Possible pregnant squirrel

[Buster711]

There's a squirrel I've been feeding on the balcony of my apartment for the past few months. I recently realized the squirrel was a girl when I noticed nipples just a few days ago. Today, it looked like the nipples were a little bigger. She doesn't look fatter though, doesn't look any bigger than how she's always looked. Are the nipples a sign of pregnancy or do they always have them?

[Rhapsody]

All squirrels have nipples, but a pregnant or nursing females nipples will be more visible to the eye.


Nursing:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e116/Rhapsody_1/squ3_zps06c04ffd.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/Rhapsody_1/media/squ3_zps06c04ffd.jpg.html)

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e116/Rhapsody_1/pregnant_zps01a088f1.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/Rhapsody_1/media/pregnant_zps01a088f1.jpg.html)


Pregnant:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e116/Rhapsody_1/PregoSqu031311.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/Rhapsody_1/media/PregoSqu031311.jpg.html)

[farrelli]

Yes, if the nipples are pretty visible, she's probably pregnant or has kids. Perhaps you can provide some healthy nuts and vegetables for her, perhaps try out some quality rodent blocks, and maybe provide some calcium supplements (no vitamin D) like a human one, or some cuttle bone or deer antler, maybe even some ground up egg shells. Mommas can really get calcium depleted.

[California Squirrel Lover]

Hey, that's interesting about mama's can get calcium depleted, I never even really thought of that. I have a wild nursing mama, I've known her since she was a baby herself. She's been eating up all the avacado lately.

[farrelli]

Apparently they can die from it with a big litter. :(

[farrelli]

Oh, and I forgot water. Definitely water. All the wildlife will appreciate it. Water's harder to get than you might imagine in most spots.

[Buster711]

Thanks! It's possible I just hadn't noticed the nipples before and it's all in my head that they're getting bigger, I'll keep an eye on her.

I give her nuts, crackers, and bread pretty regularly. I'll put out some water too.

If she is pregnant, is it possible she'd have the babies on my porch? Or would she go with a tree or something? Wondering if I should put out something for her to nest in.

[Rhapsody]

If she is pregnant, is it possible she'd have the babies on my porch?
Or would she go with a tree or something?
Wondering if I should put out something for her to nest in.Before she has her off spring she will have built three different nest in the trees with in the area she is living.
Momma squirrels do this in case their first nest is disturbed and they have to move their babies at a moments
notice --there is always another nest waiting for her and her babies as back up.

But a good Squirrel Nest Box is always Welcome:
http://www.nutsaboutsquirrels.net/

[farrelli]

Bread is bad, as are peanuts and corn, especially in her condition. Can you give almonds, hazel nuts, walnuts, etc.? They also LOVE avocado, which is rich in the fat she's needing right now.

Yes, if you put up a nest box, she may move in!

[Buster711]

Bread is bad, as are peanuts and corn, especially in her condition. Can you give almonds, hazel nuts, walnuts, etc.? They also LOVE avocado, which is rich in the fat she's needing right now.

Yes, if you put up a nest box, she may move in!

Some dried fruits/berries and almonds from the kitchen at work just magically found their way into my bag...

Just curious, why is bread and peanuts bad? And are crackers ok, or do they go in with bread?

And is there something anyone recommends as a nest that doesn't require me to buy anything (or at least, something I can get really cheaply)?

[farrelli]

Bread is bad for almost all animals. It's just filling without any real nutritional value. Nutrition is at a premium in the wild (especially for pregnant animals), and they should not be dissuaded from searching out foods which help them thrive. Peanuts and corn are bad because they are incredibly high in phosphorous which blocks calcium absorption. All squirrels are very susceptible to something called metabolic bone disease (MBD) which results from a lack of calcium. Pregnant squirrels are incredibly susceptible to MBD because they have a huge draw on their calcium supplies.

If you can't build a box, perhaps provide some nesting supplies like pollyfill, or fleece or t-shirt strips? She may or may not need them.

[Buster711]

I can probably track down a wooden box or something for her. I just got home and I put out some almonds for her, she isn't a fan! They aren't salted or seasoned or anything, just plain almonds. She sniffed at them, took a few bites, then she paced along the sliding glass door and shot me a bunch of accusing looks. I put out some dried apple slices and they're a hit. She's alternating between them and the birdseed that's spilled out of the bird feeder. I won't make the mistake of almonds again!

I feel like she's definitely pregnant, just probably early-on in the pregnancy. I looked at her stomach again and there's no way I could have just not noticed her nipples before now, they're very noticeable. She hasn't gained any weight yet though.

[farrelli]

She may have already given birth. Keep trying with the almonds. If she's used to bread and peanuts, she'd probably MUCH prefer them (they're like candy), but if she doesn't get the junk food anymore, she may change her mind. She may change it in any event because squirrels are notoriously fickle. What's like poison today is a delicacy tomorrow.

They also like fresh apples too. Watermelon. Lots of stuff.

[Buster711]

She may have already given birth. Keep trying with the almonds. If she's used to bread and peanuts, she'd probably MUCH prefer them (they're like candy), but if she doesn't get the junk food anymore, she may change her mind. She may change it in any event because squirrels are notoriously fickle. What's like poison today is a delicacy tomorrow.

They also like fresh apples too. Watermelon. Lots of stuff.

Thanks! I'll try the almonds again. To put it mildly, this squirrel seems to be a bit of a diva! In a sweet way though, she's a total sweetie, I just like to call her "Little Diva" as a pet name. I get these accusing looks for certain things I've put out for her. I also get accusing looks sometimes when I get home from work and she's been waiting for me. So maybe if she's in a different mood, she'll like almonds.

She's been coming to me for a few months and I've only just now noticed the nipples. I just looked at a picture I took of her back in June, and I didn't see nipples in that one. So I'm feeling like she's pregnant. We'll see.