wild animals

Every year orphaned or injured wild animals are brought to us and given medical care and nurturing.

Depending on the age of the animals, they go through different stages.

For squirrels that are still completely naked it looks like this:

- They live in the incubator for about 2 weeks until the hair has developed, they need milk every 2 hours

- From the age of 2 weeks, the little ones sleep in cuddly bags on a heat source

- From 5 weeks onwards, in addition to the milk mixture, a whole grain porridge from Alete or Milupa, which is suitable for infants, is offered. At this age, rusks that are placed in the nest are nibbled on for the first time.

- At 40-45 days they leave the nest voluntarily for the first time. Before this point, if disturbed, they jump out of the nest aimlessly, walk unsteadily and head-heavy, and try to climb quickly upwards.

So the little nuns move into a small birdcage with their cuddly bag so that they can slowly learn to climb.

You can also try peeled sunflower seeds, small carrot pieces, apple slices or grated nuts. At first the animals just suck on the chunks of food until they understand what you can do with teeth.

- at 8 weeks they are ready to move to the outdoor aviary. There they can refine their climbing skills, learn to crack hazelnut and walnut shells and, most importantly: they become shy.

If you simply release the squirrels after 8 weeks without weaning them from human contact first, it often happens that they simply jump on the next passer-by and frolic around on them.

- After usually 1-2 weeks in the outdoor aviary, the little ones are no longer interested in humans and are ready for freedom.

- In my case the squirrels then go through a so-called “soft release”. This means that I just open the door to the aviary and the squirrels decide for themselves whether they want to come back or not. Approximately 99% accept it and sleep in the bags in the aviary for at least the first week. They also continue to be overfed.