Why would a squirrel kill its young? :o(

[Margaret]

Hi, I am new here.
I love squirrels and chipmunks, etc.

I had a sad encounter today.
It appears that an adult squirrel (don't know if was male or female) bit into a baby several times and threw it out of the nest, leaving it to die.

The baby was about the size of a chipmunk, had all its hair, but eyes not opened yet.
I heard it shrieking quite a bit, then saw it on the ground.
When I looked up in the tree, there was an adult with blood on its mouth.

It was torn up (disemboweled and bitten severely on the back end)
I then, sadly... drowned it in a bucket of warm water and burried it.

I am so sad.

Could someone tell me why this happens.
Sincerely, Margaret.

[CliffordandDaisy'sDad]

Maragret, hi and welcome to the nut house, errr I mean squirrel board. ;)

Squirrels can have more than one litter a year, and male squirrels will do that. It makes the females....... ok, you get the idea.

You did the right thing. Sad, but the right thing.

[island rehabber]

And sadly it's not just squirrels, either....I believe most of the big cats do this too. Nature isn't really politically correct :(

[VICTORIA]

aww, what a sad story that is. my kids when they were little would always bring me injured animals they had found, id either take them to the vet or call wildlife and they would come get them.

[Margaret]

OK, thanks for the info.
Never seen that before.

I feed several squirrels & chipmunks as well as birds.
Have a couple favorites that have been around for a while.

We have helped a squirrel that was suffering from mites with the advice of a local rehabber.
There is a lot I don’t know.
But...
This looks like a great place to check out and hang out.

Thanks again, Margaret.

[srhbleed]

Another reason a mother may push a infant out of the nest is if is a fangle tooth . Or Phangle ? not sure the spelling. Anyway it is a growth problem with the lower denture. It doesn't stop growing and eventually grows through the upper jaw and into the brain. A very slow painful death. So the mother, somehow can sense this and mercifully ends it sooner rather than later. That's why if you find a baby, you have to determine why its there. If it is a fangle tooth, they can be rehabilitated, but they are refined to your home. You can never let them outside. The lower tooth has to be periodically trimmed like your nails. Its not a pleasant procedure with an adult squirrel. Bring extra heavy gloves and sleeves and good luck, because they are not happy at all. And these squirrels are never really happy and always tend to be nasty. As anyone would be getting their teeth cut.

[sage1970]

I think animals can sense when things aren't "right" with their young.

I know that female dogs will push puppies aside and won't let them nurse when they have medical conditions.

But on one that size, I would think a male might have been the culprit in this case!!