SQUIRREL HANDBOOK: The Essential Guide to Raising and Caring for Squirrels, Including Housing, Feeding, Behavior, Taming, Health, Enrichment, and Lifelong Care

Discover the fascinating world of squirrels and learn the essential principles of responsible care, housing, feeding, behavior, taming, health, enrichment, and lifelong welfare.
SQUIRREL HANDBOOK is a practical guide for beginners, wildlife enthusiasts, prospective keepers, rehabilitators, students, and anyone interested in understanding squirrels and their complex needs. Raphael Hartley combines essential squirrel biology with practical care principles while emphasizing responsible stewardship, appropriate veterinary support, and respect for the wild nature of these intelligent animals.
Squirrels are energetic, athletic, curious mammals with powerful climbing, jumping, chewing, caching, and foraging instincts. Their appealing appearance can make them seem easy to manage, but appropriate care can be demanding. Space, nutrition, enrichment, safety, health monitoring, and legal considerations must all be addressed.
Inside this handbook, you’ll discover:
• Squirrel natural history, anatomy, senses, intelligence, communication, and behavior
• Understanding common squirrel species and why care requirements can differ
• Important legal and ethical considerations before keeping or rehabilitating squirrels
• How to evaluate whether an apparently orphaned or injured squirrel genuinely needs assistance
• Housing principles involving secure spaces, climbing opportunities, nesting areas, ventilation, and shelter
• Creating environments that encourage movement, exploration, hiding, foraging, and other natural behaviors
• Understanding nutritional requirements and building an appropriate feeding program
• Feeding considerations for growing, adult, aging, or recovering squirrels
• The importance of nutritional balance and avoiding inappropriate foods
• Providing fresh water and maintaining clean feeding and living areas
• Understanding chewing, caching, territorial behavior, vocalizations, fear responses, and play
• Building trust gradually and using positive-reinforcement principles where appropriate
• Why taming should never involve punishment, intimidation, or unnecessary restraint
• Enrichment using climbing structures, safe chewing materials, foraging opportunities, and problem-solving activities
• Safe interaction and techniques for reducing unnecessary handling stress
• Monitoring body condition, coat, teeth, eyes, feet, movement, appetite, and behavior
• Preventive veterinary care and locating professionals experienced with wildlife or exotic mammals
• Recognizing warning signs such as appetite loss, weakness, abnormal breathing, injuries, dental problems, or sudden behavioral changes
• Maintaining hygiene and reducing exposure to parasites, infectious disease, and environmental hazards
• Preventing escapes and protecting squirrels from electrical cords, toxic substances, unsafe objects, and other household dangers
• Understanding seasonal and age-related changes in behavior and management needs
• Record keeping for weight, diet, health, treatments, behavior, and significant life events
• Emergency planning, transportation, temporary caregivers, and long-term financial preparation
• Responsible transfer, rehabilitation, rehoming, and lifelong welfare planning
SQUIRREL HANDBOOK emphasizes that squirrels are wild animals rather than conventional domesticated pets. Laws regulating possession, rehabilitation, transport, breeding, and release vary by jurisdiction. Readers should verify applicable regulations and seek help from licensed wildlife rehabilitators when appropriate.
The guide also explains that successful care is based on supporting natural behavior rather than forcing squirrels into an unsuitable household lifestyle. Proper nutrition, physical activity, climbing opportunities, mental stimulation, and professional health care are fundamental to long-term welfare.