Release Question

[Mennome]

We are having a mild winter. How warm should it be outside at night before considering starting a soft release? I'd like to start my 4 kiddos as soon as feasible in order to give them a longer season outside to acclimate.

Any advice?
Thank you!

[SammysMom]

Since they are indoors, I wait until it is truly Spring before they go. Do you have leaves on the trees?

[Spanky]

I am in NE GA and our weather may be much like TN, though we have milder weather here than even Atlanta does because of the geography here. I have a group (6) in the release cage presently though they will not be released for several more weeks. The daffodils are blooming, the trees budding: I am targeting the first weekend in March, but will adjust based upon the weather forecast.

[Rhapsody]

I am in Florida and I will not be placing my squirrels outside until March....... here they will stay in their release cage for 30 days before I release them in April, prime Spring time.

[kcassidy]

I march to a different drum most times so i'll offer a different answer

I soft released 3 late season squirrels 1 Mid December, 1 a few days before New Years Eve and the other the 2nd week of January and I live in New York about 85 miles NW of NYC.

I let them go out the front door and they always come back in for the first week or so. Usually the first FULL day outside, they sleep outside. Then they come back in the AM exhausted and sleep the day away. They stay in for 2 days and then they go out and then back in. After the week they start sleeping outside and they come in less and less frequently.

Finally it gets to the point where they won't come in at all. I do keep food outside as well as water and I see them all and all are alive and doing well.

I've been doing it this way for many many years and haven't had any problems.

Not saying anyone has to do what I do, just sharing.

[island rehabber]

Kim, if I could release at my home I might do the same as you, although I would worry about hawks because of the bare trees. Overwintering sucks, for the humans and for the squirrels, and if I had an alternative believe me I'd take it!

[Mennome]

No leaves on the trees yet here. Some fruit trees starting to bud. I've been taking their "indoor" cages out on wheels for the past two days. I think I will continue that until March and re-access the temps and environment.