

    welcome to the squirrel board

    It sounds like the window has passed for momma to get her baby. She must have approved of the job you are doing with her kid.

    we would love pictures and or a video of the arm waving. The behavior sounds intriguing!
    redwuff
    State Licensed
    Master Wildlife Rehabilitator

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

    island rehabber (10-10-2021)

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2021
    Location
    Yogyakarta
    Posts
    10
    Thanked: 3

    Default Re: Arm waving - air hugging - interpretive dance - Plantain squirrel traits?

    Thank you Redruff for the welcome on board!

    Sadly, I think it may be true that I've missed the window. The same gang of squirrels come most mornings and afternoons so I hope they welcome him in when he is ready to go because it seems plantains work very much as a team (?). They come close to the house early in the mornings before the dogs wake up, but once the dogs are around they hit the high treetops and start drilling coconuts.

    This is a photo of the little guy a few days ago, full of goats milk and formula, literally the day before he suddenly became a very very active teenager. We had a bit of a panic as it happened (over literally hours) that very quickly the cardboard box he was in placed inside a travel crate wasn't a possibility for an hour longer as he went from always asleep mode to almost always jumping and crawling up every surface. He's now is 2m x 1m x 1m that hopefully is enough for a few more weeks.

    If there is anyone on here with experience with plantains I would love to ask some questions. The rate of change each day is very fast - he went from a sleeping, drinking, pooping baby squirrel to an active, jumping, climbing, play fighting, air hugging, vocal and solid foods eating squirrel in a few days. He's gotten a little aggressive about milk now and he tries to latch his mouth on to anything near or around the smell of milk, and then his whole body freezes up arms and legs out while he latches on to whatever he's managed to stuff in his mouth. Help? He's loving eating fruits and I'm finding it easier to feed them to him as he at least goes a bit more slowly with them. He opened his eyes just over 10 days ago - can I reduce milk down to 2 times a day with the rest fruit and does anyone have any tips for getting him to eat the rodent blocks (or do plantains just hate them?).

    Many thanks!

    I will try to post a video of the arms waving - air grabbing when I'm fast enough to film it. It seems to be related to nesting material, wanting milk, or wanting my hand
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    124
    Thanked: 44

    Default Re: Arm waving - air hugging - interpretive dance

    What is the light-colored protrusion on his stomach?

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Planet Earth
    Posts
    17,915
    Thanked: 13299

    Default Re: Arm waving - air hugging - interpretive dance

    Quote Originally Posted by GeorgiesMom View Post
    What is the light-colored protrusion on his stomach?
    His penis...
    Step-N-Stone
    State Licensed
    Wildlife Master Rehabilitator


  7. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Daytona Beach, FL.
    Posts
    11,465
    Thanked: 2834

    Default Re: Arm waving - air hugging - interpretive dance

    No, I'm seeing it too....to the right upper middle of the picture 🤔
    OK weird angle, it is his manly part 🤭
    Charley Chuckles gone from my arms FOREVER in my heart 8/14/04-3/7/13
    Simon, our time was too short together, but you gave us so much love, be with CC now 3/7/14


    The "CHARLEY CHUCKLES MEMORIAL RAIL TOUR" leaves the station choo chooo
    *Deland,FL. *Washington DC *Boston (Back Bay) *Boston (North Station) *Wells,Maine *Albany,NY *New York (Penn Station) *Back to Deland FL. "July 1- July 22" 2013

    http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...RIAL-RAIL-TOUR Check it out here
    http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...OW-A-NEW-MOMMY!!!!!
    http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...RAINBOW-BRIDGE
    http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...e-called-Simon
    charleychuckles1@gmail.com

    I'm not poof reading any of this

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Location
    SC
    Posts
    227
    Thanked: 87

    Default Re: Arm waving - air hugging - interpretive dance

    Quote Originally Posted by GeorgiesMom View Post
    What is the light-colored protrusion on his stomach?
    I see it too! I see his anus, then above it a nub that's dark at the tip, then that thing! Also I've never heard of a plantain squirrel. That is so stinking cute! Now I must look them up...

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •