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Thread: Monkeypox in my area: To release or not?

  1. #1
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    Default Monkeypox in my area: To release or not?

    Hi,

    I have a 7 weeks old grey squirrel. I working on his release cage and will start the release processus next week.

    But I'm now in front of an ethical dilemna. As you surely had seen in news, there are cluster of monkeypox in a lot of place in the world. I live in one of those area. Today, a case is confirm in a teenager, wich mean it is spreading in the commumity. My gouvernment choose to no isolate case contacts and the rest of the school. It's a matter of time before it's out of control.

    Squirrels can have it and transmit it. I fear he get it and gives it to me when he will come see me. I also fear a panic in the population and they start to kill squirrel as chassing them is legal.

    So I have that dilemna: Did I keep him as an indoor squirrel (it is legal were I live) or I'm just too woried and should continue the release processus?


    Thanks you for your answers.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Monkeypox in my area: To release or not?

    Seven (7) weeks old is MUCH TOO YOUNG for release.

    They should be 14 weeks minimum to begin the soft release (which requires several weeks) and 16 weeks is about ideal age to start the soft release.

  3. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Spanky from:

    Scooterzmom (05-27-2022)

  4. #3
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    Default Re: Monkeypox in my area: To release or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Spanky View Post
    Seven (7) weeks old is MUCH TOO YOUNG for release.

    They should be 14 weeks minimum to begin the soft release (which requires several weeks) and 16 weeks is about ideal age to start the soft release.
    The organisme in my area say to start introducing them at outdoor at 8 weeks and the end of soft release is at 12 weeks or until they have competly wean. It is a grey squirrel, not a red one. It also coincide with the time the mother quit the nest. I won't release him if I see it don't have acquire the good survival skills.

  5. #4
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    Default Re: Monkeypox in my area: To release or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lonetho View Post
    The organisme in my area say to start introducing them at outdoor at 8 weeks and the end of soft release is at 12 weeks or until they have competly wean. It is a grey squirrel, not a red one. It also coincide with the time the mother quit the nest. I won't release him if I see it don't have acquire the good survival skills.
    I strongly disagree with your local organization's recommendation. I doubt very many survive to adulthood following their release guidelines...

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    Diggie's Friend (06-14-2022), stepnstone (05-27-2022), Tuff (05-26-2022)

  7. #5
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    Default Re: Monkeypox in my area: To release or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Spanky View Post
    I strongly disagree with your local organization's recommendation. I doubt very many survive to adulthood following their release guidelines...
    I would have to agree with you. Tuff, Stitch, Pumpkin, Oak, Redbud, Aspen, Cedar, or Maple couldn’t have made it at that age. Now keep in mind they aren’t much older than that and self released but 16 weeks should be the time to start training up for release. Tuff didn’t wean until 15 weeks. Stitch was probably around 14 weeks. Pumpkin came in weened but wild. I still have Stitch and Pumpkin due to size matters out there. So they will be fall releases for me.

  8. #6
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    Default Re: Monkeypox in my area: To release or not?

    Ideally, soft release should not happen till 14 weeks minimum. I think 16 weeks is even better. All the advice you have been reading in the posts is good advice from people with lots of squirrel experience.

    Monkey Pox is not like COVID. It is not nearly as contagious and requires close contact for transmission. Your squirrels should be fine.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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    Spanky (05-27-2022)

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