New to TSB! Searching for a baby!

[Sbentley]

I am new to the world of squirrels but not a beginner in rehabbing and loving fur babies! I have been using a lot of great information from here unfortunately I lost my first baby last night. I got my little girl ground squirrel after she was found in very bad shape by a friend. She had some kind of back trauma as she dragged her back legs. We took her in, for her warm, fed and comfortable. Within 2 weeks her legs were working again, though she was never 100%. She was big enough that she did not need formula. I was given a food mix by a rehabber that has 3 of her own and has had squirrels since she was a little girl. She had always had sniffles so we took her to the vet where she was started on baytril. She responded well but after a month I noticed her beginning to sniffle again. The vet wouldn't refill without seeing her again. So we took her to another vet that had a little more experience with wildlife. She snapped an X-ray which unfortunately showed fluid and badly pneumatic lungs. We opted to try another round of baytril and oxygen therapy. She seemed to be turning around.... She was eating willingly, maintaining body temp, would have spurts of energy between her long slumbering. She fought for a week before passing last night. Not sure why she turned as she was alert and eating, pottying, responsive, warm during the day.
I am absolutely heartbroken! I didn't know squirrels could be so loving and fun! I worked for 10 years in veterinary hospitals nursing puppies, kittens, bunnies, birds, even an owl. I know most of the squirrels on here are rescue/rehabs turned pets for whatever reason. I would absolutely love to find a baby ground squirrel to adopt! I'm on the look out here in Nevada/California but most things I'm finding here are just "pest control" needs.

[CritterMom]

You might want to look up info on Richardson's ground squirrels. They are legal as pets and even sold in the pet trade in SOME states. We don't have many people here with little ground squirrels. Do you know what type the one you had was?

[Rocky1]

Try looking around after storms when there's downed branches and trees to see if a nest has fallen or if a squirrel/babies need help. If you find squirrel babies, just remember to make an HONEST attempt to reunite them with their mother before assuming abandonment. And yes, as you probably know by now, babies are a handful, some if young enough, require stimulation to pee, etc. and help eating every 2 hours around the clock per my understanding. If you are not up to that, and the babies are young enough that that is required, call a rehab if you find very young babies.

[Sbentley]

You might want to look up info on Richardson's ground squirrels. They are legal as pets and even sold in the pet trade in SOME states. We don't have many people here with little ground squirrels. Do you know what type the one you had was?

Thank you CritterMom. I have looked up info on the Richardson's. Still, I can't find anything in NV/CA. The two options I have found were in IL and TX and shipping a live animal is not my ideal option. I do love all critters, but have never been a fan of buying a "pet" that is also "wild". I enjoy rehabbing and release, but let myself get attached to this one when I knew she wasn't releasable and she has definitely left an impression on my heart. I believe she was a California Ground Squirrel. I attached a couple pix from after a few weeks with her.

261562261563

[Sbentley]

Try looking around after storms when there's downed branches and trees to see if a nest has fallen or if a squirrel/babies need help. If you find squirrel babies, just remember to make an HONEST attempt to reunite them with their mother before assuming abandonment. And yes, as you probably know by now, babies are a handful, some if young enough, require stimulation to pee, etc. and help eating every 2 hours around the clock per my understanding. If you are not up to that, and the babies are young enough that that is required, call a rehab if you find very young babies.

Thank you Rocky1. I did rehab/release a tree squirrel after that exact scenario when I lived in Ohio. There are far fewer trees where I live in NV now, so we mostly have ground squirrels. I am always ok with setting alarms to fed/care for babies if they need. I have bottle raised kittens and puppies in the past. Even for this little squirrel baby, I was up every hour checking on her heating pad while she was sick. Even though this little one broke my heart, I forgot how much I miss working with animals...

[CritterMom]

Thank you CritterMom. I have looked up info on the Richardson's. Still, I can't find anything in NV/CA. The two options I have found were in IL and TX and shipping a live animal is not my ideal option. I do love all critters, but have never been a fan of buying a "pet" that is also "wild". I enjoy rehabbing and release, but let myself get attached to this one when I knew she wasn't releasable and she has definitely left an impression on my heart. I believe she was a California Ground Squirrel. I attached a couple pix from after a few weeks with her.

261562261563

Could be - they have a very close cousin that looks virtually identical called a Rock Squirrel that is located in your area too. No, I wouldn't ship a critter either.