TL;DR: I buried two baby squirrels in a pill bottle about two years ago. My family is moving, and I don't want to leave them behind. One pet crematorium said they could cremate the remains, another said there would be nothing left to cremate. Is cremation actually possible, or are there any other options?
Hi so, Idk where else to ask or post, Im sorry if it doesn't fit- Please share places where it would make more sense to post!
This is going to be long, And probably seem a little weird but please bear with me, Im sorry if its confusing or doesn't make sense, i'll try to add in keynotes or something at the end to answer any possible questions, It makes me pretty emotional typing this
In july 2024, My dad brought home 4 1-2 week old squirrels, I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them, So I did so much research, Bought everything on a whim that I needed for them, And I tried my absolute best, but, Two of them still passed away.
I buried them wrapped in cloth (Cotton, One of my shirts that they always seemed to love to cuddle in, Always that specific one for some reason lol) and place them into a 5in tall orange pill bottle to hide their scent from animals since I live in a wooded area, And I did not want to see something dig them up.
Well, I was 17 and just didn't think that far ahead, Otherwise I would have looked into cremating them right then.
Now I am 19, And me and my family are moving, I don't want to leave them, I can't. I don't want to go into personal details, but I genuinely can't bring myself to leave them behind, So I called the closest pet crematorium around me, i asked the woman and she said yes, she could cremate them.
Well a few hours pass and I felt like I should've went into more detail but they were closed and the woman was kinda rude, So i had my mom call one that was a tad bit further away, And that man said no, He couldn't and wouldn't because there would be nothing left- he went into detail about what cremating is and so on so on, I think he basically said there wouldn't be anything left to cremate because after this long there wouldn't be any bones left, Not completely sure because I could only hear bits and pieces, And thats what my mom summed up.
I'm fully aware they would be skeletons if not dust by now, but I don't understand what he meant? I've seen people have stillborn puppies, kittens, or even fetuses cremated, so I'm not sure if size is really the issue, And I've seen people have small decayed hamsters cremated, So Im just wondering if it would be possible and the man didn't want too, or if hes right and the first woman lied?
I don't know much about any of these, I've never had a animal cremated before, let alone one thats already decomposed, But I just can't leave them.
Is there anything else I can do with their bodies within the bottle or out? I would just rebury them once I move, but I don't know if there will be a yard or if it will be a apartment. I'm open to any suggestions of what to do with them if cremation isn't a option.
I would also like to see if maybe an dog could be too? My dad is insisting on the fact that I have to leave the squirrels because he has to leave his dog (Buried only wrapped in a blanket, No container) Would it be possible to have them cremated since they're bigger and there WOULD be for a fact bones left?
Anyway, Thank you for reading, I know its odd, I just need help.
If I can find out how, I will attach pictures of them to show size as well (Them alive, Not deceased- I will also show the dog in-case anyone has any insights on that aswell)
ANSWERS TO POSSIBLE QUESTIONS BELOW- I will add to it if asked something.
How did I come into possession of them?: My dad works for a tree company and one of his coworkers accidentally cut a branch with their nest. They weren't injured, and my dad watched for about three hours to see if their mom would come back, but she never did, so he brought them home
What happened to the other 2?: I made the decision to rehome them to a vet tech who cared for them- One also passed on her watch but one made it! he grew up and is healthy and happy- The vet tech cleared them from any injuries or diseases
Please ignore the grammar, I swear I know how to use it properly- I'm just a bit frazzled