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View Full Version : Transitioning 2 month old squirrel to regular food for release.



SquirrellyGrrl
05-26-2021, 09:16 PM
Hello everyone,

I am new here. I was referred here by a much more knowlegable person who stated that I may get properly directed on what to do to help ready this baby for release. We had found this baby in the the road outside my house during a rain storm. Unfortunately because he was directly in the road, it was a heavy storm and we live directly in town in Lancaster, we couldn't figure out where he may have come from and so we brought him in. His eyes were still sealed, and he was cold and barely moving. I originally called several rehabbers in the area, but since this is baby squirrel season everyone was full so I read as much as I could and figured whatever help I could give him was better than nothing.
We warmed him first (I literally just put him inside my shirt right next to my skin), when he was dry and warm, we started him on Esbilac Puppy Milk in a kitten bottle. I fed him every 2-3 hours for a month.
I recently started giving him regular food.

He's been eating:
~Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Mouse, Rat & Hamster Food
~Dry corn
~Black Sunflower seeds
~Fresh produce like apples, bananas, blueberries, and carrots

I have also given him apple wood chews we got from the pet store. The hanging kind and a few loose branches on the floor of the cage. He also has a ferret hammock in there.
I have him on a waiting list for a reputable rehabber who is willing to take him in a month to release him.
I need advice on his diet and anything else that might make him more comfortable until then.
Any tips would be very appreciated!!

Spanky
05-26-2021, 09:19 PM
If you are feeding Kaytee as rodent block , that should be about 80% of the diet (80% of everything he eats). Dry corn is not good nor are sunflower seeds, those should be very limited. Fruits should be a small part of the over all diet.

Here is a the squirrel food pyramid:

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels