So... is this normal?

[AndreaDrea]

So, yesterday I found a baby squirrel in my yard when I was doing some work around the house. I got down on my knees and gently talked to her without touching her (cause I didn't know if she was sick or injured and didn't want to hurt her more if she were). Suddenly she started following me everywhere and wouldn't leave. if I ran, she'd come bouncing after me... until she got tired and needed some rest, then she'd chase me around again. When I'd go on my deck where she couldn't see me, she'd start screaming this high pitched scream until she could see where I was. I decided to drive away for an hour to see if momma would come back and claim her... when I got back she was gone and there was a big chunky ol' squirrel watching me from a tree. Could have been the momma, not sure...

Is that normal for a baby? Here's a video

https://youtu.be/FupmJAjeW6M

Just curious. I'm just hoping the baby is okay.

[megatronisabeast]

Looks too young to alone out of the drey by himself. That could have been mom looking or maybe not. Hopefully mom was around to grab him. I have read that the mom would sometimes grab the little guys and drag them back up to the drey. He probably got a good whooping when/if she found him. He doesn't know to be afraid of other animals yet and that was why he approached.

[Spanky]

So, yesterday I found a baby squirrel in my yard when I was doing some work around the house. I got down on my knees and gently talked to her without touching her (cause I didn't know if she was sick or injured and didn't want to hurt her more if she were). Suddenly she started following me everywhere and wouldn't leave. if I ran, she'd come bouncing after me... until she got tired and needed some rest, then she'd chase me around again. When I'd go on my deck where she couldn't see me, she'd start screaming this high pitched scream until she could see where I was. I decided to drive away for an hour to see if momma would come back and claim her... when I got back she was gone and there was a big chunky ol' squirrel watching me from a tree. Could have been the momma, not sure...

Is that normal for a baby? Here's a video

https://youtu.be/FupmJAjeW6M

Just curious. I'm just hoping the baby is okay.

Baby squirrels will seek out help when they are separated from their mom and are all alone in the world. If the hitch pitch scream resembled a bird chirping, her mother (if she was around) would likely have come to help the little one. If something happens to momma the babies will eventually leave their nests and look for help. It is not un-normal for them to approach a person looking for help. No worries about the squirrel being diseased and you catching something, they are not a rabies vector animal. They usually have more than 1 baby, so please keep an eye out for this one or others.

Come back here if she returns or others show up and we will help you try to reunite with mom safely and / or find a rehabber / member close to where you are to help the little one(s).

Thanks for checking on this one!

PS If you want to post your city and state (nothing real specific) others that are close by may see the post and monitor it in case there are babies in need of their help!

[AndreaDrea]

That's why I drove away. I noticed a Godzilla looking squirrel hanging around and hoped it was momma - so I went on a drive for an hour and when I came back, he was no where in sight, but Godzilla (as I've dubbed the ridiculously giant squirrel) was still hanging around. So I'm hoping that's momma. I kept an eye out for him today, but nothing. Not under the deck, thankfully no sign of an animal of prey, nor car accident either. I'm thinking they may be living in the rafters of my garage (which we haven't used in 10 years. This was my grandma's house and my mom and I moved back when we sold our house and still haven't found another one.) There is just enough space for a squirrel to get under the door... so I think that's where momma took him. I'm not disturbing the garage right now. Going to wait a week or two for when the babies (if they're in there) are bigger. Then we're having the garage fixed up.

I wasn't as worried about rabies as I was touching her and she ended up having a bad injury or was sick and touching her would make things worse... but the way she chased me it seemed she was pretty okay health wise.

I just didn't want the baby to get friendly with me because I didn't want her to think people are safe. (we have a neighbor that doesn't like squirrels cause he can't keep them out of his attic) so I want them to have a natural fear. but she was just so gosh darn cute and I think she was scared without momma and wanted someone to make him feel safe. I'm going to keep an eye out every day to make sure she's safe and healthy as long as momma kept her nearby. I'm an animal lover so I try to do what I can to protect them.

[Spanky]

Let me clarify just a wee bit. While it is not abnormal for babies that age to approach humans, usually looking for help, it is abnormal for one that young out on their own away from the nest.

I am not even sure that little one would even be peeking his nose out of the nest to get a look at the world at his age, much less on the ground wandering around... more likely he fell from the nest or something happened to mom. Have there been any storms in the past few days? Even high winds?

[AndreaDrea]

no high winds, no storms, it's actually been a very nice week. barely a breeze. I've walked up and down the streets when I found the little guy and did not see any dead squirrels, checked the back yard, the only thing I saw was Godzilla squirrel hanging around. I'm going to check the garage tomorrow to see if there are any babies around, or signs of. I haven't seen the baby at all today... I did a sweep of the area again and do not see any squirrels on the road or on the side of the road, so at least it doesn't appear to have been hit by a car or anything. I kind of wish I knew for sure where she was or how she was doing. I am keeping an eye out. My hope is that momma was nearby but was afraid to grab the baby because I was there, and when I left, took the opportunity and ran with her.

[stepnstone]

I hope momma found him,
at that age he won't survive on his own.

[stepnstone]

The next time you see Godzilla try and look at her? underbelly to see if you see exposed nipples.
That little would still be nursing.

[Spanky]

Listen for that "chirping" you heard as well, that is baby calling for mom. If you see the large squirrel, and it is a mom you should be able to see her teats if she is nursing. Boy squirrels have their part higher up than we are used too and more like where we think of as the belly button area. :thumbsup

A hawk, dog, cat, etc. may have ran off with mom. IF the little one comes around they will likely be very dehydrated in a life threatening way. Even more so if something happened to mom since we would have stayed in the nest several days before leaving.

[Spanky]

If you think they may be in the garage, why not investigate there today? Time will be critical if mom is hurt or dead. If she is well, then it will be a temporary disturbance and if anything more mom will simply relocate the family (which will be good for you if you are planning to rehab the garage in the next 2 months).

[AndreaDrea]

I can't check until the guys come out to fix the garage. The door doesn't open. I didn't want them to come fix the garage in case momma is in there with the babies, because I didn't want the babies to be disturbed and momma to take off. I figured if they waited a week or two, the babies will be bigger and the stress of being disturbed won't hurt them as much... (stress can kill babies pretty quick). but I'll maybe get my cousin to come out and pry the door open if he can.

[Annabelle's papa]

I can't check until the guys come out to fix the garage. The door doesn't open. I didn't want them to come fix the garage in case momma is in there with the babies, because I didn't want the babies to be disturbed and momma to take off. I figured if they waited a week or two, the babies will be bigger and the stress of being disturbed won't hurt them as much... (stress can kill babies pretty quick). but I'll maybe get my cousin to come out and pry the door open if he can.

:)Hi Ms. Andrea, should the Lil' One show back up tonight or anytime and you need some questions answered, please don't hesitate to post them day or night, you can usually find help here at any hour.:thumbsup

[AndreaDrea]

Thanks guys. I did go into the garage, finally got the door working, and there's one angry momma squirrel in there. Definitely a momma. she was in angry momma mode... but I could tell she was nursing... so I'm positive Godzilla is the momma. didn't see my little baby squirrel... but I could tell there was something she was protecting. So that's probably where baby was. Happy to see they're safe in the garage. No one goes in there and it's not going to be fixed up right now. So hopefully the baby (or babies) will be old enough to be on their own by the time we do. I'm going to keep an eye on things though.

[Annabelle's papa]

Thanks guys. I did go into the garage, finally got the door working, and there's one angry momma squirrel in there. Definitely a momma. she was in angry momma mode... but I could tell she was nursing... so I'm positive Godzilla is the momma. didn't see my little baby squirrel... but I could tell there was something she was protecting. So that's probably where baby was. Happy to see they're safe in the garage. No one goes in there and it's not going to be fixed up right now. So hopefully the baby (or babies) will be old enough to be on their own by the time we do. I'm going to keep an eye on things though.

:)Good Evening Ms.Andrea, the video you made was very touching indeed, when the Lil' One kept doing SPT's (single paw tucks) it melted my heart.:Love_Icon I take it this is a detached garage, if so that momma Squirrel found the best place ever to keep her Babies secure.:thumbsup

[AndreaDrea]

yup - detached garage

UPDATE:

baby is doing great. Momma is a very good momma and I can't believe how quick babies grow! Momma still watches him (or her) like a hawk. I named him Cocoa lol - he's not a pet. Made sure to not touch him so he wouldn't get attached to me cause I want him to stay wild. (I am not equipped to care for baby squirrels since I have 0 experience unless you count raising a hamster, and we don't have a close by animal rehab) so if he could stay wild, that would make me happy. If it ever came down to momma not being around, then I would have intervened and raised him, but gladly it wasn't necessary. It's fun watching him grow though.

:serene

[TubeDriver]

Great update! Glad to hear that momma and baby are doing well!

If you have the garage worked on, I would be very specific with the workers that you do not want these squirrels harmed or disturbed is at all possible!

Thanks for looking out for them! :thumbsup



yup - detached garage

UPDATE:

baby is doing great. Momma is a very good momma and I can't believe how quick babies grow! Momma still watches him (or her) like a hawk. I named him Cocoa lol - he's not a pet. Made sure to not touch him so he wouldn't get attached to me cause I want him to stay wild. (I am not equipped to care for baby squirrels since I have 0 experience unless you count raising a hamster, and we don't have a close by animal rehab) so if he could stay wild, that would make me happy. If it ever came down to momma not being around, then I would have intervened and raised him, but gladly it wasn't necessary. It's fun watching him grow though.

:serene

[AndreaDrea]

we may not have it done... my mom put a bid on another house, and if they accept, we'll be moving... and we have no plans to sell this property at this time. (we want to keep it in the family - it's my mom's childhood home) but that would mean we won't be doing the garage anytime soon either