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Cool Soil:
After gnawing teeth are in use, pet should be placed in regular squirrel cage (see Part IV) for its headquarters. Place cage where it receives direct morning sunlight; move cage to cool soil, shady part of room in warm weather. Fill cage with 12-14 inches of good leaf mold or other clean, rich soil—soil from forest Floor is best; moisten soil when it becomes dusty, but do not allow it to get wet; change soil twice yearly. Squirrel does little burrowing, but soil is necessary to keep fur clean and free of parasites.Completely bury box in garden; leave outdoors all winter. If no garden space is available, place box in a cool soil spot; cover with piece of glass to help retain moisture; sprinkle soil in box monthly during winter. Moths may emerge in spring even if soil has not been kept sufficiently moist through winter. However, wings will be too dry to develop, and moths will die shortly.
The role of soil bacteria is crucial for they not only fix nitrogen from the air in a form that plants can use but also promote the processes of decay. Animals whose homes are in the soil have an important if largely mechanical function in shifting and aerating the soil -it has been estimated that earthworms alone can turn over between one and ten tonnes of soil per hectare per year. As they eat and excrete the soil they also change its texture and composition.
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