Release and preparation

[Lexithesquirrel]

Hi Everyone! I had a couple questions. So my gurl is turning 9 weeks on Saturday and we aren’t really sure when to release. We want to know when we should release her ( our winters can be cold) and also how to prepare her? Should we interact with her less keep in mind she is an only squirrel. Thank you!

[Buddy]

This is relevant for me as well. I have 6 weeks old squirrel and he is the only one. We live in Chicago, so it gets really cold. Plus, one of his eyes is cloudy/milky, which I hope would go away, but nonetheless, this post will be helpful for us too.

[Mel1959]

We don’t recommend release until they are 14-16 weeks old. Release is done after they have been in an outside release cage for 2-4 weeks. Sometimes singletons take closer to the 4 week time frame, but it depends on the individual squirrel. The soft release process allows them to get used to the sights, sounds and smells of outside as well as other squirrels. When the door is open for them to leave we recommend that you continue to put food in the release cage and allow them to come and go as they wish. This gives them a safe place to return to at night and sleep until they have a home in the trees. The release cage door is closed every night if they are inside and reopened in the morning. Some will return, others never look back.

You folks that live in northern climates will need to overwinter you’re babies. They can’t be released when there are no leaves on the trees and they have no nest made or cache of nuts/food before the onset of cold weather.

[Lexithesquirrel]

We don’t recommend release until they are 14-16 weeks old. Release is done after they have been in an outside release cage for 2-4 weeks. Sometimes singletons take closer to the 4 week time frame, but it depends on the individual squirrel. The soft release process allows them to get used to the sights, sounds and smells of outside as well as other squirrels. When the door is open for them to leave we recommend that you continue to put food in the release cage and allow them to come and go as they wish. This gives them a safe place to return to at night and sleep until they have a home in the trees. The release cage door is closed every night if they are inside and reopened in the morning. Some will return, others never look back.

You folks that live in northern climates will need to overwinter you’re babies. They can’t be released when there are no leaves on the trees and they have no nest made or cache of nuts/food before the onset of cold weather.

If we keep her over the winter will she become more domesticated and we also have dogs any advice you have? Also, thank you for your help!

[Mel1959]

No, she won’t become more domesticated. Many, many rehabbers keep their babies over the winter and release in the spring. As squirrels mature and their hormones kick in, most can’t wait to get to the trees. There are exceptions where some squirrels prefer a life of luxury inside instead of a life in the trees, but it doesn’t happen very often.

It is best to not let your dogs around your squirrel, so she doesn’t become too accustomed to them. But I know how difficult that is. I don’t know if your dogs chase squirrels, but that’s a habit that you need to break, for the safety of your squirrel. My dog doesn’t chase squirrels and even the wild squirrels in my yard will walk right by him. However, all the squirrels will alarm appropriately at the neighbors dog. So the point I’m trying to make is she will not necessarily associate all dogs as being nice if your dogs are nice.