New to all of this and I'm losing them!!!

[aprilisfine]

Yesterday afternoon my daughter heard then saw a baby squirrel fall from it's nest from the eave of our home which is about 2 1/2 stories high. Then another fell. The mother was near us, we gave her, her space and she managed to bring one back up. Then I found the third. While tending to him the one that was brought up fell again. My heart broke! I brought them in, since then we found two others, five in all.

I have been reading and re-reading all the info I can. They were dehydrated and very very cold...I had them a heating pad all night with an automatic shut-off. I've been feeding them pedialyte. One died yesterday afternoon shortly after it was found, at 2 am this morning another passed and one was dying. This morning another one died. There is now only one survivor. I'ts really horrible not knowing what I'm doing or not doing....PLEASE HELP ME!

[island rehabber]

OK april I'm going to move this thread to Emergency Life Threatening so you get more responses. BUT...first of all don't blame yourself for the quick deaths of those babies -- it was most likely head trauma from the falls they took that killed them, not you. There was nothing you could have done to prevent that.

With the little one you have, warmth and hydration are the most important things right now and you've got that right already. The heating pad that shuts off is a problem because you want them to STAY WARM. If you have a CVS or Walgreen's near you they usually have very inexpensive NON-shut off heating pads. Would you like us to find a qualified rehabber for you? What part of Canada are you in?

EDIT: sorry I realize you may not have those stores in Canada....dumb me.

[Rianna]

Hang in there, I posted a thread in the Emergency section so someone with lots of knowledge can help!!!! :grouphug

[Rianna]

Thanks IR...you beat me to it!! :)

[SquirrellyMom]

How long have they been on pedialyte? Have you tried a pinch test? I recommend going to henryspets.com and ordering syringes fv formula and nipples. Until that arrives go tio the store and get goats milk vanilla yogurt and heavy cream. Mix 1 cup goat milk 1/3 cup yogurt and 1/3 cup cream. This is Jackie's recipe and is wonderful til your syringes arrive go tio your pharmacy and ask for 1cc syringes. NEVER feed with a murder bottle. Keep therm warm and hydrated though is most important!

[aprilisfine]

I'm right near Montreal, Quebec...we do have Walmart's I'll check with them for another heating pad...He/She has just been fed again and has sipped about 1 1/2 cc. I think it might be about 3 weeks old...I've been trying to get it to pee and poop but I'ts not working.

[aprilisfine]

I got them the syringe and pedialyte and started them on it last night at about 5 PM

[island rehabber]

1 - 1.5cc is good! :thumbsup Don't expect pee or poop until the baby is more hydrated.

[aprilisfine]

Thank you all for this amazing Squirrel Board. I'd be really lost without you...off to feed the baby again...Thanks so much!!!!!

[MsOakley]

You need to figure out what formula you're going to use as the baby will not do well on pedialyte alone for too long.

[UDoWhat]

Do you have any idea how old these babies are/were. Eyes closed? Eyes open? Fur/ no fur? If eyes closed, you will need to stimulate this baby to pee. It can not go on it's own. You will need to rub it's pee pee place gently with a soft cloth or tissue. It may take a few minitues to start a urine flow. Even if eyes open, you may need to do this to be sure it is peeing. If it is dehydrated it will take a few hours before it will produce urine or poo.

Marty, Licensed Maryland Master Wildlife Rehabilitator