lethargic mama

[Oregonian]

Hi,
I don't know if this is an emergency or not but I feel like I need some help deciding/figuring out what to do. Here's the story:

At the end of a 4-day heat wave I saw a squirrel laying lethargically on my fence in my backyard. I thought it was dead. As we approached, she moved. Long story short we offered bread and water to her and she moved slowly around out yard eating and drinking and eventually went up a tree and lay on it's lowest branch for an hour and then wandered off into the highr branches. It got dark so I couldn't see her any more but worried about her all night.

The next morning I found a pink hairless baby squirrel at the bottom of the tree, alive. My husband and I rescued it, alternately feeding it and taking it back outside hoping the mom would come back. We did that for two whole days. During that time I saw a squirrel twice in the high branches of the tree but it was only visible for a moment. We resigned ourselves to raising the baby (who we named Frank) with the intention of doing everything we can to eventually release him. We are intelligent people and have spent the last few days reading up on baby squirrels.

But today (4 days after first seeing her and 3.5 days after finding Frank) mama squirrel has appeared again. We put food out for her and she came and ate it, acting just as lethargically as she did 4 days ago. We immediately brought Frank out and put bread near him. Mom saw him when he waved his legs around and she tensed up and started twitching her tail back and forth. Then she climbed up the tree.

We left Frank there, watching the whole time, and she never came down. We brought Frank back in for a feeding. I'm writing now because I am very concerned about this whole squirrel family. Mama is still laying lethargically on the lowest branch of the tree. She hasn't moved anything but her head in nearly three hours. Her nipples are saggy so I can only assume there are more babies up in a nest in the tree but there is no way we can get up that high. The tree isn't really climbable. I don't know that I could catch the mom even if I thought I could help her.

What should we do?

[Oregonian]

Update: Mama just got up, groomed herself for a few minutes and then slowly made her way up to the high branches where I lost sight of her because the foliage is too thick.

I wish I could do something for the rest of the babies. I'm convinced that there is something seriously wrong with this mom. Squirrels don't just lie in one place for three hours in the middle of the afternoon do they?

[pamela lee]

:Welcome to TSB. From what I understand ya'll are having a heatwave out there. I know that when it's real hot here my wilds lay sprawled out on branches to try and cool off. Mine are only active early in the mornin' and late in the evening. All you can really do is watch for any more babies and keep putting out food and water for her.

[Jackie in Tampa]

:Welcome like PL said, during the day they do lounge around, even sleep with their eyes open. As hot as it has been I am not surprised she is acting scarey lethargic. I know when they do have babies they are standoff'ish {is that a word}and I have never heard of a momma retrieving a baby after such a long period, maybe someone can add to that!?
...so...what will you do with Frank since his momma will not take him?
Are you able to rehab and release him? It is not cheap, easy or quick.
However it is rewarding if you are prepared and commited. Awesome Adventure...one of a kind.:thumbsup

Have you thought about placing him with a rehabber? We can help you find one if that is the best choice.
Can you post a pic of Frank, we love pics!
Have you read our forum The ABCs of baby Sqs?http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56
here is the link...you will see three articles in Purple, they are going to help you with aging, feeding and general knowledge. Great info!
Which ever decision...:bowdown thanks for helping him!
We recommend Esbilac Puppy replacer milk fed thru a needless 1cc syringe, he will need to be kept warm, so place his container half on a heating pad. Never feed a cold baby. Is he dehydrated?
Is Oregon a legal state?
:poke PS, momma sq wants nuts, not bread!:D and she likes avacodo too!:D
Glad you found TSB and Frank!:wave123

[Oregonian]

I don't think it's legal to keep non-native squirrels in Oregon so we are reluctant to contact any sort of authority. We're pretty sure Frank is a fox squirrel, assuming of course, that it was his momma in our yard and pictures we've seen on the internet. The Audobon Society's website said about 6 times on one page that they will be happy to take them and humanely euthanize them. No way!

We're willing to rehab and release him if that's the only way to save him. But we'd consider giving him to a rehabber if you could recommend one nearby? We're in Beaverton Oregon.

And yes, my husband and I have both spent many many hours now reading online about the care of baby squirrels and are doing everything that we read. Frank appears to be thriving so far.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Please say that you are using esbilac, as it is the closest thing to mothers milk, and, also there are other sites that push scalded milk...this is a very bad idea...it kills!
:poke stick with TSB info.
I have to go feed babies, can you post a pic of Frank?, someone can help with identifying his species.
Have you seen poops and pees?
Are you familar with aspiration? Be very careful and slow while feeding him.
Holding him upright, never on his back.
If he is to be released, keeping him away from all other pets is best.

Someone will be on soon to give you better info!

[Oregonian]

Yes, we have been feeding him Esbilac. Yes he is pooping and peeing as he should be. He appears to be doing quite well. I'll try to post a picture of him tomorrow. We think he's somewhere between 7 and 14 days old. Isn't he too young to tell his species? Since he has no hair...Eastern greys and foxes look so much alike but momma was brown underneath rather than white so I'm leaning towards fox.

Thanks so much for the advice. At least now I know the momma isn't sick and/or dying so I can stop worrying about the other babies in the tree. I just wish she had taken Frank back. Like I said, we're prepared to raise him but he would have been better off with his momma and his litter-mates. I hate that he will be all alone.

[Nancy in New York]

Oh bless you for taking little Frank. I know that it is hard to have a single little one, but it beats the alternative, and perhaps in time, we can find someone in your area that is trustworthy, by that I mean someone that people on TSB know.
Don't know if this is true or not...I had a squirrel once that had 7 babies in one of my trees, she ended up dying in the nest and we had to take her young babies. There was no sign of injury to the mom...we heard that she could have died from calcium deficiency since she had such a large liter. Does anyone think that perhaps the mama can be helped out a little by putting some sort of calcium supplement in the water?...just a thought. Or if you have any tums, just put it out where she usually eats, this won't hurt her and periodically if she takes it, put one out every other day for her. Most likely she won't eat the whole thing, but it may help a little if deficient in calcium....:dono

[Oregonian]

Here's some pics of Frank on the day we found him and the lethargic squirrel we think is his momma. Can you tell how old he is?

[Nancy in New York]

I would guess around 2 weeks...he is adorable. :thumbsup

[Oregonian]

Update: I just saw Momma in the lower branch looking as sprite as a squirrel should look. So I guess I don't have to worry too much about her, just poor little Frank.

Do you think there is even a chance she'd still take him back? It's been 4 days now. She saw him yesterday and left him but she may just have been startled and with the 95 degree heat simply too pooped to get him. Should we keep trying?

[Nancy in New York]

I really don't know. If you decide to put him out...you have to watch him like a hawk... speaking of which they could get him so very fast, you could never get to him on time. Just perhaps this isn't even her baby?:dono :dono
I have actually seen squirrels in my yard running with their babies and dropping them...not often though.
I think we should let someone else weigh in on this one. God Bless you for keeping this little one going...:thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

[JLM27]

She may just have had too many babies. She's a real cutie pie by the way. Is it possible there is something wrong with Frank that would not let him survive in the wild? Something that has not become apparent yet? The squirrel mother mercifully gts rid of a defective baby quickly as the most "humane" thing she can do about it. Putting out some fresh water for her daily would probably be helpful.

[Nancy in New York]

ANY NEWS ABOUT LITTLE FRANK?:Love_Icon

[4skwerlz]

Sounds like mama knew she couldn't raise so many....

I do think extra food/supplements couldn't hurt. If you have rodent blocks or HHBs, definitely try putting some out. Nursing moms need extra protein. You could also provide a plain calcium pill for her to nibble on. Their instincts will usually tell them what they need nutritionally.