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Thread: Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

  1. #1
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    Default Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

    Hello,

    I was driving in the woods yesterday and found a dead but still warm red squirrel in the road. It had obviously been very recently hit by a vehicle, I assume, and it showed signs of being a nursing mother. I walked all around the area with binoculars looking for a nest in the trees and listening for any sounds of babies in distress but heard and found nothing. I went back in the middle of the night when it was more quiet to listen for the babies calling for mom, still nothing. I'm posting to see if anyone here knows how I could find the nest and save the babies that don't have much time left.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

    I am not a rehabber or an expert, but from what I have heard, you are going about this right. My understanding is that after a mother passes, her babies will eventually call for help and may jump out of the nest and land on the ground. They might sound like birds. Again, I am only trying to help despite not being on the same level as many experts on here. Feel free to add to this or to correct it. I hope this reassurance is worthwhile. You might need some feeding syringes for babies.

  3. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Rocky1 from:

    RockyPops (07-03-2020)

  4. #3
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    Default Re: Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

    Did you check mom's nipples closely? They begin to show prior to babies being born. When being nursed heavily they tend to have matted fur around them.

    She may not have given birth yet but checking near where you found her would be the best method. Maybe go off into the woods on each side of the road and listen for faint squeaks or chirps.

    Thanks for trying to help!

  5. Serious fuzzy thank you's to RockyPops from:

    island rehabber (07-06-2020)

  6. #4
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    Default Re: Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

    Well I went back again and walked all over the place listening and looking. I found a nest but it was old. I guess mother nature is just taking it's course now unfortunately. Thanks for the input sorry it wasn't better news.

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    RockyPops (07-06-2020)

  8. #5
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    Default Re: Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

    Since it is July there is a very good chance the babies will be fine... they should be "teens" by now. Most rehabbers are busy releasing their Spring 2020 babies right now... the babies in Alaska and the northern part of Canada may not be old enough yet. The odds are very good that Spring 2020 babies in the lower 48 are old enough to look after themselves by July. Spring babies tend to not spend as long with mom as fall babies do, which often will winter over with mom.

    Thanks for caring and checking around for any babies that may have needed help.
    Last edited by Spanky; 07-04-2020 at 08:25 AM.

  9. 5 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Spanky:

    HRT4SQRLS (07-04-2020), island rehabber (07-06-2020), Rocky1 (07-04-2020), RockyPops (07-06-2020), Tellurian (07-04-2020)

  10. #6
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    Default Re: Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

    They may not be fine. Some squirrels have July and August babies!

  11. #7
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    Default Re: Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

    It can take a couple of days for babies to get hungry enough to cry out. Please go back, if you can, another few times to make sure they aren't out there. Cherokeemimi7 is right: with climate change we are seeing three baby seasons instead of two, some years, even up here in the northeast.

    TELLURIAN, thank you for caring about them! RIP little red mamma.
    Island Rehabber
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    RockyPops (07-06-2020), Scooterzmom (07-06-2020)

  13. #8
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    Default Re: Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

    I'm headed back out to continue the search!

  14. #9
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    Default Re: Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

    No luck again, I don't know how to find them.

  15. #10
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    Default Re: Mother squirrel found dead, how do i find the nest to rescue babies

    Quote Originally Posted by Tellurian View Post
    I'm headed back out to continue the search!
    Thank you.please check back every other day for a week or two. I have an idea which may or may not work.If you can find a recording of sounds chirping of an adult squirrel or even of baby squirrels noises and play the squirrels sounds while quietly walking around and stopping at various trees or areas where they might be,...play the recording the turn it off and waitand listen for them.
    Please post back if there's any sign of them.thank you!

  16. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Fritzie'sMom from:

    RockyPops (07-09-2020)

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