Old enough to survive w/o mom?

[Snowy]

One of the local wild gray squirrels was run over this morning. I will miss her terribly, but also have great concern for her four babies. They emerged from the nest and have been running around the neighborhood exploring alone for almost a week now, returning to their communal nest at night. One came into my yard this morning and found a cracked walnut, but doesn't have the ability to crack one yet. Think these little ones will be okay without mom at this point?

[Shewhosweptforest]

Oh that is just too sad :sadness poor momma...and poor babies :boohoo

It's hard to determine size from a pic...but I think they will be alright...I would put out some food for them:great I notice once my babies here get that size...momma is not around a lot....I usually just see the mommas in the evening when they go to bed :dono since they are still coming together at night...I think they will be good....as good as any wild baby...not an easy life for sure :( thanks for watching out for them :grouphug :Love_Icon

[stepnstone]

One of the local wild gray squirrels was run over this morning. I will miss her terribly, but also have great concern for her four babies. They emerged from the nest and have been running around the neighborhood exploring alone for almost a week now, returning to their communal nest at night. One came into my yard this morning and found a cracked walnut, but doesn't have the ability to crack one yet. Think these little ones will be okay without mom at this point?

Lately for whatever reason I have seen quite a few young out fending for themselves and doing well.
Your guys can climb, they know where to go for a food source and if they spook when you get near
them it's all good. Their natural instincts for survival are really amazing!
I would be inclined to put out either shelled nuts or a softer shelled variety to help them along...


Recently I took in five little palm size orphan's that were nesting on the ground because they couldn't
climb a tree more then 3 feet before falling off but they too were making it out there. They were just
too small and inexperienced yet to stay out there. I took them in to give them a chance to eat me out
of house and home and grow. They are doing that, growing like weeds and doing well. They were wild
squirrels when I got them and have remained wild, their instincts are certinally intact...
Mean little things they are. :rolf

[Snowy]

Thank you for the replies! Before they woke up this morning I put some pre-cracked pecans and some walnuts, without shells, where they could find them when they came down. I watched their delight with binoculars. Didn't take them long to start exploring for the day.

Unfortunately, mom put their nest in a tree only 20 feet away from the road. My hope was to keep them from coming across the road to my house. Since they were all over here today, I can only assume squirrels leave some sort of scent from their pads where they have traveled. It amazed me that they seem to follow mom's footsteps, same limbs to travel, same spots to sit and eat, and got nuts from the feeder like they've done it before.

So they are doing really well! They have been traveling the tree branches over the road and I sure hope they stay out of the road. I don't want to bury any more of these wonderful little friends. Very hard not to get attached, and it hurts terribly to lose them.

Here is a pic of their mom, Ruffles, at her pre-pregnancy fighting weight. She was the queen and all the others had to respect her. Named her Ruffles because when she held her paws up while eating, the jagged line between her gray and white fur made it look like she was wearing a shirt with ruffles on front.

[Snowy]

RIP Ruffles

[CritterMom]

Aw, she is beautiful. I hate cars. People treat them so carelessly.

Do you live out west - Pacific coast? She is so very gray or she looks it in that picture - not the brown gray I am used to and I am wondering if she is a Western Gray?

[Snowy]

Yes, Western Gray. I am on the west coast.

Poor Ruffles was looking pretty haggered in the end. Her fur was almost brown, especially on her tail (I'm guessing from sleeping in a nest of peeing babies) and her nipples were raw. She was good, hardworking momma. I'll do my best to take over for her.

[SquirrelSense]

RIP Ruffles..you were a beauty....wish you were with your fuzzers, but I'm so glad Snowy is there for you lil angel:sad

RIP Ruffles

[Shewhosweptforest]

Oh Snowy she was beeeutiful :klunk It breaks my heart...as Crittermom said...people are just too careless...they forget they are driving a speeding hunk of 1 1/2 ton metal down the road ....sometimes while texting :facepalm I really think it's like they believe they're in a simulator:sadness

I'm glad the babies are staying out of the road...it may have been the last lesson their mother taught them :boohoo

Thanks again :hug These lil ones are very lucky :grouphug

[Snowy]

I delivered breakfast again this morning and right now all four are in my yard :serene
Ruffles left me some darlings :Love_Icon. Here are two of them. All are healthy and happy.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Oh they are beautiful too :Love_Icon so glad they are hanging close....stay safe littles :blowkiss

[Chickenlegs]

Beautiful babies. Be safe little guys. Your mom is watching over you and left a human mom to finish her job. Sweet sleep Ruffles :Love_Icon

[Snowy]

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Happy kids seem right at home. What a crew of nutballs, they have me in stitches!