Responsible Squirrel Ownership

[muffinsquirrel]

Responsible Squirrel Ownership means being the best owner/caregiver to your squirrel that you can be. Much more than "food, water, and shelter", Responsible Squirrel Ownership is the obligation squirrel owners have to incorporate their squirrels into their homes and providing for the needs of their squirrels, however varied those needs may be.

Responsible Squirrel Ownership Means:

• Realizing that a squirrel is for LIFE and dedicating yourself to the life of your squirrel

• Putting the effort into proper care of your squirrel (proper veterinary care when needed, proper feeding, housing and exercise time)

• Learning all you can about proper feeding, making healthy choices

• Investing in proper health care throughout your squirrel's life

• Realizing that squirrels are basically wild animals that cannot be trained like a dog. Accepting them on their terms, not yours.

• Teaching your children to respect animals and not abuse squirrels through play (this is also Responsible Parenting)

• Coming to terms with the fact that not everybody likes squirrels, and asking yourself, what can you do to ensure that your squirrel is likable, even to them? Practicing the answer

• Teaching other humans how to interact with your squirrel

• Providing your squirrel with a family and a home, not just food and shelter. Squirrels are very social and isolation from the family will result in an unhappy and ultimately, unhealthy squirrel

• Holding yourself, as the squirrel owner, liable for whatever damage your squirrel does, and taking steps to rectify it.