Canadian gray (but black) squirrel, age?, what to do?

[blue j]

Yesterday an apparently orphaned male baby squirrel was teetering around the yard, climbing on a workman's leg, falling in the pool etc. No parent, and it was wet (thus cold) so I brought it in in a dog crate, & gave it the hot-water bottle + grape-and-nut treatment. It has fleas -- lots of fleas -- which the local animal rescue group says means the mother isn't around.

I am trying to get rid of bay, which doesn't like me and makes little fake bites at me if my hand gets close (in glove). Lots of fur and fluffy tail. Can't tell about teeth (the nut meats seem chewed but not necessarily eaten); feet seem too big for the body; it is about the length of my palm + fingers with tail extra. It can climb a little but fell off a locust tree trunk twice. There are squirrels aplenty in the neighbourhood but none which seem interested (and last year I watched an immature ("teen") squirrel get killed by a larger squirrel -- by the time I scared the aggressor away, all I could do was watch the young one bleed to death with a completely ripped-out stomach. Gross, and I couldn't bear to watch this baby get ripped up if one of the non-mom squireels got "interested" in the wrong way.

My animal rescue group doesn't pick up squirrels. I am hoping that I can find someone in the area who wants a squirrel to raise, since my dog and I don't want the job. Advice on how to keep baby alive until I can find other help? I don't have time to get baby formula -- am hoping for some short-term advice. I have to go to work, so a speedy response is appreciated. Baby is buzzing from the next room as I write, and can chirp and give a really loud alarm screech.

Blue J

[blue j]

Adding to what I said before: he can drink water from a spoon (I still can't tell about teeth), and he is hanging off the bars of the dog kennel. He's in the back yard now (the hot water bottle is still in with him, but now that he's day active, I'm more nervous about changing/reheating it). It's not warm out, but he is in shelter of course and not seeming to mind, or he would cuddle up to the blanket and bottle, right?

Blue J

[Squerly]

I have moved this thread from the Introduction Forum to the Emergency Forum. I hope that somebody can help this little guy but I am unsure of the resources available to him in that area. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[muffinsquirrel]

Hi Blue J,

I suggest you try the usual - call local vets, the Canadian equivalent of SPCA and/or Humane Society, Department of Wildlife, maybe even local pet stores. Surely one of them will be able to help you out. Meanwhile, give veggies, fruits, sunflower seeds, out-of-shell nuts as well as in-shell nuts. Also offer him a small dish of yogurt, and, of course, water. I'm not real comfortable with the idea of leaving him in a dog crate in the yard, because of other animals that might get to him - can you leave him inside?

Good luck with him - I hope you find someone really soon that will take him and raise and release him. Wish I was closer, but Texas would be a bit of a long drive!

muffinsquirrel

[Timber]

Maybe if you ask around work someone there would be willing or know someone willing to take on the responability of taking care of the little one. Like Muffin I wish I were close enough to help out.

[Critter_Queen]

Sounds like he might be about 8ish weeks old. For the fleas you can use kitten flea drops and put two drops on the bedding of the crate you have him in. You ought to have old t-shirts in with him to keep him from snagging his nails.

Unless you can find a rehabber to take him or you can care for him yourself (he's only about a month away from being independent and won't require a whole lot of care each day at this point) he's a dead squirrel without his mom. You are going to have to make some tough choices about this little guy...I don't envy you.

Please keep us posted.

[thundersquirrel]

hi blue j

you just need to keep the squirrel inside for evening, nights, and dawn. i'd say he could be outside from 8 AM to 7PM. however, if it gets cold during the day (anything under 65 degrees F) then i'd ask you to take him inside even then.

i live in southeast michigan. how long do you think it would take you to drive to detroit? would you even be willing to drive that far? i work with an organization called Friends of Wildlife and we have rehabbers spread throughout my area. maybe if you were willing to drive part of the way, we could have someone come and pick up your squirrel.

veterinarians can help, but they usually aren't trained in wildlife and will often euthanize simply because they don't want to deal with it. your squirrel sounds very healthy and should not be euthanized, so if you do visit a vet, don't let them put it down. sometimes they'll make the situation seem worse than it is.

the loud squeaking is the squirrel calling for it's mother. sometimes they'll call out when they've climbed up too high and don't know how to get down. basically, the squirrel is afraid. after a while it will probably figure out that it's mom isn't coming, and it'll calm down.

the agression it shows when you get too close is really just a show. when young'uns are around that age, they start to lose their trust in people, but are not very willing to make a real bite. if you think you need to handle the squirrel, keep the gloves on and get a towel or old t-shirt. if you can cover the squirrels' eyes, it should calm down a bit.

keep in touch, and let me know if you think you wanna make that drive happen.

[blue j]

Thank you for your offer, Thundersquirrel, b Detroit is a 4-hr drive from Mississauga & border officials won't permit wildlife border crossings.

Thanks to everyone for your advice. The squirrel child will be fine: I found a funded emergency shelter about an hour's drive from here. They tell me that the little one will need "hands-off" (no physical contact) care for 2-3 wks, then can be gradually released at a donor's tree farm with new littermates of about the same age. The shelter is very nice: baby will have littermates with which to share a hammock in a large (parrt-size) birdcage until the transition to the farm. I gave a donation to cover his "dinners," but the shelter is governmentally funded and the vet + custodial care is volunteer. They say my little one is alert, active, well-hydrated, & hungry: 4 good signs.

Feeling less Blue, J

[Critter_Queen]

YAY!! I just LOVE happy endings. :thumbsup

You did a great job and found him just the right place. :thankyou for giving a donation to the center that took him, too. All my expenses are out of pocket, so I know how far a donated dollar can stretch! :D

Thanks again for taking this little guy in and finding him a proper place to be.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

:thankyou for finding him a good home! :thumbsup

[Momma Squirrel]

Blue J that is Super news, :thankyou for taking the time and care for this little one until you could find him a good home. LOVE happy endings :bowdown

[thundersquirrel]

though it may be repetative;

:thankyou :thankyou :thankyou

you've done more than the average person would. you deserve a warm fuzzy clean-conscience feeling. ;)

[squirrelfriend]

I live in Mississauga as well. If you would like I could take him. I have 5 others that I have been raising successfully. you can call me at (905)279-4648. that is if you still have him.