Help ! Three week old baby squirrel !!

[tiffanyjcraven]

I was called by a friend today asking if I wanted to rescue a baby squirrel today and of course I'm not going to say no, but her boyfriend is a contruction worker and they were cutting limbs and watched this little guy hit the ground, no other babies were found but nest was destroyed. I got him about 5 or so this afternoon and he refuses to eat, we werent able to get him pedilyte but we made a home remedy of 2 cups of water + tablespoon of sugar + 1/2 teaspoon salt. We have a medicine dropper and we've tried giving him a drop and he just jerks back and refuses it, same with milk. He is dehydrated his skin goes down a little when I pinch it but stays until I smooth it out. I have tried stimulating him and he has done nothing, we've had him for 5 hours now and we haven't got him to do anything but move around once we got him warm. He is bruised on his right side and has a swolen eye, he definatly hit on his right side after falling out of the pine tree. I'm not sure if he had dried blood around his mouth when I first got him but there was red stuff on his face, he also had oil and clay and dirt on him as well due to the construction site and that they kept him in a hard hat till I got there. PLEASE HELP !!

[Milo's Mom]

This thread will assist you in dealing with the first few hours of finding an injured or orphaned baby squirrel. In most cases we would urge you to find a qualified wildlife rehabilitator ASAP, but please follow these guidelines to stabilize and keep the squirrel safe:

Emergency Care for Baby Squirrels

Don’ts
Don’t try to feed the squirrel.
Don’t handle him more than you have to.
No loud voices, TV, music, or bright lights.
No children or pets in the same room!

1. Warm the Baby (never feed a cold squirrel!)
Quick Methods:
-Cup the baby in your hands or under your shirt next to your skin.
-Fill a plastic bottle with very warm water. Wrap in a cloth, place next to baby, and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.
-“Rice Buddy”: Fill a sock with 1 cup of rice or dried beans and microwave for 30 seconds. Place next to baby and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.

2. [b] Find a Box or Container[b]
A shoebox will do for small babies. A baby that can walk will need a larger box with a lid (with holes). Put a clean baby blanket, flannel shirt, or piece of fleece in the bottom of the box. No towels or terrycloth. Squirrels can get tangled in the loops. Place baby on the material and cover him with one flap. If you have a heating pad, turn it on low and place it under half of the box (not IN the box!) so baby can move away if he gets too warm. You can use the plastic bottle or rice buddy described above, but these are only temporary methods until you get a heating pad, since they must be reheated every 2 hours and won't keep baby warm all night.
NOTE: Monitor his temperature so he doesn’t chill or overheat. His feet should feel warm to the touch.

Note: If the baby is injured, is having trouble breathing, has fly eggs on his fur, or is very skinny or dehydrated, he needs emergency care by an experienced rehabber or vet.

3. Rehydrate the Baby

Most babies are dehydrated when you find them and must be rehydrated before you can feed them. Never feed formula or food of any kind to a dehydrated baby!

How to Check for Dehydration
Pinch the skin on the back of his neck. If it doesn’t spring back immediately, the baby is dehydrated. If the pinched skin stays up like a tent for more than a second, the baby is badly dehydrated. Other signs of dehydration: pale grayish gums, dry mouth, sunken eyes, whites around eyes showing, rough spiky fur, dry scaly skin.
NOTE: If baby is badly dehydrated, he will need subcutaneous fluids, which can only be given by a rehabber or vet.

[b] Supplies You Will Need: [b]
--Pedialyte (any flavor)*
--Plastic syringes (1 cc size; no needles. Ask the pharmacist to get these for you) An eyedropper can also work.
These are available at most drugstores.

*If you can’t find Pedialyte at the store, here is a recipe for homemade Pedialyte:

1 tsp salt (teaspoon)
3 Tbsp sugar (tablespoon)
1 quart warm water
Mix all ingredients in warm water. Store in refrigerator.

How to Prepare the Pedialyte
Use a plastic syringe (with or without a nipple). Never use pet nursers or doll bottles. They will choke the baby. Fill a coffee mug with hot water. Fill the syringe with Pedialyte and place it in the mug for a couple of minutes. Squirt a drop on the inside of your wrist to make sure the liquid isn’t too hot. It should feel barely warm on your skin.

Proper Position
A tiny baby should be held upright in your hand. A baby with fur can lie on a flat surface on his stomach. A baby that can walk can be held upright or he can drink sitting up. Hold the syringe so the tip points UP to the baby’s mouth and the handle is down. Don’t let the baby get cold. Keep him wrapped up while he eats.

How to Feed Fluids
Place the syringe tip on the baby’s lips (from the side) and squeeze out one drop for him to taste. Don’t squirt a steady stream. Let him swallow one drop before squeezing more. GO SLOW! It sometimes takes a feeding or two for them to catch on. Hairless babies are fed drop by drop. With older babies (once they catch on) you can squeeze slowly for one second, wait for him to swallow, then squeeze more.

If fluids dribble out his mouth or come out his nose, you are going too fast. Stop and tilt the baby’s head down so the fluid drains out (support his head and neck like you would a human baby). Then wipe his nose and mouth with a tissue. Start over, slower. NOTE: There is now a chance your baby will develop aspiration pneumonia from inhaling fluid in his lungs. This is fatal. Please contact a rehabber or vet, or the people at The Squirrel Board, for assistance.

[Milo's Mom]

What county/city are you in?
We have members and known trusted rehabbers in your state and they might be able to help you if you are close enough to one another.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

oh my poor baby......Thank you for taking him in.
How old is he?? eyes open??closed?? fur??
Keep pushing the hydration, make sure it is warm, you have a heating pad under his cage?, small plastic container is fine to start, small,dark, warm and quite is what he needs right now.
can you post a picutre ?? if not send it to me I will post for you
elgara53@cfl.rr.com

[tiffanyjcraven]

I am located in Camden County.

[pappy1264]

Do you have a weight on him? Can you get a digital scale to get a weight? If not, pics so we can guestimate on his weight? I am sure he is hurting, scared and possibly a bit shocky, too. Can you get some infant ibuprofen? Will need a weight for dosing. Are his eyes opened? Hopefully someone is close by that can help. Have you ever raised a squirrel before? Do you have him half on a heating pad (make sure it does not have auto shut off), under half his enclosure (plastic is much better then cardboard, cardboard is very dehydrating).

[tiffanyjcraven]

I do have a picture !!!
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=330893653671041&set=a.299236013503472.70630.100002512268191&type=1&theater

&

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=330885997005140&set=a.299236013503472.70630.100002512268191&type=1&theater
^^^his bruised eye !!

[tiffanyjcraven]

The images wont come through, if you email me at tcrav2012@aol.com I can email you an image I have several

[tiffanyjcraven]

I think he is right at 3 weeks maybe younger, eyes and ears are closed. He's not pink anymore, hes got a brown/grey color to him.

[tiffanyjcraven]

^^ thats not him ?

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

ok sorry .helping too many people at the same time

[tiffanyjcraven]

Haha, yes that is him (: any suggestions ? you can see his bruised eye really well in that one picture andhis front leg has a red spot along with the back leg is bruised. Right now I have him in a box with a heat lamp and the towel is over him, he is warm to the touch and seems to just want to sleep, wont open his mouth to eat and refuses to eat the home made pedialyte or puppy milk I have,

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

OK heat lamp is not good, can burn, if you don't have a heating pad , please get a small sock and put some uncooked rice in it and warm it in the micro wave, Warm Not Hot , mix it around so warmth is even and put it in with the baby, he looks about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks.
You will need a syringe and small nipple to get the hydration into him, do you have one?? you might be able to get one at the drug store, tell them it is for a kitten.

[tiffanyjcraven]

okay, i have a heating pad & I have a medicine thing for babies. I plan on getting a syringe tomorrow first thing and some pedilyte, all they have is grape and mixed fruit. wasn't sure if I could give that to him so I didnt buy it but I'm going to tomorrow.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Please take the towel out, their little nails get caught and could hurt him, if you have any fleece that is best but a t-shirt will do also, he needs a place to cuddle up and hide, warm, dark quite is what he needs, Keep trying to push those fluids he needs them, also if you have a plastic container, it will help him to not dry up like a paper box will.
Take a deep breath..you are doing great.
Can we try to find someone on here in your area to take him??
Sounds like he needs little more help.

[tiffanyjcraven]

He is on a heating pad with a cloth under him set on low.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

okay, i have a heating pad & I have a medicine thing for babies. I plan on getting a syringe tomorrow first thing and some pedilyte, all they have is grape and mixed fruit. wasn't sure if I could give that to him so I didnt buy it but I'm going to tomorrow.
what are you giving him now??
hydration formula you can make yourself
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 quart water

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Not too many rehabbers down there. You can try Doris Davis - 912-614-0080. She's in Pierce County. You are so close to Jax, that you may do better there.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

ok great , put the heating pad under the box, and under only half so he can move off it it he needs to. Keep it on low...is it one that doesn't shut off??
You are awesome..:thumbsup

[tiffanyjcraven]

we have 2 cups water + 1/2 teaspoon sat + 1 teaspoon sugar

[tiffanyjcraven]

& it does but I'm keeping an eye on it . My mom just told me it shuts off after awhile

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

ok well just keep it on the lowest setting. By tomorrow you will need to start giving him some food, can you get goats milk??

3 parts goat’s milk
1 part heavy whipping cream*
1 part vanilla yogurt

hydration is only for 24 hours, they need FOOD !!!:D you can start with that. after you mix it, cut it with water ( 1/goats milk to 3 parts water)

[tiffanyjcraven]

I can try to get goats milk, I have the walmart powdered puppy milk as of now. I'm not sure where to get goats milk, any suggestions.

[crazy4squirrels]

Publix, not Winn Dixie and Walmart will some times have it. At Publix it is in a purple & white milk box.

[tiffanyjcraven]

what about stimulating him? he just wont do anything.

[blessedbeingmom]

Publix, not Winn Dixie and Walmart will some times have it. At Publix it is in a purple & white milk box.

I was able to find goat's milk at Winn-Dixie in the canned variety by the evaporated milk on the baking aisle. It is in concentrated form so water needs to be added according to the directions on the can. We then froze it into ice cubes so we could only thaw out what we needed at a time (so it would last longer). However, we only did this for a few days or so until we got our Fox Valley formula through the mail.

On the goat's milk from the can, it is only good for a certain amount of time after mixing, which is why we froze what we did not immediately use, to extend it's shelf-life.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Some use a q-tip with warm water , I used a tissue and just barely tickled their little privets , worked like a charm.

[tiffanyjcraven]

I'm using a cotton ball and just moving in cirlces at his genitals for probably 3 minutes at a time and nothing ):

[tiffanyjcraven]

Still hasn't urinated, pooped plenty, started out hard and brown now is turning yellow and more stringy.