Rehabbing Baby Squirrel for the first time, Need help!

[Simons_Mom]

Hi Friends! I have been rehabbing a baby squirrel now for about 6 weeks. When I found him, well my DOG found him in my yard his nose was bloody and so we decided to take him in to ensure his recovery. His eyes were not yet opened but he did have hair, they opened 5-6 days later. Anyone know how old that would have made him at the time we found him? I want to ensure I do not release him too early.

Im thinking he is close to 10 weeks old, he seems about the age that they start to wander out of the nest as he is just starting to want to wander out of my room and out of his normal area (my bed and windowsill and a close by chair)

We used to take him outside every day until 2 weeks or so ago when he ran up a tree, thankfully my husband called him and he came right back down to him. He now has excellent speed and I don't want to take a chance on him not coming back.

I have noticed the last few days several baby squirrels his size playing in my backyard, I think it might be his siblings!! This is a new occurrence! I feel so guilty when I see them play and wrestle and he just sits and sun bathes in my window in my room :( He refuses to do his cage, he started breaking out several weeks ago and is at a point where he won't even go in it at all anymore so he lives freely out in my room! Well Sunday he had an accident while I wasn't home and literally ripped/scraped almost an inch of his tail OFF! total 2 inches including the hair that sticks up from the tip of his tail! Im absolutely gutted about this!

By the time I got home, he was fine and I hadn't even know the accident occurred until my daughter noticed that his tail was red at the tip -- what should we do about this? He is playing and eating fine ever since we got home but Im more than sure it was incredibly painful for him at the time. He got it stuck under something in my room (I can't even imagine how this happened, I baby proofed my room a month ago!!) and he must have panicked and kept pulling or he just ran so fast Im not really sure.

My next question, is if I can maybe let him try going outside in the backyard to witness the other baby squirrels? I have 20 trees in my yard all very close tot he house and they are 50 feet high or higher. If he chooses to go up there is nothing I can do if he doesn't come back down. Would it be inhumane to put a ferret leash on him to bring him outside just to get used to it? Is it too soon? I thought he was 5 weeks old when I found him but Im hearing he could have been only 2 weeks old and if thats the case then he is only about 8 weeks old. His tail has been fully bushy now for several weeks - like 3 approximately.

He is starting to eat solids very well but still taking formula 2-3 times a day and he has started just today to want water. Is this normal? Im going to Whole Foods tomorrow to start getting him a variety of vegetables (Cauliflower, sweet potatoes, broccoli, corn, etc) We have been giving him sunflower seeds and acorns from the yard, he loves them. More as a treat than any type of nutrition but he has been refusing the bottle more often the past 2 weeks. He seems to be wanting more solids or more interested in solids. He bites my hands when hes hungry but won't take his bottle so I know it must be that he wants something else (Real food!).

When should we start the transitioning process? I was thinking that around 16 weeks was the time to start transitioning him into a tree, I read that they do best between 4-6 months if they have been rehabbed, but I really want him to have the best chance at longterm survival in the wild and I know as a singleton its not as good as with a pack. I am hoping he can meet his little siblings in the yard or at least seem them out there and start recognizing them as similar to himself. Maybe put him out there in a cage (if he will stay and be content) and put food outside his cage to draw them near?

I want to mention I have a big hawk that stalks my backyard, my backyard has become a wild animal sanctuary of sorts, my built in swimming pool is broken and frogs have made it their haven as have mosquitos well a turtle made his way there and then another turtle almost got hit in the street in front of my house so we put him back there too and he hasn't left, he gets out the pool and sun bathes daily, he seems very happy. They even get on top of pool noodles :) But my subdivision is a bird sanctuary so we have bats, birds, squirrels, everything you can think of and my yard happens to just be a great source of food and water and shelter for all of these animals.

I don't want to put him in harms way knowing there is a Hawk that occasionally comes to my yard, what do you guys think about all of this?

Sorry for the book but he is getting older and I want to make the right decisions for him. I have never considered keeping him as a pet unless there was a medical reason for me to do so. I want him o have full happy life in the wild. But I just want to do this right! He is like my baby at this point, I have fed him every 4 hours around the clock, and got up and reheated the makeshift heating pad every few hours when he was smaller, washed him, watched him grow through his milestones, he now sleeps inside my robe ...

(I have to wear a robe around him because he jumps on me he literally can now jump from 5 feet away, we have been teaching him to balance on small limbs etc since he was much smaller! We have a wooden bed frame on its side that goes approx 7 feet int he air that he climbs on and jumps from and jumps from dresser to dresser which has no grip and manages to not fly off, etc so he is getting great practice. We have tried to keep him skittish around our dog but he isnt scared of him when the dog is being calm and we are present, but if the dog makes nay sudden move or tries to chase him he immediately reacts and panics)

....so we are extremely bonded.....I want whats best for this little guy.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Hi SimonsMom
:Welcome to TheSquirrelBoard

It’s too late for me to address your questions tonight but I did want to welcome you. :thumbsup

Edit... I just had to address something before I go to bed. He can’t have seeds or even nuts at this point. If he gets hooked on unhealthy foods like nuts, seeds and corn he will become a picky eater and you won’t be able to get him to eat healthy. Tomorrow we can explain why seeds, nuts and corn are bad.

Here is a link to the Healthy Diet.
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

By the way, the eyes open at 5 weeks so you can figure out the age.

Don’t worry about the tail. It will be fine. It happens, no big deal. If the bone is exposed it will dry up and fall off or sometimes they chew it off.

[stepnstone]

Hi Friends! I have been rehabbing a baby squirrel now for about 6 weeks. When I found him, well my DOG found him in my yard his nose was bloody and so we decided to take him in to ensure his recovery. His eyes were not yet opened but he did have hair, they opened 5-6 days later. Anyone know how old that would have made him at the time we found him? I want to ensure I do not release him too early.
Eyes generally open at 5 weeks, that would put him around 4 weeks when found.

Im thinking he is close to 10 weeks old, he seems about the age that they start to wander out of the nest as he is just starting to want to wander out of my room and out of his normal area (my bed and windowsill and a close by chair)
We used to take him outside every day until 2 weeks or so ago when he ran up a tree, thankfully my husband called him and he came right back down to him. He now has excellent speed and I don't want to take a chance on him not coming back.

I have noticed the last few days several baby squirrels his size playing in my backyard, I think it might be his siblings!! This is a new occurrence! I feel so guilty when I see them play and wrestle and he just sits and sun bathes in my window in my room :( He refuses to do his cage, he started breaking out several weeks ago and is at a point where he won't even go in it at all anymore so he lives freely out in my room! Well Sunday he had an accident while I wasn't home and literally ripped/scraped almost an inch of his tail OFF! total 2 inches including the hair that sticks up from the tip of his tail! Im absolutely gutted about this!
For this reason and his safety he should be in a proper cage especially when not supervised.

By the time I got home, he was fine and I hadn't even know the accident occurred until my daughter noticed that his tail was red at the tip -- what should we do about this? He is playing and eating fine ever since we got home but Im more than sure it was incredibly painful for him at the time. He got it stuck under something in my room (I can't even imagine how this happened, I baby proofed my room a month ago!!) and he must have panicked and kept pulling or he just ran so fast Im not really sure.
If that section of tail has been degloved or damage to the bone, it will dry up and break off on it's own so long as there is no infection. If neither occurred and he's just missing fur it will grow back with time.

My next question, is if I can maybe let him try going outside in the backyard to witness the other baby squirrels? I have 20 trees in my yard all very close tot he house and they are 50 feet high or higher. If he chooses to go up there is nothing I can do if he doesn't come back down. Would it be inhumane to put a ferret leash on him to bring him outside just to get used to it? Is it too soon? I thought he was 5 weeks old when I found him but Im hearing he could have been only 2 weeks old and if thats the case then he is only about 8 weeks old. His tail has been fully bushy now for several weeks - like 3 approximately.
Allowing him outside is an accident waiting to happen or a self release that's going to amount to the same thing.

He is starting to eat solids very well but still taking formula 2-3 times a day and he has started just today to want water. Is this normal? Im going to Whole Foods tomorrow to start getting him a variety of vegetables (Cauliflower, sweet potatoes, broccoli, corn, etc) We have been giving him sunflower seeds and acorns from the yard, he loves them. More as a treat than any type of nutrition but he has been refusing the bottle more often the past 2 weeks. He seems to be wanting more solids or more interested in solids. He bites my hands when hes hungry but won't take his bottle so I know it must be that he wants something else (Real food!).
The first thing this baby should have been fed and should be eating before other solids were introduced is a good quality rodent block. Nuts should only be given as a treat and only if he is eating his block well. The Sunflower seeds, acorns and nuts in general is setting him up for MBD without being on a proper diet. Water should always be available.

I will attach the healthy diet link below:

When should we start the transitioning process? I was thinking that around 16 weeks was the time to start transitioning him into a tree, I read that they do best between 4-6 months if they have been rehabbed, but I really want him to have the best chance at longterm survival in the wild and I know as a singleton its not as good as with a pack. I am hoping he can meet his little siblings in the yard or at least seem them out there and start recognizing them as similar to himself. Maybe put him out there in a cage (if he will stay and be content) and put food outside his cage to draw them near?
There is a process for rehabbed babies called soft release, one does not just set them free if they want to assure their survival in a world they are not seasoned to. This is the purpose of soft release. They are kept in an outside cage for a period of time to get used to the sights, sounds, and the hierarchy that exists among the other squirrels in the area. They also learn the signals and alarms of the other squirrels pertaining to predators, dangers before they have to face that world in which they will live.
Squirrels may feed together, get together to chase and mate but as as adults they are solitary animals. Putting food outside his cage not only will agitate him with other squirrels it can draw predators to his cage. Not a good idea!

I want to mention I have a big hawk that stalks my backyard, my backyard has become a wild animal sanctuary of sorts, my built in swimming pool is broken and frogs have made it their haven as have mosquitos well a turtle made his way there and then another turtle almost got hit in the street in front of my house so we put him back there too and he hasn't left, he gets out the pool and sun bathes daily, he seems very happy. They even get on top of pool noodles :) But my subdivision is a bird sanctuary so we have bats, birds, squirrels, everything you can think of and my yard happens to just be a great source of food and water and shelter for all of these animals.

I don't want to put him in harms way knowing there is a Hawk that occasionally comes to my yard, what do you guys think about all of this?
Another good reason why a proper soft release is necessary!

Sorry for the book but he is getting older and I want to make the right decisions for him. I have never considered keeping him as a pet unless there was a medical reason for me to do so. I want him o have full happy life in the wild. But I just want to do this right! He is like my baby at this point, I have fed him every 4 hours around the clock, and got up and reheated the makeshift heating pad every few hours when he was smaller, washed him, watched him grow through his milestones, he now sleeps inside my robe ...
(I have to wear a robe around him because he jumps on me he literally can now jump from 5 feet away, we have been teaching him to balance on small limbs etc since he was much smaller! We have a wooden bed frame on its side that goes approx 7 feet int he air that he climbs on and jumps from and jumps from dresser to dresser which has no grip and manages to not fly off, etc so he is getting great practice. We have tried to keep him skittish around our dog but he isnt scared of him when the dog is being calm and we are present, but if the dog makes nay sudden move or tries to chase him he immediately reacts and panics)
He should never be around the dog regardless of how gentle you think your dog is or how protective you think you are being. All it takes is one incident and this board is full of the horror stories that these babies have had to suffer under the misconception that it was an ok thing to allow.

....so we are extremely bonded.....I want whats best for this little guy.

Along with the healthy diet I'm also going to link baby squirrel care. Although you may be past much of it I hope it gives you a better insight on not just wanting the best but also doing the best.


http://www.henryspets.com/baby-squirrel-care/

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

Edit: Thank you HRT, Interruptions and slow typing. You beat me to the post. :thumbsup

[Simons_Mom]

Thank you for the response,

Obviously wanting the best for him equates to doing the best for him which is why I reached out here.

I also want to mention that I attempted to get him in with a wildlife rehab center in my area on more than 1 occasion and have been unsuccessful (my concern was mostly with him being a singleton at release however, finding out that they tend to be loners as adults makes me feel better)

Will this be a good option for rodent block: https://www.chewy.com/oxbow-essentials-mouse-young-rat-food/dp/123582

I read that squirrels who do not want to eat the rodent block typically found at more pet stores may have a better time with this one ^^^

Second, he is 10 weeks old as I had assumed. What type of cage would I move him into at this point? He needs something with a good amount of room as he is used to have a good amount of space to jump and play and hide etc.

I live in New Orleans, so it never actually gets "cold" here I mean not like in the North. But he will be 16 weeks first week of November and I read that babies who can't be released by September have to be kept over the winter. That would mean until about March in our area. Which is fine with me but I read a while back that after 16 weeks they are considered "Pet Squirrels" and can no longer be released. So how exactly does that work out for my guy?

And lastly, at what age do I begin the transition process? I had planned to start putting him out in a cage for a few hours a day now, but I am feeling like you are telling me he is still too young? Is that right?

Should I then start around 12 weeks?

Once I transition him from visiting outside during the day slowly to eventually sleeping in his cage outside and living outside in his cage, at what age do I open the cage door and let him go? 5 months? They say 4-6 months so do I begin the transition at 16 weeks and complete it at 24 weeks?

My main concern has been #1 him developing the disease from an improper diet - I knew that he needed to have a variety of vegetables and rodent block, and only nuts as a snack AFTER rodent block had been introduced but I didnt realize that he shouldn't receive it as a snack AT ALL until Rodent block had been introduced. I always feed his formula first and then we give him a "treat" just randomly time to time but that has only been going on less than the past week. Prior to that we were giving him sticks etc to chew on, and introducing vegetables to him as he would eat them. He just REALLY started being interested in solids I would say the past 10 days or less.

Thanks again for the advice....my plan B if I didnt feel that I could successfully rehab him was to send him to the Zoo, as they said that they do take wildlife but not until they are off of hand feedings. At least at the Zoo he would have a better chance on survival in as natural of a habitat as possible. But I think its still early enough where I can turn this thing around with him being introduced nuts before rodent block and safely transition him the right way.

[stepnstone]

Thank you for the response,
Obviously wanting the best for him equates to doing the best for him which is why I reached out here.
I also want to mention that I attempted to get him in with a wildlife rehab center in my area on more than 1 occasion and have been unsuccessful (my concern was mostly with him being a singleton at release however, finding out that they tend to be loners as adults makes me feel better)
It is always best to have a sibling or cage mate their own age to play and learn with, not always possible. Singletons may mature a little slower but can still be reared successful and have a successful release with a proper soft release.

Will this be a good option for rodent block: https://www.chewy.com/oxbow-essentials-mouse-young-rat-food/dp/123582
(https://www.chewy.com/oxbow-essentials-mouse-young-rat-food/dp/123582)I read that squirrels who do not want to eat the rodent block typically found at more pet stores may have a better time with this one ^^^
Posting pictures below for recommended block. All but the Henry's block can be found commercially, Henry's has to be purchased on line or by phone.
(https://www.chewy.com/oxbow-essentials-mouse-young-rat-food/dp/123582)
Second, he is 10 weeks old as I had assumed. What type of cage would I move him into at this point? He needs something with a good amount of room as he is used to have a good amount of space to jump and play and hide etc.
The links below will give you an idea of what you will need or one may build their own using 1/2" hardware cloth.(wire)
https://www.henryspets.com/henrys-house-exotic-pet-cage/
http://martinscages.com/images/full/r-690.jpg

I live in New Orleans, so it never actually gets "cold" here I mean not like in the North. But he will be 16 weeks first week of November and I read that babies who can't be released by September have to be kept over the winter. That would mean until about March in our area. Which is fine with me but I read a while back that after 16 weeks they are considered "Pet Squirrels" and can no longer be released. So how exactly does that work out for my guy?
It depends on the area if a squirrel should be over wintered or can be released. I can not speak for your area but things to consider are the availability of natural food sources that they would need to depend on. Dry weather for materials to build their dreys and tree cover to protect newly released.
The 16 week pet squirrel thing is hog wash! That's a human emotion to justify keeping them as pets. A squirrel's natural instincts are hard wired, a release done right they do wild up and we have successfully released squirrels that have been 2 years and older. There are exceptions when a squirrel just don't want to leave but not usual.

And lastly, at what age do I begin the transition process? I had planned to start putting him out in a cage for a few hours a day now, but I am feeling like you are telling me he is still too young? Is that right? Should I then start around 12 weeks?
Momma will still continue to nurse between 10-12 weeks. I usually wait at least 14 weeks depending on maturity before I put them in pre-release. Opinions will vary among rehabilatators.

Once I transition him from visiting outside during the day slowly to eventually sleeping in his cage outside and living outside in his cage, at what age do I open the cage door and let him go? 5 months? They say 4-6 months so do I begin the transition at 16 weeks and complete it at 24 weeks?
Some do transition as you suggest, personally I don't. When they are ready for pre- release that is their home until released. They should be in a pre- release cage 3-4 weeks. (Opinions vary on this as well) With my singletons I feel they need more time and I don't open their door any sooner then 4 weeks. Depending on when they start pre- release, 18 weeks can be an acceptable age for release.

My main concern has been #1 him developing the disease from an improper diet - I knew that he needed to have a variety of vegetables and rodent block, and only nuts as a snack AFTER rodent block had been introduced but I didnt realize that he shouldn't receive it as a snack AT ALL until Rodent block had been introduced. I always feed his formula first and then we give him a "treat" just randomly time to time but that has only been going on less than the past week. Prior to that we were giving him sticks etc to chew on, and introducing vegetables to him as he would eat them. He just REALLY started being interested in solids I would say the past 10 days or less.
If he has been on the proper formula that is his protection against mbd, after he weens block is his protection against mbd. Too many nuts, improper foods rob the body of calcium. The problem with feeding nuts is their not wanting to eat the block. Just like giving candy to a child and then expect them to eat their vegetables. Keeping him on a proper diet with the right nutrition is your key to protecting him.

Thanks again for the advice....my plan B if I didnt feel that I could successfully rehab him was to send him to the Zoo, as they said that they do take wildlife but not until they are off of hand feedings. At least at the Zoo he would have a better chance on survival in as natural of a habitat as possible. But I think its still early enough where I can turn this thing around with him being introduced nuts before rodent block and safely transition him the right way.
I do not know what the zoo offers as far as habitat but With a proper diet you can turn it around and his natural habitat is to be free in the trees.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=305116&stc=1https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=305117&stc=1https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=305118&stc=1305119

[DarkLies212]

Stepnstone, you're AMAZING! :bowdown

I can only add to his infinite wisdom the offer to soft release for you! I'm local and have several of my own about his age. While I wouldn't combine them, I do have several release cages, so they could interact before release (while in cages of course) to potentially speed up his maturing (to other rehabbers: I've only released in groups from one cage at a time. Is there a risk I'm unaware of that would come with releasing 2 batches from separate cages at the same time if they're ready?). My property backs up to the local 25,000 acre wildlife reserve so there are a decent amount of squirrels who frequent my yard to learn from!

[island rehabber]

:bowdown stepnstone & DarkLies212 :bowdown

As someone who often releases groups of squirrels for other rehabbers at my two release sites, I can tell you I have never had issues with squirrels fighting or being territorial even when they come from not only separate cages but separate households. Somehow if there is enough food and space and fresh water they all go their own way and get along. One thing to caution you about, however, is to always check your nest boxes in the enclosures to make sure nobody is being bullied into hiding in there. It doesn't happen often, but every once in awhile you get a failure-to-launch :).