Young Grey Squirrel

[ArabianLights]

Hello. Last Saturday evening, as my family and I left the house to go for a walk, a little grey squirrel ran across our lawn and up to my feet. Taken back by this unusual behavior, at first we just watched, expecting him to suddenly realize his mistake and run the other way. However, instead he ran from one to the other of us, as if he was expecting us to pick him up. When I finally reached down and scooped my hand under him, he wasn't frightened or skittish. We know that an adult grey squirrel was killed on the road in front of our house a few days earlier, so perhaps that was his mother… Anyhow, he's been in our home since then and I just want to make sure we're doing everything right.

I'm guessing he's about 7-8 wks of age since he has all his fur and a bushy little tail. His eyes are bright and interested in what's going on around him. He does sleep a lot, but when he's awake, he's active, scampering around and exploring little nooks and crannies. I ordered the fox valley formula and henry's hi-protein blocks right away and they should be arriving today. In the meantime I've been feeding him goat's milk colostrum. Yesterday I began adding heavy cream that I cultured (should have the same benefits as yogurt). He loves it and gobbles it down! I've been feeding him 6cc every 4 hours. However, I read today that I shouldn't give him any cow's milk and of course, cream comes from cow's milk… We live in a rural area, so it's not very easy for me to run into town, but we have lots of neighbors & friends who are farmers and I got the goat's milk and cream from them.

I am a little concerned though because he isn't even a little bit interested in any solid food - I've tried apple pieces, cherry tomato halves, cheerios, quinoa, sunflower seeds and the (all natural) pellets that we feed to our macaws. Will he just get interested in that when he's ready, or do I need to do something to help him start on solids?

Also, I've not seen any feces from him. My 9 yr old said he pooped on him once when he was holding him and it was solid little black pieces (but he didn't show me). So, at least there hasn't been any diarrhea, but should he be pooping more frequently? He does urinate regularly.

What should we be thinking about regarding releasing him? Should he overwinter with us? We do have a large (6ft tall) cage that used to belong to my sister's flying squirrel. What places make good release sites? Should we even consider keeping him long term as a pet?

Thanks for your input.
-Evie

[lennysmom]

Hi AL, welcome to TSB! :wave123
Thank you for taking this little guy in - sounds like his mama might have been killed and he needed you help. Did you happen to go around the area and look for any other litter mates that might need help as well?

He will ween himself off formula when he is ready. When you get the Henry's blocks in, try putting one in his cage with him to let him nibble when he's ready. Also, which type of Fox Valley did you order? I know there have been some issues recently with one of them causing constipation. A lot of rehabbers are using the Esbslic with probiotics. I am concerned that you are not seeing much poop. How does his tummy feel? Is it somewhat squishy like a water balloon, or is it hard? Not sure where you are located, but at this age, it may be possible to release before winter, but I'm not real sure on that. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in soon on that.

[lennysmom]

Also, did you rehydrate him when you first brought him in? I was wondering with the lack of poop if he could be dehydrated. If you gently pinch the skin between his shoulders, it should fall back into place rather quickly. If it stays tented, then he is dehydrated.

[farrelli]

Yes, hydration and pooping go hand in hand. Is he well hydrated?

Cream is OK even though it's cow milk. Cream doesn't contain much lactose, so it's OK, but you have to roll it in gradually so as to not cause digestive issues.

Release depends on where you are. If you're in a cold region, yes, they are typically overwintered. Generally, we discourage having them as pets. They are very, very high maintenance and not many people are willing or able to give them all the time and interaction they require, never mind a relatively involved adult diet and their tendency to chew everything. That said, if you are able to provide that after you have learned all that there is to learn, and your sq decides that he's happy inside, then other options can be discussed. Again, we discourage it because we sometimes see people basically putting them into a cage full time and leaving them there for a very sad life. Either that, or deciding later on that their life just can't accommodate them anymore and we need to try to find them another home, which is very hard on the sq.

[ArabianLights]

I ordered the Fox Valley 20/50 formula.

I think he may be dehydrated. I tried pinching the skin between his shoulders and it stayed up for a pretty long time. How do I go about rehydrating him? I have seen more feces today. They are little dark, dry turds. His stomach is soft and squishy, so I doubt he's constipated. And he just started nibbling on a piece of dry cereal!

We are in Tennessee, so the winters can get pretty cold (below 0F on occasion) but much more temperate than some places. How does one prepare a squirrel for release and how do you know they're ready? Can a person keep one as long as one likes and then release? Or do they get acclimated to indoor living and then don't adjust well to the great outdoors?

Thank you all so much!
-Evie

[lennysmom]

Pedialite is the best way to rehydrate. You can feed some between feedings or even diluting his formula a little more for a few feedings can help too. But do not feed the pedialyte for more then 24 hours because of the salt content. If you are not able to get the pedialyte, you can use the homemade recipe to make it yourself -

1 Qt. of warm water
1 teaspoon of salt
3 TBS of sugar

[TubeDriver]

Pedialite is the best way to rehydrate. You can feed some between feedings or even diluting his formula a little more for a few feedings can help too.

Here is the recipe:

1 tsp salt (teaspoon)
3 Tbsp sugar (tablespoon)
1 quart warm water

Keep refrigerated.

[ArabianLights]

Ok, I've started the rehydration regimen today.

Unfortunately, the Fox Valley formula did not show up today and upon investigation it looks like it won't be here until Thursday. And I payed for expedited shipping (it's been 3 days already). Argh.

[lennysmom]

I just realized I never answered your question about release - when the time comes, he would need to be soft released which means you would need to have a large outdoor cage he can stay in while he re-acclimates to the wild. This process usually at least takes a few weeks and can take even longer depending on the squirrel. You would need to find a safe place to release, preferably where there is not a lot of traffic in a wooded area, or at least a place with several trees and other squirrels around. Some people even put up a nest box for them so that after release, they have a safe place to sleep.
If you are not able to provide this when he is ready for release, we could help you find a rehabber in your area to help you.

[grampyngramy]

No sunflower seeds.and go easy on the nuts in general. Pay attention to the proper feeding technique.

[ArabianLights]

This morning after his first feeding, the squirrel (Tavi) eliminated some small, moist, brown turds - much healthier looking than the hard black ones from before. Should I continue with the electrolytes?

I didn't realize sunflowers were bad (they were raw, unsalted), but he didn't eat any anyway. He still hasn't really eaten anything, but he has chewed on some dry cereal balls. I'll be more careful of what I give him. Thanks for the warning.

[TubeDriver]

This morning after his first feeding, the squirrel (Tavi) eliminated some small, moist, brown turds - much healthier looking than the hard black ones from before. Should I continue with the electrolytes?

I didn't realize sunflowers were bad (they were raw, unsalted), but he didn't eat any anyway. He still hasn't really eaten anything, but he has chewed on some dry cereal balls. I'll be more careful of what I give him. Thanks for the warning.

You should only use pedalyte for 24 max! So if he is not spiky looking, if he passes the pinch test and if his poops look moist, I would definitely just use plain water (lightly sweetened if that makes him drink more). Small, formed, moist poops sounds like he is on the right track! :thumbsup

[ArabianLights]

Just wanted to update everyone... Tavi is doing very well. He loved Henri's Hi-Protein Blocks the moment he first sniffed them and he's been eating them every day since then. He loves the Fox Valley formula as well and is still taking that regularly. He appears to be passed any dehydration and is generally a very happy little squirrel! Thank you to each of you who responded to my questions and gave advise. I really appreciate your input!

[SammysMom]

Great update! Stick around and know that we are here for any questions that may (wil...:grin3) come up. :Welcometo TSB!