| squirrels |
| this is just a little information on squirrel care until a rehabber can be found, if you want to take on the job yourself, you can e-mail me for anything that's not covered here. first you will need to understand that although squirrels are cute & seem friendly most are not ,unless you do actually raise them , & even this has no guarantee, i've been bit several times by (my babies) they are not to be underestimated, even the little ones can deliver a bite requiring stitches. you will need to first find out if the mother is nearby , keep your distant, & watch to see if she comes back for the baby, she obviously will not with you standing there, or if there is something preventing her, like a cat,this is something to look for also, I try to watch for at least 30 minutes(weather permitting) if it's safe for the infant to do so, if you do decide it's time to intervene, go ahead, but make sure that your hands are protected just in case it's an older baby, (eyes open) that can bite you, & just so you know squirrels can carry diseases, but i've never contracted anything from any animal, the best prevention is to buy some latex (or similar) gloves to use while handling & wash your hands before & after. after you bring the baby in you will need to warm him up, especially if he is furless, if they remain cold too long it is fatal,I use a heating pad on low heat under a baby blanket ,(a word of caution about terrycloth....most of the animals i get are brought in wrapped in towels, this is usually what you think of first (i know) but the tiny threads on these towels can wrap around their toenails & cut off blood supply ( i learned this the hard way )& usually requires amputation of the whole toe & sometimes the foot too) this also applies to most mammals, anyway , if you choose to use a heating pad make sure he can move to one side of the box if he gets too hot & check often to make sure it's not too warm, you can try layering on more blankets to adjust the warmth, you will need to warm him before attempting to feed ,most grocery or pet stores carry kitten milk replacer,puppy will work too if that's all you can find , just don't keep changing milk, & never use cow's milk, feeding with a glass dropper is what i recomend for several reasons.. the little feeding bottles that accompany the milk don't have pre-made holes so it's very hard to get the hole the right size (too big or small) & the glass droppers are easier to clean the formula off ( it can adhear to plastic like glue! don't ask me?), the milk usually comes in box drink type cartons (i like premixed better than dry) milk lasts 2 or 3 days before spoiling & since these babies don't drink much ,i fill an ice cube tray with the formula & freeze it , then you can break it out, & put it in a ziploc bag & use what you need, also purchase some pedialyte (gatorade or similar will work too) the first few days of feeding should be half milk,half electrolyte, slowly offer the formula ,being careful not to squeeze to much out (can cause aspiration) milk coming out of the nose means it's in the lungs, & never feed him lying on his back, he will usually stop when he's full ,his belly will be soft & round (if it's hard you are feeding too much) for babies with their eyes closed i feed every 3-4 hours, eyes open every 5-6 hours & older babies 3x's a day, night feedings are not required unless they are newborns (usually furless & look like mice), you will also need to stimulate their genitals to produce bowel or urine movements after each feeding, just use a moist cotton ball rubbing gently front to back , also it's best to keep babies indoors if at all possible, but if not make sure they are safe from predators indoors & out ,for extra nutrition,you can also ask a vet about a vitamin supplement called nutrical, it's very good for all mammal babies , & increases their chance of survival greatly, caring for squirrel babies takes time,patience & love for the animal & can be a rewarding experience, good luck |