baby squirrel found need help

[lostinidaho24]

Hi guys i am new to this but need help. My kids found 5 baby squirrels last night and decided to hide it from me. well since then 4 have died. I found them this a.m. while getting them ready for school. I have been feeding him pedalite and did get some puppy formula (it is the one you have been recommending just dont have it near). I really want to see the guy survive but I am in need of finding a rehabilitator in this area as i am leaving town monday for a week. He seems to be eating ok, I do not have a weight on him but he is fully furred and eyes are open. He is active for small spurts i have him in a cage with a warming pad on half he seems to be warm and i did the pinch test he doesnt seem dehiderated but i am not sure. I am new at this and because i do care i will admit i do not have the time necessary to take care of him the way he needs to be taken care of.

Please help!!!!!:dono

[squirrel princess]

Someone will be here to help you. In the mean time did the kids tell you under what kind of conditions they found them. are the eyes open yet they open eyes at 5 weeks. You need to list as much info as you can about them and the remaining one:thumbsup

[lostinidaho24]

their eyes were open they found them in the yard huddled in a ball they left them there until dark to see if mom was coming back for them but it was starting to snow and they did not want to see them freeze so they brought them in and warmed them up. the surviving one was a bit lethargic this am but put a warming pad under the cage and made a rice buddy for him and gave him warm pedialite.

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Idaho looks pretty scarce when it comes to rehabbers :sanp3 . Here is a link to a couple:

http://www.wildliferehabber.org/st_filtered_list.php


The most important thing is to keep the little tyke warm. Do you have him on heat? If you have a heating pad, put that under his cage set on low. If you don't have that you can use hot water bottles.

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Never mind my questions, you already answered them :D . You can check out the link and see if any of those rehabbers are nearby.

[squirrel princess]

It looks like you have some sweet kids that knew to see if the mom would come back. I bet they were upset when the four died:shakehead bless their hearts the kids and the squirrels.:shakehead Sounds like you did all the right things this morning for your little guy that is left. Hopefully someone will be able to help you out if you are in a legal state maybe you could ask your vet or humane society if they know of anyone to take him if you can not get an actual rehabber.

[lostinidaho24]

he is being kept warm there is a heating pad under his cage and also a rice buddy just in case i am unsure of what to really look for to determine his health he seems to be breathing fast i dont know if it is because he is scarred or if there is a medical prob

[TexanSquirrel]

:Welcome Good luck!!!

[squirrel princess]

he is being kept warm there is a heating pad under his cage and also a rice buddy just in case i am unsure of what to really look for to determine his health he seems to be breathing fast i dont know if it is because he is scarred or if there is a medical prob

Put the heating pad only half under his cage so if he gets too warm he can move away.

[lostinidaho24]

the pad is under only half thanks

[squirrel princess]

I found this that Gamma had posted for someone on another thread

Hope this helps
Emergency Care for Baby Squirrels

Don’ts
Don’t try to feed the squirrel.
Don’t handle him more than you have to.
No loud voices, TV, music, or bright lights.
No children or pets in the same room!

1. Warm the Baby (never feed a cold squirrel!)

Quick Methods:
-Cup the baby in your hands or under your shirt next to your skin.
-Fill a plastic bottle with very warm water. Wrap in a cloth, place next to baby, and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.
-“Rice Buddy”: Fill a sock with 1 cup of rice or dried beans and microwave for 30 seconds. Place next to baby and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.

2. Find a Box or Container
A shoebox will do for small babies. A baby that can walk will need a larger box with a lid (with holes). Put a clean baby blanket, flannel shirt, or piece of fleece in the bottom of the box. No towels or terrycloth. Squirrels can get tangled in the loops. Place baby on the material and cover him with one flap. If you have a heating pad, turn it on low and place it under half of the box (not IN the box!) so baby can move away if he gets too warm. You can use the plastic bottle or rice buddy described above, but these are only temporary methods until you get a heating pad, since they must be reheated every 2 hours and won't keep baby warm all night.
NOTE: Monitor his temperature so he doesn’t chill or overheat. His feet should feel warm to the touch.


If the baby is injured, is having trouble breathing, has fly eggs on his fur, or is very skinny or dehydrated, he needs emergency care by an experienced rehabber or vet.

3. Rehydrate the Baby

Most babies are dehydrated when you find them and must be rehydrated before you can feed them. Never feed formula or food of any kind to a dehydrated baby!

Check for Dehydration
Pinch the skin on the back of his neck. If it doesn’t spring back immediately, the baby is dehydrated. If the pinched skin stays up like a tent for more than a second, the baby is badly dehydrated. Other signs of dehydration: pale grayish gums, dry mouth, sunken eyes, whites around eyes showing, rough spiky fur, dry scaly skin.
NOTE: If baby is badly dehydrated, he will need subcutaneous fluids, which can only be given by a rehabber or vet.

Supplies You Will Need:
--Heating pad without auto shut-off (if you don’t already have one)
--Pedialyte (any flavor)*
--Plastic syringes (1 cc size; no needles. Ask the pharmacist to get these for you) An eyedropper can also work.
These are available at most drugstores. You can also order supplies from Chris’ Squirrels and More. (http://www.squirrelsandmore.com (http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/))

*If you can’t find Pedialyte at the store, here is a recipe for homemade Pedialyte:
--1 teaspoon salt
--3 Tablespoons sugar
--1 quart warm water
Mix all ingredients in warm water. Store in refrigerator.

How to Prepare the Pedialyte
Use a plastic syringe (with or without a nipple). Never use pet nursers or doll bottles. They will choke the baby. Fill a coffee mug with hot water. Fill the syringe with Pedialyte and place it in the mug for a couple of minutes. Squirt a drop on the inside of your wrist to make sure the liquid isn’t too hot. It should feel barely warm on your skin.

Proper Position
A tiny baby can be held in your hand. A baby with fur can lie on a flat surface on his stomach. A baby that can walk can be held upright or he can drink sitting up. Hold the syringe so the tip points UP to the baby’s mouth and the handle is down. Don’t let the baby get cold. Keep him wrapped up while he eats.

How to Feed Fluids
Place the syringe tip on the baby’s lips (from the side) and squeeze out one drop for him to taste. Don’t squirt a steady stream. Let him swallow one drop before squeezing more. GO SLOW! It sometimes takes a feeding or two for them to catch on. Hairless babies are fed drop by drop. With older babies (once they catch on) you can squeeze slowly for one second, wait for him to swallow, then squeeze more.

If fluids dribble out his mouth or come out his nose, you are going too fast. Stop and tilt the baby’s head down so the fluid drains out (support his head and neck like you would a human baby). Then wipe his nose and mouth with a tissue. Start over, slower. NOTE: There is now a chance your baby will develop aspiration pneumonia from inhaling fluid in his lungs. This is fatal. Please contact a rehabber or vet, or the people at The Squirrel Board, for assistance.


How Much Fluid to Feed
Give 1/2 to 1 cc every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. Then give it every 2 hours around the clock. Do not feed Pedialyte for more than 24 hours. It is not a subsitute for formula. Refrigerate Pedialyte after opening. Throw away any open bottles after 3 days.

Check the baby every few hours using the “pinch test” described above. As baby rehydrates, he should “perk up” and become more active. Rehydrate all babies for at least 2 hours before feeding formula or food of any kind. Severely dehydrated babies should be rehydrated for 24 hours before feeding.
Note: If your baby will not take any fluids, he must go to a rehabber immediately or he will die.

Potty Time
A baby that is not fully furred will need help to pee and poo. Normally, the squirrel’s mother will lick the baby’s belly and bottom to stimulate him to go. Before and after feeding, use a warm, damp kleenex, cotton ball, or soft cloth to gently tickle the baby’s genital area. Do this until baby goes. NOTE: A dehydrated baby may not pee or poo until he has had several feedings of Pedialyte.

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

You can also try this person to see if she has a rehabber contact near you.
Make sure that the baby is indeed keeping warm. Not sure what the cage looks like, and if baby is on the heat.

Idaho, Southwest region, Ada County (Boise)..... 208-344-0468

Mady Rothchild, Animals In Distress Association, Inc (AIDA)
madyrschmitt@msn.com
Wildlife Species: specialize in badgers, bats, and raccoons; also knowlegeable about herons, pelicans, fox, skunk, and squirrels

[lostinidaho24]

i appreciate all your help but he did not make it he ate at 6 o clock i put him on a warm rice sock went to check on him and see if he would eat and he was gone:shakehead

[Jackie in Tampa]

:grouphug thank you for helping him.:grouphug
R.I.P. baby squirrel:Love_Icon

[wheezer]

Thanks for trying:bowdown

[lostinidaho24]

You can also try this person to see if she has a rehabber contact near you.
Make sure that the baby is indeed keeping warm. Not sure what the cage looks like, and if baby is on the heat.

Idaho, Southwest region, Ada County (Boise)..... 208-344-0468

Mady Rothchild, Animals In Distress Association, Inc (AIDA)
madyrschmitt@msn.com
Wildlife Species: specialize in badgers, bats, and raccoons; also knowlegeable about herons, pelicans, fox, skunk, and squirrels


i dont know if you guys keep these resources but after leaving a message with Mady, her sister Tony replied and did give me her contact info I will post it here in case there my be someone else from this area needing help

Tony 208-345-0559
she said she is on call 24 hrs a day
one again thanks for all our help