Thinking of Raising That Baby Yourself? READ THIS

[island rehabber]

You've found a baby squirrel, and you've found The Squirrel Board.
You're here in the Emergency Forum and you've read a little bit about how to keep the baby alive. Maybe you've warmed the baby up and he's starting to get active and nuzzle your hand. Maybe you've tried a little warm Pedialyte and he loved it and he looks so cute while he's slurping that syringe and when he's all curled up in a ball. And you figure, smart person that you are, that you're doing so well, it can't be THAT hard to raise this baby yourself.......

Yes, it can.

Please ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you prepared to go out NOW and find goat's milk to start him on formula, followed by Fox Valley Squirrel formula that can only be ordered ON LINE and costs upwards of $11 per canister?
• Are you prepared to go wherever you have to go, NOW, to get a 1cc syringe to feed this baby properly without aspirating him?
• Are you prepared starting right NOW to feed this baby as frequently as required by its age and condition, including getting up in the middle of the night?
• Are you prepared to use, or go out and buy NOW, a heating pad without the automatic shut-off feature? It is an absolute MUST for baby squirrels. Other heat sources will not be adequate and the baby will die.

• When your baby starts "clicking" and becomes lethargic because he accidentally inhaled a bit of formula, will you be able to get prescription-only antibiotics within the next 2 hours to save its life? IN VETERINARY STRENGTH, in LIQUID FORM?
  

• Are you prepared, LATER ON as the squirrel grows, to buy or build a series of appropriate cages for the animal's age, to buy expensive fresh produce which the squirrel requires for good health, to seek out skilled veterinary help even if you are in an "illegal state", and to learn how to "soft release" the squirrel in an appropriate release site so it will have a chance to survive in the wild?
  
• 
  
• Are you prepared to resist ALL temptation to "introduce" the squirrel to your household pets, thereby giving the squirrel the delusion that cats and dogs will not kill him when he is out in the wild? Are you prepared to keep the squirrel and the pets separate for the entire life of the squirrel?
  

If you have answered NO to even one of these questions, you need to contact a qualified wildlife rehabilitator and we will help you do that.....

NOW.

[Kathy56]

[4skwerlz]

I hope this is on its way to being a sticky.....

May I also suggest:

When your baby accidentally inhales a tiny bit of formula while you're learning how to feed him properly, then starts "clicking" and becomes lethargic due to aspiration pneumonia, will you be able to get prescription-only antibiotics within the next 2 hours to save its life?

[island rehabber]

Thank you, 4S -- it is a sticky and I'll add your suggestion right now!

[Nancy in New York]

IR...this posting is excellent. People will still do what they want though thinking that you are trying to scare them into releasing it...if they only knew. There are never vacations either as a family since you can't travel with a squirrel and who will watch him when you're gone?
The cost is astronomical when you tally up everything needed...
They usually become attached to only one member of the family...
They do end up biting, sometimes through hard play and sometimes because they are just mad...the list goes on and on

But you know what I think the saddest thing that is going to happen is...these people will not heed the warnings, they will keep them for a while and if the little one survives...when it grows up and becomes aggressive or antsy...they will just open the door and say good bye and be glad to get rid of it. Just look at how many millions of animals... cats and dogs that are in the shelter that people intentionally purchased and then decided it doesn't fit their life style, or they can't afford it....This is exactly what will happen to these babies...the only difference is it won't have a chance to be humanely euthanized or adopted out...

[Ardilla]

I'd also add:

Are you prepared, LATER ON as the squirrel wilds up (as will 999/1000) and needs to be released into the wild, to put your feelings for your baby aside and let it live outdoors as Mother Nature intended?

[Rodney Ro-Dent]

And you are not kidding about the expense either. And I for sure did the emergency pedialyte run, the esbilac run, the whole 9 yards. Even took him to the vet yesterday for a Well Squirrel Check up.

I was very glad to do it and would do it again, but in the short time that Rodney was with us (about 6 weeks) , we spent over $600 total on him.
$35 at the vet
$30 medium bird cage off craigslist (with great toys btw)
$60 big cage from the feed store
(both used)
$300 for materials for the big release cage we built (took 3 days total to complete it, including setting up the inside with branches, benches etc)
Esbilac, veggies, Henry's Healthy Blocks and vitamins, cuttle bones, dishes for the cages, chewproof water bottles, ferret hammocks, baby blankies for the cat carrier, heating pads etc

it easily added up to over $600

the love of a squirrel - priceless

he taught me so much, and I am now connected with Wildlife Rescue Coalition here in Jax and getting 3 babies in the morning.

But raising a squirrel, much less keeping one long term (or trying to) is no proposition to enter half-assed.

[virgo062]

Rodne Ro-Dent ...May I add also be prepared to have your heart broken when something goes wrong or when it's time to release these critters. Thanks for this post

[treeman]

I hope this is on its way to being a sticky.....

May I also suggest:

When your baby accidentally inhales a tiny bit of formula while you're learning how to feed him properly, then starts "clicking" and becomes lethargic due to aspiration pneumonia, will you be able to get prescription-only antibiotics within the next 2 hours to save its life?

Also, are you willing to suck that milk out of your baby's airways as soon as you see it coming out his/her nose?*

* Swear it's true! I've gotten through a baby racoon and two squirrels with no pneumonia by using this trick. As soon as you see the formula coming out the nose, take the bottle/syringe away and put your mouth over the animal's nose and mouth and give a quick and strong kissing/popping-suck. Give the animal a moment to make sure the milk is out. Repeat if necessary. Con't feed at slower pace. If the animal aspirates more than twice, stop feeding and try again next scheduled feed.

[astra]

bump

[Pointy Tale]

Brilliant post, I knew it was difficult, but had not thought about the “raising that baby yourself” in terms you explained.

[island rehabber]

BUMP

[stosh2010]

a mimor side bar---
You can't get angry if--NO, WHEN-- your furry friend destroys your furniture and stereo wiring in every room that he has access to.

[Gabrielle]

We are really lucky in that we have access to everything, including a vet that does infact know squirrle health right in town with all proper med supplies for those emergancies. We are also very lucky that we did not have to use her service in raising our two girls. We have free roaming access to forests full of nuts and green cones and safe bearies and fruit, so when we decided to raise our girls and yes, keep our girls, we had to make the decision on how to accomplish it, with space, safty and financing for all needed materials to provide the proper habitat and good health and happyness. To be able to provide an approprate habbitat for our girls, we have given up so much, including my sewing / craft room in it's entirety (that was a big deal to me), we have invested in so many differant things to accomidate them from pvc pipe to protect all those cords of moderan convienence, to plexy glass to attach to my display shelves to protect my delicate pretties from squirrle anticks, to my once lush indoor forest of house plants reduced to barely nubbins left behind once the girls have made it there, we wont even go into the furniture that will adventually be replaced, until then stays covered up in over priced comforters that match my color scheme. The cost of raising these babies can be huge, the cost of keeping these babies, even bigger, both finacially and in time. Weekends that we should be or would normaly be spending on yard landscaping and house projects is now spent on improoving the habbitate, finding and gathering food from the woods (things that in the wild they would do themselves), the investment involved is HUGE. Would we do it differantly? Absolutly not, we love those two little girls and the love they give back is amazing, like nothing either of us have ever experanced. When we have friends over, they instantly either think we are insane (our entire neighobr hood considers us the "Adams Family" at this point, watching us through their windows, wondering "what in the #$%! are they doing now?") or they think, "wow, I want a pet squirrle". I instantly tell them that while we love what we have it is not for everyone, it is expensive, time consuming and does not always turn out with the "happily ever after" ending. If they spend any real amount of time with us, they soon realize what a huge investment the girls are and the only pay back is their love, which is not gauranteed. We were told all these same things in your post when we decided to undertake the responciablity of raising them, and we knew it would be a major undertaking, but we are of a differant sort from the social norm, and so it has worked for us, the sacrifies have been worth it, and yes, we would do it again, however, honestly, should any more babies come in our direction, we will have to defer from the undertaking as two is plenty and unfornately until we have our new house built out in the country side, we are not set up for them to be released in the wild, and at no point would I recomend anyone doing what we have done. Your words are very sound and should be heeded by any new people wanting to be squirrle people beyond enjoying them in the parks or back yards or woods.

[CritterMom]

We are really lucky in that we have access to everything, including a vet that does infact know squirrle health right in town with all proper med supplies for those emergancies. We are also very lucky that we did not have to use her service in raising our two girls. We have free roaming access to forests full of nuts and green cones and safe bearies and fruit, so when we decided to raise our girls and yes, keep our girls, we had to make the decision on how to accomplish it, with space, safty and financing for all needed materials to provide the proper habitat and good health and happyness. To be able to provide an approprate habbitat for our girls, we have given up so much, including my sewing / craft room in it's entirety (that was a big deal to me), we have invested in so many differant things to accomidate them from pvc pipe to protect all those cords of moderan convienence, to plexy glass to attach to my display shelves to protect my delicate pretties from squirrle anticks, to my once lush indoor forest of house plants reduced to barely nubbins left behind once the girls have made it there, we wont even go into the furniture that will adventually be replaced, until then stays covered up in over priced comforters that match my color scheme. The cost of raising these babies can be huge, the cost of keeping these babies, even bigger, both finacially and in time. Weekends that we should be or would normaly be spending on yard landscaping and house projects is now spent on improoving the habbitate, finding and gathering food from the woods (things that in the wild they would do themselves), the investment involved is HUGE. Would we do it differantly? Absolutly not, we love those two little girls and the love they give back is amazing, like nothing either of us have ever experanced. When we have friends over, they instantly either think we are insane (our entire neighobr hood considers us the "Adams Family" at this point, watching us through their windows, wondering "what in the #$%! are they doing now?") or they think, "wow, I want a pet squirrle". I instantly tell them that while we love what we have it is not for everyone, it is expensive, time consuming and does not always turn out with the "happily ever after" ending. If they spend any real amount of time with us, they soon realize what a huge investment the girls are and the only pay back is their love, which is not gauranteed. We were told all these same things in your post when we decided to undertake the responciablity of raising them, and we knew it would be a major undertaking, but we are of a differant sort from the social norm, and so it has worked for us, the sacrifies have been worth it, and yes, we would do it again, however, honestly, should any more babies come in our direction, we will have to defer from the undertaking as two is plenty and unfornately until we have our new house built out in the country side, we are not set up for them to be released in the wild, and at no point would I recomend anyone doing what we have done. Your words are very sound and should be heeded by any new people wanting to be squirrle people beyond enjoying them in the parks or back yards or woods.

First, you CLEARLY belong here!

Second, I would love to see photos of your habitat. My grey has had a 7 x 9 habitat in my basement, and I am getting ready to move him upstairs to a new one this weekend. I need ideas to steal.

[Ronda]

We are really lucky in that we have access to everything, including a vet that does infact know squirrle health right in town with all proper med supplies for those emergancies. We are also very lucky that we did not have to use her service in raising our two girls. We have free roaming access to forests full of nuts and green cones and safe bearies and fruit, so when we decided to raise our girls and yes, keep our girls, we had to make the decision on how to accomplish it, with space, safty and financing for all needed materials to provide the proper habitat and good health and happyness. To be able to provide an approprate habbitat for our girls, we have given up so much, including my sewing / craft room in it's entirety (that was a big deal to me), we have invested in so many differant things to accomidate them from pvc pipe to protect all those cords of moderan convienence, to plexy glass to attach to my display shelves to protect my delicate pretties from squirrle anticks, to my once lush indoor forest of house plants reduced to barely nubbins left behind once the girls have made it there, we wont even go into the furniture that will adventually be replaced, until then stays covered up in over priced comforters that match my color scheme. The cost of raising these babies can be huge, the cost of keeping these babies, even bigger, both finacially and in time. Weekends that we should be or would normaly be spending on yard landscaping and house projects is now spent on improoving the habbitate, finding and gathering food from the woods (things that in the wild they would do themselves), the investment involved is HUGE. Would we do it differantly? Absolutly not, we love those two little girls and the love they give back is amazing, like nothing either of us have ever experanced. When we have friends over, they instantly either think we are insane (our entire neighobr hood considers us the "Adams Family" at this point, watching us through their windows, wondering "what in the #$%! are they doing now?") or they think, "wow, I want a pet squirrle". I instantly tell them that while we love what we have it is not for everyone, it is expensive, time consuming and does not always turn out with the "happily ever after" ending. If they spend any real amount of time with us, they soon realize what a huge investment the girls are and the only pay back is their love, which is not gauranteed. We were told all these same things in your post when we decided to undertake the responciablity of raising them, and we knew it would be a major undertaking, but we are of a differant sort from the social norm, and so it has worked for us, the sacrifies have been worth it, and yes, we would do it again, however, honestly, should any more babies come in our direction, we will have to defer from the undertaking as two is plenty and unfornately until we have our new house built out in the country side, we are not set up for them to be released in the wild, and at no point would I recomend anyone doing what we have done. Your words are very sound and should be heeded by any new people wanting to be squirrle people beyond enjoying them in the parks or back yards or woods.

[Gabrielle]

Sorry it has taken a long time for me to reply to this thread, I am still figuring out how to find stuff on here, not that it isn't easy, it is, I'm just not real computer savey, I will take pictures and post them on Monday, we are very proud of the habitat we have built for them and it was really easy. I posted some pictures today one of them shows one of the drens that is in the habitat, we have differant areas through out the house set up for them.
And thank you for your complament, I am happy to be here this is an awsome place for information and in general getting to show our loves to people who really do love them.
Thank you!

[aida]

IF we release an Indian palm squirrel will it be accepted in wild ? I don't think so i had a rabbit and he went outside in the garden where i had seen some wild rabbits gray and long with big ears thats for sure they were wild rabbits and i think the wild ones ate him . i just cant think of releasing chip he is a part of my life and i have seen him grow and i think not a big deal if i had to pay for his expenses ,human's kid are same its hard to raise them and hard to manage they also make changes in your life style but we dont give up our kid . In fact love of an animal is stronger and more real and without doubt than a love of a human because we are always in doubt .So i might get a bigger cage and will adopt a baby girl squirrel . Please God help me. and please pray for my chip.
YOU People ROCK!!!! Love this forum.

[naenae4]

I love this forum and everything it says. We spare absolutely no expense--do without things we need--to keep our precious furkids safe. We see canine cardiologist and now an exotic vet expert for Seven the Squirrel. We have obtained everything on our list within 2 hours. We have so many because like it says--can't afford the vet--don't need the pet and so they get abandoned--tossed away like so much garbage. Thank you for letting me join Joy

[island rehabber]

*** BUMP ***


As baby season 2015 approaches it can't be repeated often enough:

raising a baby squirrel is difficult, expensive, and labor-intensive,
and.....


Squirrels do not make good pets!

Listen up:



You've found a baby squirrel, and you've found The Squirrel Board.
You're here in the Emergency Forum and you've read a little bit about how to keep the baby alive. Maybe you've warmed the baby up and he's starting to get active and nuzzle your hand. Maybe you've tried a little warm Pedialyte and he loved it and he looks so cute while he's slurping that syringe and when he's all curled up in a ball. And you figure, smart person that you are, that you're doing so well, it can't be THAT hard to raise this baby yourself.......

Yes, it can.

Please ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you prepared to go out NOW and find goat's milk to start him on formula, followed by Esbilac ($20-30 per canister) or Fox Valley Squirrel formula that can only be ordered ON LINE and costs upwards of $11 per canister?
• Are you prepared to go wherever you have to go, NOW, to get a 1cc syringe to feed this baby properly without aspirating him?
• Are you prepared starting right NOW to feed this baby as frequently as required by its age and condition, including getting up in the middle of the night?
• Are you prepared to use, or go out and buy NOW, a heating pad without the automatic shut-off feature? It is an absolute MUST for baby squirrels. Other heat sources will not be adequate and the baby will die.

• When your baby starts "clicking" and becomes lethargic because he accidentally inhaled a bit of formula, will you be able to get prescription-only antibiotics within the next 2 hours to save its life? There are NO over- the- counter antibiotics that will cure pneumonia in a baby squirrel. NONE.
  

• Are you prepared, LATER ON as the squirrel grows, to buy or build a series of appropriate cages for the animal's age, to buy expensive fresh produce which the squirrel requires for good health, to seek out skilled veterinary help even if you are in an "illegal state", and to learn how to "soft release" the squirrel in an appropriate release site so it will have a chance to survive in the wild?

• Are you prepared to resist ALL temptation to "introduce" the squirrel to your household pets, thereby giving the squirrel the delusion that cats and dogs will not kill him when he is out in the wild? Are you prepared to keep the squirrel and the pets separate for the entire life of the squirrel?
  
• 
  
• If you have answered NO to even one of these questions, you need to contact a qualified wildlife rehabilitator and we will help you do that.....

NOW.