need help with very small baby raccoon

[squirrelfriend]

I just found a very small baby raccoon at the park. He is ice cold. He is barely concious. Is there any one on here that is in the Toronto vacinity that takes raccoons?

[djarenspace9]

Until you find help for the little one...
work on warming him up slowly and limit handling
(plus wash your hands well or use gloves).

Use the same guidlines as for a baby squirrel
(quiet container or carrier with fleece or other soft bedding, heating pad or other heat source).

No feeding anything until the body temp is up to a normal range.
Rehydrate first (pedialyte or homemade rehydration fluid).
Raccoons are usually fed kitten replacement formula (not puppy like squirrels).
But I believe that in a jam, if all you have is puppy or squirrel milk it would suffice temporarily.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

[squirrelfriend]

Yes, I am warming him. I have not fed him. I Have taken photos so that you can see how small he is. If anybody on here rehabs these things and can take him please let me know. I do not have the facilities for these guys.

[virgo062]

Oh he is very tiny:grouphug His eyes look a little cloudy...Someone will be on soon to help:grouphug Thank you for picking that baby up:grouphug

[squirrelfriend]

yes, I thought that they looked cloudy too. I don't know if he can see or not.

[djarenspace9]

Poor little one...
Have you searched the rehabber listings in your area to see who rehabs raccoons?
That's a good place to start just in case there isn't a nearby TSB member to assist.

[squirrelfriend]

He has perked up a little bit. He is getting vocal.

[squirrelfriend]

I am trying to get a hold of a friend of mine that volunteers at Toronto wild life. Last time I had three of these they were full and said that they could only put them down. I want to make sure that does not happen.

[momma2boo]

Someone will be here soon with help. I have alerted administration.

[squirrelfriend]

thanks!

[BeeFernandez22]

Ohhh look at his wittle face :) Sending lots of prayers your way :grouphug :Love_Icon

[Anne]

Until you find help for the little one...
work on warming him up slowly and limit handling
(plus wash your hands well or use gloves).

Use the same guidlines as for a baby squirrel
(quiet container or carrier with fleece or other soft bedding, heating pad or other heat source).

No feeding anything until the body temp is up to a normal range.
Rehydrate first (pedialyte or homemade rehydration fluid).
Raccoons are usually fed kitten replacement formula (not puppy like squirrels).
But I believe that in a jam, if all you have is puppy or squirrel milk it would suffice temporarily.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

This is excellent advice and I can't help beyond that. I wish I wasn't in Florida-I would love to take him. If possible to get goat's milk that formula will be good for him. I use Nick's Fox Valley for raccoons, but have used goat's milk waiting for the FV to come in.
Hope someone closer to you can soon help you out with the little one.

[JLM27]

Be VERY careful handling him or his bedding. Raccoons not only carry rabies but they also carry a type of roundworm that you can breathe up from dust around him (comes I guess from dried feces) into your nose and sinuses that can take hold, penetrate your brain, and kill you. Wear gloves and a face mask and wash his stuff separately until you know he is safe. If you don't take my word for it, please look up a protocol for handling wild raccoons on the Internet. I'm NOT saying don'tt take care of him and love him, I'm saying be cautious and know what wildlife handlers know.

[dmgualtieri]

I know a couple rehabber in Canada...not sure where they are in relation to you but if not close they may have a better list of who is!
Carol Clark, 519-868-1937 anotherchance4u@hotmail.com
Donna Attridge, 519-842-6749
and Laurel Beechey, 519-842-9416 lbeechey@amtelecom.net

Esbilac replacer is fine for coonies as well....after proper rehydration protocol....

[squirrelfriend]

yes, thank you. I know all obout the roundworm and rabies. thanks for your concern for me.:Love_Icon

[squirrelfriend]

I called Carol Clark and left a message. I think she may have been the one I had sent my last ones to. she came with glowing reviews. no answer yet. I just called Toronto wildlife and left a message. they don't open until 9:00 am. he is crying likecrazy now. won't eat. I don't know what to do. very squirmy! help! what do I do?

[Anne]

Just keep him warm and talk to him to reassure him. Holding him where he can hear your heart beat and breathing may help. Patience. You may need a soft baby bottle so you can squeeze some formula into his mouth. May have to make a larger opening in the nipple too. Momma coon has different anatomy and getting them started on a bottle and nipple can be frustrating. You might just use a syringe to keep his hydration up, stimulate him to pee and poop. I am sure you know all these things, just feel better mentioning them.
You two are in my prayers. Hope you get help soon.

[gs1]

:grouphug

[squirrelfriend]

Thank you for your response Anne. Thank you too GS1 for trying to find me help.

I have been keeping him warm. He won't eat or drink. I keep squeezing the bottle into his mouth so that a few drops will go in. At least he is hydrated. I have been peeing and pooing him too. So far I am very dissapointed in Toronto Wildlife. I was hoping to take him first thing this morning. I hate just waiting not knowing if I am waiting for nothing. I called them at 6:00 am and then again at 10:30am. No calls back as of yet.

[gs1]

:grouphug as far as i know toronto wildlife doesn't take any wildlife past a certain distance from them.... meaning ... you're too far for them to take him....

:grouphug

[dmgualtieri]

Are you trying formula with him now? If it is rehydrated enough, start some formula (add some benebac if you have some). Coonies can be difficult if they don't like the tast of it either. In those instances, as long as it is rehydrated enough! (and has pooped and peed-indicating the gut hasn't shut down), I find that starting with 50% formula to fluids helps make it more palatable and they are more willing to take it.

Not knowing what happened to him or if there are any other underlying illnesses, injuries or issues....it's just a matter of keeping him warm, rehydrated then fed. How emaciated was he when he came in? (If just skin and bones there is more to introducing food than rehydrating and slowly starting formula and should be done by someone who has deatl with re-feeding syndrome before.) Have you ever tube fed? Getting them to take a baby bottle is quite frustrating but once you do it's easy as pie...sometimes you just have to force them....literally put the nipple in the mouth then hold the mouth shut on the nipple, (ringing the mouth-I'll try to attache a picture of it) of course all the while trying to hold a squirming body and head in place.....something you really need 4 hands for!

I'm sorry I'm not close enough to take him myself and wish I could do more to help.....I know how stressful and frustrating it is! I will try again to get someone to answer somewhere up there and help out!!


P.S. how far are you from toronto wildife? Maybe if you showed up at the door....happened to just find the little guy a few neighborhoods over......

[squirrelfriend]

I am soooooo frustrated right now! I am fighting tears right now. He looks like the one in that photo. HE is about that size. I sort of know how to tube feed but have never done it. It is a bit scary. What if it goes down the wrong way and drowns him?

Donna on that list is very nice but is very far. Toronto Wildlife still hasn't called back. I am really starting to hate them.

[gs1]

:grouphug ok ... just a wild and impractical idea......what about just making the formula more like paste and forcing that in his mouth to avoid drowning him??? maybe putting it in babyfood apple or something....

how far is donna ...is she willing to take him? can she meet you half way.....

i hate that wildlife center too.....:grouphug

:grouphug

[jo_schmoe]

Be VERY careful handling him or his bedding. Raccoons not only carry rabies but they also carry a type of roundworm that you can breathe up from dust around him (comes I guess from dried feces) into your nose and sinuses that can take hold, penetrate your brain, and kill you. Wear gloves and a face mask and wash his stuff separately until you know he is safe. If you don't take my word for it, please look up a protocol for handling wild raccoons on the Internet. I'm NOT saying don'tt take care of him and love him, I'm saying be cautious and know what wildlife handlers know.
:goodpost :goodpost :goodpost
I have rehabbed raccoons before. What JML said is very very true. I actually burned all the bedding so as not to come in contact with the worm. Most raccoons have this worm so dont think that this guy is any different. They do pretty well on KMR...but I know Nick makes an FV for raccoons. Just like a squirrel....warm and fed. Dont be surprised if one minute he looks horrible and the next he is up and full of energy. Coons are pretty tough. His eyes do look cloudy....could be from simple dehydration. CHeck his teeth and see if the back molars have come in...good way to age it.

[jo_schmoe]

Also, they do very well with a regular baby bottle. They love to be cuddled and fed. Would be in your best interest to get him wormed right away.

[djarenspace9]

I agree on the (human) baby bottles. Get one in soft plastic (so you can give it a squeeze). Even if it's squirt by squirt, if you can get it in there it will help.

Also rubbing something tasty on the nipple helps....honey is a good one, just a bit to give it a yummy taste.

Or you can do it like you would liquid meds on a cat, squeeze it into the side of the mouth towards the back. Small squirts so he doesn't choke, but can swallow.

Once he gets the hang of it - smooth sailing. Until then just do your best to get it in there somehow.

Ringing the mouth helps a lot and even scruffing him a bit (holding the skin on the back of the neck like mom racoon would to get his attention).

[squirrelfriend]

I went and bought a human baby bottle. So far still not much luck. I switched himover to the KMR instead of the FV. He seems to like it slightly more.

I pulled a tick off of him. Yesterday I thought it was a skin tag because it didn't seem to come off. Today I noticed that it was bigger. I took tweezers and pulled it off. Sure enough it was a tick. My first experience with one of those.

By the way, no molars.

[squirrelfriend]

How do I get him wormed?

His eyes are no longer cloudy.

[squirrelfriend]

YES!!!!!!!


I finally got him to eat! The little bugger is not making it easy on me though. It turns out that I have to scratch his bum, hold his head and ballance the bottle on the side of my neck to do so but I finally got him to eat. At least now I can rest for a little while. He crashed right after he ate and was out cold. I have never had a critter give me so much problems in getting them to eat. Now I just need to find someone to take him. No luck there as of yet.

[djarenspace9]

:multi :bowdown :crazy :alright.gif :rotfl :wave123 :flash3 :wahoo

[gs1]

It turns out that I have to scratch his bum, hold his head and ballance the bottle on the side of my neck to do so but I finally got him to eat.
:D (what no hokey pokey dance?):D

i'm so glad!!! congratulations!!!

:fireworks:fireworks:fireworks


How did you ever figure it out?!!! mamma raccoon would have just swatted him one....:D :thumbsup

[Mrs Skul]

:wave123 Hi SquirrelFriend
The cloudy eye is a sine of just opening. If you were able to rehydrate him with the syringe. Then keep doing that with the formula. Once he gets the taste for it and realizes it fills his tummy you will be in good shape. PLEASE DON'T TUBE FEED HIM!!! Little by little he will come around. Do you have Revolution? Put some on him.That will take care of some of the parasites. You also can bath him if needed. (There will be a lot of screaming!) :D
If you show up at the WildLife Center and say.<>
""You were diving down the road and seen this baby coon in the ditch! Make sure it will be close to the Center. They might take him!"":D
I would hope they would. Sneaky Sneaky Sneaky! :rotfl
Good luck with little Coony Wish I was closer. :Love_Icon

edit
I guess I type to slow. :rotfl
Congratulations! :alright.gif

[jo_schmoe]

We used Panacur....at a dose of .1cc per pound of his weight. I found a site that should provide you some help in dealing with his feces. It is VERY VERY important that you wear gloves and bleach anything that came in contact with the feces.
I am so glad to hear he is eating. He is well on the road to becoming a regular ole coonie!!!
I do live very close to Canada( upper North Dakota)....but not so close to Ontario. Im about an hour from Manitoba. I would love to take him....but trying to get a coon across a border could prove to be quite hard.
http://www.raccoonworld.com/raccoonroundworm.html
Here's a pic of our little Oliver sleeping next to my son. He ran away from his home ( another underground rehabber) and straight to me!! Lucky little guy. We did return him so as to winter with his brood. He did very very well and was released last fall. He still comes back from time to time to dine on the dog food left over when the dogs are put in their beds. LOL. He knows who we are....but doesn't try and approach us. Just kinda gives us some props for helping him out.
Oh....if you REALLY wanna be his best friend....when he is older...give him a hard boiled egg, shell and all. You will be the sparkle in his eye I promise!! Also when he does get older...have a pan of water available for him to "wash" his food in. They don't really wash their food.....they have very poor eyesight and they use the water too "feel"what they are eating. You will notice later on that he will start to feel your face....its quite adorable and coonie hands are soooo warm. I just love them. :Love_Icon

[jo_schmoe]

Oh...and here's a good chart so you can age him. Scratch his liitle bum for me. WHat a cutie!!
http://www.doryandtheorphans.com/aging.htm

[dmgualtieri]

YES!!!!!!!


. It turns out that I have to scratch his bum, hold his head and ballance the bottle on the side of my neck to do so but I finally got him to eat. .


:wahoo I told you you would need 4 hands! Great job......eventually he'll get the hang of it and only 2 hand will be necessary! You can use Pyrantel paomate to worm him (but hopefully you won't have him long enough)...inexpensive and very safe...I can give you a dose depending on what strength you end up with.....and his weight. Just use proper hygene and you'll be all set with the roudworm. You have to injest the eggs or rub your eyes/face with contaminated hands. Throw away whatever bedding you use for him. For it to become airborn the feces has to have been sitting long enough to totally dry out and become dust, then when you start sweeping it up or cleaning it up it gets stirred up and floats around in the air.....that won't happen in this case.

I'm disappointed in Tornonto wildlife! Again I can only wonder what if you show up at their door because you just happened to find him by the road right around the corner.......:icon_devil (atlhough I am not familiar enought to know if they would just euthanize him or not......)

[gs1]

:thumbsup thanks dm!!!

ps: love your blog.... the laughing raccoon ....so cute..... and you do squirrels too ..... i always thought you were just raccoons....:D :thumbsup


ps: wildlife center probably would euthanize.... just a feeling i'm getting about them.... never liked them much .... i bet if i called them about an injured hawk or eagle or whatever animal they think 'worthy' i'd get a call back right away.....

i think they're the wildlife center for whatever animal is deemed highly worthy and if you happen to be close by ... i've also heard that they euthanize squirrels if they feel they've been been imprinted on humans - even if for a couple of days ... their volunteers have to feed the baby squirrels without letting them see them .... (i guess being all covered up - i should have asked him to explain.)

[gs1]

Here's a pic of our little Oliver sleeping next to my son. :Love_Icon


Jo that's the cutest picture ever.... i want a baby raccoon that sleeps on his back with his little tummy in the air like that .... omg.....:thumbsup :D

[squirrelfriend]

Well, I can get him to eat on a regular schedule now. Still need to scratch his bum to get him to eat though. He doesn't want to make it too easy for me.:D

Getting him across the border would be impossible due to him being a rabies vector species. Even a squirrel would be impoosible.

I am still begging anybody who has experience and is able to take care of him to take him. I do not have the facilities to take care of him once he is bigger.

I do have Revolution. Does that take care of the round worm?

[astra]

Well, I can get him to eat on a regular schedule now. Still need to scratch his bum to get him to eat though. He doesn't want to make it too easy for me.:D

Getting him across the border would be impossible due to him being a rabies vector species. Even a squirrel would be impoosible.

I am still begging anybody who has experience and is able to take care of him to take him. I do not have the facilities to take care of him once he is bigger.

I do have Revolution. Does that take care of the round worm?
Hi SF,

This must be a very interesting experience, right?... ;-)
This is what I found about Revolution:
Revolution controls adult fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, heartworm, ear mites and sarcoptic mites in dogs, and controls adult fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, heartworm, ear mites, hookworm and roundworm in cats with a simple, once-a-month application to the back of the neck. Available in either 3-packs or 6-packs, with a size to suit any pet.Looks like it takes care of it in cats, but not in dogs. Which category will raccoons belong to?

[squirrelfriend]

Couldn't tell you which catagory it goes under. I'll give him the Revolution. How is your little boy?

[squirrelfriend]

Here are some more photos of him that my husband took yesterday. Just thought I would share them. Any takers?:D

[djarenspace9]

Precious baby! Looks much better thanks to your loving touch. :thumbsup

Maybe try posting with a specific title (Need racoon rehabber in Toronto area)....
hopefully somebody on TSB knows somebody to refer...
I find sometimes threads get lost or the title does not grab the attention of the right folks.

[astra]

Here are some more photos of him that my husband took yesterday. Just thought I would share them. Any takers?:D
smth tells me he will have to pass his childhood and part of his youth with you.:D
As far as I know, we have more fingers than needed to count all Canadian members here, esp. those in ON.

[dmgualtieri]

Wow...looks like a different coonie thanks to your help....kudos!! :thumbsup Would go perfect with 7 of mine....too bad we couldn't sneak him over the boarder. I did get an email from Carol and apparently Canada has some type of crazy rule where you can't take an animal that is a certain distance away?!:skwredup I think she said she gave you some numbers that might be in your area? Hopefully that works out! I thought we had some frustrating rules in MA, but sounds like Canada is worse.......

[squirrelfriend]

Yeah, they do that to prevent the spread of disease. It turns out that Toronto Wildlife was not taking my call because I said I was in Mississauga. I have to call them back. I may be in Mississauga but he was found on the other side of the border. I don't know if I want to take him to them though. I am not too impressed with them. I want to take him to somewhere that will take care of him well and not have him put down.

He does look and act a 100 times better than when I got him. The first pics were after I had already bathed him and warmed him most of the way. You should have seen him before that. He didn't move, was a little stiff and dehydrated. He only gave the odd weak gasp, no sound and once in a while he would very slowly move his back legs. I really didn't think that he was going to make it for the ride home from the park. It is only a 5 minute ride too.

[squirrelfriend]

Wow...looks like a different coonie thanks to your help....kudos!! :thumbsup Would go perfect with 7 of mine....too bad we couldn't sneak him over the boarder. I did get an email from Carol and apparently Canada has some type of crazy rule where you can't take an animal that is a certain distance away?!:skwredup I think she said she gave you some numbers that might be in your area? Hopefully that works out! I thought we had some frustrating rules in MA, but sounds like Canada is worse.......

I sure wish thre was a way to get him to you. You would be the perfect type to take him. I would feel very confident giving him to you. He needs other racoons to play and snuggle with. He is lonely and squawks a lot.

[Anne]

You have done a wonderful job with the little tyke, he looks a hundred times better!:thumbsup He looks to be about the same size as my smallish one here, how I wish we could get him to Florida.:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug I hope that things go well for you both and that he finds a caring loving home.

[gs1]

he looks amazing.....:thumbsup

[asweetdiversion]

You have done an amazing job and I am so proud of you for turning his little life around, pat yourselves on the back and I do hope you can find someone to take him. If I live closer to you I would. Take Care.

[gs1]

no calls yet???:grouphug i pray someone can take him asap ...he's come so far!!! :grouphug

[Busysqrl]

Oh my, he is a little doll! You've done amazing with him :thumbsup I just found this thread today and was holding my breath until you posted you were able to get him to eat. Wow, who woulda thunk a baby raccoon would be so hard to get to eat? I sure hope you're able to find someone to take him. That border thing is a real pain in the A#@. Good luck with your baby and give him a snuggle for me :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

[dmgualtieri]

Hey squirrel friend....did you ever find a place for your little coonie? How goes it with him?

[gs1]

Hey squirrel friend....did you ever find a place for your little coonie? How goes it with him?


i think she is still looking/hoping....

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28353