The time has come!

[Sommer]

Well for the first time since my childhood I am in a position to be able to fully raise and soft release a squirrel. Growing up my mom did this and taught me. But everything I've done since then, 6 wks was the age where it was time for my fosters to go to the wildlife center because I never lived in a place where they could be released from where I raised them. At 7 weeks my baby girl is still very shy and wants to be able to hide in my arm with scary noises and unfamiliar things, when do they start moving around the house like they own the place? I can't remember after 25 years! So far her home has been in my bedroom where it is quiet and very low traffic and she has a beautiful view out the window of the wild squirrels. But at this point if she's sitting on my shoulder and I pull her formula bag down off the fridge to mix more too fast it scares her. If I accidentally make a noise like suddenly laughing about something or a phone ringing it scares her. She likes to bury under my arm. If I let her play on the couch she likes to stay where she can quickly and easily dart under something. Should I bring her out to a heavier traffic area? Or will this just automatically wear off as she's used to being out and moving around more?

[Chirps]

From what I remember of raising my Navvy that was typical for her too at that age. It's like they're just becoming cognizant of their surroundings, and they know how vulnerable they are so everything intimidates them. They are starting to become familiar with how their body moves, yet know they must be able to get to the "bolt hole" (or whatever serves in their situation) at the slightest perceived threat.

Here is Navvy at around six weeks old studying her surroundings after I brought her downstairs one morning. She seems very aware of the noises of my brother breathing loudly in the vicinity. She is learning how her body works.

https://youtu.be/OlP5G3ObkNU

EDIT: Yikes, shaky phone syndrome. Hope you don't get seasick looking at it.

[CritterMom]

She is just too young now. It is best to look to nature for guidance in things like this. At 7 weeks, her mama would smack her silly for even peeking too far out of the nest hole. I had a 7 week old baby do this once - mom must have been sleeping and he fell out of the nest, happily into some tall grass. He immediately came over to me to see what I was, and I returned him to right under the tree several times. Then mom came thundering out of the nest. She came racing down the tree trunk and I backed off, expecting to see a heartwarming reunion. She smacked him so hard he rolled several feet! Went to where he was cowering and smacked him again. I was about to intervene when she finally picked him up, ran up to the nest (I could hear her shrieking in fury through the mouthful of baby she had) and stuffed him very roughly into the nest, and then sat on a branch and cussed me out until I finally went into the house to give her time to settle down!

This little girl is not ready for all of the stimulus yet. Between 8 and 9 weeks the moms seem to let them out on play on branches right around the nest and between 9 and 10 I start to see them coming to my feeder with mom.

Don't give her more stimulation; give her less. Nice, quiet time letting her play on you is fine. In a couple weeks, everything will be different.

[Sommer]

From what I remember of raising my Navvy that was typical for her too at that age. It's like they're just becoming cognizant of their surroundings, and they know how vulnerable they are so everything intimidates them. They are starting to become familiar with how their body moves, yet know they must be able to get to the "bolt hole" (or whatever serves in their situation) at the slightest perceived threat.

Here is Navvy at around six weeks old studying her surroundings after I brought her downstairs one morning. She seems very aware of the noises of my brother breathing loudly in the vicinity. She is learning how her body works.

https://youtu.be/OlP5G3ObkNU

EDIT: Yikes, shaky phone syndrome. Hope you don't get seasick looking at it.

How cute! Thank you!

[Sommer]

She is just too young now. It is best to look to nature for guidance in things like this. At 7 weeks, her mama would smack her silly for even peeking too far out of the nest hole. I had a 7 week old baby do this once - mom must have been sleeping and he fell out of the nest, happily into some tall grass. He immediately came over to me to see what I was, and I returned him to right under the tree several times. Then mom came thundering out of the nest. She came racing down the tree trunk and I backed off, expecting to see a heartwarming reunion. She smacked him so hard he rolled several feet! Went to where he was cowering and smacked him again. I was about to intervene when she finally picked him up, ran up to the nest (I could hear her shrieking in fury through the mouthful of baby she had) and stuffed him very roughly into the nest, and then sat on a branch and cussed me out until I finally went into the house to give her time to settle down!

This little girl is not ready for all of the stimulus yet. Between 8 and 9 weeks the moms seem to let them out on play on branches right around the nest and between 9 and 10 I start to see them coming to my feeder with mom.

Don't give her more stimulation; give her less. Nice, quiet time letting her play on you is fine. In a couple weeks, everything will be different.

You're right, she does like to play and interact in her cage a lot more than on the couch. When I leave my room she wants to just cuddle, be held and be on me. She does like coming out but only tucked in to me. Lol that mad mama story cracked me up!