Two young squirrels

[Menia]

Hi all, I'm new here. Earlier today my stepfather heard a squealing by one of the trees in our yard and found a baby squirrel on the ground. He was cold, had ants all over him, and just needed help. We do not have many squirrels around us, in fact we only ever saw one (which we now guess was the mother), and she's been missing for a couple days. We brought him in and called a local vet to find out what to do. The vet told us to give him some formula and keep him warm. She advised that the first choice for formula was goats milk, the second choice kitten's formula, and the third choice would be puppy's milk.

I have in the past raised orphan kittens, and tend to keep a couple cans of the formula handy as you never know when it'll be needed, so we gave him some in a small bottle. He didn't drink much, but he was happy to suckle. After having found more resources, I realized the mistake that he should have been hydrated first, but he did urinate after the feeding, so we thought he'd be okay.

As of about 4 hours later he seems to be okay, very sleepy and doesn't seem to be too dehydrated. We did try the mixture that was suggested in the "Raising Infant Tree Squirrels" pdf, but he didn't seem very interested in it. Is it normal for them to not want it if they don't seem too dehydrated? He hasn't urinated since then?

While that was distressing enough for everybody involved, about half an hour later we again heard a lot of squealing, and then while outside investigating, we saw the second baby fall from the tree. At first we thought she was dead, she was defecating nonstop, and wasn't moving. My mom immediately picked her up, and after a couple minutes she squealed again, and we realized that she hadn't died from the fall.

We spent some time warming her, we found the nest they had fallen from and haven't heard any noise from it, and like I said, we haven't seen the mother. I did give her some of the hydration fluid, and she was very eager to suck it out of the syringe. The problem I am having with her is that she is still occasionally defecating, and has a bruise low on her stomach. Also it appears that her genitalia may be engorged, which I know may be caused by suckling but I've had bad experiences with internal injuries in the past.

I'm going to add a couple pictures of both. The male (first to fall) has no visible injuries, just seems slow and tired. Hopefully the images are of good enough quality for the bruises to show.

Also was wondering if anybody knew if the reason they had fallen was because their mother had left them for so long that they would try looking for food? Or would they just stay there even if she'd been gone for a while?

The boy:
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3946/picture006lm2.th.jpg (http://img225.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture006lm2.jpg)

The girl's abdomen:
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/1818/dscf1069za5.th.jpg (http://img169.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf1069za5.jpg)

[Menia]

I did read that, and from what everything I've seen says, they're around 2-3 weeks old. Eyes are still closed. But unfortunately I didn't come across this site until after giving the little boy some formula.

Aside from the bruise on the girl's stomach, they both look perfect. The little boy had some slight irritation on his penis, but this went away after only an hour and I guessed was from either the ants or the suckling from his sister.

We live out away from most things and the closest vet that would be open until monday is over an hour drive from us, so we were hoping they'd be okay with us until at least until a closer vet office was open. Plus we had a slight nervous breakdown at the little warning on the legality of keeping the babies, until we searched for our state laws and found out it was legal since we live in Florida.

They were both warmed through body heat, and as soon as warmed, fed, and stimulated, were put into a small box with a baby blanket in it for them to lay on, a blanket covering most of the top (with a vent in the side for air) and the box is sitting on a heating pad under the box. We've been too worried about touching them too much, at the two hour mark we picked up the boy to try to hydrate him (as we had finally found this site) and tried to get him to urinate again.

Sorry if I'm babbling, I'm worried and new to all this. As I said before, I have cared for orphan kittens, but squirrels are all new and scary.

[Menia]

My biggest worry is...the girl is acting normally, is it possible for the bruise to just be a small bruise and not something to worry about overmuch? She seems to be acting normally (actually seems better off than the boy).

I'll have to go out and try to track down the right formula (have the name written on an index card), is it something that most stores carry? I think the only place open within an hour from here is Walmart.

And again, sorry for so many posts.

[JudyB]

Welcome to TSB :Welcome
Good luck with your new babies, all the info that Gamma has given you is truely helpful, I am pretty new at this too.
All the members here are helpful.. all you have to do is ask! :thumbsup
Again, welcome and good luck!:crazy

[LynninIN]

Hi Menia, both the babies look dehydrated and like they've been without food for a few days. They were probably starving and fell from the nest looking for food.

Squirrels are difficult to keep alive when they are emaciated, their kidneys can shut down and they go downhill quickly if this happens. They may need antibiotics. We can help you find a rehabber in your area. Would you like us to find a squirrel rehabilitation specialist for you? If you are certain you what to attempt to raise them, we will do our best to help you.

I tried to make the pictures a little bigger.

[Menia]

Will definitely be telling the vet about that. Usually they're really great there, all my dogs and cats have gone to them for the last 18 years.

The thing about her bruise is that we did see her fall, and she fell almost completely on her head, which is why we were immediately afraid she was dead. But on the good side the bruise hasn't gotten any bigger or worse in any way, as I'm told a bruise from internal injuries would probably do. Hurray for small blessings.

Tomorrow the tractor supply store will be open and we can go there. Great thing about living in the boonies, always got the trusty tractor supply store and the feed store.

Hoping to keep these two babies alive. Their mother was the only squirrel to brave our yard for at least 10 years, and it will be lonely without her. We're all convinced that if she could have prevented it, she would never have left her babies.

Thanks again for all the help.

[Menia]

If you can find a rehabber near me that would be great. I have been going through the list some, but haven't had time to really dig through it. We'd love to raise them, but don't our ignorance to be what kills them. I'll continue looking through the list on the forum as I can, but if you have any suggestions I'm fully open to them.

[Menia]

All the entries on the rehab list do rehab right? Silly question I know, but we live closest to the Nature's Classroom, but was unsure about contacting them in case they don't do rehab, especially for ones this young.

[Menia]

:thumbsup . We have several members from this board not too far from you. Be back in a minute.
Lynn

[Menia]

Been using a syringe to try to get them to drink hydration fluids every two hours. The girl is far more interested than the boy, but the boy will take some.

[Menia]

girl about 3 CCs

boy about 3 or 4 CCs. have had him since 2. girl fell about 5:30

[Menia]

Was in the process of another time around to get them to drink. The boy only drank about 1 - 1.5 CC's, hard to tell cause he had it dripping out. He urinated after, and it looked clearer than the last time he did.

The girl drank a bit over 2 CC's, latched onto the syringe until she seemed to have her fill, then also urinated.

[Menia]

I can drive to meet somebody. And Haines City is a bit over an hour away.

[LynninIN]

I've left messages for two trusted rehabbers within an hour of you.

:poke Doesn't anyone stay home on a Saturday night anymore. :D Hopefully one of them will check their phone messages soon.

[LynninIN]

One of the squirrel board rehabbers is calling Menia now. :wott

[Tori]

I called and spoke with her father. She will be calling me back shortly I have fluids and everything here to rehydrate the babies...
Will keep you posted.
Tori

[Jackie in Tampa]

:thumbsup :grouphug

[LynninIN]

Tori picked up the squirrels from Menia and is on her way home with them.

Thank you Menia & family saving them for caring enough to give the babies to a rehabber. :bowdown

[Menia]

Thanks a ton everyone, and I'll definitely have to stick around at least to keep up with these two.

[LynninIN]

Thanks a ton everyone, and I'll definitely have to stick around at least to keep up with these two.
We would love to have you stick around. You can learn a lot here about all sorts of animals. Maybe we can talk you into training to become a rehabber.

[JudyB]

Wow, great story... I have tears in my eyes, love a happy ending. Let us pray the babies thrive :grouphug
Menia: You did a fantastic job here. :thumbsup Love you for caring so much to save these babies and then to give them over to an exp rehabber. Bless you.
Gammas Baby and LynninIN: You two make TSB rock :smoken Bless you both for stepping up to those in need. :grouphug
Tori: :grouphug Terrific of you to get the babies. :crazy
Bless you and good luck with them :D

[pamela lee]

Talk about a perfect outcome.
Menia, THANK YOU for being so unselfish in your love for these sweet baby fuzzers.
Tori, Thank you for stepping-up to help them.

[Tori]

OK 1 am here and babies are doing well. Both were very dehydrated thankfully she got them to me in time (I hope). I have given subq fluids twice now and they are still dehydrated. Warmed them up good and fed them some more. Will keep you posted. Both have a little trauma from the fall so I gave them a touch of dexamethasone. the girl has the bruised abdomen and the little boy has a some dried blood in his little nose.

Will post more tommorrow..

[JudyB]

:squirrel1 :love :grouphug

[Menia]

Thank you for the update! Been hanging around the forum hoping for one. Hopefully they do well.

[Tori]

Gave them fluids 3 times overnight the girl is very lively now and eating good. I am tube feeding the boy he is still kinda weak acting....

[Momma Squirrel]

:thankyou Menia for taking these babies in and also realizing you needed help and put those babies first :bowdown

Lynn and Gamma what a great job pulling this all together and finding Tori :thumbsup These little ones will have the very best possible care and love to help them stay alive.

GREAT JOB :grouphug :grouphug

[Menia]

Well, two became three. About 3:00 or 3:30 heard a squeaking again, and sure enough as soon as I ran outside and got to the three again, another baby came falling out. Unfortunately the nest is too far up for us to search to find if there are any others, and we'd try to climb the tree but the branches are just too thin.

Immediately called Tori and she has the baby. I really have to thank Tori with all my heart cause without her I don't know what we'd do. We're keeping an eye on the tree, but really hoping that there are no more babies.

[JudyB]

You are both Angels :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[Tori]

Baby number 3 has received subq fluids and dex. Ate aobut 1.5 cc formula 30 minutes later. Very dehydrated but lively, the other two are almost completely rehydrated and eating pretty good.

[LynninIN]

Well, two became three. About 3:00 or 3:30 heard a squeaking again, and sure enough as soon as I ran outside and got to the three again, another baby came falling out. Unfortunately the nest is too far up for us to search to find if there are any others, and we'd try to climb the tree but the branches are just too thin.

Immediately called Tori and she has the baby. I really have to thank Tori with all my heart cause without her I don't know what we'd do. We're keeping an eye on the tree, but really hoping that there are no more babies.
You saved another one? :alright.gif Way to go Menia! :wahoo

It sounds like they are in excellent, expert care with Tori. :bowdown

[Frickster]

how are the little triplets?

[Tori]

The 3 musketeers are doing well. Still getting fluids beneath the skin once daily but they are all eating well and gaining weight although they are still underweight so they have a bit of catching up to do. No longer having to tube feed the boy he is eating now....

[Tori]

Bump so you guys know how old the "little suckers" mentioned in the baby squirrles questions are. Haven't had time to take pics....they are now Peter, Wendy and Tink and doing well.