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Thread: Baby squirrel need some advice

  1. #1
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    Default Baby squirrel need some advice

    Today a baby squirrel came into our garage and just stayed there. When I picked her up she climbed onto my shoulder and stayed under my jacket. I'm guessing she is about a month or little older - based on looking at old photos of squirrels I rehabbed to guesstimate her age. She appeared quite skinny, but fur looked really good and so did she. I put her down on the ground outside, but she stayed by me.

    I have a squirrel I released back in 2018, Holly. I have another topic regarding Holly's babies born without ears/deformed ears. Anyway, Holly had babies sometime mid March and I had thought she had them in the log that is in the old release cage that we have. Although I'm not sure what happened to her babies or if they are in the log - that is a whole other story in my other topic.

    I may have done something completely wrong and I'm really upset with myself. We didn't have items to make the goats milk formula (posted on your website under the esbilac problem link --- thanks for this!). Then I saw Holly and I thought maybe she would adopt this little one. I put her on a branch and Holly came and smelled her and touched noses, the little one was just sitting there and almost appeared to try to sleep, eyes were closing. So I went to the log and set the little one at the hole of the log and she went in. My concern was she would be a bit older than Holly's babies, if they are there and would Holly adopt her in?

    Holly saw what I was doing. I gave Holly a Henry's block and asked her (sure she had no idea what I was saying) to please take care of this little one. Then Holly left and last I looked Holly didn't go in the log. I will check again when it gets darker. Now I don't know what to do, I can't reach very well into the log, because the hole is quite small so that predators can't get in - I guess I could be a predator . I can feel in a little and felt warmth, maybe Holly's babies or maybe this new baby I let go in there. Oh man, I hope I didn't do the wrong thing.

    My husband went to the store, so now I have all the ingredients, but what should I do. Do I wait until morning and if Holly isn't there tonight or tomorrow morning, should we disassemble the log to get this new baby out so I can try to feed her? Do I stop messing with nature and let it be? I'm so afraid if this new little baby needs to eat, she may not come out and die in the log - which will be my fault.

    Here are photos of the release cage and the log where Holly's nest is.

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    Name:  looking in log.jpg
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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    Unless I knew for sure it was her baby I wouldn’t have put it in her nest. She might get angry and harm the baby. That’s a tough situation. One that comes into the garage tells me that it has lost its family and needs help. I rehabbed a baby that wondered into a garage. The people put it in the flowerbed and it just sat there all day and cried. I was called and came to get it.

    If you can retrieve the baby it would be fine until you get the ingredients tomorrow. I would give hydration tonight.
    You could try to reunite tomorrow also.

    Looking at your log house, it would be difficult to retrieve. I would be afraid to stick my hand in there. Maybe a flashlight.

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  4. #3
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    Thanks HRT4SQRLS. I am kicking myself for this. I just looked in with flashlight and saw some movement under all the nesting material so most likely the new squirrel. Problem is I won't be able to get her out safely, most I can do is get my hand in there and feel around. Holly didn't come back so far. I don't think she will harm the new baby as I don't think her litter is in there, but don't know. I never had a situation like this before.

    You did make me feel a little better, because I was also kicking myself for not putting the baby squirrel outside to leave. I did try a little, but she wouldn't leave me and just stayed there - too risky for a predator to get. I guess, at least she is safe in the log/nest. I'm thinking Holly went to one of her many other nests she has out there. I'm hoping if the baby comes out, I can feed her the formula at least. I was thinking Holly's milk would be the very best for this baby and was hoping she would adopt her, but doesn't appear so . I searched on google and found some sites that said squirrels will adopt another squirrel if the baby is related some how, like a niece, etc.

    Tomorrow morning, I will check on her again and hope that I can get her out somehow to feed. I'm assuming Holly's babies are not there, otherwise I'm sure Holly would be in there.

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  6. #4
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    Holly was not in cage this morning, so she nested elsewhere. She did show up when I was about the dissemble the cage, she was curious and a bit taken, but ate her wild henry block and her new hazlenut block with no problem.

    I dissembled the cage and as I was pulling out the nesting material sadly, I found a very stiff dead baby, I'm sure from Holly - from when I do not know, assuming from this March. As I removed all the nesting stuff, there was the new baby. So I put her in my jacket and she immediately went to the back of my neck and shoulders. I had a place all setup for her and hydrated her with the formula I found on Henry block's site. She only took about 6ml, but she was really drinking it. Then I waited an hour and fed her the formula I got from this site (under the 2019 esbilac problem link). She drank like crazy, I gave her about 12ml --- this is where I need some help, I do not remember when I rehabbed how much I should give. I hope I didn't do too much, but she was really hungry.

    I'm assuming she is old enough to pee/poop on her own. If I don't see any, I will stimulate her.

    I setup the release cage and put the nesting material in the nest that my husband made back in 2011 when I had rehabbed 3 squirrels. I can easily open this nest - it looks like a little house. I want to put her out there soon and start feeding there once I know she is doing good.

    I'm pretty sure she can start eating solid food soon. From my notes, when I rehabbed, I started with henry healthy blocks about 6 weeks and then veggies about 7 weeks?

    Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

    I took some photos.

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    This is the formula and syringe - using a 10ml

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  8. #5
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    She looks like an 8 or 9 week old Fox squirrel.

    At this age she should definitely be able to eat some blocks, cabbage, broccoli, etc. Add a water bottle and bowl of water.
    Probably 3 to 4 feedings of formula per day... as much as she wants to eat. She will probably cut off around 16ml.
    When she starts eating a lot on one feeding, and not much on the next (alternating) drop her back to one less feeding per day. Repeat until weaned.

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  10. #6
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    If she’s only 8-9 weeks she won’t be ready for release until she’s about 14-16 weeks old. She’s adorable.

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  12. #7
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    She is adorable. Those orange Fox squirrels are awesome. I wish we had those.

    Personally I think she is too young to be outside. I would rehab her inside for at least a month before putting her in the release cage. I saw your thermometer on the cage reading 50 and that was in the daytime. In assume it gets much colder at night. With no one to snuggle with I really think she would be cold. In a month the temps will be better and she will be weaned, on solid food and ready to be in an outside release cage.

    You’re probably laughing at me. I’m sure for Colorado 50 degree is a balmy sunny day but for this FL gal it’s pretty cold. We have already been near 90 and of course that is ridiculous for April.

    Snuggle that baby in fleece.

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  14. #8
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    Quote Originally Posted by spamrestricted View Post
    I gave her about 12ml --- this is where I need some help, I do not remember when I rehabbed how much I should give.
    It is recommended to weigh the baby and feed 5-7% of their body weight which is the capacity of their stomach.
    Older babies will eat more but you will first want to establish that they are processing what their taking to avoid
    overeating and bloat. Weighing and feeding between the 5-7% to first get started is the way to go.

    Even though at this age they should be going on their own, stimulating allows you to know/see that they are voiding
    as they should and bowls are consistent. Stimulating as long as they will allow also helps to keep their bedding cleaner.
    Step-N-Stone
    State Licensed
    Wildlife Master Rehabilitator


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  16. #9
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    Thanks everyone. She appears to be doing well and I think getting stronger, fights me a little more . I weighed her tonight when I fed her and she weighs 145g (after she ate, she weighed 163g unless scale was off). If I calculated correctly, that means I should be feeding her about 11ml at the high end. So, it appears she knows when she had enough . That's about what she is feeding each time. Although, I should ask does that mean each feeding or total for the day, Stepnstone?

    Javarat, I don't think she is over 7 weeks and maybe younger. I checked my notes on the three I rehabbed in 2011 and the highest weight at 5 weeks was 151 - but just the next few weeks, their weights increased a lot each day. Also when looking at the photos, they really look like they are about 6 weeks old. I'll watch how her weights increases.

    I'll try to get some better photos to share. By the way, our friend's grandkids gave her the name of Pickles. I thought it was acceptable, so that is her name I ordered some fox valley and healthy blocks. I put some broccoli out and shallow water dish, but she hasn't touched it yet.

    Thanks for everyone's help.

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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    Quote Originally Posted by spamrestricted View Post
    Thanks everyone. She appears to be doing well and I think getting stronger, fights me a little more . I weighed her tonight when I fed her and she weighs 145g (after she ate, she weighed 163g unless scale was off). If I calculated correctly, that means I should be feeding her about 11ml at the high end. So, it appears she knows when she had enough . That's about what she is feeding each time. Although, I should ask does that mean each feeding or total for the day, ...?

    .
    The amount is for each feeding.

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  20. #11
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    Thanks HRT4SQRLS.

    I weighed today and she is 5.8oz as of the 12pm feeding. She is eating really well as you can see in the photos. She ate 14ml (a little too much) and then 7ml at 12pm feeding.

    I'm concerned because I don't see any evidence of pee or poop. I try to stimulate her, but nothing . I'm also wondering if I'm wrong and she is a he? I've rehabbed a boy and I thought his penis was higher. I feel pretty stupid, but there is something that sticks out like a penis, but much lower. I am attaching a photo of it below. Can someone help and let me know what they think?

    If anyone has any advice on the pee/poop situation and her/him question, please help. As always, thanks so much.

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    Here is her private area - not great photos, but I think it shows what I'm asking about.

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  22. #12
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    At that age they don’t need stimulating. She is probably doing it in her bed. Yes, that’s a girl.
    Sometimes the girl parts protrude and is often mistaken for a boy. We have many girls around here named Ralph, Moose, etc.

    She is gorgeous!!

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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice


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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    Thanks .

    Yesterday I completely checked her bedding and there was no poop or pee. I stimulate her, but nothing. Then I took her outside for a little while and sat with her on my lap getting some warm sun. Although afraid, she started to settle and was almost falling asleep. Then when we got up, a small wet spot was on my pants. She peed, hurray. Still no poop, boo.
    She is eating really well, her eyes are bright, but she doesn’t move from her bedding at all. Still no pee or poop and she is still so afraid. Sometimes,she will actually be shaking when I’m holding her.
    Any advice on the no poop issue? And her never wanting to come out of her bedding, still being so afraid. The afraid part, I’m thinking just be patient and it will pass, but the no poop, I’m pretty nervous about. Thanks for any advice. Since she is still eating eagerly, can I assume she is OK? Her weight is slowly going up.

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  28. #15
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    She pooped!!

    I took her outside for a little while and sat with her on my lap catching the sun. Then when she moved to climb on my shoulder, there was a nicely formed poop. She is so nervous, when I was putting a blade of grass on my lap with her, she acted like it was going to attach her. LOL.

    This is so great, I’ll be able to sleep tonight. Fox valley is coming tomorrow so I think that will be much better for her, too. I’ve been watering down the goat’s milk formula some and then sometimes not. Going to give her some feeding now after coming in, she looks forward to it.

    Thanks for listening.

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  30. #16
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice



    It’s normal for them to be afraid when they come in with eyes opened. She will settle down. I find that the older ones are never cuddly but they do accept you on their terms.

    You’re already ahead of the curve. Many that size will growl and lunge at you. There are ferocious.

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  32. #17
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    Default Re: Baby squirrel need some advice

    Thanks HRT4SQRLS. I know what you mean by growling and attacking so I find this so strange how she is. She is sweet. When I held her up to my face to look at her, she actually reached out and kissed me . I hope so much she continues to do well and stay as sweet and nice as she is right now - probably not, but that will be good too, because that means she is getting braver. She must have heard through the grape vine that I'm a sucker for squirrels and found me (actually ALL animals, even if it was a snake )

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