jennifer57
03-09-2011, 01:15 PM
Hello! First and foremost, I'd like to say thank you to this forum. I found it after reading a million websites claiming that I am incapable of raising a baby squirrel.
Anyhoo, my name is Jennifer, and I am a stay at home mother of two. I have 3 dogs, a cat and now a baby grey squirrel.
His story - Sunday morning after church a friend came up to me asking questions about this baby squirrel. He eventually led into, "we were just kind of hoping you'd take it. We talked to you husband and he said you would." The big shocker is that it was my hubby's idea! So, they brought the squirrel to me that evening. They said three babies fell out of the nest (no clue as to why/how) and the momma came back and took 2 of them, but wouldn't take this one. Ants were crawling on him and the hawks were circling, so they brought him in. They gave me the squirrel and a can of Esbilac liquid puppy formula.
I think he is about 6 weeks old. Sunday/Monday he just slept and ate. He crawled around a little bit when I gave him the opportunity. He ate well once he (and I!) figured it out and had to be stimulated to potty. Yesterday, he started wobbly walking and peeing and pooping by himself. He is also crawling out of his little nest (made of hand towels for now) to potty away from his sleeping area (he's in a large cat/small dog plastic crate). His poo was excellent, it's now a little bit runny, but I think I over fed him yesterday.
I've bought the esbilac puppy powder (oh, I forgot to mention earlier, I'm feeding him from a small syringe with a nipple on the end), some rat food blocks, some chew sticks, and a little mineral block thing. Yesterday he started showing interest in chewing on stuff, as well. He can't quite sit up without falling over, but he's trying.
We haven't decided what we're going to do with him. We keep hearing that males tend to get aggressive as they get older, and we don't want that. We will probably release him, and are raising him like that. He's kept away from the other animals and the kids. Most of his contact is with me, a little with my hubby. I'm trying to find a cage for him, and planning to build one if that doesn't work. I know he's going to need more room and space to climb soon.
Anyhow, that's it in a very large nutshell, lol. Glad to find a place where I'll be able to ask questions without getting slammed for not taking him straight to a rehabber!
~Jenn
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t281/smash_57/Squirrel/DSCN4768.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t281/smash_57/Squirrel/DSCN4776.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t281/smash_57/Squirrel/DSCN4773.jpg
Anyhoo, my name is Jennifer, and I am a stay at home mother of two. I have 3 dogs, a cat and now a baby grey squirrel.
His story - Sunday morning after church a friend came up to me asking questions about this baby squirrel. He eventually led into, "we were just kind of hoping you'd take it. We talked to you husband and he said you would." The big shocker is that it was my hubby's idea! So, they brought the squirrel to me that evening. They said three babies fell out of the nest (no clue as to why/how) and the momma came back and took 2 of them, but wouldn't take this one. Ants were crawling on him and the hawks were circling, so they brought him in. They gave me the squirrel and a can of Esbilac liquid puppy formula.
I think he is about 6 weeks old. Sunday/Monday he just slept and ate. He crawled around a little bit when I gave him the opportunity. He ate well once he (and I!) figured it out and had to be stimulated to potty. Yesterday, he started wobbly walking and peeing and pooping by himself. He is also crawling out of his little nest (made of hand towels for now) to potty away from his sleeping area (he's in a large cat/small dog plastic crate). His poo was excellent, it's now a little bit runny, but I think I over fed him yesterday.
I've bought the esbilac puppy powder (oh, I forgot to mention earlier, I'm feeding him from a small syringe with a nipple on the end), some rat food blocks, some chew sticks, and a little mineral block thing. Yesterday he started showing interest in chewing on stuff, as well. He can't quite sit up without falling over, but he's trying.
We haven't decided what we're going to do with him. We keep hearing that males tend to get aggressive as they get older, and we don't want that. We will probably release him, and are raising him like that. He's kept away from the other animals and the kids. Most of his contact is with me, a little with my hubby. I'm trying to find a cage for him, and planning to build one if that doesn't work. I know he's going to need more room and space to climb soon.
Anyhow, that's it in a very large nutshell, lol. Glad to find a place where I'll be able to ask questions without getting slammed for not taking him straight to a rehabber!
~Jenn
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t281/smash_57/Squirrel/DSCN4768.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t281/smash_57/Squirrel/DSCN4776.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t281/smash_57/Squirrel/DSCN4773.jpg