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Thread: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

  1. #1
    SYoung Guest

    Default 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    Found him April 10th morning...saw something fall from a tree, and there he was. Researched how to raise him, feeding him puppy formula with pedialite & cream. Rub his belly after feedings, he seems to be peeing and pooping on his own. Sleeps a lot, has definitely bonded with me.

    The problem...and this may be due to his young age (?)...he does not lift his back when he walks. His legs seems unbroken and bendable, but his back sags when he walks. He very well could have injured his back - it was a very long fall.

    Should 5-6 year old squirrel be walking normally yet? Could it be his legs are not strong enough to lift himself yet?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    Quote Originally Posted by SYoung
    Found him April 10th morning...saw something fall from a tree, and there he was. Researched how to raise him, feeding him puppy formula with pedialite & cream. Rub his belly after feedings, he seems to be peeing and pooping on his own. Sleeps a lot, has definitely bonded with me.

    The problem...and this may be due to his young age (?)...he does not lift his back when he walks. His legs seems unbroken and bendable, but his back sags when he walks. He very well could have injured his back - it was a very long fall.

    Should 5-6 year old squirrel be walking normally yet? Could it be his legs are not strong enough to lift himself yet?

    Are his eyes opened?


    Here's a site that helps you with the age of your little one...

    http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/feat...y-squirrel.htm

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    Jackie in Tampa is offline Left TSB to start her own Board
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    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree


    Welcome to TSB!
    Thinking you must have meant 5-6 Weeks old..
    are the babies eyes open? and can you post a video or a pic of him?
    Here's a link to Baby Sq vInfo Forum..
    You'll see three subtitles in purple, they are written by three great rehabbers and are full of info on aging, sexing, feeding etc...
    I recommend you read these even if you have been researching already!

    http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56

    WE also have a forum with nutritional info...this is a must!
    http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/f...play.php?f=191

    Is the baby dragging his back legs, or walking low to the ground?
    Do you have a vet that is willing to do an x-ray?
    Are you providing heat for this little one? a heating pad, set on low, half under the container..not too hot, you may have to use a towel between the pad and the container, I use a large clear sterlite box, with holes in the top and sides.
    How often . how much and what are you feeding her/him?
    Someone will be on soon to help you, but a video would be great.
    Good luck and welcome



  4. #4
    SYoung Guest

    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    He is 5-6 weeks old (not years - oops), his eyes are open, his tail curls, but he walks with his back low to the ground. He does not drag any feet. He does not seem paralyzed. He crawls all over us, but seems afraid to be placed in the grass. He eats grapes, peanut butter, and drinks his formula to the last drop. We LOVE him. I will try to post a video.

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    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    Quote Originally Posted by SYoung
    He is 5-6 weeks old (not years - oops), his eyes are open, his tail curls, but he walks with his back low to the ground. He does not drag any feet. He does not seem paralyzed. He crawls all over us, but seems afraid to be placed in the grass. He eats grapes, peanut butter, and drinks his formula to the last drop. We LOVE him. I will try to post a video.
    If his tail curls, he's not paralyzed. He's just a baby and won't be able to walk very well yet.

    He SHOULD be afraid to be placed in the grass! A 6-week-old baby squirrel would still be in his nest at all times. They don't even peek out until 12 weeks old. So you should put this little guy in a small cage or cat carrier, with lots of t-shirts or fleece to snuggle in (no towels, as their nails can get caught in the loops). You can cuddle him when you feed him, but he must stay in his little nest most of the time--this is very important because the instinct to fear being on the ground, and being in the open, is vital to his survival.

    He's also a little young to be eating many solid foods. Stick mostly with the formula for now. That's great that he's eating his formula willingly.

    Excellent job!
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    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    I want to add something in case I understood that correctly that you are mixing puppy formula AND cream AND Pedialyte? DON'T ever mix Pedialyte with formula. They cancel each other out and cause further dehydration instead of the hydration the baby needs. Just being extra-cautious -- keep up the good work otherwise!
    Oh yeah -- grapes are a real choking hazard with squirrels, even older than yours. Peel them and cut them in half before giving them to him.
    Island Rehabber
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  7. #7
    SYoung Guest

    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    What I have learned from this forum in one day:

    No more pedialite with the Esbilac. 1 part Esbilac powder, 2 parts water, 1/4 part cream.

    What I've been doing:

    Heated to lukewarm, administered with a syringe, slowly, carefully. He gets soooo excited at feeding, and he makes faint cooing noises. I can tell he's looking for the REAL nipple. He sleeps deep inside a furry slipper, in a cage, with tshirts all around. I can add a heated rice filled sock, but he seems to be doing fine, not shivery.

    His name is Pablo.

    How long do I need to rub his stomach after feedings if he is peeing and pooping on his own now?

  8. #8
    SYoung Guest

    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    Should I be getting up during the night to feed him? Every four hours?

  9. #9
    Jackie in Tampa is offline Left TSB to start her own Board
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    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    if you feed him his last feeding late at night, at 6 weeks old, Pablo can go thru the night without being woke up...but needs to be feed first thuing in the morning...8 hour max during the night for a 6 week old is ok!

    Glad you are researching...you'll love being a sq mom !
    gonna steal your heart and you'll never forget the awesome love they are!

  10. #10
    SYoung Guest

    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree UPDATE

    Day 4 of raising my baby squirrel, Pablo, whom I love dearly. We are definitely in a routine. I take Pablo to work with me in his pet carrier (and sneak out of meetings to feed him). I feed him at 7 am, 11 am, around 4 pm, again at 8 pm, and usually 1 late night feeding to help him get through the night. He is a very hungry fellow. At 11 am today he drank 2 syringes full of formula!

    During his feedings, I hold him over a towel because it's messy, and he holds onto the syringe while I very gently release his formula. After about 30 seconds of ravenously eating, he goes into a trance; his head goes forward and back with his mouth open, momentarily not really drinking; it seems as if he's imagining he's back with his real momma and suckling, and that must give him comfort. I then have to sort of nudge him to get him back to reality, and then he starts furiously looking for the syringe again. Once he finds it, he begins drinking again and shortly goes back into the nursing trance. It is bizarre! Each day his trances become more and more bizarre.

    Also in his pet carrier, I have placed a sock full of rice, and when I heat it up in the microwave (not too hot) and put it in his pet carrier, he goes wild, playing with the rice sock, cuddling, sniffing, biting, jumping on it, holding it with his front paws and kicking it with his back paws. I think he thinks it's his brother or sister or mother, because it's so warm. He gets as excited with the heated rice sock as he does when he smells a warm batch of milk in a syringe.

    All these behaviors make me sad, because he clearly misses his family. I wish I could take him back to his nest and give him what he misses so much. I wish he had a companion.

    His most awake time of the day is around 5 pm on the 35 minute drive home from work. I put the pet carrier on the seat next to me so I can keep an eye on him. He lies against his rice sock with his eyes open, and he looks so depressed. I wish there was a magic toy that would brighten his day!

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    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    Those "trances" during feeding are pretty common. They're harmless. Sometimes if you tap them on the head lightly it will snap them out of it.

    I doubt your little Pablo is depressed because he doesn't have siblings. Right now, you're his all-in-all. However, if you're planning on releasing him, it would be best if he could finish growing up with other squirrels his age. They learn a lot of skills from each other. The best way to do this is to find a rehabber in your area who already has babies the same age as Pablo.

    Sounds like you're doing a great job with him.
    Henry's Healthy Pets
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    The animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren; they are not underlings; they are other nations… ~Henry Beston, The Outermost House, 1928

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    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    Quote Originally Posted by 4skwerlz
    Those "trances" during feeding are pretty common. They're harmless. Sometimes if you tap them on the head lightly it will snap them out of it.

    I doubt your little Pablo is depressed because he doesn't have siblings. Right now, you're his all-in-all. However, if you're planning on releasing him, it would be best if he could finish growing up with other squirrels his age. They learn a lot of skills from each other. The best way to do this is to find a rehabber in your area who already has babies the same age as Pablo.

    Sounds like you're doing a great job with him.
    This is good advise, it's really hard to raise a single squirrel and have a successful release. They just get so bonded to people and it's very hard for them to be a wild squirrels. The release is the most rewarding part of squirrel rehab... especially when you get to release in your own backyard. You might check around to see if any rehabbers in your area are willing to part with a same age squirrel so you can raise two.
    When a man has pity on all living creatures then only is he noble.
    --Buddha

  13. #13
    Jackie in Tampa is offline Left TSB to start her own Board
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    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    Quote Originally Posted by winky2
    This is good advise, it's really hard to raise a single squirrel and have a successful release. They just get so bonded to people and it's very hard for them to be a wild squirrels. The release is the most rewarding part of squirrel rehab... especially when you get to release in your own backyard. You might check around to see if any rehabbers in your area are willing to part with a same age squirrel so you can raise two.

    can you tell us what type syringe you are using...
    two is always better than one for sure!

  14. #14
    SYoung Guest

    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    Responding to what type of syringe I'm using: it is a syringe that holds 1 Tablespoon of liquid, standard plastic syringe found at CVS.

  15. #15
    SYoung Guest

    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    Happy ending for Pablo today. I brought him to the Prairie Park Nature Center in Lawrence, KS where he will join other grey squirrels his age so that he can learn how to be a real squirrel instead of being wrapped in a tshirt and having his tummy rubbed until he falls asleep. After he's weaned, he will be put in a big outdoor cage with other squirrels and human contact will end. At some later date, he will be released with the others.

    I really miss him. It was a fantastic 10 days!

  16. #16
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    Default Re: 5-6 week old squirrel fell from tree

    Thanks SO much for saving him and for finding a great place for him to be prepared for life as a wild squirrel. And don't think those tummy rubs weren't appreciated, either -- he'll remember!
    Island Rehabber
    NY State Licensed
    Wildlife Rehabilitator


    "Ancora Imparo" (I am still learning)
    Michelangelo


    *
    If you can't afford the vet,
    You can't afford a pet.
    NEGLECT IS ABUSE.

    "Better one day in the trees, than a lifetime in a cage."

    '...and the greatest of these, is Love. '

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