Oh no...not again...

[roguetiger]

Okay, well I'm back. Long story short - it has been raining cats and dogs today and I just heard a whoosh and thump down my apt. chimney.

Down comes a nest - baby squirrel, ears out, eyes not open and just pitiful AND his mother! Opened the back door - mom ran out, but baby is still here.

Now what do I do?!

I can't take care of another baby right now, and I'd much rather his mother came back and take him, but he is inside and she is not. I have no idea what I need to do to get this guy back to his mom.

[Ryleigh's Sister]

WOW! fascinating! Do you already have things a squirrel needs? Vegetables, water, spectrum light, cage, etc....?

[My Little Trouble]

Would it be possible to set the baby and nest just outside the door that mama ran out through?
Could you shelter the nest from the rain and place a safe heat source under the nest to help baby stay warm
and give mama a chance to come back and retrieve him/her?

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Check out how mom might have been coming and going to the chimney. Is there a tree that she's climbing from? Can you place baby near that tree, or near the chimney, and monitor for a couple of hours? Hopefully, baby will begin crying for mom and she'll come to the rescue.

You'll need to improvise on a partial lid to a box or something in order to keep baby dry.

[roguetiger]

Yeah, I know the tree they use (along with the roof and several other trees). Will she actually be able to get the baby back up the tree?
What if their nest is completely gone?


sigh....


and how do I keep the box warm if it is outside?
I have a client appt. at 3, so this is going to be interesting...

(edit) we have a back porch, which is what the mom ran out through. I can set up a better shelter there at the door. Think that'll work?

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

I think you chances of Mom spotting baby are better near Mom's pathway, not the door. I would not leave baby unattended while you are at your appt due to cats and other predators.

Mom will find a new nest to retreat to, and she can haul baby up a tree without a problem. You can also put up a nestbox for her to move into on that tree, but let her take baby into it.

[roguetiger]

The tree is a big oak that hangs over the roof, there are smaller trees on the other side by the door - they often drop down those (via the roof) to get to the acorns. Should the heating pad be completely under the box, or just halfway?

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Half way so that the baby can crawl off the heat if it gets hot. Are you going to set up the heating pad outside?

I suspect Mom is frantically trying to figure out how to get her baby back. How long ago did this happen?

[roguetiger]

literally 10 minutes ago

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

OK, then she's still catching her breath. I was worried that it might have been several hours and maybe she had given up looking for baby.

Good luck. Any chance of salvaging that nest and getting it in a tree?

[My Little Trouble]

Would a modified (flattened) rice buddy work for warmth - under the nest?

**edit - Okay, sorry Gamma, I see we posted at the same time, thinking along the same lines. :thumbsup

[roguetiger]

the hot water bottle is a good idea, we're in LA, so it isn't super cold, but he is sooo little. I walked out there, she is parked in that big tree, but the baby isn't making any noise. Breathing, but I think exhausted. It is rough falling down a chimney when you're only a few weeks old.

I think the nest is a goner.

[roguetiger]

I think she is there...watching....I've set him up - he won't get off the glove that he was scooped up with. That won't scare her off will it?

I think she saw me out there, so maybe she'll investigate? He is at the base of the big tree, not near the back door she ran out of.

That is the big question, which is the better area?

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Gamma is right. Mommy is getting her nerve up and making sure the coast is clear. She will come down as soon as she determines it's safe. She may even have a backup drey already.

[pamela lee]

Good Luck Roguetiger. I'm on pins and needles waiting to hear how it goes. God I hope and pray she gets her sweet little baby. You must be a nervous wreck. If there are any parts of the nest left you could put that in the box so she could smell her own scent.

[roguetiger]

Yup yup - I put some of the leaves I could get into the box, along with the glove (sigh, no getting out of that one) and have a hot water bottle halfway under the box. I tried sitting out there a while, but it started drizzling and I have work I have to do.

My stomach is in knots. I'm resisting the temptation to run out there and check on him. When he first fell, he was chirping and making such a racket, but hasn't made any sounds since, which really worries me. If he doesn't make any noise, how will she know where he is?!

I'm stuck between needed to watch them, but the only covered place I can is about 20 feet from where he is, which will prolly ward her off. So I left the back door open and am sitting by it to peek out once in a while.

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

im waiting to hear some good news!!:thumbsup :alright.gif :jump

[skye]

Good Luck with that little baby I sure pray all turns out well.

[thundersquirrel]

it's best if the baby makes noise- mama will hear!

it's important that you leave the baby alone as much as possible. mom is pretty freaked out right now, and she will be fearful again if she sees you near the box. it might take a few hours for her to retrieve the baby.

hand warmers are wonderful and cheap- you can buy them at any outdoors store, and you just rub them up and they get hot for a few hours. i wouldn't leave the baby if i were you, though....

[TexanSquirrel]

Good luck getting him home!

[roguetiger]

Hurray!! Good news - mom got the baby back!

I had the baby under the big tree for awhile, till I had to leave. No one was going near him. I noticed a little head popping up around the screen door though, so I moved the box to where mom took off from the porch, rewarmed the water bottle and left. My fiance watched over him while I was gone. This was a much better position as he was able to monitor the baby from a window.

It took mom a few tries, and a few scares (apparently the box he was in twitched when she went to get him out and she bolted) but my fiance put him directly on the ground (on some leaves covering the hot water bottle) when he saw her making these thwarted attempts. He kept watching and she finally came down, scooped him up, and up the tree she went!

Coolest part - he filmed it for me, since I wasn't there to see. Once I get it cut down to the right size, etc. I'll post for ya'll.

Thank you all again for your help and support. I'm so happy this baby got back with his mom - no one could raise him as well as she could!

[pamela lee]

That's the best news ever. Thanks for waiting it out and giving that sweet momma the chance to get that baby.

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

Oh..I bet that was a sight..Leigh got that kind of video..ITS a sweet moment.
Cant wait for the pictures you have to share!!
Im so happy...
http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif)http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif)GREAT NEWS!!!!http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif)http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif)

[4skwerlz]

Great news! Excellent job! :thumbsup

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

:bowdown :bowdown wonderful job! Nobody can take the place of Momma Squirrel!:bowdown

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Sounds like things worked out perfectly! Can't wait to see the video.

[TexanSquirrel]

:jump :jump :jump :jump :jump

[Chihua Lover]

Where's the video? Where's the video?
I can't wait to see it.

[My Little Trouble]

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/yesx.gif http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/yay.gifhttp://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/bigyay.gifhttp://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/yay.gif http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/yesx.gif
You and your fiance did sooooo good!

[kitkat 1]

That is SOooooo wonderful--imagine how happy mommy is!!!!!:crazy kitkat 1:wahoo :wahoo

[thundersquirrel]

WONDERFUL news!!! i'm looking forward to the video!

thank you SO MUCH for helping the reuniting!

[Mountain Mama]

Some women sit at the beauty shop and gossip. I sit and wonder if Momma Squirrel got her baby back.

Yahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

[island rehabber]

OMG, roguetiger, you guys are so wonderful!!!! GREAT JOB!!!! :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup :bowdown:bowdown

Nobody mammas a baby squirrel like a squirrel mamma! What a great story, and can't wait to see the video! :multi

[skye]

This is wonderful news I am so happy God Bless you for helping this baby and the mommy. :wahoo :thumbsup

[Buddy'sMom]

:multi :multi :wahoo :wahoo :wahoo :wahoo :multi :multi

[macytree]

I am jumping for joy! I might use emoticons even!

:jump

and maybe this one too

:wott

You rock for getting that baby back home!

[roguetiger]

Alright guys -

Got this sucker cut down. It is still about 5 minutes (30 minutes were filmed). The angle is a bit off, but the action is down at the bottom of the screen. I included the mom approaching and bolting away. Check out her tail!

Anyway, all the action is at the end, feel free to skip ahead.

Thank you guys again for all the help and advice! I'm so glad this little one was taken back by mom!

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c297/RogueTiger/?action=view&current=squirrel_rescue2.flv

((ps - apparently our neighbor came home halfway through this and he likes to smoke out on the back porch. My Better Half saw him arrive and ran out to move the baby to just the ground and warm water bottle to encourage the mother to get him soon. He figured if the neighbor came out, she'd never get back to him. Its like the little one had a water bed. Just didn't want ya'll to think we weren't taking proper care of him!)

[hiutisonlyme]

:thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

That was the best video I have ever seen, my heart was racing for that poor mummy knowing she had to get her baby back at all costs but also knowing there was danger in doing so .The tail twitching said it all....

Roguetiger you and your better half deserve a medal, Well Done is not enough praise, your dedication, patience and love has saved the day. x x x x x x

:grouphug

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif)WOW..excellent mommy rescuehttp://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif)
I loved the video..I had sweaty palms..watching..MOMS tail..swishy all over..she was so, scared..BUT wanted her baby!!
http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/babydance.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/babydance.gif)HOW awesome.to see..nature in action..http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/babydance.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/babydance.gif)
You guys are saints...for helping reunite..mom and BABY...

http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif)Thank you..for taking the time..to make the video..and sharing it all..with US..http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/clap.gif) :bow
I so,enjoyed it..and my three year old..kept saying.."aww."
http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/bye1.GIF (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/bye1.GIF)...FTN...R & B....http://www.smileyarena.com/emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/bye2.gif (http://www.smileyarena.com/download.aspx?File=emoticons/Main/Large_Mix/bye2.gif)

[Stndbck]

that was really cool -- maybe they need to install a chimney cap on the house so that this does not happen again.

And for those interested, I think that squirrel who was in my truck attempting to make a nest finally gave up. Perhaps the mothballs all around did the trick!

[Critter_Queen]

THAT WAS FRICKIN' AWESOME!!! :bowdown

[macytree]

Whew, even though I knew how it ended it was still a nail biter. When she came down the second to last time and ran away again I was scared. Baby apparently woke up and started moving around and mom didn't come back forever! What a gorgeous video though. I love mother nature.

[skye]

Wonderful Video:thumbsup Thanks so much for sharing this with us. I really enjoyed had to watch it 4 times .lol This was so cool to see mommy get her baby.:thumbsup :)

[Mountain Mama]

WHY????????

I can't get past 2:40. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

:bowdown :bowdown :wahoo GREAT Momma squirrel!

[roguetiger]

Hahahahahaa......you're never going to believe this...

we woke up this morning to another set of chirping. We just kinda sighed and went to check it out. I think mom fusses at them too much and they are trying to run away from home. I say "they" because now there are TWO babies in a box outside, trying to be rescued.

Guess mom liked her ramshackle nest and took yesterday's back to it. Trying all the same stuff, except that I don't know when they fell, so I don't know if mom is still looking.

About the chimney cap, I have to get the apt. complex to take a look, but since there was a nest there, I thought they might hurt any babies...so, I'm stuck on that one. Funny thing, there is a sort of cap already, but I think the squirrels have wedged it up and built a nest.

[TinyPaws]

WOW.... Best movie i've ever seen.....I give it 2:thumbsup up....:wahoo

[thundersquirrel]

put them right where you put the other one. by now she'll definitely have a nest somewhere, and her mommy instincts will continue working for at least another couple of days. see if you can get the babies to chirp and cry when they're out there- just watch out for predators, especially cats.

we had one success- we can have another!

[Mountain Mama]

RATS!!! I STILL can't see the video! It keeps stopping at the 2:30 second mark. It will either reset itself to the "replay" option or it will just freeze. It does this on AOL and Internet Explorer, both on mine and Hubby's computers.

Anyone got any ideas?

I wanna see the movie!

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I dont know how to help you MM I forget how to even take a screen shot!:thinking

[My Little Trouble]

......you're never going to believe this...
now there are TWO babies in a box outside, trying to be rescued.

Arrrrgh!! http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/yipes.gif I hope that mom has made another rescue!! http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/crossfingers.gifhttp://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/crossfingers.gifhttp://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/crossfingers.gif

The video was terrific! :D :D :D

RATS!!! I STILL can't see the video! It keeps stopping at the 2:30 second mark. It will either reset itself to the "replay" option or it will just freeze. It does this on AOL and Internet Explorer, both on mine and Hubby's computers.

Anyone got any ideas?
*Mountainmama ~ I don't know if this will work :dono,
but have you tried advancing the video manually ?
Maybe if you can get it past the sticking point, it will start to operate again . . .

[Sarah]

Poor momma! :shakehead Have you tried leaving her out some pillow stuffing or cotton so maybe she could make a better nest? ... at least it's wind proof. Can you put a pillow in your fireplace so next time they'll have a soft landing?

The video was darling. :Love_Icon

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Fabulous video. Thanks for capturing it.

[roguetiger]

Updates:

Hurray! Mom came and got both of them. She took the smaller one first and was gone for quite awhile. I kept the other one warm, but then he started geting feisty (as feisty as one can be with their eyes still closed) and started making al this racket! He was so cute. He kept chirping non-stop every 4-5 minutes till mom came back and rescued him.

No camera this time, I was too anxious about making sure they got taken back. Leaving some nesting material is a good idea - I'll put some out tomorrow. (Internet has been down all day - argh). I was sitting outside this afternoon after all this had happened and watched a squirrel pulling twigs off the tree, so I think she is re-building. I hope this one works better for her!

Thanks again guys! Ya'll are great help/support/smile-bringers!!

[lauren xo]

OH THATS GREAT NEWS :jump :jump :jump :jump
:wave
You did such a great job!! :bowdown Hopefully Momma Squirrel will come back and let you see her babies every now and then :)

[My Little Trouble]

WOOT!!!http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/woot.gifhttp://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/yippie.gifhttp://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh160/MyLittleTrouble/Smiles/woot.gif

[Mountain Mama]

I don't know if this will work :dono,
but have you tried advancing the video manually ?
Maybe if you can get it past the sticking point, it will start to operate again . . .

I did try that, without any luck, but thank you for the suggestion...


if you used Firefox instead of IE.

:thankyou:thankyou:thankyou I finally got to see the whole thing!!!



VERY sweet video. Mammas do love their babies, don't they?

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Not sure how I missed all the action, but that was an awesome video! Good job getting them back with their mom. Hopefully she has a really good nest now and they won't be falling out anymore.