Just found 4-6 week old male squirrel

[HurricaneShane]

I just found this 4-6 week old baby eastern gray, I left it alone where it was for a few hours until the stray cat came by. It's now inside in a small cage wrapped in a towel. Gave him a little wash to get the fleas off, and now trying to figure out what this little guy needs to drink so he can recoup a little. Should I leave him alone for a bit and try in a hour? I found him 4 hours ago, and have some goats milk powder that I can mix with some hot water.

Any help is appreciated.

[Grinderhead]

https://www.henryspets.com/1-basic-setup/
Check out this link. The next page is in the upper right.
You have found the right place you will get great help here!

[HurricaneShane]

He's not having any of it. he'll squirm away and try to ball up and hide. :(

Should I wait a little longer?

[SammysMom]

To start off, he will need heat. Do you have a heating pad? Set it on low and put it under half of the container he is in. Give him soft fleece material or tee shirts to snuggle into.
Before giving milk, he needs hydration. You can make homemade pedialyte by mixing one cup of very warm water, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Use a 1cc syringe and point it upward in his mouth to avoid aspiration. Think mama lying on her back with baby down over her nipple.

[HurricaneShane]

No unfortunately I do not own a heating pad for him, the best I can do is hold him in my hands while he's inside this tee shirt. It feels pretty warm, like my hands could start to sweat soon. I have a actual heater I could set him by though. When I uncover his face to try and put the syringe up to his mouth he backs up and tries to hide. I'll try holding him in place but not hard?

[HurricaneShane]

I've placed him in a small cage by the heater, and made sure little man has some breathing room inside the shirt. I'll try again in an hour or so.

[Mel1959]

Try wrapping him like a burrito in a piece of fleece or blanket while you try to feed him. Even covering his eyes a little. This may help him feel safer.

If you don’t have a heating pad make a rice buddy by putting some uncooked rice in a sock, tie the end closed and warm it in the microwave. Squish it around to make sure there are no hot spots, then place it under the t shirts he’s lying on. This won’t stay hot all night so you will have to rewarm it. Just make sure it’s not hot enough to burn him.

Hydrate him with the solution Sammysmom recommended. A cold dehydrated baby can’t process the food correctly, so that has to be addressed first.

If you have goats milk powder that can be used temporarily, but you must add some other ingredients to it. Mix the goats milk powder according to the instructions on the can. Then take 3 parts goats milk and add 1 part heavy whipping cream and 1 part full fat vanilla yogurt. Stir well. This will be his formula till you get some POWDERED puppy Esbilac formula.

When he is no longer dehydrated you can offer him the warmed formula. Go slow and use a 1cc or 3cc syringe. No bottles or eye droppers. You can get a syringe from a pharmacist, just tell them you’re feeding a baby kitten. They are usually a little more sympathetic to that.

He must be stimulated to pee and poop at each feeding. Are his eyes open?

[HurricaneShane]

Okay, how long should I set this burrito on bake till I try and give him some of the re-hydration fluid? Because I tried simulating this burrito action with the shirt, covering his eyes, for about an hour an a half, trying little amounts to see if he'd drink a little in-between Grinderheads advice and Sammysmom. Was a no-go. I'm really afraid he messed up his jaw or something. :((

[HurricaneShane]

Yeah his eyes are wide open, sorry forgot to add that. He's not exactly able to walk, but he can crawl. He skoot and skidaddled right out of my hands before I placed him in the cage and went right up under my bed, where I might add, my adult female gray has hidden a stash of food. I was scared almost as much as he probably was. I was able to get her into her cage and get him safer. I just tried to give him some of the liquid, but still a no go. Will try again in another hour with an update.

[HurricaneShane]

just got him to drink some!!!!! took him a bit to figure out its the good stuffs. Trying to get the little guy to pee, so i can keep my promise to let him sleep xD

[Spanky]

Would you like us to try to find an experienced member that can raise and release this little one? Maybe even get he some cage mates / siblings around her same age to grown up with which is a terrific advantage for them.

Is yes, let us know the general area you are located and we'll try to find someone.

[HurricaneShane]

Yeah it would be in his best interest for that to happen, it's been a few years since I even had to think about handling a baby squirrel. My area is Wake Forest, North Carolina.

[HurricaneShane]

Using this sites information list, I contacted several rehabilitators, and those who did answer told me to bring it to an 'Animal Emergency Hospital and Urgent Care' that takes in wildlife. Upon taking it to this place, these savages told me that just put it back on a tree in the area. So, hearing this from these people I did so. I can't begin to tell you how much regret I have and guilt watching this little guy scamper up this tree, just to sit on a branch for 3 almost 4 hours. He isn't calling out for his mom, or making any sounds. Just sitting on the branch. Now I have climbing gear from an old job, and I am contemplating climbing this big oak to grab him back. What should I do?

[Spanky]

You need to get that baby.... he will never, ever survive. They need to be about 16 weeks old, and proper release takes weeks... not placing them on a branch. :soapbox

Please do not take the squirrel anywhere or to anyone that we do not advise ON THE OPEN BOARD. Like in this thread!

[HurricaneShane]

I am so Effin angry at those people right now. I want just punch holes in walls right now. Yeah I’m suiting up and headed up there. I just hope he doesn’t take off too far on a branch to where I’d have to cut it.:frustratedx:frustratedx

[Milo's Mom]

Was this the place on Vick Avenue in Raleigh? Who did you talk too there? I just called the President of WRNC (wildlife rehabilitators of NC) and she's going to go in there and set some things straight. That NEVER should have happened.

Please contact Kelley Odell at 919-606-6868 she rehabs squirrels and possies in Raleigh. Or KT Childress at 252-573-9343 she rehabs squirrels and possies in Durham. I am going to go get you more names and numbers of squirrel rehabbers in NC that I know personally.

And please do your best to get that baby out of the tree. I'm very sorry they told you that.

[Nancy in New York]

Please please please until we can find someone, if ANYONE tells you something like this,
come here first and ask.
I cannot believe these people told you that.
Sometimes you have to follow your own instincts and I think you knew this
was not what should be done.
I hope you can get this poor innocent life.

[HurricaneShane]

Yes this was the place. I had just called(before coming back to the pc and reading this) and spoke with the man who told me "the best thing I could do was to put it back on the tree because that's what a rehabilitator would do anyway". So I told him now I feel like I just murdered the thing by sending it all out on its lonesome, and he constantly put me on hold, and then changed it to where he said I had an option to put it on the branch. Not from what he told me when he gave me back the squirrel I didn't. It's the reason I brought it there in the first place. There isn't an active squirrels nest on this oak tree, or the one next to it. He's told me he advises against climbing it, to maybe wait and see if it comes down. Then he said if I were to get it, I could bring it back. That would be a cold day in hell.

I don't remember his name because I was just really angry. Maybe Ken something? I know he has a long black beard.

[TubeDriver]

There is a lot of misinformation out there. Your little fellow will come down out of the tree at some point, especially when he gets hungry. If he is not very high in the tree, you could try to get him but I would stop if it becomes unsafe to you or if the squirrel starts climbing higher. I would try to watch him and hopefully he will come down to you before the sun sets. It's not your fault you got bad advice.

Have a box to put him in or a fishing type net to scoop him up if he comes down. There is a small chance he will just crawl down to you and allow you to pick him up and bring him back inside.



Yes this was the place. I had just called(before coming back to the pc and reading this) and spoke with the man who told me "the best thing I could do was to put it back on the tree because that's what a rehabilitator would do anyway". So I told him now I feel like I just murdered the thing by sending it all out on its lonesome, and he constantly put me on hold, and then changed it to where he said I had an option to put it on the branch. Not from what he told me when he gave me back the squirrel I didn't. It's the reason I brought it there in the first place. There isn't an active squirrels nest on this oak tree, or the one next to it. He's told me he advises against climbing it, to maybe wait and see if it comes down. Then he said if I were to get it, I could bring it back. That would be a cold day in hell.

I don't remember his name because I was just really angry. Maybe Ken something? I know he has a long black beard.

[HurricaneShane]

I used to climb trees as a job, so I am not worried about me, just him. He crawled his way about 10ft, stopped for about 30min, and then went another 10 and stayed there for an hour or so. Last time I checked, he’s about 25-40ft up on a branch. I have an small old cage from when my Squeaks was a baby. Nancy was right, I should have just went with my gut and kept him inside.

[HurricaneShane]

Update. It took me 2 hours but I found him.

308514

[TubeDriver]

You have saved his life twice now!:great

Keep him quiet, warm.

MilosMom posted up two local rehabbers that work with squirrels:

"Kelley Odell at 919-606-6868 she rehabs squirrels and possies in Raleigh. Or KT Childress at 252-573-9343 she rehabs squirrels and possies in Durham."

I would give them a call and see if you can transfer the little fellow over. Thanks for sticking with it and recapturing him!



Update. It took me 2 hours but I found him.

308514

[HurricaneShane]

He’s safe, really hungry and in the hands of a man who rehabs Eastern Grays out in franklinton. He invited me into his house, and I was so relieved when I saw he had everything the little man needed ready for him. He also had a scrapbook of squirrels he’s released.

I feel so much better. I’m giving my own some extra love when I get home.