Hello I'm new here

[Icemouse]

I’ve been following this thread and haven’t had much to say because you’ve been getting stellar information and help. I know exactly what you’re going through as I went through it myself.

Don’t knock yourself out or allow yourself to be attacked just so Hamy can have a clean cage….its not going to harm him to have soiled bedding, etc. Unfortunately you do have to feed him. Does your cage have a small 4” x 4” door or just one large one? If no small door is there a way to cut one in the hardware cloth that can be then closed and secured with a metal clip. I ask because this new little door can be an access point to add and remove food/water bowls without allowing Hamy the ability to escape and attack you. Many rehabbers stop physical interaction with their squirrels as they mature and get wild. It’s not an ideal situation for you and Hamy, but it’s also not the end of the world.

If this is not something feasible to do then the only alternative I can see is to put food and water in when Hamy is asleep. I know of others that have done it this way when their squirrels were too wild while they waited for release.

I know how hard it is to realize and accept that your precious furry baby no longer wants to be your baby. As others have said this might pass, but if it doesn’t, then all you can do is bide your time till the weather warms and the leaves are on the trees so Hamy has a fighting chance at a life in the trees. I know how frightening it is to think about him being out there in the big, bad, scary world, but it’s a life he was born to live. You just have to do all you can and hope and pray for the best for him.

Thank you so much for your lovely words.
Hamys cage has 2 large doors with a small door in the large ones. Well.... I tought Hamy how to get out of any kind of enclosure. I figured back then that if Hamy wants to be free he needs to have the knowlege how to escape if necessary.... it works against me now.... I won't be able to get food in and out through the cage doors....
But we bought a cat carrier today. If necessary we'll use that...I can put the opening of the cat carrier on the cage door. Once Hamy walked in to the cat taxi I'll shove a board over the opening. It will allow me to close the cat carrier so Hamy can't escape or attack. I did that with tamarin monkeys. Works like a champ. I just have to have the help of my hubby and I have to be fast. And it gives me the chance to clear out the stash in his house where he sleeps in...
I figured out a way to feed Hamy without having to open the gates. I can fidle the rodent blocks in his bowl inside the cage from the outside. The veg I cut thin enough that I can fit it through the hard wire. Piece by piece.... Hamy threatens me when I offer the veg but he takes it. Same with fruit... water is no problem as I have hamster waterbottles on the outside of the cage. I can clean and refill them no problem.
About the bedding... Hamy hates to get wet... he actually throws all the wet bedding on the floor of his cage. I usually have a wooden board which covered the hardware cloth on the bottom of the cage. But at the last attack I couldn't put the board back in as the severity of Hamys attack came as a bit of a surprise... so at the moment whatever Hamy throws on the floor of his cage I can easily get out. Most of it falls in a tray underneath the hard ware cloth flooring and what doesn't go through the hard ware cloth I can pull out by hand... the hard ware cloth flooring is not great for his wee feet but it will do the trick till I can come up with a better solution.
I'm really troubled at the moment. I don't know what to hope for... who am I to put my hopes and desires above Hamys needs and dreams.... only Hamy can deside how he wants to live his life.... I have to wait and sit it out... all I want for Hamy is to be happy and safe.... but it's killing me to know what dangers are awaiting him... Hamy deserves to be with his own kind if that's what he longs for... it's totally up to Hamy... for now he will have to stay with me till it's warm enough and there's leaves on the trees. Hamy will always be my pal no matter which way this will go... and I will defo do anything in my powers to make it as easy as possible for Hamy.
If Hamy could have grown up with his mom and siblings he would go seperate ways within the first year of his life as well... I'm just afraid he changes his mind once he's out in his release cage... how do I know... is that a stupid way of thinking... so far Hamy doesn't like to dig in dirt... he hates dirty, sticky hands and feet... and he sure hates to get wet...

[TomahawkFlyers]

"I did that with tamarin monkeys."

!!!

What a magical place your house must be. So ... is it you or your husband who is the instigator? Are you partners in crime?

Tamarin monkeys. Wow.

Jamie

[Icemouse]

"I did that with tamarin monkeys."

!!!

What a magical place your house must be. So ... is it you or your husband who is the instigator? Are you partners in crime?

Tamarin monkeys. Wow.

Jamie

I used to help rescue tamarin monkeys where I'm from.... many moons ago...before I knew my hubby. A friend of mine used to have a sanctuary for wild animals. Unfortunately people did then and still think it's ok to smuggle wee holiday "souvenirs". Tamarin monkey babies are as big as a thumb nail when the monsters sell them at markets. To smuggle those poor wee creatures they sew them in to the seam of skirts, trousers and jackets. It's horrific for the babies. They live in large family groups of about 40 adults. To get to the babies they kill all adults...then the babies get sold at markets.... end up with people who have no clue about their diet and needs or how dangerous they become when they reach puperty. Plus they need pals and a lot of room to roam. They also mark everything... oh what a stink... people keep the poor dudes in bird cages... that cripples the monkeys... once the monkeys are through puberty they will bite and attack. That's when people just dump them at rescue centres if the monkeys are lucky... but there are idiots who just open the gate and set them free. They have no chance of survival.... even for the lucky ones which get rescued it's difficult to find another group to intergrate them.... Monkeys look cute but they are far away from being a pet... and they sure are no holiday souvenir...
It's really sad what certain people do to our wildlife.... when will people understand that one can't own a life...
You all would not believe what people try to smuggle.... my friend got a camel because an idiot tried to smuggle it in a horse trailer.... the camel started a riot in the trailer and the trailer landed on the side... camel got rescued.... dude who smuggled it got a fine...
I'm a mountain chick. As I was young we helped our wildlife over the harsh winter months. That kinda stuck to me. Wildlife is precious. Good thing my hubby is like that as well. He is my partner in crime 😊

[Icemouse]

I really don't mean to be annoying... but I have so many questions.... it's really taking a toll on me. I can't concentrate on nothing... my mind keeps wandering off.... I keep analysing every potential outcome....over and over again...and every time the outcome is different.... with other words I drive everybody around me and myself crazy.... I'm so afraid to make mistakes... what if my interpretation of Hamys behaviour is wrong.... afterall we are talking about my wee pals life!
- how long does it take to get through puberty?
- what are the signs of the start?
- what's the signs of it ending?
- is food aggression part of puberty?
- do squirrels in puberty sleep a lot more than before?
- is having a very irregular sleeping pattern part of puberty?
- can puberty behaviour be mistaken for wilding up?
- I stopped giving nuts to Hamy is that ok?
I really don't mean to get on you alls nerves but I have no clue what I'm doing. Unfortunately I lack valuable information. I really can't afford to make mistakes.... believe me if icould I would build a tree house and live there with my hubby and Hamy

[TomahawkFlyers]

Hiya, Icemouse!

You are not being annoying in the least. We understand where you are - lots of questions and worries and trying desperately to sort things out. Perhaps one of the things that you can do to help yourself is to take desperation or extraordinarily high level of worry out of the picture. When all is said and done, you have zero meaningful control over Hamy's behavior at this point in his development. It is as if Hamy is temporarily Al Capone and you and your husband are his parents. Al's gonna do what Al's gonna do, whether you like it or not. You can make yourself sick with worry or borrow a page from the Stoics and accept the situation for what it is. Do your best to keep clutter out of the picture. From here in the Northwoods, it all seems to boil down to this:

1. From rescue until puberty, Hamy was a cute, lovable squirrel who stole your heart.
2. Hamy has reached puberty and is acting like the wild squirrel he is. Not because of you, but, because he's doing what squirrels do.
3. Puberty passes. Many times, the aggressive behavior passes too. Your choices are:

• Release Hamy now. This is ill-advised because he is not prepared for the environment into which he would be released; and, because of weather and the time of year, the environment is not yet ready for Hamy.
• Keep Hamy safely indoors until the season changes and puberty passes, and protect yourself from attacks. Imagine him as the child he is, knowing everything and knowing nothing. Protect him for his own good.
• When the season changes and puberty passes, study the situation to see if your Hamy has become his old self. If he has not, prepare a soft release. He can still be your friend while he lives outdoors. If he has returned to old form, offer him the opportunity for soft release. He will make the choice that makes him happy. Be there for him while he lives his outdoor life, and take him back if he wants to come home, comes to harm, or is just not fit to survive "out there."

Hamy was born to be an independent creature. If his life circumstances have short-circuited that, let him decide where and with whom he wants to live. Whatever he decides, be joyful for him. He will see that in you and it will become a part of either his permanent memory of you as he lives outside; or, it will remain an influence on how he interacts with you as he lives his life indoors with you.

Circling back - there is little here over which you have control. Be kind to yourself and allow things to play out. Whatever happens, you will have done the right thing and you will remain in possession of a most special friend for life. Whether he is living outside or inside will not matter. His thought to you will be "Ta!"

Jamie

[Icemouse]

Hiya guys first of all Thanks guys for your patience with Hamy and I!!!
For the last 3 days Hamy was behaving different again... no more threatening or aggression. He's different than he was before BUT the last 3 days Hamy is playful again. Hipp hipp hurrah!!!
We changed a few things about feeding. No more food outside of the cage. No more nuts either. Not even a tiny crumb.
I have to say Hamy made a big stretch as well. He grew in length and gained weight. Wee Hamy weighs 750gram. And man did he get fast. He's doing 180 degrees turns while he's running full speed... amazing... he's not threatening anymore. But he sure is adventurous. He tries the wildest climbing maneuvers.... it's really funny when he plays the sleuth climbing along the curtain rails upside down... doing the occasional bat... only hanging down on his hind legs. Yesterday he tried that stunt just holding on with one foot.... hopefully we are over puberty.... now we only need to get him to be nice to my hubby...
Hopefully we are over the puberty stress. I don't want to jinx it but I think we are on a good way. The last 3 days Hamy and I enjoyed each others company again. May it continue for many many moons

[Mel1959]

Great to hear some good news!

[Charley Chuckles]

This is indeed great news 👏👏👏
Hamy keep being a good boy ❤️😘

[Charley Chuckles]

Just checking in on Hamy, how's he doing?
Miss his adventures 😍

[Icemouse]

Hiya everybody
It was a bit hectic here lately. Between Hamy and work there was not much time left.
But we have great news. Hamy is a house squirrel. He'll stay with us. This is his home and we are his family. Sneaking up on me and jumping on my head is the newest game. I'm close to a minor heart attack every time but Hamy thinks its great fun. He also thinks that "styling" my hair is absolutely necessary.... and he loves toothbrushes... I had to replace them 4 times in one week. He's still growing... but he also eats like a hawk. He's not fat at all just long... his fur is shiny and silky as can be. His tail is getting bushier as well. ...and he has beautiful markings like black lines around his whiskers now. He is really beautiful as can be. Every day he comes up with new shenanigans. Most of them are either gutsy as can be or hilarious. Our communication got really good as well. Well in certain situations Hamy "suffers" from selective hearing....
Thank you all for your kind help and your patience with us. We would have been lost without you guys. I hope you all know that I will bore you with my Hamy stories again.

[TomahawkFlyers]

Icemouse!

So VERY glad to hear that the storm clouds of puberty have passed and that you are all settling in for the long haul. Hamy is one lucky squirrel. Like a child, he won't always acknowledge his good fortune, but he knows who loves him. Such good news!

Jamie

[Chirps]

I am in and out lately, mostly out, but it is such a delight to read about Hamy! PLEASE "bore" us as often as possible with tales of his antics. And pics and video are always appreciated.

[Icemouse]

Hiya everybody
I had an idea how to bring a bit of nature in our home. Unfortunately I'm far away from having a "green thumb".... but I thought I could get a few mini trees about 6ft high. I was thinking of braeburn apple and a plum tree. Hamy and I love those fruits. It would give Hamy something to investigate, maybe climb on and to harvest... the fir tree we bought for him is still not really that interesting for him. I'm hoping once it will start sprouting Hamy stops ignoring it. Yeah and he still doesn't like to get dirt on his feet....
Now what to you all reckon? Can I set up potted fruit trees indoors? What do I have to be careful about so Hamy doesn't get harmed? What other plants can I have which are safe for Hamy?
Or did I loose my marbles now completely? In my defense I thought if Hamy can't go to the wild I'll bring it home to him...

[CritterMom]

Hiya everybody
I had an idea how to bring a bit of nature in our home. Unfortunately I'm far away from having a "green thumb".... but I thought I could get a few mini trees about 6ft high. I was thinking of braeburn apple and a plum tree. Hamy and I love those fruits. It would give Hamy something to investigate, maybe climb on and to harvest... the fir tree we bought for him is still not really that interesting for him. I'm hoping once it will start sprouting Hamy stops ignoring it. Yeah and he still doesn't like to get dirt on his feet....
Now what to you all reckon? Can I set up potted fruit trees indoors? What do I have to be careful about so Hamy doesn't get harmed? What other plants can I have which are safe for Hamy?
Or did I loose my marbles now completely? In my defense I thought if Hamy can't go to the wild I'll bring it home to him...

OK, every one of my digits is a "green thumb" so many answers here.

First, while they will climb them to get from place to place, pines, firs - conifers in general, are not a gray squirrel's happy place. They much prefer deciduous trees - hardwoods that shed their leaves in the fall. That is why he is "meh" about your little fir tree.

Second, deciduous fruit trees require a HUGE amount of sun to flower and fruit, and merely a TON of sun to simply survive. This is the reason that all of the "tree" type indoor plants are tropical, and why you don't see fruiting trees indoors unless you have a solarium of some kind.

Third, if you ignore all that and spend a bunch of $ to buy a tree, likely the first thing that will happen is that he will do what squirrels LOVE to do - strip the bark off and gnaw away the green cambium layer directly under it. If he goes all the way around the tree (he will) you now have a soon to die tree.

If there is an area where these grow, I would suggest you cut pieces and bring them home. Make sure you go over it thoroughly - I wash everything before it comes in because you can bring parasites in. It is starting to act sort of like Spring where I live and my Zeke will be getting pieces of maple shoots as they grow which are a huge treat.

With plants, make absolutely certain you are dealing with something that won't make him ill. Some plants are toxic, some plants are fine but the flowers are toxic, etc. First, you need to determine what it is, and not by the common name, but the Latin name. There are aps that will help with that. Once you determine the Latin name, google the name and the word "toxicity" and read it. My rule of thumb is that if any part is toxic to any living thing it doesn't come into my house.

I took a different tack with my indoor squirrels. Instead of constantly trying to make their area look like the wild, I did my own version of the things in the wild that they like. I took a long round dowel rod, cut about a thousand (exaggeration but it felt like it) several foot strips of polarfleece, and tied them to the dowel rod, very close together, to form a "fringe curtain." It is mounted to the roof of the cage and has a wide plank behind it. Zeke loves to lay on the plank with just his little face poking through the "leaves" of his curtain, peeking outside while remaining under cover from all the "predators." He has a kitty condo in my room to play on - it is his second since they get very grubby (look on Ebay - best prices). The last one I threw out I scavenged all of the rope wrapped poles from, attached them together, and made a vertical "tree trunk" he can climb in his enclosure. They like to get behind stuff and peek out - but it doesn't have to be branches and leaves. They like to climb but it doesn't have to be a tree. Heck, a cardboard box will offer tons of fun (and a big mess).

The desire to decorate like it is wild is more a human thing than anything else. Considering the fact that they will move into your shed, garage, attic, or any other protected, covered shelter in a heartbeat if they can, I decorate with an eye toward giving him the coverage and recreation he wants in a way that allows me to keep it clean and reasonably hygienic.

[Icemouse]

OK, every one of my digits is a "green thumb" so many answers here.

First, while they will climb them to get from place to place, pines, firs - conifers in general, are not a gray squirrel's happy place. They much prefer deciduous trees - hardwoods that shed their leaves in the fall. That is why he is "meh" about your little fir tree.

Second, deciduous fruit trees require a HUGE amount of sun to flower and fruit, and merely a TON of sun to simply survive. This is the reason that all of the "tree" type indoor plants are tropical, and why you don't see fruiting trees indoors unless you have a solarium of some kind.

Third, if you ignore all that and spend a bunch of $ to buy a tree, likely the first thing that will happen is that he will do what squirrels LOVE to do - strip the bark off and gnaw away the green cambium layer directly under it. If he goes all the way around the tree (he will) you now have a soon to die tree.

If there is an area where these grow, I would suggest you cut pieces and bring them home. Make sure you go over it thoroughly - I wash everything before it comes in because you can bring parasites in. It is starting to act sort of like Spring where I live and my Zeke will be getting pieces of maple shoots as they grow which are a huge treat.

With plants, make absolutely certain you are dealing with something that won't make him ill. Some plants are toxic, some plants are fine but the flowers are toxic, etc. First, you need to determine what it is, and not by the common name, but the Latin name. There are aps that will help with that. Once you determine the Latin name, google the name and the word "toxicity" and read it. My rule of thumb is that if any part is toxic to any living thing it doesn't come into my house.

I took a different tack with my indoor squirrels. Instead of constantly trying to make their area look like the wild, I did my own version of the things in the wild that they like. I took a long round dowel rod, cut about a thousand (exaggeration but it felt like it) several foot strips of polarfleece, and tied them to the dowel rod, very close together, to form a "fringe curtain." It is mounted to the roof of the cage and has a wide plank behind it. Zeke loves to lay on the plank with just his little face poking through the "leaves" of his curtain, peeking outside while remaining under cover from all the "predators." He has a kitty condo in my room to play on - it is his second since they get very grubby (look on Ebay - best prices). The last one I threw out I scavenged all of the rope wrapped poles from, attached them together, and made a vertical "tree trunk" he can climb in his enclosure. They like to get behind stuff and peek out - but it doesn't have to be branches and leaves. They like to climb but it doesn't have to be a tree. Heck, a cardboard box will offer tons of fun (and a big mess).

The desire to decorate like it is wild is more a human thing than anything else. Considering the fact that they will move into your shed, garage, attic, or any other protected, covered shelter in a heartbeat if they can, I decorate with an eye toward giving him the coverage and recreation he wants in a way that allows me to keep it clean and reasonably hygienic.

Oh CritterMom your ideas are so very much better than my tree idea.
I was actually thinking of getting a kitty condo for Hamy. I just wasn't sure if the material on it would be suitable for Hamy.
I'm really bad with plants. My hubby always laughs about me even killing a tomato plant.... but I'm much better with building stuff using branches and twigs etc. I'm more a woodworm than a gardener I guess.
Hamy loves sycamore shoots. They just started to grow here. I actually bring some home every day. Hamy loves them. I use bark as bowls and fill them with dandelions and daisies. Hamy has a feast.
Hamy loves cardboard boxes. I did cut 4 holes in the sides and filled it with hamster wood chips. Hamy loves to bath in them. He goes wild with it. You should see the floor after he is done... wood everywhere.... but a very happy wood chip covered wee squirrel...
Your fringe curtain is a splendid idea as well. Hamy loves hiding. Yeah and then jumping out right on my head, back or shoulders. I could swear he has a smile on his face when I get a fright...
I just found a bark of a fir... all rolled up like a tunnel. Hamy loves tunnels. My mind is going 90 miles an hour now... thank you so much for your great ideas. I guess I'll stay away from building the wild and just do what I can do best. Use my imagination and just build stuff with Hamy for Hamy.
My wee pal sure is the coolest dude on the planet. Hamy knows that he's not my pet... he's my pal and partner in crime. Eventhough we are different species but we are very much alike. We both are highly energetic and nuts at times. We are so lucky we found each other.
Have you ever hung up coat hangers with old shirts and trousers on them? Hamy loves climbing up on it. He can actually squeeze himself through the coat hangers lined up. I just make sure there is only about 4cm space between the coat hangers. Sometimes Hamy has one foot and hand on one shirt and the other hand and foot on the other shirt. He seriously manages to climb up all the way to the top like that. I would have never came up with that idea if Hamy wouldn't love to hang up laundry with me. As soon as he sees me going for the laundry basket he jumps in it. I have to tell him to move aside so I can get the laundry from the washing machine in to the basket. He then jumps on top of the laundry. He sits on it like he's the captain of a ship while I carry the basket. As soon as I put the basket down he "inspects" the goods in it. Last time he tried to "steal" a sock. Man was he legging it with the sock in tow....

[Icemouse]

Hiya guys Hamy is doing great. He's growing in to adulthood now. He's adventurous and cuddley as can be. He defo enjoys his life with us. Off course he always finds new things to do. He took grooming my hair to a new level. When I have wet hair he jumps on it with a rodent block. He munches it happily crumbing up my freshly washed hair. He also invented a new game. He crawls under a blanket and my hand has to find him. Once I reach him he hangs on to my hand so I can pull him out. Then it's cuddles and playbites and back under the blanket... but the best is that Hamy found his love for my hubby. My hubby downgraded from leather winter gloves to lighter gloves and since 2 days my hubby only wears cotton gloves. Hamy enjoys climbing about on my him, he loves getting cuddled, he eats sitting on my hubby, he happily walks around sitting on him and he even climbs in his hoody pouch to take a wee nap.
My hands are not that scratched up anymore either. I found a noise I can make for Hamy to understand that he's too rough. He gets much more gentle right away. If it's playbites he even licks the spot he bit too hard. Our wee pal is really loving and gentle as can be. His coat is soft and silky. He does eat like a hog. Outside the cage he only gets rodentblocks to munch on. For some reason he has no food aggressions with the rodentblocks. Any other foods he only gets in his cage. We have a very peaceful life together. Hamy is still my shadow. Where I am Hamy will be. He still washes himself in my camomile tea. If I want to drink something Hamy has to check if he would like it as well. I have to share... he insits of drinking out of my water glass after I drank a sip. If I have a soda he's not impressed. He hates the fizz but he still investigates it anyway. He seriously jumps on the glass while I'm drinking trying to sniff what I have. Hamy is defo not shy. I'll attach a few pictures so you all can see how cool my wee pal is.
Hope you all have a great time with your wee dudes.

[Charley Chuckles]

Well this just put A HUGE smile on my face 😊
I was thinking of Hamy and y'all the other day wondering how your little man was doing and I see he's got the perfect life😁
What a ham Hamy is
Love the pics❤️
Give Hamy a hug for me

[Icemouse]

Well this just put A HUGE smile on my face 😊
I was thinking of Hamy and y'all the other day wondering how your little man was doing and I see he's got the perfect life😁
What a ham Hamy is
Love the pics❤️
Give Hamy a hug for me

Sure will do. Hamy is defo a character. I'm so glad everything worked out that well. I can't imagine a life without my wee pal. I have no words how smart, kind and funny he is. He does know how to play his cards. I'm melting away every time he snuggles up. Hamy spends most of his freetime getting cuddled, kissed and caressed. He is a sucker for foot massages. It's the best time of the day coming home and opening Hamys doors. I think we won pretty much every lottery on the planet as he came to our lives.

[Charley Chuckles]

Sure will do. Hamy is defo a character. I'm so glad everything worked out that well. I can't imagine a life without my wee pal. I have no words how smart, kind and funny he is. He does know how to play his cards. I'm melting away every time he snuggles up. Hamy spends most of his freetime getting cuddled, kissed and caressed. He is a sucker for foot massages. It's the best time of the day coming home and opening Hamys doors. I think we won pretty much every lottery on the planet as he came to our lives.

I getcha 😁

[Chirps]

Just caught up. This is so beautiful to read. So happy for you and Hamy! Thanks for the pics!