There is a flying squirrel in my apartment!

[ut0pia]

So this morning Jake was acting soo different than usual. He normally acts all cuddly and wants attention, but this morning he was just glued to this one spot in the closet. He even knocked down this huge bin of scarves which he doesn't usually do.  I thought it was weird but in my hurry to get ready didn't have time to really think of it.

Then I came home at noon, he didn't greet me at the door and I found him in the closet on alert again. In the evening I was just relaxing and saw something move on the floor. I thought it was Jake's tail at first. Then I saw it again just sprint across the floor, I thought it was a rat and freaked out. I put in a service request so that someone can come in and get rid of it, and the whole evening I've been on alert to try to figure out what it was that I saw. Later again, Jake was in the closet. Finally I saw what he was looking at. It has a fluffy tail, and big black eyes and a little hamster face except the eyes are much bigger than a hamster. It was on top of the closet on top of some boxes. I am in love!! I have gotten really close a few times trying to pick it up and take it outside but it managed to get away because Jake scared it.

I figured it out how it got inside- I saw that there is an opening in the closet leading to the attick which is not really an attick- it's just like the attick ladder that can come down but without the ladder and it is sealed up. So it must have found its way in now that we have 15 degree weather, trying to get warm. The closet is its favorite spot so maybe it is trying to go back out the same way it came in.

Jake almost got it once and that scared me, I do not want him to kill it  

I have no idea what I am going to do but I contacted the apartment complex saying please disregard the initial request because I do not want someone to kill this little one. I need to find a way to set it free. It's sooo cute! I will post a pic if I can get one. 

 

[catsallaround]

Could you lock Jake up and leave door open so scent gets attention?  Or with him away maybe you can grab it/get it in a box or carrier.

 

[cheylink]

  OMG! Amazing Jake didn't kill it all day! Poor little thing must be terrified. Jake was probably trying to get your attention to help it, but in the process, being a  CAT

, he couldn't help in his excitement and scarring the little one. If it is a flying squirrel, they can't actually fly, they glide. So he/she is trapped, can only climb to try to escape. With that kind of kitty security, no chance. Can you close Jake out of room little guy is in? They like fruit and nuts, maybe peanut butter and honey would be a strong attraction. If you can lure it into a vase or box with small opening, once inside cover opening and take it outside to release......

 

[Winchester]

Oh, I hope you'll be able to catch it. Have you called a vet or animal people to ask to borrow a live trap? 

 

[ut0pia]

I haven't seen it since Jake scared it Those were great ideas though, I am going to put Jake away in a separate room and try to trap it somewhere. I left out some peanut butter and it was gone this morning. Initially I left the peanut butter before I had seen it because I was hoping that whatever it was, it would show up for the peanut butter lol..If all else fails I am going to go to home depot to get a humane trap and put Jake in one room while I set out the trap. I don't know if any animals places are open on weekends to ask if I can borrow one, and I can't live with a hunter and prey in the same house 

If it went for the peanut butter once, I am sure it will go for it again

 

[jcat]

Good luck! Jake probably scared the wits out of the poor thing. Once you've trapped it, you might want to tell maintenance that one got in, so they can check the roof (and attic).

 

[ut0pia]

Yep, poor thing   The squirrel was running and Jake chasing it. He was literally at its tail the entire time, until it made it under the bed and Jake's mobility down there is limited because he has to crouch.

I don't think he would kill it, his only experience is toys, lol..he's really just scaring it, which I am sure is very stressful

 

[asherdash]

Holy heck! This would throw my day/house into frenzied turmoil. Is there a wildlife rescue group nearby you can call?

 

[asherdash]

I fear your kitty will accidentally hurt it if he tries to play with it.

 

[cheylink]

   The poor little guy is probably starving and dehydrated. Here is a kitty safe mouse trap plan that you can use, minus the glue trap. Take a shoe box, cut a hole just big enough for little guy to crawl into on one end. Place some fruit and peanut butter inside at the opposite end. Tape down the lid securely. Place with hole against wall but with enough space for little guy to crawl behind and into hole, and put something heavy on top so Jake cant move it, better yet keep Jake out of room for night.

 

[goldeye]

I know you say you don't want anyone to kill it, which I don't think they would but you should keep your service request because squirrels can do a lot of damage and if the entry way that he came from isn't taken care of you can have more uninvited guest show up and wreck havoc.

 

[trevandbur]

Your cat is totally capable of killing it. My Trevor is 6 years old and has never been around mice or anything, but when we lived out in the country this summer, I found several voles in the basement who looked like their lives came to a violent end. I'm sure Trevor did it, and he NEVER had lived anywhere with stuff like that, I've had him since he was 4 weeks old. It's instinct. I'd shut him out of the room and lure the little guy into something he can't easily get out of (make a ramp up a garbage can with a glob of peanut butter in the bottom. He will jump in to get it and not be able to climb out.) and get him back outside. But me being me, I'd make sure he gets a good meal in his belly and some water first.

 

[ut0pia]

Mission accomplished! 

It was quite an ordeal but the little one is now free, although when I let him go he tried to sprint back inside...lol

I have had my eyes open all day, since I hadn't seen it since Jake scared it last night. It seemed to have disappeared into thin air and I was seriously worried that Jake had killed it during the night, and my heart was sinking because I felt so sad, and I was worried I had a dead squirrel problem now I couldn't just put Jake away because I didn't know which room the squirrel was in either so I was just nervous about what will happen.

So finally late in the evening I was sitting at my computer and doing homework, Jake sleeping next to me. All of a sudden Jake jumps and runs directly to the kitchen and starts staring at the stove...Then a few minutes later, a crazy chase happened from the kitchen to the couch, and ended with the squirrel hiding under the couch. Thankfully that squirrel is an excellent runner   I removed Jake in another room and grabbed a bucket, a towel, and some honey and peanut butter.

Then....I saw the squirrel go right back under the stove... I put some peanut butter and honey on a paper towel in the bucket a few feet away from the stove. Then I saw a little face appear from under the stove 

 It started to really cautiously make its way to the bucket.. I was within reaching distance from the whole time, but it wasn't scared of me at all, and went right in. I had the towel prepared and threw it on top of the bucket and sealed the bucket with it, and ran out the door.

When I took the towel off of the bucket it was still on the towel just looked at me for a second. Then tried to sprint inside. Thankfully I closed the door in time. The look on its eyes was just really intelligent like it knew what was going on. Anyway, we enjoyed having him or her with us ...I wish Jake hadn't scared it, but I am really glad it ended well

 

[Winchester]

Oh, I'm so glad you were able to catch the little guy and get him back outside. Bet he wasn't real happy to be back out into the cold. But I'm happy that it ended well.

 

[asherdash]

Woohoo happy ending

 

[cheylink]

Yay! APPLAUSE...APPLAUSE....APPLAUSE!