I need to know if this is life threatening help!!

[sandycheeks]

I just put a ceramic bowl of water out that is too heavy for Sandy to knock over. She will just put her arms on the side and put her head in and drink. No problems so far. As far as nuts go only 2 per day maximum. make sure they eat their 2 henry's blocks per day then healthy veggies and fruit. Then nuts only as a treat after they have eaten their healthy stuff. Make sure they do not fill up on nuts and not eat the healthy stuff.
As far as people asking about the NR status of these squirrels. Chelsea mentioned in her other thread that these squirrels are allowed to be around her cats and now have no fear of cats at all. Even if the tail was fine they are now NR for sure.
I just hope you understand the commitment you have made to these little ones. You now have 2 NR squirrels that will live for 10-15 years. They will chew everything in your house, at least Sandy sure did when I had her in recovering from her injured arm recently. I also hope your job doesn't mind you coming in with scratches all over your hands and arms. I was worried about mine but now Sandy is outside again and is not climbing on me nearly as much which has given me a chance to heal fully.

[chelsea]

yes, i totally understand the commitment.
ive read tons of horror stories and amazing stories.
before i got attached to them, i looked into things.

I wouldnt say they arent scared of the cats, because when my cats enter the room both of my babies jump on the back of the recliner, watch the cats for a minute and then continue to do their thing.
the only time they mess with the cats is when they are asleep in the floor and the naughty squirrels will seriously run by and jump on the cats face, or SLAP my cats face and run away before the cats even wake up like "wtf??"..
i havent been able to tell if theyre trying to play with the cats or if they are just being bullys.... lol
one of them likes chewing on anything and everything. especially fingernails. but the little one doesnt.... YET

[sandycheeks]

Yeah I got a lot of the fingernail thing too. Sandy likes to clean me and she seems to think that my fingernails are a foreign object that should be bitten off. She has hurt my a couple times like that.
As far as cats go they need to learn that a cat will kill them instantly and once outside they are the biggest threat. I see the odd cat from one of my neighbours in my yard and it definitely worries me. When Sandy was inside I would see her get up to the highest point possible in the room and make a predator warning call so I knew she was properly afraid of them before I let her back out.
Thank god she has been okay so far, I would be devastated if something happened to her. She is in my mud room right now napping in her nest box. She is one of the very few squirrels fortunate enough to have a safe indoor place to go if she wants to when it's raining or she just feels like resting somewhere out of the wind etc. She chewed a hole in my screen which I never fixed which in now her doggie door.

[chelsea]

I would REALLY like them to be afraid of the cats, but i just dont know how to teach them? is that something their momma does? I mean, my cats have never shown interest in the squirrels(besides the first day cause cats are nosey), but thats not to say they wont ever decide to mess with the squirrels...
you can just never be too careful.

That is amazing!!! I wish i could have something like that set up but just not possible..
i live out in the country, hawks can be seen every now and then. and turkey vultures, not sure if vultures eat live things though. but one of my neighboors, maybe about an acre or 2 away, have 17 cats...
when my baby was missing i didnt even think of this until i saw one of the neighbors cats last night.


i really am truly lucky that i got my baby Dixon back, alive and SAFE!

[sandycheeks]

I don't exactly know how to teach squirrels to be afraid of anything. Sandy just seemed to know by instinct. We brought large branches and leaves in for her to build a nest inside but other than that she just figured out everything on her own. I think she is just exceptional and lucky and tough as can be.
She was raised by herself. Which is not recommended. And she was only about 4 weeks old when we got her. Her eyes were still closed and everything. So basically we were not able to teach her much of anything. She just knew how to do almost everything and I guess she learned the rest through trial and error. The only thing she still does which isn't great is she buries food like rodent blocks and grapes even unshelled nuts. Which will not be any good if she goes to dig them back up. But she has us to feed her whatever she needs so not a huge concern. I assume her mom would have taught her not to bury those types of food.

[grampyngramy]

Just skiming through thes posts. Glad he is home. Sometimes it seems some are hard on the new folks. But in time you will see we are not.
Also about food have you tried mushrooms? Baby bellas is ehat kazee will eat. Also brussel sprouts. I trim the bottom pull off the smaller leafs microwave for thirty seconds cut in half and run under water to cool them a bit but still leave them warm. Kazee eats them like crazy. He gets two blocks two sprouts a mushroom and a piece of fruit for breakfast. Lunch is one block and maybe either a combination of but not all of the following carrot sprout shroom snap pea a shelled nut banana blueberry orange slice. Dinner is sprout shroom maybe another sprout snap pea carrot and piece of fruit and a different nut in the shell. Before bed and usually around 11 at night he will wake up come to the sude if his cage and waits for a much plain fat yogurt that he can eat which is usually 3 to 4.

[chelsea]

Thanks everyone! i appreciate all the tips.
and at times it does seem like people on here hate me because i am now a "squirrel owner" and dont know much. but in the long run i know they just want whats best for the squirrels.

but you are exactly right, before i found this board thats how i was learning things, by trial and error...
Ive had and dealt with tons of animals, just because this is my first time with squirrels, doesnt mean i will be any less of a fur mom than others!
I think people forget that at one point in time, they probably knew just as little about squirrels as i did and i still do. but i promise im trying my best and Copy & paste has became my best friend lately. lol.

I just copied Kazee's vegetables and im going to try those!
im irritated at myself because i almost bought some mushrooms this morning but decided not to because i havent heard anything about mushrooms and squirrels.

thank you so much!

[UDoWhat]

So glad your baby is back. Newspaper is fine. I have used it to line the bottom of my cages for years. I do, however, put a fleece blankie on top of the newspaper. They love to tear the newspaper into pieces and use it to stuff in their nest boxes. I also put paper towels in their cage for them to stuff their boxes with. I give 1-2 nuts a day but about 75-80% of their daily diet is rodent chow, and healthy vegetables. If a squirrel's diet is at least 80% rodent chow (good quality rodent chow or HHBs) you are safe with a few nuts everyday.

[chelsea]

So glad your baby is back. Newspaper is fine. I have used it to line the bottom of my cages for years. I do, however, put a fleece blankie on top of the newspaper. They love to tear the newspaper into pieces and use it to stuff in their nest boxes. I also put paper towels in their cage for them to stuff their boxes with. I give 1-2 nuts a day but about 75-80% of their daily diet is rodent chow, and healthy vegetables. If a squirrel's diet is at least 80% rodent chow (good quality rodent chow or HHBs) you are safe with a few nuts everyday.

I am too! and so is his brother.
I guess its time to start the "tough love"
and not give them any nuts until they eat everything else...
its gonna be hard!
harder on me than on them!

[Coralreefer]

GUYS I FOUND HIM! even screamed out "f** yeah" like six times until I realized what I was saying.. oops. But I am so happy and couldn't ask for a better blog for squirrels. Thank you all for not letting me give up!!!
When his big brother, rambo, saw that Dixon was home, he ran in three circles and then tackled him!! We missed our little man. I am so happy and feel so blessed right now! Ahhhh

Awesome!
So what's the story, how did you get him back?

As for your squirrels diet have you tried to continue to give them formula?
Many told us that on top of their blocks and veggies continuing to give them a serving of this will solidify their diet.
To make sure our squirrel is and stays healthy we give her a nightcap of hot Esbilac formula in a shallow saucer before she goes to bed.
She loves it as long as it's heated to her preferred temp. If she drinks it down we give her a berry for desert. Spoiled rotten critter.

[chelsea]

Awesome!
So what's the story, how did you get him back?

As for your squirrels diet have you tried to continue to give them formula?
Many told us that on top of their blocks and veggies continuing to give them a serving of this will solidify their diet.
To make sure our squirrel is and stays healthy we give her a nightcap of hot Esbilac formula in a shallow saucer before she goes to bed.
She loves it as long as it's heated to her preferred temp. If she drinks it down we give her a berry for desert. Spoiled rotten critter.

It's kind of embarrassing lol. but i was outside sitting under the tree he was in BAWLING my eyes out. and then i looked up and he was right beside me! so i just grabbed him... and the rest is as follows!
But that night i was still sad because he didnt care about me or his brother. he wanted FOOD and then slept for over 12 hours. so i know he didnt get any sleep when he was missing.

this morning the little booger didnt seem like he was doing good. he wouldnt wake up, kept pulling the cover back over him, so i brought them both to work with me... needless to say, they are both going NUTS in my office!
he was fine, i guess he just wanted to sleep in!

squirrels get spoiled too easy!

my two will sit across the room and REACH for me or for food and I have to get up and either take it to them or let them jump on me... spoiled!
they'll just keep reaching their hand out if i dont. so funny but can be irritating ! haha

I used fox valley on them, the bigger one liked it but the smaller one never cared for it. but there isnt anything wrong with trying! i still have tons left over!

[anniedancer]

Chelsea,
Not having part (or most) of his tail wont affect him at this point. I have a wild squirrel who was born with a short tail (there's several in this neighborhood.) He does great! When your guy was young, it might have affected his balance and been a problem. But like all animals (and humans!) they adjust to disabilities....animals more quickly than humans.
Good for you for caring, and trying to do whats best! Personally, I understand that you couldn't just take off work for this.....its hard, I know. Im an RN, and years ago, nearly lost a good job. I had called in sick because one of my cats died. I was told, "Nurses care for people. Not cats." PUHLEEZE. Get a life!
Annie

[Duckman]

I would REALLY like them to be afraid of the cats, but i just dont know how to teach them?

People may laugh at me, but it has worked for my crew (with the exception of Winkers, the Cat Attacker!!!).
When the cats come into the room (which is only when I want them to do so), I immediately start calling out "Biddybiddybiddybiddy" in a loud, high pitched voice and waving my hand almost in the manner that the squirrels wave their tails. This is a pretty close approximation of their alert signal (vocal and visual). In a very short time, they start alerting to the cats themselves and avoid anything to do with them! I have done this with hundreds of my rescues and it works! (no, I am not joking!)

[joyceb11]

People may laugh at me, but it has worked for my crew (with the exception of Winkers, the Cat Attacker!!!).
When the cats come into the room (which is only when I want them to do so), I immediately start calling out "Biddybiddybiddybiddy" in a loud, high pitched voice and waving my hand almost in the manner that the squirrels wave their tails. This is a pretty close approximation of their alert signal (vocal and visual). In a very short time, they start alerting to the cats themselves and avoid anything to do with them! I have done this with hundreds of my rescues and it works! (no, I am not joking!)

Ha Ha I would love to see that!

[sandycheeks]

Wow Duckman. I never thought there could be a way to teach squirrels to be afraid of cats. I only have had Sandy and I was super afraid of letting Sandy around my 2 cats. I read on here that once they lose their fear of cats they are non releasable. I have seen my cats kill mice and I'm pretty sure they would hurt Sandy.
Anyway cool idea.

[grampyngramy]

People may laugh at me, but it has worked for my crew (with the exception of Winkers, the Cat Attacker!!!).
When the cats come into the room (which is only when I want them to do so), I immediately start calling out "Biddybiddybiddybiddy" in a loud, high pitched voice and waving my hand almost in the manner that the squirrels wave their tails. This is a pretty close approximation of their alert signal (vocal and visual). In a very short time, they start alerting to the cats themselves and avoid anything to do with them! I have done this with hundreds of my rescues and it works! (no, I am not joking!)

That sounds like a good idea. Could you post a video of you doing that so we could see how it is done?

[chelsea]

Thanks for the advice!
I taught them this way..

When the cats would walk upto them(the cats love to watch them play) i'd snap or clap at the cats to get away from them, even though i know they wont do anything(not in front of me anyways), and the squirrels started going to the highest point they could when they hear me snap my fingers.

When my cats come in the room they go to the highest point they can now and lay flat on their bellies and sit VERY still. I looked that up and it said that they do that if a predator is in the trees!
Such smart babies
I think the guy thought that Dixon was missing more of his tail than he actually is.
The only thing that affects him from what i can see, is that he cant jump as far (length wise) as his brother. But i dont know if thats just because his brother is bigger than him or what!

I got tired of the rascals tearing my curtains down from climbing on them so i got one of my old bigger purses out and tied it to the curtain rod... they love it!!!