Found young squirrel in Sacramento

[Loocious]

Hello! I am new here so still figuring out how to post/read comments/respond.

A couple weeks ago I tried to rehab a male young squirrel. He was very really struggling- fleas, lethargy, trouble keeping his head up... all of it. We had him for 5 days and unfortunately didn’t make it

Today we have discovered another baby squirrel, about a mile from Marty ^. I’m here to see if anyone is familiar with these signs. Our new bud, we’ll call him Piper, is showing similar signs. He’s staking water and pedialyte, responding to my touch and body warmth, hiding and trembling, extremely exhausted and a very heavy head. A friend mentioned neuro issues/I’m thinking there might be a connect with these dying babies...

[Mel1959]

There could be a connection. Raccoon roundworm is a possibility. It could also be head trauma. Are you following the protocol for caring for an orphaned squirrel? Here’s the link. https://www.henryspets.com/1-basic-setup/

If it’s roundworm it’s always fatal. If it’s head trauma then treating it with prednisone works wonders.

What are you feeding? You can feed POWDERED Esbilac puppy food if it has an expiration date of 10/21 or later. Mix according to the directions.

Don’t reconstitute formula with pedialyte and only offer pedialyte for 24 hrs. After that switch to water slightly sweetened with honey if necessary.

[Loocious]

Thank you for your input!
We ended up taking him to the wild life center here in Sacramento. They said he and most likely others are very dehydrated and need medical support. Do you think it’s possible to hydrate these little guys on our own if I put all my effort in? Next time I hope to try!

[Mel1959]

You can absolutely hydrate them on your own, we do it all the time. Having the proper tools for the job will make it much easier and successful for you. It’s a small investment to purchase a couple of miracle nipples and a 1cc syringe so that you have it on hand if you ever need it.

If you go to Henrys Pets online you can order a 2-pack of miracle nipples, which will come with a 3cc syringe and then order an additional 1cc syringe. For little guys a 1cc syringe is better because less volume comes out and there’s less chance of a baby aspirating.

Here is the recipe for homemade hydration solution: 1 cup warm water, 3/4 Tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Here is a link to the proper feeding technique to educate yourself. https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?36776-PROPER-FEEDING-TECHNIQUE!!

And here’s the link to keep them warm and safe once you have them. https://www.henryspets.com/1-basic-setup/

A baby squirrel can go a couple of days without food, but MUST have hydration. It is critical to keep them hydrated and warm if it will be some time before you can transfer them to a rehabber. Without hydration their organs will begin to shut down.

You know, once you’ve been found by a squirrel others seem to find their way to you, too. Being prepared in advance will help you to help them. Thank you for caring. :hug