Hi! Forgive me, as this is my first post after years of lurking. This community has been incredibly amazing and helpful over my years of raising squirrels, and I cannot thank you all enough.
First of all, this is absolutely heartbreaking for me to post… I view all of my animals as a lifelong commitment/family member. However, I received notification that I recently obtained my absolute dream job. It is an incredible opportunity that not many people get (nor did I expect myself to lol) and comes with a HUGE salary bump, so I can’t really say no. Only downside is, I will have to relocate and my babies can’t come. I will be out of state, in a location they are not legal to keep. As such, I have come to the devastating realization I will have to rehome, release, or get my babies to a rehab that is able to assist.
I feel like this is a shot in the dark, but from everything I’ve seen this community is incredible and figured I could get some advice if all else fails.
Some details on the squirrels/location:
- I am in (Central) Florida. However, I would take them just about anywhere if I knew they were going to a good home.
- I have five Eastern Gray squirrels. 2 are siblings and housed together, 3 are separate and on their own. I would like to keep the siblings together, but other than that they can be split up.
- Ages: the two siblings will be 7 years old this fall. Girl and boy. The rest will be the following ages around August: 6, 4, and 2 (all girls, poor lad is severely outnumbered lol).
- Diet: all currently eat Henry’s Healthy Blocks. Combined with a diet of fresh veggies (spring mix, broccoli, etc), small amounts of fruit and limited nuts for treats.
- Cages: they all have plenty of out-of-cage time, but are in cages when unsupervised and if you need, the cages can come with them as well.
- Temperament: my boy is incredibly friendly, open to just about anyone. His sisters, not so much… they have never really taken to anyone beyond me.
I would try to transition them to release myself, but worry about it due to their ages. Plus, even if it was a possibility, it is far too hot outside to begin that process. The new job will start late summer/early fall, so it isn’t feasible for me to wait and start this as well. I have tried some local rehabbers that have said they assist with adult squirrels, but all have fallen through for some reason or another and I’m very concerned for their future. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.