Home-made squirrel: is it worth it to start, how to care, than to feed, the peculiarities of keeping at home

As a child, I desperately dreamed of a home squirrel. “Fear your desires, they may come true,” I thought, when my aunt persuaded by phone to watch her red-haired Augusta for a week.

It doesn’t matter that my desire has come true after more than 20 years. It was necessary to prepare for the "visit" of the rodent, and I began to carefully study the material on the topic. Here's what I found out:

1. Squirrels are extremely gluttonous creatures. In one week, one individual can eat as much food as it weighs. I need to check with Aunt Katie how much August weighs, I hope a little.
2. A rodent is not afraid of falling even from a height of 30 meters. The "animal paratrooper" is saved with the help of the tail, using it as a parachute. I live on the 1st floor, so the risks are minimized anyway.
3. Ginger can cause a short circuit, gnawing wires.

The last paragraph made me think about the question: is the thought of the proximity of a squirrel and a person within the same apartment really good? Well, wait and see.

Description of homemade squirrel

After 2 days, an aunt with a pet in a cage arrived to me. Aunt, quickly explaining the main features of the care of her pet, she left for the airport, leaving: “Call, if that!”.

Left alone with the squirrel, I began to carefully examine it. Of course, I saw her relatives in the photographs and live in the park, but never so close. In general, the animal turned out to be quite “typical” - a long body, elongated ears decorated with tassels, and a solid fluffy tail.Wikipedia “kindly informed” me that these creatures can weigh up to 1 kg, although my guest looked much smaller (the aunt’s influence probably affects her diets). The fur of the animal is of a beautiful red tint (in winter it is gray and thicker, thank you, Wikipedia).

Augusta is an ordinary representative of the squirrel family. Not in terms of her abilities, but in terms of species. It turns out that a person tames another species of these rodents, called white-striped. All other species can also be domesticated, but people most often prefer to deal with the two listed “options”.

Features of behavior and character

It looks like a small, neat little squirrel - innocence itself. But it turns out that the hormonal background in these creatures is naughty no less than in some people. By the end of the week, my guest seemed to be used to me, at least she gradually came into her hands and did not show aggression. Suddenly at the end of the sixth day for no reason she grabbed her finger. True woman, albeit with a tail.

Of course, living in the forest is much more convenient - you can run and jump anywhere and anytime. But I, on the other hand, did not lock up mischief in a cage for the whole day. Strictly speaking, she only spent the night there. The rest of the time I traveled around the living room, studying everything that came across her on the way.

Aunt claims that her pet is very kind and trusting. A little masterful, yes, but it is in squirrels, even tamed, in the blood. And for the pleasure of talking with her beloved, she is ready to forgive her petty pranks.

Is it worth it to have a pet

After spending a week in the company of a red rodent, I can note the positive and negative sides of the protein content at home.

Pros:

• Squirrel - an animal for the "larks". Getting up at 5-6 in the morning with her is not for everyone.
• Before you start this “clot of energy” in the house, it is worth considering whether this very dwelling will withstand the squirrel “raids”. During my visit to Augusta, I lost a vase, some paper and curtains. And the sofa looked, to put it mildly, "tired."
• Being not in the mood, the rodent can painfully bite.
• The pet’s cage needs to be cleaned at least 1 time per week and I won’t say that it’s a great pleasure.
• Ginger needs nuts, cones, acorns and other forest "goodies." We were provided with them by the aunt for a week. How would I get them, if the squirrel lived with me, I can not even imagine.

Of the pluses, one can note the extraordinary comic nature and cheerful disposition of this furry animal. Augusta loved to stretch out near the TV and stare at him intently, as if she really understood something (maybe this is the way it is). Despite the early rise, the squirrel was hardly heard at night: she was sleeping peacefully in her cage.

Opinions on the merits of the red rodent as a pet are confirmed by numerous laudations on the Web. Here is one of them:

Marina, 32 years old, Perm: “Homemade squirrel, it's just super. This is a great animal choice. She lives in a cage, but often asks to be released. Having walked around the house, she returns to the cage, taking with her paper or specially left for her hairs from corn (she equips herself with a nest). He eats pine nuts, apples, carrots, seeds) wakes up at about 10 in the morning, looking out of the nest, asks to eat. With constant cleaning and proper care, no unpleasant odor is observed. The squirrel is very tame, does not bite and loves when it is stroked. When she is hot, she lays down to her full height under the pressure of an air conditioner or fan. Not afraid of people, but does not like dogs. Frightens them with characteristic sounds and jumps. Very friendly. For those who decided to have a homemade squirrel - you made the right choice. Squirrels are a miracle. ”

Source: https://irecommend.ru/content/aaaa-ya-ne-pozhelela-i-ne-pozheleyu-domashnyaya-belochka-eto-prosto-super

Home Content

What does a squirrel need for a comfortable stay? Of course, the cell.It should be spacious: the length, height and width of the dwelling should not be less than 0.5 m. Very small squirrels in the absence of a cage can be placed in a hat or mittens - animals love heat very much.

The cage should be equipped with a house, ceramic or wooden. Inside the home for comfort, you should put a lot of fabric flaps. In the aunt’s favorite, the cage is divided into upper and lower floors, and between them is a round hole. The pet moves freely and improves in climbing and jumping.

Important »No need to use a cup as a drinking bowl: the rodent will overturn the container and remain without water. The container is better to firmly fix on the bars of the cage.

There are two feeders: one for fresh fruits and vegetables, the other for dry food. Also, one should not forget about wooden blocks, twigs, branches. The squirrel will be able to sharpen its claws about them.

“Squirrel in a wheel” is, of course, an established phraseological unit, nevertheless, a wheel for a red-headed rodent is very important. It is in him that the animal will splash out its restless energy. My "guest" just loved to spin in it. It is recommended to clean the cage 1-2 times a week, but the aunt says that during molting he does it more often.

No need to constantly keep the pet locked up. This does not benefit active squirrels. It is best to remove excess objects that can reach the claws and teeth of the animal, and let it go to inspect the territory. But letting the shustrik out of sight is still not worth it. Once I went into the kitchen to drink tea, and when I returned, I found that a cunning little animal was trying to gnaw at my laptop.

Features of care and feeding

Red rodents are very clean animals, and therefore do not require special care, except for cleaning the house and periodic bathing (as necessary). I didn’t have a chance to bathe Augustus (unfortunately or fortunately, I don’t know).

A completely different thing is the squirrel ration. How to feed a squirrel? It would seem that it is simpler, because since childhood we know that they eat cones and nuts. This is logical for adults. But given the fact that the animal is best tamed from an early age, you should carefully consider its menu.

First, you need to ask the seller of the squirrel the age of the baby. If you picked up an animal on the street, you can determine the age yourself. There are no upper incisors - the “child” is still too small and needs only milk. If the eyes of the animal are open, the incisors are formed, and the body is covered with full-fledged wool - it is quite capable of digesting solid food.

An approximate diet of baby squirrels looks like this:

• up to 2 weeks - every 2 hours, 2 ml of milk;
• 3 weeks - every 3-4 hours, 4 ml of milk;
• 5 weeks - milk every 4-5 hours, 4-6 ml each, gradually add solid food to the diet: low-fat cottage cheese pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, dried fruits.

Attention! Under no circumstances should two-week-old babies be fed vegetables and fruits. When combined, lactose fructose will not be able to digest. You can transfer squirrels to adult food after they reach 2 months.

There is nothing special in the diet of adults; feeding of Augusta turned out to be quite simple. Homemade squirrel eats twice a day the same foods as a wild animal: eggs, fruits, nuts, berries. Additionally, you can add acorns, cones, tree buds, oats, boiled peas to the menu.

Important! It is strictly forbidden to treat “saffron milk capsules” with almonds: it contains substances harmful to the health of the animal. The ban also disappears pickles and smoked, fried and sweet dishes.

In terms of food, I kept to death and did not give the guest forbidden goodies. For her own good.

Health care

How many squirrels live? Depends on their place of residence. So, Augusta has been living with her aunt for 8 years - for domestic squirrels, the age is quite respectable, and even more so for wild ones.If the owner has provided the animal with comfortable conditions and good nutrition, saffron mushroom can live in the house for about 12 years. In the wild, many individuals do not live up to 4 years.

For the entire time the rodent was in the house, the aunt faced two problems: a fractured leg and a shocked condition of the pet. The limb was damaged by jumping unsuccessfully from the shelf (apparently, the tail-parachute did not open), and she fell into a shock stupor after meeting with a neighbor's dog. In both cases, the aunt took her to the veterinarian and still considers it a miracle that there was a clinic in the suburbs where the “squirrel” doctor works. It turns out that there are very few such specialists; in some cities there are none at all.

In addition to fractures and shock, other health problems can await a home squirrel:

1. Cold. The main symptom is sneezing and a depressed state.
2. Avitaminosis. The lack of vitamins in the squirrel organism manifests itself in the form of drowsiness, severe hair loss, emaciation and so on.
3. Obesity. It is associated with a lack of motor activity and overfeeding of the animal. The main signs - the weight of the animal is more than 350 g, shortness of breath.
4. Cramps. The squirrel shrinks into a lump, begins to squeak, its legs twitch, its muscles are tense.
5. Trouble breathing. The main symptom is an open mouth for more than 1 hour in a row.

I was lucky: during my stay in my house at Augusta there were no disturbing symptoms. But in case of an emergency, I had a business card left by my aunt on the dresser with the phone of that same “squirrel” doctor.

In general, my impressions of the “visit” of the squirrel were the most positive. However, I don’t know if my optimism would have remained in place if Augustus had settled in my place forever. Nevertheless, deciding to have a red rodent in the house, one should carefully weigh the pros and cons.