HEATING PAD DANGERS
This past Sunday night I received 3 newborn squirrels who were just taken from their mother unnecessarily because a woman didn't want them in her yard while she having construction done. These babies were only 13-14 grams. They were well hydrated and in excellent shape. I fed them 6 times over night during a 12 hour period of time and they were doing beautifully - eating, peeing, pooping.
I keep one heating pad upstairs in my house for them for at night and one downstairs for the daytime. In the morning I brought them downstairs and put their sterilite container on the heating pad on low. I fed them and all was great.
An hour later I checked on them and one was dead. I picked him up and he was like a hot potato. I frantically found the other two, she was lethargic, turning purple and overheated. I tried everything to save her but she died 4 hours later.
The heating pad had a major malfunction and was too hot to even hold. My poor babies died because of it. I had checked the pad before and after I fed them and it was fine but it must have short circuited in that hours time.
Some how one little boy survived. He has been slow to gain weight but is finally doing well now. I've named him Hercules.
This has been the most difficult thread for me write but I needed to share my experiences with all of you. Accidents happen to all of us and sometimes lives are lost but hopefully my story will help spare even one life.
I've been rehabbing squirrels for the last 4 years and have successfully raised and released over 125 squirrels. I've experienced a lot but nothing has or will ever scar me like this. I am completely devastated.
PLEASE WATCH YOUR HEATING PADS CLOSELY. CHECK FOR OVERHEATING AND HOT SPOTS.
IR - Please move or edit this if you need to. Thanks for the other day. I really needed it.
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