How to Make a Squirrel Hammock

Use old fleece clothing to make your squirrel hammocks.

Squirrels are active and playful animals, and when you are keeping one in your home as part of a rehabilitation effort, hammocks give them a place to play and rest. A hammock encourages a baby squirrel to climb, rewarding it with an exciting swinging “nest” when it gets up to the top. While baby squirrels should never be placed in hammocks, as they might fall out, slightly older squirrels benefit from another place to explore in their cage.

Things You'll Need

• Fleece fabric
• Scissors
• Ribbon
• Needle
• Thread
• Metal snap links

Instructions

1. Cut a square of fleece to 12 inches along each side, using a pair of scissors.

2. Cut 4 lengths of ribbon -- 2 inches each.

3. Fold 1 length of ribbon in half, and sew both ends to a corner of the fleece square, using a needle and thread. This gives you a ribbon loop attached to the corner.

4. Repeat Step 3 for the other three corners.

5. Snap one metal snap link to each ribbon loop. At this point, the hammock is ready to be snapped to the wire top of the cage, allowing the fabric to hang down underneath. Adjust the hang of the hammock, by spacing the snap links closer or farther apart.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a grommet setter to put grommets in each corner, instead of using ribbon loops, as an alternative.

References

• Sierra Wildlife Rescue: Volunteer Opportunities
• Animal Advocates: Legal Unreleasable Squirrels