kookoo_forbonbon
08-27-2023, 10:32 PM
Hi everyone,
I am a newer sub-permittee for a rehab center and recently took in 2 squirrel babies. They appear to be about 6 weeks old (about 100 grams) and also I think from the same litter. I attached a picture of one, for reference.
I don't know their back story, but they were found and admitted to the rehab center about a week ago. So they had been in the wild up to that point.
They are VERY combative and protective, and seem absolutely petrified with fear any time I have to take them out of the cage at feeding time. Over 4 years of rehabbing, I've never seen squirrels this young act like this. One of them screamed when I gently took him out for a feeding. I feel so bad for them.
When I do a feeding, I typically have a fleece blanket that I swaddle them somewhat tightly in. Once they're swaddled, I put the nipple up to their mouth and start feeding. In the middle of a feeding with one of them, she started writhing around, gasping, and crying and making other uncomfortable sounds like she was dying. I was horrified, as she seemed super uncomfortable and like she was in pain. I stopped feeding her for a sec, just because I was so surprised and couldn't figure out what was going on. I thought she might die in my hands. It was so weird.
The other squirrel would like, viciously bite the nipple while voraciously sucking down the milk. But not like a "ooh I like this too much" bite, it was more of an angry, defense bite, at the same time sucking/swallowing the milk.
I think I can rule out my feeding technique, milk temp, etc. because I've done so many feedings at this point and have never had problems.
Can anyone explain the weird behavior? For the one squirrel, it almost felt like she was in pain, and my first thought was internal injury or something. But could it have been just that she was SO SCARED of me that it was causing her to do that?
I have never seen babies this young act this wild before and wasn't prepared for this. I mean I expect this kind of wild, defensive behavior from adults, but not juveniles this young. I feel so bad that they are so scared. Is this normal? Or is this due to some internal injury, or are they just THAT scared? And also, what can I do to make them feel more comfortable when I need to do regular feedings, care, etc.?
325772
I am a newer sub-permittee for a rehab center and recently took in 2 squirrel babies. They appear to be about 6 weeks old (about 100 grams) and also I think from the same litter. I attached a picture of one, for reference.
I don't know their back story, but they were found and admitted to the rehab center about a week ago. So they had been in the wild up to that point.
They are VERY combative and protective, and seem absolutely petrified with fear any time I have to take them out of the cage at feeding time. Over 4 years of rehabbing, I've never seen squirrels this young act like this. One of them screamed when I gently took him out for a feeding. I feel so bad for them.
When I do a feeding, I typically have a fleece blanket that I swaddle them somewhat tightly in. Once they're swaddled, I put the nipple up to their mouth and start feeding. In the middle of a feeding with one of them, she started writhing around, gasping, and crying and making other uncomfortable sounds like she was dying. I was horrified, as she seemed super uncomfortable and like she was in pain. I stopped feeding her for a sec, just because I was so surprised and couldn't figure out what was going on. I thought she might die in my hands. It was so weird.
The other squirrel would like, viciously bite the nipple while voraciously sucking down the milk. But not like a "ooh I like this too much" bite, it was more of an angry, defense bite, at the same time sucking/swallowing the milk.
I think I can rule out my feeding technique, milk temp, etc. because I've done so many feedings at this point and have never had problems.
Can anyone explain the weird behavior? For the one squirrel, it almost felt like she was in pain, and my first thought was internal injury or something. But could it have been just that she was SO SCARED of me that it was causing her to do that?
I have never seen babies this young act this wild before and wasn't prepared for this. I mean I expect this kind of wild, defensive behavior from adults, but not juveniles this young. I feel so bad that they are so scared. Is this normal? Or is this due to some internal injury, or are they just THAT scared? And also, what can I do to make them feel more comfortable when I need to do regular feedings, care, etc.?
325772