Strange squirrel behaviour

Littlesparrow · #1 (**permalink**) 03-09-2011, 09:33 PM

When we were walking the dogs this morning two young grey squirrels did a very strange thing. They ran towards us and the dogs ,one of them sat on my boot and I had to hop to the base of a tree to put in a safe place. Obviously this isn't safe thing for squirrel to do and we concluded that they must have lost their mother.

They were still there later in the day and if dogs were on a lead and quiet they would go up to them. They were only a little smaller than an adult squirrel so I would have thought they would be old enough to eat solid food, so left a little mouse food near the tree.

Has anyone seen this before and how old/ size do they leave the mother?

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 04-09-2011, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Littlesparrow

Has anyone seen this before and how old/ size do they leave the mother?

Never seen this, could they have been hand reared then released perhaps?

They often leave the nest before they are weaned/about the point of weaning (often returning back to the drey) which could be an issue here if the mother has been lost. They start to wander around 7 weeks. They are fully weaned at 8/10 weeks. They are independent from around 3 months, to about 6 months.

Littlesparrow · #3 (**permalink**) 04-09-2011, 07:46 PM

This afternoon I walked the dog in the same area which is very near my house and thought at first the baby squirrels had gone but on the way back found one of the babies at the base of a tree. It seemed too exhausted to get up the tree and flies were starting to take an interest.

Just then my Post Lady came by with her dogs and told me the other baby was found yesterday with a damaged leg (dog bite?) and although someone gave it some bread, the talk was that it should be put down.

I thought there was nothing to loose with this little one so popped it on my arm,took it home and put it in the robin box on my shed. I can here Dooggle telling me I'm interfering with nature and I only cared about it because it looked sweet and hes probably right. Anyway the deed is done and its not like I put it in a cage.

All day the baby has eaten like a pig and now has the strength to go up and down the apple tree and in and out of the robin box and is walking and moving its tail more normally. I'm still not sure what was going on with these squirrels,the one I have was obviously starving, but whether they are use to being around humans I don't know.

The baby is free to go if it wants and its not far from where I found it,so its asleep in its bird box for now and if its there in the morning I'll give it some.more food.

werdnal · #4 (**permalink**) 04-09-2011, 09:59 PM

Well done! You have given it a chance, but left it free to come and go as it pleases. I don't think you have done any wrong giving it a temporary shelter and some food. Many of us supplement birds by feeding them and putting up artificial nest boxes, so I think this is a great solution to little tufty's plight.

I am sure once the little chap/chappess's natural instincts kick in, it will be off and doing its own thing in no time.

Our owl box was taken over by a squirrel family the first year we put it up!

Littlesparrow · #5 (**permalink**) 05-09-2011, 06:59 AM

Thank you Werdnal, hes still alive and moving about in the bird box, so Iv'e left some food out for him and will check later.

Billabong Karen · #6 (**permalink**) 07-09-2011, 01:11 PM

Any more updates on the little squirrel??

Littlesparrow · #7 (**permalink**) 07-09-2011, 06:01 PM

Unfortunately the weather on Monday in Cheshire was really cold and windy,I had to work in the morning and planned to speak to Stapley rescue center when I got back. When I looked at him he had taken a turn for the worse and died shortly after.

I'm still upset that he went down hill so quickly, it could have been the cold,he could have been starving for days before I saw him ,I don't really know. The behavior of the two squirrels was certainly odd, and I think maybe in their desperation they were following anything that moved even a dog which could kill it with one bite.

operanut1972 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-09-2011, 06:11 PM

Sorry to hear that Littlesparrow,

You did the best you could do without overly interfering. At least you know that there wasn't anything further you could have done. Especially as the little fella went down hil so rapidly.

Take care