I have been interested in keeping squirrels for some time now, but have never worked with them. I have had several interactions with squirrels in the past.
I'm just looking for some advice on the keeping of Eastern Squirrels. I live in Ky and would be housing them in my home. My city and county have no laws regarding them. I've considered just calling fish and wildlife to ask them and that will be my next step if I can't find the answer.
Here's why I'm interested in keeping them.
1) When I was young(about 5-10 y.o.) I spent most of my childhood with my Grandparents. They lived in town at the time and had squirrels running all over the neighborhood. The squirrels would come up to their porch and eat nuts out of our hands and sometimes allow themselves to be coaxed onto your lap while they are eating.
2) My Grandma now lives in the country by herself and has lived that way for some time. She gets wild Turkey, Deer, Squirrels and any small animals you would find in Ky. The squirrels, though, come up to her door and scratch the door when they run out of bird feed. She will open the door and they will take off, but return when she fills the birdfeeders.
3) In Jan I was at the Cincinnati Zoo. They have an eating area where many people sit and eat during the summer. There were few people there that day(it was cold) and a squirrel came up to me. I put my hand down and made a clicking/calling noise kinda how you would call a cat or dog. It came up to me and bumped it's nose on my hand until it realized I had no food to give him. He didn't take off until my 4 y.o. came over and chased him off. He wouldn't let me pet him and was quite flighty/insecure.
4)My parents live in town, but with a lot of wooded property, and they have a melanistic(entirely black, and very dark) squirrel that runs around their property and has for several years that they have noticed. I have heard of albinos as well, but have never seen one in person.
With what I have seen now with wild squirrels, it's shows me that they are way more capable of inteligence than the credit they are given. I would like to work with raising a couple of young Easterns(captive born of course) and working with them and keeping as pets.
I'm pretty much just looking for any input anyone may have about them. I may consider purchasing one or two once I determine I can legally own them. I know Ky has laws regarding capturing and/or selling native animals. I have no intention to catch one for a pet let alone buying/selling a wc native animal.
What would they eat in captivitly?
Lifespan?
Caging size?
Should they have climbing in their cage since they are tree dwellers or is a similar setup designed for rats enough.
Wheels?
Should I let my young daughter interact with them if I had them(She's 4)? I do allow her to work with my Rats and Degus and harmless snakes(mainly corns) that are tame as can be. She's very ggod with animals and never has hurt any animals I have ever let her pet or hold. She even has a Degu in a cage in her room that she feeds and waters daily. She has never been bit, but I do explain to her that it will hurt and she may bleed if she gets bit. I actually tell her that anything with a mouth can bite.
Or anything else relavent to them.
Thanks,
Jacob
I'm just looking for some advice on the keeping of Eastern Squirrels. I live in Ky and would be housing them in my home. My city and county have no laws regarding them. I've considered just calling fish and wildlife to ask them and that will be my next step if I can't find the answer.
Here's why I'm interested in keeping them.
1) When I was young(about 5-10 y.o.) I spent most of my childhood with my Grandparents. They lived in town at the time and had squirrels running all over the neighborhood. The squirrels would come up to their porch and eat nuts out of our hands and sometimes allow themselves to be coaxed onto your lap while they are eating.
2) My Grandma now lives in the country by herself and has lived that way for some time. She gets wild Turkey, Deer, Squirrels and any small animals you would find in Ky. The squirrels, though, come up to her door and scratch the door when they run out of bird feed. She will open the door and they will take off, but return when she fills the birdfeeders.
3) In Jan I was at the Cincinnati Zoo. They have an eating area where many people sit and eat during the summer. There were few people there that day(it was cold) and a squirrel came up to me. I put my hand down and made a clicking/calling noise kinda how you would call a cat or dog. It came up to me and bumped it's nose on my hand until it realized I had no food to give him. He didn't take off until my 4 y.o. came over and chased him off. He wouldn't let me pet him and was quite flighty/insecure.
4)My parents live in town, but with a lot of wooded property, and they have a melanistic(entirely black, and very dark) squirrel that runs around their property and has for several years that they have noticed. I have heard of albinos as well, but have never seen one in person.
With what I have seen now with wild squirrels, it's shows me that they are way more capable of inteligence than the credit they are given. I would like to work with raising a couple of young Easterns(captive born of course) and working with them and keeping as pets.
I'm pretty much just looking for any input anyone may have about them. I may consider purchasing one or two once I determine I can legally own them. I know Ky has laws regarding capturing and/or selling native animals. I have no intention to catch one for a pet let alone buying/selling a wc native animal.
What would they eat in captivitly?
Lifespan?
Caging size?
Should they have climbing in their cage since they are tree dwellers or is a similar setup designed for rats enough.
Wheels?
Should I let my young daughter interact with them if I had them(She's 4)? I do allow her to work with my Rats and Degus and harmless snakes(mainly corns) that are tame as can be. She's very ggod with animals and never has hurt any animals I have ever let her pet or hold. She even has a Degu in a cage in her room that she feeds and waters daily. She has never been bit, but I do explain to her that it will hurt and she may bleed if she gets bit. I actually tell her that anything with a mouth can bite.
Or anything else relavent to them.
Thanks,
Jacob
