Found baby squirrel - not eating or drinking - help!!

[Mhicks0202]

Hello
Here’s the story - my neighbor was having a tree removed and the tree removal service found a baby squirrel that was covered in ants. The neighbor initially took the squirrel but has several small children and could not care for it so I took it in. The baby squirrel (from what I’ve read) is about 3 to 4 weeks old, eyes not open. It is extremely lethargic and will not take food or water. I have tried many times to get some Pedialyte down however the squirrel makes a clicking noise indicating aspiration pneumonia. At this point I am unsure if it is better to keep trying to feed the squirrel or let it rest. It does not look extremely emaciated however I imagine it is a bit dehydrated. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

It was dusk when the squirrel was found and it seems it had been out of the nest for a while. I hope to take it back in the morning and reunited with its mother. It is a Florida grey squirrel of some type.

[Mhicks0202]

I should also add that the clicking noise while breathing only happens after I try and feed. I am using a 1 cc syringe and have been extremely careful. I’ve only successfully gotten a few drops of pedialyte in so I can’t see how I would have caused it.

[Scooterzmom]

It was quite cold down in Florida, i think? If so, there is a possibility the baby caught pneumonia that way. Another possibility is that the click doesn't come from the lungs but from his mouth - which indicates contentment. Now... have you checked the thread in the stickies which explains how to take care of babies? If not, I suggest you read that through to familiarize yourself.

So, do you have him inside and warm now? Room warmth is not enough. He needs contact warmth. He'll need a heating pad under half of his container, so as not to chew on the wire(s) - and to stay warm and be able to move off the pad if he feels too hot. You have to make sure he has some kind of blanket to hide in and stay in the dark, in a quiet area, and warm. We don't advise towels since the loops could snatch a nail and make baby twist a limb and hurt himself. Old sweat shirt, t-shirts or fleece will do just fine. Lining his container with white paper towels will allow you to see if he pees, what color it is, and therefore judge better re. his hydration. Baby is properly rehydrated when he gives you a nice big pee, clear or light yellow - not brownish or dark. You can feed him a bit at a time - 20 to 30 minutes apart until then.


IMPORTANT NOTE: You have to make sure that the baby is well warmed up before feeding him anything, never feed a cold baby - and even the pedialyte (anything he eats) has to be warmed up too (slightly warmer than your body, around 102F or 103 which is the temp his mom's milk would be at, not below 100F!). You can place the pedialyte in a small container (ex. plastic glass) that you set inside a larger container filled with really hot water to make sure it stays warm throughout the feeding. When the liquid is too cold, the baby will most likely to drink or will not take more than a couple of drops at a time. Keeping him warm while he drinks is the best way to try and feed him. I've used a wool glove but holding him in a small blanket wrapped around him does work well too.

Give him some 30 minutes of total peace and quiet, nice and toasty, and then, try to offer the pedialyte again.

When you feed the baby, never place the baby leaning back. Always hold him vertical or place him flat on his tummy, wrapped in blankie, on his belly. Make sure the syringe shoots upwards, always.


Try all that and let us know how it's going.

[Scooterzmom]

If you could provide us with a pic or better yet with his weight, it could help. You can use a small kitchen scale to weigh him Now, make sure is rehydrated but don't overfeed He should take between 5 and 7% of his own weight total. E.g. 100gr then he would take a total of between 5 and 7cc or ml. That will be every 4 hours once he is rehydrated.

BTW the syringe in the pic is bigger (3cc) but that's because the baby is older and very used to syringes by then.

[Mhicks0202]

Thank you for the replies

I read thoroughly how to take care of a baby squirrel last night to do everything in my power to keep him alive.

I had a heating pad under his box with several tee shirts for him to get warm. I ended up letting him rest for 2 hours and tried again around 2 am and I was able to get a syringe of formula down! He let out a big squeal too which sounded promising. After watching all night, this morning he is much better and took the formula like a champ. Seems to be doing much better. I am going to get him to the right caregiver this morning if I cannot find the mother.

If the squirrel nest is up in a tree, is it possible for the mother to return the baby to the nest? I’m worried she won’t be able to carry the baby. He has his front teeth and hair but his eyes aren’t open yet so from what I’ve read - about 3 to 4 weeks in age.

[Mhicks0202]

If you could provide us with a pic or better yet with his weight, it could help. You can use a small kitchen scale to weigh him Now, make sure is rehydrated but don't overfeed He should take between 5 and 7% of his own weight total. E.g. 100gr then he would take a total of between 5 and 7cc or ml. That will be every 4 hours once he is rehydrated.

BTW the syringe in the pic is bigger (3cc) but that's because the baby is older and very used to syringes by then.

[Mel1959]

Where are you located in Florida? There are TSB members and rehabbers throughout the state. I can point you to someone that can help.

I’m in Florida on the east coast south of Cocoa Beach, if I can help.

If the baby has AP you will need an antibiotic to administer quickly, as AP takes them down fast. Call around to family and friends to see what they might have and post what you’ve found here and someone can help you with dosing.

Here’s the link to squirrel care. https://www.henryspets.com/1-basic-setup/ It’s 6 pages long with the next page tab located in the top right corner. Very easy read.

When you hold the baby up to your ear like a phone do you hear clicking with each breath?

Homemade hydration recipe is: 1 cup warm water, 3/4 Tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pedialyte doesn’t taste very good so you might have better luck with the hydration solution.

[Mel1959]

If the nest is still in the tree mom may come back for him. She absolutely will be able to carry him....he’s not too big. Someone needs to watch to be sure that mom does come and that he’s not left where a predator could get him. He also has to be warm for mom to take him.

[Scooterzmom]

Mom will try and get him back if she's around. Make sure he's out early before she goes out in search of food for the day. You can place him in a little box with something to keep him warm. If the baby is cold, mom won't pick him up. Give him a blankie and place a hot water bottle in the blanket, to make sure he doesn't get burned or make him a rice buddy - use a sock, fill it with uncooked rice, close it, and heat it up in the microwave - like a heated cushion thingy. Again, make sure it's warm but not so it burns him.

Do keep an eye on him, make sure no cats or other predators come around! If he stays out more than 2 hours, make sure the heating source is still warm - reheat it if necessary - and make sure baby is still well hydrated. Don't place him in the full sun. In the shade, with the heat source for his body.

He is cute as a button Thanks for helping him.

EDIT: Ooops! Sorry Mel, didn't see your post, been repeating some of what you said Glad you are here to help you since I have to go.

[Scooterzmom]

If the nest is still in the tree mom may come back for him. She absolutely will be able to carry him....he’s not too big. Someone needs to watch to be sure that mom does come and that he’s not left where a predator could get him. He also has to be warm for mom to take him.

Thank you for chiming in/taking over Mel. Got to dig myself out of all the white stuff here if I ever expect to go get groceries.

[Mhicks0202]

If the nest is still in the tree mom may come back for him. She absolutely will be able to carry him....he’s not too big. Someone needs to watch to be sure that mom does come and that he’s not left where a predator could get him. He also has to be warm for mom to take him.

Thank you. I will definitely not leave him alone. We have a heating pad so I will leave that under the box and make sure he stays warm. I think that was my problem last night, he hadn't warmed up enough.

[Mel1959]

Moms won’t come in the dark or at dusk. They will only come to retrieve in the daytime. I’m concerned that if he had ants on him something may have happened to his mom....unless the ants were disturbed by the tree trimming and then crawled on him.

[Mhicks0202]

Where are you located in Florida? There are TSB members and rehabbers throughout the state. I can point you to someone that can help.

I’m in Florida on the east coast south of Cocoa Beach, if I can help.

If the baby has AP you will need an antibiotic to administer quickly, as AP takes them down fast. Call around to family and friends to see what they might have and post what you’ve found here and someone can help you with dosing.

Here’s the link to squirrel care. https://www.henryspets.com/1-basic-setup/ It’s 6 pages long with the next page tab located in the top right corner. Very easy read.

When you hold the baby up to your ear like a phone do you hear clicking with each breath?

Homemade hydration recipe is: 1 cup warm water, 3/4 Tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pedialyte doesn’t taste very good so you might have better luck with the hydration solution.

I'm in Englewood - SW coast. The clicking has subsided and he is eating much better now! I got him to urinate twice and it's a light yellow color. The skin is a bit slow to retract when pinched on his back but not terribly slow. I made the hydrating solution last night and have been administering in-between feedings. Thank you!

[Mel1959]

Let me know if mom doesn’t come for him and I can help you find a rehabber if you aren’t going to raise him yourself.

By the way, what formula are you feeding? We recommend Powdered Esbilac. The liquid is NOT the same and will cause diarrhea as will other formula brands other than Esbilac.

[Scooterzmom]

I'm in Englewood - SW coast. The clicking has subsided and he is eating much better now! I got him to urinate twice and it's a light yellow color. The skin is a bit slow to retract when pinched on his back but not terribly slow. I made the hydrating solution last night and have been administering in-between feedings. Thank you!

Good job. Make sure to rehydrate him again between feedings since you say the skin doesn't go down real quick. Especially since he is outside - he can dehydrate real quick out there.

[Mel1959]

We have a member in Sarasota that has experience raising a baby squirrel if mom doesn’t come for him and you need to place him somewhere.

If you have him in a cardboard box that could be contributing to his dehydration. The cardboard tends to draw moisture out of their skin. We recommend a plastic bin instead.

[Buddy]

So super cute!! Thank you for helping!

[albre999]

So super cute!! Thank you for helping!

Hi, my name. Is Bev and I was wondering how your little guy was doing? I live in Sarasota Fl and would love to help out. I am a experienced rehabber. If you would like to call me, my phone # is 941-993-8002. Thanks, and God bless baby squirrels.🙏💕🐿

[albre999]

Hi. This is Bev in Sarasota Fl. Just wanted to know how your little one is doing, and if the mother came and got her.🙂

[Mhicks0202]

Hi. This is Bev in Sarasota Fl. Just wanted to know how your little one is doing, and if the mother came and got her.🙂

Good morning! Our little dude seems to be getting better and better as we adjust to a regular feeding/bathroom schedule. He's now taking 3cc's of formula every three hours or so all through the night and using the bathroom more frequently than that. He wasn't interested in food so the fact that he's eating this much gives me hope! We were hydrating him with Pedialyte as well. The tree removal service was back yesterday so I had very little time to try and reunite the baby. I am trying again here in a minute and will let you know. Going to go watch him out there for a couple hours.

If anyone has any tips on how to get the mother to notice the baby that would be greatly appreciated! I see the nest and I saw her go in and out a few times yesterday.