Attempt to release or keep?
Hey everybody! This site has been absolutely essential these last 8 months while raising my eastern grey squirrel Sammi.
He hurt his toenail and it fell off ~4 months back and I don't think I would've made it through without this site's help. Add in the living/nutrition and you've all truly been lifesavers.
I rescued my baby from a homeless lady back in September. She wanted us to give him a better home. And we did. He by all means seems to be a happy and healthy little squirrel. I'm now hitting the point where I'm wondering if we try to push him outside or keep him domesticated.
He is extremely close to me. He will let me cuddle him, climb all over me, and even let me hold him. I'm the only person he is this comfortable with. The rest of the family can give him food and maybe some light petting, but not the climbing or the holding.
His routing is more so. I let him out of the cage in the morning. We snuggle a little bit. He'll go up to his perch and be stoic. Snack. And then he'll go over to his outside cage. He will run in himself so I know it's time to let him outside. I'll put him in the outside cage for 1-4 hours under a tree in the shade. After he comes in he usually wants to go to his spot to relax, get some water, or play with me a little.
There's been a time or two I've left the door open after bringing the cage in. After like an hour or so he'd get curious and wonder outside. I've let him explore the side of my house a few times without a harness. He usually adventures until he gets scared and then runs back. With maybe one of the times he got really excited and wanted to explore so I brought him back in the house.
That brings me to the question should I be trying to soft-release him in my backyard? Or should I just try to get a harness on him and give him outside time? I live in a farmland residential suburb. It's relatively pretty calm. I see some greys running around. And once you go farther towards the farm or the bike paths you find more easter greys. The plan would be to bring his big cage to the side of my house and leave him in it for a week or two. Then open the cage and let him wander free.
My biggest fear is that he loves his domesticated life of blankets and snuggles. I would feel like a villain if I pushed him out and he didn't want to go. I feel like he would be able to survive on his own. But another part of me feels like he is too used to his fresh veggies and blocks. I've had him since he was a baby. One of his eyes were closed. I fed him a bottle for the beginning months of his life. He truly doesn't know anything else besides co existing in human environments. We have a good setup of sticks, branches, etc that he has turned into his own stomping grounds. I feel like he is more than content living his luxurious life but I wouldn't want to hold him back from the life he can have. Even though I just want to keep and cuddle him forever. I want to make sure I at least give him the option if he'd like to.
And that brings me here. How do you know if you should push them out or keep them domesticated? He's been my favorite animal I've had to pleasure of taking care of. I feel like I've given him a great life. And it seems like we're at a breaking point between the two. I just want to make sure I make the right decision to continue giving him his best life.
Would love any insight from people who have more experience with the process or squirrel behavior in general. Is there any signs or behaviors I can look for? I'd love to have some solace in my decision before choosing to domesticate him forever or let him have a chance in the wild. Thanks in advance!
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Re: Attempt to release or keep?
Charley Chuckles gone from my arms FOREVER in my heart 
8/14/04-3/7/13
Originally Posted by supersquirrelgirl
i did the same thing 