Moms dead

[FergieBoo]

So I have Fergus who is just over 7 weeks now. He is definitely too young to be on his own. I know where his mother and siblings are. Today we found that his mother was hit and killed by a car. My question is, should I try to get the remainder of Fergus litter mates or leave them be? I feel they maybe too wild to catch. He is a little slower developing due to his Immobilization... they have had a wild mom and had a chance to learn from her. Also the mother was a young mom, this may have been her first litter. Could her mom still be in the area? I have heard of squirrels taking in other babies... is this true? Just don’t know what would be the best thing for these little guys... any experience out there and advice welcome...

[Spanky]

Seven weeks is too young to survive in the wild. If they lost mom eventually they will start searching for help... they will walk right up to humans, often climbing their legs (we call this "warm tree syndrome"). Sadly, too many humans that have had this happen misunderstand and think the baby is rabid. This is also how dogs and cats catch so many young squirrels... more that the squirrels seek them out versus their awesome hunting skills.

I would try to find and help them...

[CritterMom]

Absolutely. They may be unwilling to take formula but you can get them started on blocks and protect the little things for a few more weeks...

[HRT4SQRLS]

I agree. Keep checking the area. When they get desperate they will be easier to catch.
Wow, an entire litter of those beautiful Fox squirrels.... Bachman, right?

I picked up a 7 week old in my yard. After a short chase, he attached to the bottom of a tree and I picked him right up. He wasn’t difficult to catch.

[FergieBoo]

Checked area multiple times yesterday, haven’t seen any babies. The nest is super high, like 50 feet up... going to check again today... hope I can find them.

[Rock Monkey]

The more hungry they get, the more likely they will be to start to search for food. It is when they start searching on the ground that they become the most vulnerable. The ground will likely be unfamiliar territory and their leaping and climbing skills are still developing. They may also start crying.

You can try putting some food on crotches of lower limbs so they will stay in the tree. Check later to see if any has been eaten.

[FergieBoo]

Checked again, no sign of them... ☹️ Could she have moved them? Or would they still be hiding. It’s been 24 hours since she died

[Spanky]

Checked area multiple times yesterday, haven’t seen any babies. The nest is super high, like 50 feet up... going to check again today... hope I can find them.

Please keep checking... babies are hard-wired to remain in their nest and wait for mom. There are a lot of variables (heat, cold, humidity, hydration, hunger, insects, etc.) that will play into how long they remain until they are desperate enough to venture out on their own in search of help. It could be many days before they give up on mom's return...

[FergieBoo]

It is hot as hell here, very humid... they should be okay from cold but I worry about dehydration... the tree is so big there should be some food they can forage but predator are a huge issue. We have a hawks and barn owls that nest nearby...

[FergieBoo]

Another though, is the a recording of a mom calling, or could I play the baby squirrel sounds to lure them out?

[Rock Monkey]

I don't think a recording will bring them out, Mom comes to them.

If you can safely do so, I would put some food like cooked sweet potato, butternut squash, avocado, plain Greek yogurt on a lower limb and then check a few hours later to see if any has been eaten. Those foods have substantial water content. You could put a small Tupperware lid with just a little water up their as well. Look for muddy foot prints/smudges in the lid.

What sort of tree is the nest in?

[Spanky]

Another though, is the a recording of a mom calling, or could I play the baby squirrel sounds to lure them out?

This would likely serve to scare them to stay put longer than they might otherwise. Babies cry for mom... it is mom's job to come when the baby is crying. They are really hard-wired to stay in that nest. It is only desperation that will normally bring them out... right now I would probably be spending 30 minutes at a time by the nest tree just listening for cries for momma. In oppressive heat they cannot keep that crying up very long after not having food / hydration for a number of hours.

Many of the babies I have managed to rescue that had lost their mom were emaciated, dehydrated and infested with maggots (so the flies laid eggs, the eggs hatched)... this take many days!

[FergieBoo]

The tree is a pine... it’s closest branch is at least 20 plus feet up... the nest is in a huge fork another 20ish feet up... it has about 4 Foot diameter, great tree for fox squirrels just too close to the main road (only 10 foot or so) there really isn’t even a way to climb it. I see a bit off the nest bedding on the ground and hanging out I still haven’t seen or heard them. I’m starting to loose hope.

[Rock Monkey]

They have a strong will to survive. Eventually hunger will cause them to leave the nest. They will start crying. The may transition into other adjoining trees. Using a short ladder you might temporarily nail a board, or two boards joined together in an upside down L, to the tree and put some food on that. So they don't have to come to the ground. Put an almond or pecan on there in addition to say sweet potato, butternut squash, and avocado. They are hardwired to notice the smell of a nut.

They are resilient. They need much less water than humans.

Keep looking for them.

[Rock Monkey]

Hopefully some predator didn't hear them first.

It can't hurt to keep looking and listening.

[FergieBoo]

Thanks everyone, I will try the board idea. We have a pretty good dew at night so maybe they are licking leaves to get a little water... Hope💕

[Snicker Bar]

I’m in NE MS if can be of any help.

[FergieBoo]

316222316223316224here are a couple of pictures, for those that love pictures

[FergieBoo]

316225

This tree is like three pastures over from my house, my neighbor pulled into his road and thinks I’m nuts😂

[FergieBoo]

No activity with the food and water I put out...😢

[stepnstone]

They are resilient. They need much less water than humans.

This is not true!
Yes they are resilient, they can go days without eating not without water/hydration.
Food and water are both very important however, stop eating one is able to fast for a while.
Stop drinking water/hydrating, one has precious little time the body shuts down.

[Rock Monkey]

If the nest is disturbed, disheveled relative to the way it had been there may have been an altercation with a larger creature. Hopefully one or two escaped, but dreys usually only have one entrance.

It can't hurt to keep a look out. If nothing else you will know that you did everything that you could. Sometimes that is all we can do.