HELP! Squirrel babies in my wall

[Kourtney12210]

A squirrel just had her babies in our wall. She chewed through the drywall so we covered it with cardboard temporarily. Her nest is right at the opening sitting on a crossbeam. My question is, can I put food grade dimastrious earth in the nest now or would it hurt the babies? They are only 3 days old. What could I put in for the mommy? What are the blocks called? Can you get them at a pet store? Not looking to spend a large amount of money. I know she (mommy) is hungry because she's been here months and ripped open the garbage yesterday. It's cold here so there is no food easily available.

[farm mom]

Take down the cardboard so mom can get in and out. No Diatomaceous earth in the nest, will get in their eyes when they open and no need for it anyway. Don't put anything in the nest for Mom, it will attract predators. If you want to supplement her you can put out some Rat Block and water where she can get to it (Not near the nest). The less disturbance near the nest the better, you don't want her to abandon the babies. You could also look up the recipe for Boo Balls, the wilds seem to love those. Or order wild bites from Henry's healthy Pets.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Thank you so much for helping momma and her babies....so many people now a days would just rip them out and throw them away this lil momma sure hit the jackpot farm mom gave you great advice....if you have any other questions or problems please come here for help....the advice is always spot on

[Kourtney12210]

The cardboard is on the inside of our closet. She found a hole in the roof that gives her access to the wall I guess. She comes and goes through the roof. She climbs up the wall and out. She chewed though the drywall into our closet. She's been there for months and I've opened the hole every now and then to put something in. I think she feels safe enough and won't abandon her babies. She can see and hear us. I've given her peanut butter twice yesterday with them there. The cardboard is see through in one spot. I can see the babies. They are buried so I just see movement.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Wow...that's amazing she must be comfortable with you guys....to have been there for months and then to deliver babies

taking the cardboard off may be interesting in a few weeks

[Kourtney12210]

How do I put a video on here from my cell phone?

[Kourtney12210]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYiPIOrsVuk&sns=gp

[Kourtney12210]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG6JTLGnXPA&sns=gp


Here is a better video. They are hard to see because the tape is dirty.

[Kourtney12210]

Can Mom have apples, granola, peanut butter? Are the hard shell peanuts ok? Money is tight and the blocks are a little expensive. If I do get them I would have to wait for them in the mail as well so until then can I give her other alternatives. Can she have any other fruits or vegestables?

[Shewhosweptforest]

Oh my goodness I'd be in the closet all day how precious...you can even hear them whimpering...of course the "momma squirrel" in me...wanted to feed them I hope mom is staying close I'd be so nervous
about them

Yes on the apples....you could also give her some avocado....just make sure you peel the skin off and no pit....both are toxic to squirrels....I just cut a slice out...peel the skin off and feed it to mine...they love it....a little cut sweet potato...not sure what she'll eat being a wild....my wild's look at that stuff like it's alien chow you don't have to give her blocks...she knows what to eat out there...believe me they eat when it looks like there's nothing to gather...but the extra goodies will help her...and make her job easier strawberries, blueberries...no telling what she'd like ...you can also offer the store bought rodent blocks...while not as healthy as the Henry's blocks they still have some positive nutritional value...especially for a wild squirrel who's eating a normal squirrel diet

Thanks for the videos...and thank "you" again

Edit: I'd also peel the apple so no danger of choking on the skin...and no apple seeds (I'm a worry wart)

[Fireweed]

Wow. That is AMAZING! Thank you so much for not kicking them out and for helping them!

Store bought blocks would be really good if you can't afford the Henry's. Oxbow Regal Rat or even Kaytee Forti for Rats (Blue bag). I personally would avoid feeding anything that goes moldy if it's not guaranteed she'll eat it. Water somewhere outside where she can get to it would be helpful for her. Calcium is important for nursing mamas, so go easy on treats like nuts for example. Maybe an antler near the water bowl, too. My wild mamas go nuts on antlers when they are nursing.

Good luck to you and the furry family!

[Kourtney12210]

Thank you for your info! Yea..mommy is there. She's there in those videos. If you listen you can hear her vs. the baby's. Her movements are deliberate and heavy but the babies are gentler and small. She moved to look at me just as I started recording and the beep in the camera startled her a little. That's how I know she's there. She stays all the time. The only time she ever runs (pre&post) baby is if I make a loud noise by accident. She knows my voice etc... When she does run she goes up the wall a few feet then comes back down when she realizes that sound isn't "coming back". Usually the sound of me cutting the tape to give her something makes a noise that startles her. I have more videos I will post. I tried to upload one but it keeps giving an error. It's of mommy eating the peanut butter. This was the 1st or 2nd day after the babies were born. You can hear them non-stop sqeeking and cooing. At the end as I tried to remove the peanut butter she charged. She never did that before and after watching the video it was my fault. I fed her that morning and she never chattered her teeth or charged so it was because I got the peanut butter stuck to something the baby was on or disturbed the baby and it cried so she thought I was hurting or stealing it. At first I thought she charged because I pulled it out before she was done eating but watching it back it was related to the baby crying. I will try again to upload it and more pictures of the babies
Can you buy deer antlers? We live in the city. What about a chicken bone or steak bone boiled so that it is completely clean? Will that not rot? Would that be as good? Or should it be a deer antler. I try not to give anything that will get gross since I don't want it in my wall either. I did give her apple slices and she takes them up to the roof to eat them. Then comes back so I know she doesn't keep them in there.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Here's the thing this is really amazing...but just be careful....if she becomes to wary...her momma instincts will kick in and she'll move the babies as much as I love seeing videos I would only interact to give food and then very carefully worry wart remember

Oh and yes...deer antler can be found at exotic pet stores....steak bone should be ok...chicken bone not really sure on that one...not sure how clean you can get it

[Kourtney12210]

Ok thank you. Yea, I am cautious, and only interact to give food sporatically. I was feeding more since she gave birth because I saw that she ripped the garbage and got worried that maybe her stash of food was found by another squirrel... 😩 Otherwise I just look and talk to her through the tape/cardboard. 😳 I unfortunately can't leave food and water outside for her because my parents who live in the home next to ours have an outdoor stray they adopted who sleeps on our porch. The porch is the only place to put food or water and it would be putting her in danger to jump there to get it. That's why I assumed she is hungry since she had to risk being caught by the cat to rip the garbage open.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Oh yeah that is bad news ...for her and the babies when they start exploring well...I definitely would slip her some food...the rodent blocks would be more substantial...and since they're dry...would be less messy I'd try and find the stray a home ....indoors

[Fireweed]

I'm confused - your parents adopted the stray from a shelter and he stays outside? Or there is a stray cat that your parents feed? If he's a still a stray, maybe you could find him a good home, as Sweeper suggests, or bring him to a no-kill shelter.

You can buy deer antler at pet stores. Or ask a hunter for a piece, even better. But you could also buy a calcium chew at a pet store (like, "Chilly Chews" - they look like ice cream cones).

[Bitsy]

Are you sure it was the squirrel that got into the trash?

Around here.. it's more likely that a stray cat or trash panda is doing that kind of stuff.

[stepnstone]

I'm confused - your parents adopted the stray from a shelter and he stays outside? Or there is a stray cat that your parents feed? If he's a still a stray, maybe you could find him a good home, as Sweeper suggests, or bring him to a no-kill shelter.

I unfortunately can't leave food and water outside for her because my parents who live in the home next to ours have an outdoor stray they adopted who sleeps on our porch.

[Rocky1]

Here are my favorite squirrel food links:

The Squirrel Food Pyramid
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...-Pet-Squirrels

Henry's (The best squirrel blocks, IMO. Only serve 2 blocks a day because they are concentrated.)
http://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-diet/

The Squirrel/"Rodent" blocks that Petco sells (I've found that my squirrels only eat this when super hungry. But they freeze well and last a while.)
http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcost...d-hamster-food

[Kourtney12210]

Thanks for all your replies. Yes, the cat was a stray that they took in from the neighborhood and now he comes and go's as he pleases. They tried to make him a house cat and had him neutered, but he would run out the door constantly or cry to go out. Now he comes in, eats, naps, and then goes back out. This has been for 11 years now, not a recent thing. He will sleep on my porch during the day and stays inside my parents at night. Larely he's staying inside more since he's getting older. Hopefully he won't harm the babies! I never thought of that. He use to kill things years ago, but has not killed anything for years. He's been around 11 years and was probably a year or two when they took him in, so he is "elderly". Oh god, now I'm worried about the babies venturing out.. Mom will teach them not to go near him though right!? This is his home, unfortunately. Mom (squirrel) will walk along the roof next to our house so she can clearly see him and he can't get near the entrance to the nest.

I am positive it's her that was in the garbage because he (the cat) sits right next to the garbage so nothing ever bothers our garbage. Not once was our garbage torn in 11 years. The only time something did tear it was a year and a half ago, and it was a baby squirrel! I have a theory that this squirrel in the wall is this baby squirrel that was in the garbage all that time ago. I don't know for sure but it's likely. Anyway, almost 2 years ago I came out and a fully furred small squirrel was digging at the bag. It jumped on the railing and stayed looking at me. I thought it must be hungry so I threw some apples and Cheerios on the neighbors roof so it would jump over there. I did it two days then never saw the baby anymore. I thought something bad may have happened, but I'm sure it's the girl in the wall. It's more than coincidence that the second time in 11 years our garbage is torn is when she's pregnant and might not want to go far. She would probably be the only one brave enough because they likely stare at each other everyday. The roof she walks along is directly across from the porch but the cat can't make that jump so she's safe. Sorry I'm rambling.