Does this seem like normal baby squirrel behavior?

[Sabache]

A littler over a week ago, I was driving home and spotted a large squirrel that looked pretty beat up, walking slowly across the street in front of my house. She was a Fox squirrel (I would later find out). Later in the day she went into my fenced back yard and was treed by the dogs (3lb Papillons) . I tried to get her to move along, but she just laid in the crook of the tree chattering, and making angry squirrel noises It almost looked like she was pressing her forehead against the bark of the tree. Took the dogs in and kept them in until the next day when she was gone.

A day goes by and the following morning my husband finds a baby fox squirrel, nose down on the sidewalk by his truck. Its about 40-45 degrees out. It has fur, but it is crawling with vermin and non-responsive. I take it in, warm it up, clean it up and put it in a box to rest. Got some goat milk Esbilac and a bottle and eventually he was drinking his food. Its been 10 days, I haven't seen the mother, and the baby is doing okay, I guess.

He eats & poops, and the fleas are (I think) gone. But occasionally he'll twitch, like whole body twitch. He also seems to hold his head sideways alot, like he's looking up through one eye, and he's not very graceful. I'm guessing he's about 6 weeks old. I'm just hoping he's not carrying whatever was wrong with his momma. Anyone see this type of behavior?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Welcome to TheSquirrelBoard

I think what you’re seeing is probably neurological from a head injury. The mother squirrel probably was injured by a predator or possibly even hit by a car. Whatever caused her condition she probably wasn’t able to care for her babies. When the mother fails to return, the babies will leave the nest to find help. They tend to fall head first due to the larger head when they are small. The baby probably sustained a brain injury to some degree. Hopefully the baby can recover.

You mentioned a bottle. Can you get a syringe from a pharmacy? Either a 1cc or a 3cc would be best. Don’t get one larger than a 3. There is a great risk of aspiration with a bottle. Aspiration causes pneumonia.

Here is a guide to baby squirrel care that will be helpful.
https://henryspets.com/1-baby-squirrel-care-guide/

Be on the look out for more babies. Where there is one, there are others.
Edit… sorry, you said 10 days ago. There won’t be others after this amount of time.

[Sabache]

Thank you!I was worried it might be a disease. I did look around when I found this one, but there are several feral cats around here, and I was probably lucky to find this one. I ordered the squirrel kit from Henry's, and I think there's a syrinve in there. Thank you!!!

[Diggie's Friend]

This source may help improve the baby squirrels condition from head injury. The sooner it is given the the most effective it will be. (found to improve condition of brain injury in rats).

https://www.amazon.com/VeganSafe-B-12-Methylcobalamin-Adenosylcobalamin-Supplement/dp/B00RXEW7R0

(2500 mcg.) formula bottle ONLY by "Global Healing"; not other forms of vitamin B 12 or the same form from another source.

The dose from this source only is one needle drop from a (1 cc) (1 ml) needle syringe added to one formula feeding a day.

ps. check closely for puncture marks for should the baby was bitten by a cat then the baby would need a specific Antibiotic as cat bite in rodents is lethal.

[Mel1959]

Can you locate any prednisone? If your baby has a head injury prednisone may help…even at this late date. Someone on here can help you with dosing. A weight of the squirrel and strength of the meds would be necessary.

[Sabache]

Can you locate any prednisone? If your baby has a head injury prednisone may help…even at this late date. Someone on here can help you with dosing. A weight of the squirrel and strength of the meds would be necessary.

I do have some prednisone, its 10 mg tablets. I have to weigh the squirrel when I get home. I'll post it shortly.

[Sabache]

The baby is 6 ounces, and the Prednisone pills I have are 10 Mg. He seems to be a little better, but I'm not sure what normal is. Here is a video.


https://youtu.be/rP-RcWlReeM

Here he is eating too fast. Still waiting for squirrel kit with syringes to come so I try to slow him down a bit by hand, but he's really determined.

[Mel1959]

I would like someone who is familiar with dosing prednisone to give you the proper dosage. It might make all the difference in his ability to be released.

[Sabache]

320206

This is his setup. I've been changing his bedding every day, in case he still has fleas or other buggers. This is a cotton sack lined with an old piece of rabbit fur and some soft cloths to burrow in. A couple mulberry branches to chew, a little lettuce & tomato just in case...? Anything else I should give him? (Picture went sideways)

[stepnstone]

Dosing / dilution for Prednisone sent to your private message.
Picture below is for reference on dosing using a 1cc/ml syringe.

320213

[Sabache]

Thank you!! I dosed him and he kinda shook his head like "blah!"and went back to his bed lol!