dina24@comcast.net has found a baby squirrel and needs help

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I started a new thread for you so more people would see it. This will help you get the help you need much quicker.

Here is the original post from the other thread:

Yes Saturday I found a baby squirrel in the yard and I called the vet and they said to feed it kitten milk and I was wondering if that is ok and if not what should I feed him? Also how do you determine age? To keep him warm he is in a christmas stocking. HELP!!!

Grammas baby had already responded on the other thread. Here is her response:

Glad to have you with us. We'll help you all we can. No, please do NOT feed this baby kitten's milk. You need to get Esbilca PUPPY formula. That is closest to Mommy's own milk. Do you have the baby being kept on a heating pad? It should only have the pad 1/2 way under its bed, so that it can crawl off if it gets too warm. You MUST feed this baby VERY SLOWLY, only a drop at a time, or it will aspirate, and get pneumonia, and probably die. NEVER fed a cold to the touch baby. They must be warm to be fed. We hava a VEY good forum here callled Baby Squirrels ABC's..When possible, please go check it out. It will help you with a lot of your questions. I like the one...Raising an infant tree squirrel. It gives you lots of pictures with the information. Are the baby's eyes open yet? Any info you can give us with help the rehabbers tremendously. THANK YOU SO MUCH for caring for this precious baby!!

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Grammasbaby has given some great advise!

1. Keep the baby warm by putting a heating pad under half his cage

2. Check the babies for injuries or illness

3. Rehydrate the baby using pedialyte

4. Start the baby on esbilac puppy formula (you can buy it at a pet store or veterinarians office).

I would recommend taking the baby to a rehabber instead of caring for it yourself as it will be able to be raised with other squirrels and will be more ready for life in the wild. Without another squirrel, they grow up slower. Plus, it is always more fun for the squirrel to have a squirrely friend and to have someone to go free with when the time comes.


If you need help locating a rehabber just let us know and someone will post some links to rehabbers in your area.

The squirrel ABCs section will definetely help you out in determining age and what to do to take care of the little one. A general aging description is: squirrels start to get fur at about 1 and a half weeks of age, get fur on their bellies at about 3-4 weeks of age, and open their eyes at around 5 weeks of age. They look like minature adults at 9-10 weeks old.

When feeding the baby, GO SLOWELY! Aspiration will most likely lead to pneumonia and death and it is very important to go slow to prevent them from aspirating. You should be using a 1 cc syringe (no needle of course) with a nipple on the end.

It is very important to check the baby over to make sure it doesn't have some kind of injury or illness that will get worse with time. Many babies come in with fleas or maggots and if untreated it can escalate and end up taking the babies life. Please check the baby over for bruising, broken limbs, parasites, and listen to its breathing. If you hear any clicking with the breathing that comes each time the baby takes a breath, it is a very serious condition and will lead to the death of your baby, sometimes within hours if left untreated. I don't want to scare you, just want you to be prepared and know when there is no longer anything you can do. If you notice any problems that you cannot treat, please get him to a vet or rehabber ASAP because all the things I listed are not deadly if caught soon enough and treated. Early detection is the biggest life saver for a baby squirrel, so always keep a close eye on your baby.

Well, I gotta get to bed, I am beat. Good luck with the little one!

[island rehabber]

Great job helping dina, everybody -- wow. Dina you've gotten excellent advice and I can't add anything to it except please consider finding a rehabber near you who is raising other squirrels and can take in this little baby. And pay very close attention to what's been said about aspiration -- when the baby sucks in formula into his lungs and sneezes it out the nose? --- it can be DEADLY. :nono