Baby Squirrel - something is wrong I'm sure....

[Thecityman]

Hello Friends. So here is a very strange situation that I'm very worried about. Where I work a baby squirrel has recently appeared and is clearly not acting right. First, he seems extremely young for this time of year here in Tennessee- I can't imagine him being large enough to make it through winter in just a couple more months but I could be wrong. I've never seen a squirrel this small out on his own, either, which is another concern. But it gets stranger. This little guy seems to live his entire life in or under a small bradford pear tree at work. I have seen him eat just a couple times- both times he was eating those tiny little pears that bradford pear trees produce. But here is the strangest thing of all.....I walk outside and walk right up to him and pet him and even pick him up!!!! He isn't frightened and worse yet, he seems very lethargic. He moves really slow and most of the time he just sits on the ground under the tree. Where I work is out in a very rural area. There are no public parks near by, so he would not be used to being around people at all. I know the first guess might be that he is someone's pet or has been cared for by people before, but that is almost impossible based on the location of my workplace. We are surrounded by fields and I've already asked the few homes nearby and they don't know anything.

I've put out other foods for him but he hasn't eaten anything- and I've tried a LOT of things. I also put out water because I can't imagine where he could be getting any water, but so far he hasn't drank any. He seems to be more lethargic each day. Surely there is something wrong with a squirrel letting me just pick him up with almost no reaction. The closest wildlife rehab to me is almost 70 miles away so I'm sorry but that isn't an option. I'd be happy to take him in if its the right thing to do and I have a good bit of experience raising wild animals (rabbits, racoons, opossums, not squirrels) and would be happy to try to help. I'm tempted to do that because I'm almost certain that a cat or dog will end up killing him. But I just don't know what is happening or what to do. I'm posting a few photos so you can see how old he is and maybe give me a guess. Any advice is appreciated.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMKTt7rRZu00VN4h0ECCkAehSrw4swKyZm3TX0n
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[HRT4SQRLS]

This little guy needs help. It is very common for orphaned babies to approach humans for help. It is common on this board for people to say.... “a baby squirrel just climbed up my leg.” This is not someone’s pet. This is a helpless, motherless baby looking for help. He found you. He needs to be on a heating pad on LOW. He then needs hydration. Let me get a link that will help you.

This will get you started.

https://www.henryspets.com/1-caring-for-a-baby-squirrel/

[HRT4SQRLS]

Kevin, this is very important. I saw your previous posts in early September. Things have changed drastically since your posts. At that time we were recommending powderd puppy Esbilac. Things have changed.
At this time ESBILAC IS DEFECTIVE. WE ARE NO LONGER RECOMMENDING PETAG PRODUCTS INCLUDING ESBILAC.

Over the last month or so, Esbilac is responsible for killing hundreds of babies. Please don’t buy Esbilac for your baby. You should purchase the ingredients for the homemade goat milk recipe on the Henrys baby care guide. You can order the Fox Valley 20:50 from the Henrys Healthy Pet website.

[Thecityman]

Words cannot express how much I appreciate your response, and I sincerely mean that. Some people look at a baby squirrel, say it is cute, and walk on and finish their day. I see a baby squirrel (or almost any wild animal) and if it looks like it even MIGHT be in trouble, then I spend the rest of the day or week worrying and thinking about what I should do!!! You answered so many questions for me in those 2 brief replies! I was completely confused at how a wild baby squirrel would be so unafraid of me and let me pet and even pick it up. I was certain it wasn't from prior human exposure but that was the only thing that made sense to me. Now I know they sometimes behave this way. What I didn't say in my first post was that not only would he let me pet and pick him up, but he would actually come to me...sometime literally RUN over to me. I thought I was doing the right thing by resisting my desperate desire to take him home...most people say not to interfere with nature and as a general rule I know that is probably good advice. But I'm so glad you said that in some rare cases, like this one, the right thing to do IS to intervene. Thanks to your link and your follow-up I know honestly believe I can do that successfully, and I am going to do so and follow your advice and instructions in that link.

The bad news is that today after I got your reply and made the decision to try and help this guy, when I left work he was not there. Now, while he is almost always in that little bradford pear tree, there is a very large oak tree just a few feet away that I have seen him in once, and he could have climbed into it to a place I can't see him and so I'm going back to my office in an hour or so to try again. usually at daylight and dusk is when he is most visible. But if a cat or dog got him or he died because I didn't try to help sooner, then I'll never forgive myself!!! I'll keep everyone posted, though.

Thanks also for having the presence of mind to look at my old post and tell me about the esbilac problems. Thanks to the outstanding web site people here I had seen the warning about it, but somehow even that didn't drive home the importance of it the way your personal warning did. The good news is I have real goats myself, so often times I can have real goat milk on hand to use in a recipe for squirrels. Unfortuantely none have milk now, so I'll use the recipe you gave me.

Thanks again so very much!

Kevin

[stepnstone]

HRT is dead on saying " This is a helpless, motherless baby looking for help."
I'm praying you find him, that picture really breaks my heart...

[HRT4SQRLS]

I too pray that you find him. :Love_Icon

[HRT4SQRLS]

Some people look at a baby squirrel, say it is cute, and walk on and finish their day. I see a baby squirrel (or almost any wild animal) and if it looks like it even MIGHT be in trouble, then I spend the rest of the day or week worrying and thinking about what I should do!!!

Kevin

Kevin, I think it’s safe to say that everyone on this board feels that way. You are definitely ‘one of us’.
I sure hope you find the little guy.

[Thecityman]

I'm sorry to say I went all the way back to my workplace to look for the little guy but didn't find him. I'm going in a daylight tomorrow for the sole purpose of looking for him. I now feel awful for not scooping him up when I had the chance but honestly I thought I was doing to right thing by "letting nature take care of itself". Next time I'll know....but its not over yet. There have been other times over the last few days when it disappeared and reappeared so keep those prayers coming! ha. And thanks again for all who have expressed concern and support.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Maybe tomorrow.

[RockyPops]

Prayers that the little guy can make it thru til tomorrow.

Thanks for trying to help him!

[redwuff]

Anything?:grouphug

[BuckysMommy]

Did you find this poor baby? I hope and pray that you did.