Well, I think he grew up and left. He has technically been free for quite a while, but in the last two weeks he quit coming back to his home that I built for him. He was coming back to eat and he liked to get attention, but as of October 10th he stopped showing up. He did seem to develop survival skills and he was wandering farther away. He was making noises that sounded like mating calls but he’s only 4 months old and a little young for that. He might yet show up again some day but I think he’s out there on his own. (As opposed to being cat food.) I’m calling it mission accomplished.
Good luck белочка!
[белочка = Squirrel – ed.]
Damn wild animals… If only they weren’t wild.
I hope he does show up from time to time just so you (and we) know he is still OK!
I had hoped that he would remain “wild” in the yard. After all I have free food and he was born here. So it’s not like I’m “returning him to the wild” as this is the wild.
Umm..squirrel hunting season opened this month, here in Texas….
Just saying..
Perhaps he just became collateral damage in the war on terrorism?
🙂 Sorry should have given you the translation.
Very nice episode that you shared with us. My apology for starting what turned out to be a rant against you in a previous reply thread.
It is heart warming to see this encounter with wild / semi-wild creatures. I suspect that you will see him one more time at least, even if you don’t get to hand feed him. The same happened to me with a feral rabbit. He’ll probably come back to be seen by you – as a mark of recognition.
Admit it, you backed over him by accident in your pickup.
Maybe he just had a bad fur day?
“He was making noises that sounded like mating calls but he’s only 4 months old and a little young for that.”
Maybe he’s a junior achiever!
I meant to say ‘little Squirrel’ (Белчока) Though if he’s all growed up then squirrel would be Белка. At any rate, best of luck to Ganesha.
Oh, was that your squirrel. (brrpp) It was yummy.
Just dont post him to the UK we are fed up with the invasive greys picking on our poor little flea ridden reds
My son may have wrapped him in duct tape and shoved him up his ass.
They aren’t sexually mature until at least a year old. Only one in four make it to sexual maturity.
It is common for human raised orphan squirrels to disappear a few days, to a few weeks after they are first released. They need to explore their new world. Continue to stock a feeding station every day even if you do not see them since they need your support — especially for ones released in the fall. Feed them all winter, since they will not had enough time to store food for the winter.
Even if you do not SEE them, they may be hanging about…and returning to look for food where they were released.
Only after you have not seen them by spring, should you consider that the squirrel may have died….or been prey to a red-tailed hawk, or cat, or the dreaded “D-Con”, or illness.
There is a bad winter storm coming….so make sure to put out some food for him/her.
Marc Perkel, you did well.
“He was making noises that sounded like mating calls but he’s only 4 months old and a little young for that.”
Maybe he’s moved in with Mark Foley *bada-dum!*
He’ll be back they check out the neighborhood then when they get tired they’ll move back in close to home perhaps a bit shier.
Make sure his tree-home is still there, so he knows which yard to return to. And stroll about, too, so he knows you’re looking for him.
You done good, dude.
You did good. Somewhere Ganesha (and Ganesh) are smiling.
HE’S BACK!
He showed up about 2 hours ago. He was hungry and eating the corn cob I put out for him. Then he wanted to hang out with me and play and get petted. So – I still have a squirrel! Yes!
After all the nasty remarks, I am glad I got to yours.
Kids have a hard time letting go and moving out and so do their parents.
Booooooorn Freeeeeeee!
I’ve been watching your squirrel adventure for awhile and half expected him to follow a sort of human track of advancement (squirrel sheds his first baby tooth, squirrel goes to kindergarten, squirrel goes to the prom, squirrel packs up for college). I had a similar experience as a teenager with a baby duck. They always eventually split and break your heart, man.
Wait wait wait- there’s a video online of a guy nursing a baby squirrel with a tiny little bottle. Was that you?
Reminds me of a story from a girl I know.
She was an exchange student for a year in Alabama (she’s from Sweden like me). One of her first days there the father in the family she was staying in took her for a walk to see the surroundings. They came upon a squirrel and my friend cried out: “Look, a squirrel, how cute!”
The father promptly shot the squirrel with his shotgun and replied:
“Sure was cute honey, now it’s dead.”
A memory for life.
I think the squirrel left to get laid. He’ll be back. 🙂
HE’S BACK!”
Oh fuck, someone hand me a tissue!