Hello, and do mama rock squirrels move their young? Where did my family go?

[LucyV]

Hello!

Not sure if this is the right forum/site to post on? I hopefully won't have to rescue any squirrels but wanted to get some expert info on behavior.

A rock squirrel (new mexico, USA) in my yard has had babies who emerged about two weeks ago. About seven of them, little angels, running and playing around the burrow. Anyway, Mama's always chirping, and seems to be annoyed by the cottontail adolescent bunnies that (try to) live under another shed in my yard. She also has been very upset about another rock squirrel youngster who doesn't seem to belong to her (he's bigger and looks different). Anyway, long story short, the young rock squirrel yesterday seemed to be poking around the entrance to her burrow. Later that day she emerged with one of her babies in her mouth. I hadn't seen that before. She dropped it and the baby ran back in the burrow. Then a massive storm hit last night (not too much rain / no flooding). I haven't seen a single squirrel all day and I'm wondering if she might have moved them because of the intruder? I'm a bit worried. Do they sometimes not come out to explore? I feel like I've seen them every day for about two weeks, so it's strange not to see a single one.

Any theories?

Thanks!
Lucy

[CritterMom]

Difficult to tell though I would continue to watch for them. Mama tree squirrels always have several nests and may move their babies several times before they are weaned and out of the nest. Maybe the nest begins to feel unsafe; sometimes it just gets grubby from all the babies and she moves them to a nice, fresh one. If these little ones are outside the burrow they are rapidly reaching the age when they go out on their own, too, like the little one that is nosing around has. Hopefully they are just tucked in from the storm and you will get to see them again. They are such pretty little things - in the sunshine, the silver "spangles" in their fur looks like sequins!

[LucyV]

No sign of ANY squirrels today. I don't think anything bad happened to them but I think they've moved to another site. It's so quiet now! I will miss them so much.

Thanks
Lucy

[LucyV]

UPDATE!

Mama squirrel has been seen in the neighbors yard. Husband says she has a burrow there, and the young squirrel that was not hers, was at my shed earlier.
I took pics. It has a messed up arm (left, the one it hold up) but it seems to be getting better. I call this one "Big Hands" because its paws look really big when it's up on its hind legs. :Love_Icon

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[CritterMom]

That is wonderful! Is there anything they especially like to eat? If so, I would leave him some. If the little injured ones can stay close to home and not have to forage all over the place, they send most of their time in their burrows sleeping and healing and not getting caught because they aren't quite fast enough. Giving chow can be the difference for them.

He is so cute!

[LucyV]

That is wonderful! Is there anything they especially like to eat? If so, I would leave him some.

He's had a bit of banana and pecan but I'll leave a few healthy tidbits of kale and radish. Yes, I hope he doesn't get into trouble foraging! Fingers crossed.