Single 5-6 week old female grey baby needs home

[walls]

In upstate NY, looking to find a better environment for healthy 5-6 week baby grey that is doing great and getting more active/ playful. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Nancy in New York]

In upstate NY, looking to find a better environment for healthy 5-6 week baby grey that is doing great and getting more active/ playful. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Where in upstate NY are you?

[walls]

Hi - we are located in Oneonta, NY which is between Albany and Binghamton. I have contacted several rehabbers in the area but no one has other babies - at least not right now. I would be willing to drive to where ever to put this adorable baby that is stealing my heart in a good environment. I should also mention that I would be perfectly happy to raise her through to release and my husband is willing to build a pre release cage. Also wondering if by the time she is ready for release it will be getting into winter and she won't have the skills to get through on her own.
One more thing - this is my first squirrel so I am a newbie at this but this board has been awesome at mentoring!

[Nancy in New York]

Hi - we are located in Oneonta, NY which is between Albany and Binghamton. I have contacted several rehabbers in the area but no one has other babies - at least not right now. I would be willing to drive to where ever to put this adorable baby that is stealing my heart in a good environment. I should also mention that I would be perfectly happy to raise her through to release and my husband is willing to build a pre release cage. Also wondering if by the time she is ready for release it will be getting into winter and she won't have the skills to get through on her own.
One more thing - this is my first squirrel so I am a newbie at this but this board has been awesome at mentoring!

Here's a list of NYS rehabbers.
Not all of them want to be listed.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/cfmx/extapps/sls_searches/index.cfm?p=live_rehab
There is also an organization called North Country Wild Care that has a hotline
number. They are very good at calling back within the hour.
Hot line Number(518) 964-6740.
WOW it seems like you are really looking out for her best interest,
which I may add, may be with you.
Many rehabbers are filled up,
because they overwinter fall babies and their space is limited.
Your little one most likely would need to be overwintered.
What formula is she on now?
Can you give us a little background on her?
Can you post a picture?
Sounds like you and your husband have this baby's best interest at heart.
She's lucky to have found her way to YOU.

[walls]

I found this little squirrel almost 2 weeks ago in my yard in an area with little to no squirrel activity. It was early morning, she was very cold and only mildly dehydrated so I figured that she had not been there that long if only for the night. No injuries and seemed very responsive once I got her warm and rehydrated with fluids. I tried to reunite her back with her squirrel mom for 3 days with no luck other than a very fiesty red that came to investigate the box. I set up surveillance in the area that I found her and nothing. The only nest I did find is about 75 feet away but has a few juveniles in and out of it. At the time that I found her she did not have eyes open but her lower incisors were erupting. I started her on Esbilac with 1/4 part heavy cream. She weighed about 90 grams so getting about 4 to 6 cc/6 times day with no issues. She is a ravenous eater!!! Her eyes opened 6 days ago and she was slowly switched to FV 20/50 2 days ago. She is now exclusively on FV and sucks it down like no tomorrow. Today she weighed about 165 grams. (I don't have a digital scale.) Her coat is beautiful shiny and she looks plump and healthy. Top incisors are also coming in.
It has been a task keeping her separated from the dogs in the house but we are doing it. She is very comfortable in her temporary cage which is a plastic bin but immediately knows when the dogs are sniffing at the door. She comes out from her little nest when I call to her for feedings. I tried introducing her to leaves and branches and taking her to the screened porch but she only wants to hide in my shirt. Should I be pushing this harder? I do play with her with a little stuffed mouse and she seems to really have fun with it getting excited and jumping about then crashes to sleep until next feeding.
When can I stop stimulating her to pee/poo? I have seen her pee on her own in a corner only once. Never a poop on her own.
I am wondering if she is at a severe disadvantage without another baby squirrel around with her. What can I do to help this other than find someone with one.
Lastly, if I do end up keeping her with me to raise her how will I know that she needs to be overwintered?
Thank you all for the help. I'll try to post photos.

[Mel1959]

The option to overwinter is based on what is in the best interest of the squirrel. There are many factors such as, your geographic location (i.e. when it begins to cool off for Fall and Winter) and the current age of the baby. If your little one just opened its eyes a week ago then it's only about 6 weeks old. We don't recommend releasing until they are about 14-16 weeks old, and single babies on the older side, because they will be on their own. The older they are when released typically the more savvy they are and it helps their chances for survival.

With that being said, your little one wouldn't be ready for release for another 10+ weeks. Being in upstate NY I would think that it would be getting pretty chilly by then. A released squirrel needs to have a cache of food and a warm nest to survive in the winter. I'm pretty certain your little one will NOT be able to manage that before cold weather sets in.

As for her hiding when you take her to the patio. At her age her momma wouldn't let her out of the nest, she's much too young! Some squirrels have an anxious scared personality even when they are older and should be a little more curious. Each one is an individual. She is also at a slight disadvantage by being a singleton, as they do learn from each other and play with each other.

So, I think if you are uncertain about putting in the necessary time and getting the appropriate housing for her to be overwintered in, you should seek out someone who would be willing to take her SOON. When squirrels are about 9-10 weeks old it can be more difficult to put them in with other squirrels without there being a problem.

I continue to stimulate my guys as long as they will reasonably let me. I do it because it cuts down on the amount of urine and feces in the cage.

Nancy in New York posted some contacts for folks that might be able to help. Please look into them if you are not going to overwinter her.