New Mommy!

[MommaMelly]

Hi all. We found our baby 5 days ago in my dogs mouth (eek!) he had been picked up by a hawk and dropped in our yard. Thankfully my dog actually saved his life. I contacted a rehaber and have gotten some great info on raising the little guy. He was pretty dehydrated when we found him, and a bit scratched up. He has healed really well! He still isn't the best eater because he puts up a bit of a fuss. We have an 3cc oral syringe, but havent found a nipple to fit. :( My husband is working on a cage for when he gets a little bigger. (BTW he is about 4 weeks, eyes openeing soon!) Any good ideas on what I can put in his box to make him more comfy? He love to burrow, and all I have in there now is a pillow case for lining. I am nervous about putting something in there he will get stuck in.
Any additional info or links on what to do AFTER his eyes open would be great. Also any extra advice would be much helpful!!
I'll attach a pic I took w/ my camera phone. I named him Butter Bean (his stomach is shaped like one), my husband wants to call him Scrat. :)
Thanks!!

[muffinsquirrel]

I LOVE the name Butter Bean!! And he is so cute. Get some fleece (Walmart has it) for bedding - his nails won't get caught in it, and it's really warm and cuddly. All mine love their fleece blankets. I also get little fleece caps at the GoodWill store for them. When he is older, he will probably like a denim purse (also GoodWill) hung from the top of the cage for his nest. Check with Chris for the nipples and other supplies - she's here on the board, and has just about everything at exceptionally good prices, with fast delivery!

Just looked back over this - the fleece caps are not for them to wear, but to use as nests - just put them on the floor of the cage you have him in now. (On the other hand, if you do get one of those caps on him, please post pictures!!)

Good luck, and enjoy Butter Bean,

muffinsquirrel

[Squerly]

:Welcome MommaMelly. That little guy is awesome. And apairently a pretty luck squirrel too. Sounds like it was touch and go there for awhile, what with the hawks, dogs and what-have-you. :eek:

[Squerly]

On the other hand, if you do get one of those caps on him, please post pictures!!:D :rotfl :D

[thundersquirrel]

first off, i want to say a HUGE :thankyou for calling a rehabber!!! also, give your dog a big hug and a good treat for being nice to the little dear.

do you know for sure that it's a male, or did you just guess? if you can't tell, we can help you figure it out if you want!
(i like the name butter bean better than scrat, by the way. score one for you, zip for your hubbie ;) )

i like socks for nestling, but muffinsquirrel has a point about getting claws caught. fleece is softer anyway, and less likely to smother. when he gets older though, you could try a sock maybe.....

after his eyes open, you'll definitely see an increase in activity. make sure he can't escape his enclosure.
you want to be careful with wild squirrels at this age, cause the younger they are, the easier you can imprint them.

it would be best if you either
1) gave butter bean to a certified rehabber, or
2) while under the eye of a rehabber, raise the squirrel and if the rehabber finds a companion about the same age, they can put them together.

when squirrels are young and alone, they lose their fear of humans more easily. this baby needs to be released with you knowing that he won't follow people begging for treats! an adoptive sibling would be best to ensure the continuence of his wild nature.

here's my final note to you; this baby's life is not promised. it is likely that he will live, but what with his age and the stress he's gone through, there is a chance that he won't make it no matter how well you raise him. i recently lost a grey squirrel just like butter bean, and it is emotionally trying to say the least. don't feel guilty if this happens to you; if you listen to your rehabber, you're not at fault.:peace

keep us posted!

[MommaMelly]

Thanks for all the great info guys! I will go get some fleece for sure, i know he will love it.

thundersquirrel: I think its a he, his um... private... pokes out a little :lol, thats why I assumed that!
Thanks for the input. I initially wanted to get him to a rehabber because of all the trauma he went through, and my inexperience; after talking with the lady who has been helping me along (and finding out there were no rehabber willing to help in my nearby area) I feel fairly sure we should be able to raise him to a stable release (fingers crossed!)

HOPEFULLY, he will make it through okay. I am SOOOOO nervous about anything happening to him. It would break my heart!! I do know that it can happen though, but he is doing great right now. He is starting to become more active and I can't wait until those little peepers open!

Thanks for the warm welcome guys, and please, keep the advice coming, there is so much info on the internet, its hard to know which advice to follow.:dono

[thundersquirrel]

hehehe, both boys and girls have little pokey appendages down there. the picture below is a young girl because her little bump is very close to her rectum and she has no small bulges that could indicate testicles. :D

i think it's ok that you raise him. just get your advice from here! we have many reliable links to other sights on here, and all of our advice and opinions combined result in very accurate information. ;)

don't think about the harm that can come to him. just monitor him closely, follow your rehabbers advice, and keep the basics in mind. the basics being warmth, hydration, and nutrition. i don't think he's dehydrated, you have the right food for him (Esbilac is the BEST!), and I assume you're keeping him warm with something like a heating pad or sock buddy.

DO keep an eye out for a sibling, though. not only will it keep him wild, it will give him some comfort at night and when you're not around.

[MommaMelly]

Im posting a pic of his privates (poor little butter bean got violated!)
Sorry it isn't so great, its from a camera phone.
Maybe you can tell the sex from this pic.


If have gotten some really great info on raising him. I followed the instructions on this site; http://www.squirreltales.org/ to the letter. I also talked to the rehabber who created the site for some adivce (along with another rehabber who has been walking me through things.)
He is on Esbilac (powdered with whipping cream), and I'm using a heating pad.

I am very glad i found this site! You guys have been great at helping me along! Any extra tips or info is greatly appreciated. :thankyou

We have been looking for a sibiling or another baby to keep him company. So far this is the only buddy he has :(

[island rehabber]

um...she sure looks like a Bean-ette to me! LOL

[MommaMelly]

um...she sure looks like a Bean-ette to me! LOL

LOL!
Really? A girl?! I guess I need to quit calling my little her a he then!

I dont want to have a gender bender here! LOL

[thundersquirrel]

yup, that's a little lady you got there. butter bean can work for both genders though. you'll want to watch out, cause female rodents are generally more hyper than males. :) have fun with that.

the sight you have is great. i skimmed through it, i agree with almost everything on there. i don't add whipped cream to the formula, but that's just my preference; you can keep up with the cream. it makes the formula taste better anyway. ;)

hopefully you'll find a buddy. if rehabbers aren't wide spread in your area, it's likely you little girl will be alone. you can play with her and cuddle until around six weeks; then you'll want to back off bit by bit.
keep us posted! we're here to help!

[sparkysmom]

I gotta agree to get your advice from here. My little Sparky got off on a very traumatic start and I really didn't think he would make it, but with the help of Chris and then all the great squirrel lovers and rehabbers here he is alive and very healthy. And I gotta add very spoiled!!!!!!

[sparkysmom]

gonna try again grrrrrrrr.

[MommaMelly]

Sparky is a doll!! Looks like a very pampered baby!

Thanks for all the help guys, and thundersquirrel, i too think Butter Bean will be a fine name for my little lady! Im glad to know now!

i will keep everyone updated. HER (gotta get used to that) eyes should be opening soon, and I will be sure to get some pics to post when they do!

And BTW_:easter3

[MommaMelly]

She opened her eyes today!! Well actually only one so far. ;)

I know things change a bit once this happens. So, I guess my question is whats next?!?:crazy

[thundersquirrel]

the thing that's next is fun. lots of fun. :)

actually, not much should change at first, but i would expect that she'd move around more often. you'll also want to make light a factor, though it's not THAT important. what i mean is, you could keep her in a well-lit place during the day and a dark place at night. but it hardly matters right now cause of her age.

looks like you're taking very good care of her! make sure she can't escape from her enclosure, she'll start getting inquisitive!

[MommaMelly]

I was so excited when she opened those little eyes! It was like a baby taking a first step. ... okay maybe not that BIG, but I don't have kids. :crazy

I have been taking her to work everday (great boss) and I keep her in my guest room at night, so I hope the lighting has been good thus far.

What do you keep them in at this age?? I know she is going to be climbing out of her box soon, and I worry that a bird cage is too big. Also, won't she chew up the plastic bottom of a bird cage??

Sorry to ask SO many questions, but I just want to be sure I am doing the right things! :bowdown

[thundersquirrel]

a ten gallon aquarium with towels on the bottom would work, but you have to keep it very clean because there's no ventilation.
a bird cage would also work, but is less favorable. as far as the plastic goes, she's too young to be chewing something as hard as plastic.
still, i suggest the aquarium. :D

[MommaMelly]

Thanks! I have one in my attic that we boght and never evenused. :Stooges duh!



do you keep the heating pad in the aquarium... put it under it..... don't use it?

[island rehabber]

Hi Momma -- it really is better to put your little girlsquirrel in an open-weave carrier basket or a small cage suitable for hamsters or guinea pigs at this age. The bars should be less than an inch apart and if the bottom is also wire mesh then you want to have some flat insert or heavy material to put on the bottom. Plastic bins and acquariums are too wet of an environment for squirrels. The humidity builds up (the smell does, too!) and the squirrels are clammy and miserable, not to mention sitting in mold after a couple of days. I strongly recommend the small cage or basket idea.

[MommaMelly]

Hi Momma -- it really is better to put your little girlsquirrel in an open-weave carrier basket or a small cage suitable for hamsters or guinea pigs at this age. The bars should be less than an inch apart and if the bottom is also wire mesh then you want to have some flat insert or heavy material to put on the bottom. Plastic bins and acquariums are too wet of an environment for squirrels. The humidity builds up (the smell does, too!) and the squirrels are clammy and miserable, not to mention sitting in mold after a couple of days. I strongly recommend the small cage or basket idea.

Thanks. As I said before, I have a small bird cage with a stand also. The bars are fairly small, but the bottom is plastic, but it is removable. I considered replacing the bottom with tight wire mesh my husband built her release cage from. I would imagine this would probably work pretty good, until she gets bigger and active! I still wonder about the heat though. Will she still need a heating pad? When do they quit needing them?

[island rehabber]

Once their eyes are opened you can discontinue the heat, but with a single squirrel baby I might leave it there for another week or so...she doesn't have anyone to cuddle with :( .....The small cage sounds perfect, and you can try putting sheets of paper toweling on the floor to absorb urine...I never did this before, used to use rags, but just tried it this year with the five fuzzers and so far it's been great. Keeps everything dry and easy to throw away instead of running that washing machine all day LOL!

[MommaMelly]

Thanks. I thought she would have gotten off the heating pad by now but she always curls up in the warmest part of the box. her only cuddle buddy is a tiny stuffed squirrel and I don't think he likes her too much. :(

I understand what you mean about the washing machine! A load of her bedding is going at this moment! I have been washing more squirrel bedding than clothes lately!! LOL

I have a thick felt blanket i will try in the bottom of the cage. I will keep ya posted on how she likes it!
Thanks!!
~Melly

[MsSquirrelyGirl]

Butterbean (what a precious name) and Sparky are adorable!!! I love the pics! I sure miss having a little one around. They have my heart!!

:goodpost

[MommaMelly]

Butter Bean is doing great. She has been such a joy in our lives. I am not looking forward to her release. :(

I just wanted to post some more recent pics. The first one is her new home- built by my husband. I know they arnt real clear, but you can get an idea.

The second is of her a few weeks ago inside a box that was part of the insane obstacle course/play area my husband created.

The last is of her yesterday, sitting on her favorite log. Little miss fat and sassy. :smiley_superman

[Squirrelly]

Butter Bean is just beautiful! So is the house your husband made for her. :thankyou for taking such good care of her, she looks healthy and happy and you can feel very proud of the great life she'll have because of you.:crazy

[Squerly]

That's a great house your husband put together. See, and you didn't think that he had any marketable skills! :tilt J/K... Butter Bean is turning out to be quite the squirrel. Funny how fast they creap into your life, isn't it?

[MommaMelly]

Thanks Squirrelly. She has been such a blessing to us! She is getting so active and has been so much fun. :crazy


I am concerned about her release though. I know it will be a while but I am trying to think in advance here. I have been taking her outside about once a day for the past couple of weeks and just letting her sit in my lap. She seemed SO terrified when she touched the grass or when I put her on the oak tree. I figured she would start getting used to it a little, but not yet!

At what age should you start introducing them to the outdoors?

[MommaMelly]

That's a great house your husband put together. See, and you didn't think that he had any marketable skills! :tilt J/K... Butter Bean is turning out to be quite the squirrel. Funny how fast they creap into your life, isn't it?

Well since he built the house he is going to be in big trouble. Now I want furniture! :)

It's been amazing. A few months ago I would have NEVER imagined that I would be attached to a squirrel. I always thought that I was a dog person. :tilt

[Squerly]

At what age should you start introducing them to the outdoors?There is some very good information in this document about how old a squirrel should be when you release him/her. Read it and see if it helps. Here it is. (http://www.scarysquirrel.org/special/pets/infant/squirrelmanual.pdf)

[Squirrelly]

I'm not a rehabber, just a squirrel watcher and lover, so I don't want to give you any wrong advice. I know that at some point a person should stop handling a squirrel so that it gets some of its wild instincts "started up". Hopefully a rehabber will see your question and jump in with an answer. I'll bet they will, but if not, you can post a new thread! They can advise you on the pre-release, etc. Good luck to you and Butter Bean!

[MommaMelly]

Thanks for the info guys. I haven't talked with my rehabber yet, so I'm sure she will be able to help me through it also. :)

[island rehabber]

Thanks Squirrelly. She has been such a blessing to us! She is getting so active and has been so much fun. :crazy


I am concerned about her release though. I know it will be a while but I am trying to think in advance here. I have been taking her outside about once a day for the past couple of weeks and just letting her sit in my lap. She seemed SO terrified when she touched the grass or when I put her on the oak tree. I figured she would start getting used to it a little, but not yet!

At what age should you start introducing them to the outdoors?

M. Melly, I've forgotten how old Butter Bean actually is but she looks to be about 6-7 weeks? For a grey squirrel I think she's still young to be outside for any length of time....that would scare a baby that age. This is my kids' 9th week and they are just starting to feel OK with being out of the cage at all....their instincts kick in as soon as they hear a strange noise and they all dive back into the nest box. Butter Bean probably won't be ready to leave until she's at least 16 wks old....she's an only child (I can relate, LOL) and you really want to be sure she is completely developed, wild enough, and fulfills all the criteria listed in that excellent document someone else linked above. Don't worry, she'll let YOU know when she's ready. :)

[MommaMelly]

Thanks Island Rehabber! Thant really helps.

We think she is about 6 1/2 weeks old. But from what I have read, she is very advanced for her age, because she already runs, jumps and hops like a pro, she also is very active and alert and has started to eat a little bit of the solid foods.
What a proud momma I am! :crazy

[island rehabber]

Just thought of something to pass along to you, Melly: if you're not already doing this, start adding ground-up rodent block (Mazuri or Zupreem) to her Esbilac....I don't think there's any tried and true measurement so I just add enough to make the powder look like oatmeal instead of plain white. It really helps give squirrels all the vitamins they need, especially if they are in that transition stage between formula and being weaned. I grind the blocks up in a little mini-food-processor until it's like dust. You'll notice her poop change from the olive-tan color to black like a grown-up squirrel :)

[thumper]

I keep BUMPER the wonder squirrel in a pet taxi type thingy.the top comes off for easy cleanup and he shows no intrest in chewing on it.soon I'll be getting him something bigger! watch out for bright lights and noise as these things(even my coughing) seem to put him off his feeding sessions for a few min.good luck................ :smiley_pirate thumper

[island rehabber]

I keep BUMPER the wonder squirrel in a pet taxi type thingy.the top comes off for easy cleanup and he shows no intrest in chewing on it.soon I'll be getting him something bigger! watch out for bright lights and noise as these things(even my coughing) seem to put him off his feeding sessions for a few min.good luck................ :smiley_pirate thumper

You reminded me of when I had to give my very first rescue squirrel, who'd broken his hind leg, to a rehabber for 6 weeks after the vet put a cast on him. The rehabber (I wasn't licensed to keep him back then) kept him in a pet taxi so he wouldn't jump around too much and hurt his leg. Well he chewed right through the pet taxi, and one night she returned from work to find that he had trashed her kitchen -- leg cast and all -- and had broken into her bags of nuts and had a feast!! He was literally swinging from her chandelier when she came in.

[Squerly]

He was literally swinging from her chandelier when she came in. Now which of us wouldn't have paid money to see that... ;)

[gymfreak_13]

awwwwwwwwww how cute!!!!!!!!:wahoo