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Thread: Is This Young Fox Squirrel In Trouble?

  1. #1
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    Default Is This Young Fox Squirrel In Trouble?

    About a week ago, a fox squirrel who was probably between six and eight weeks old approached, followed, and chirped to my wife as she was finishing up some gardening just after dusk. He looked confused and was clearly in need of help. Long story short, after looking for advice here and other places, we brought him inside and he spent the night in a box with fabric and a warm bottle in our hallway. The next morning, he was happily reunited with his mom (who we've known well for about a year). Since then, we've seen him playing in the early morning, and we've seen him in the nearby fox squirrel tree/emerging from the dray.

    Unfortunately, tonight, we saw him near dark in the same situation -- a bit listless, seeming lost, and hanging out on the ground with my wife and I, then some neighborhood kids. We had to leave for about an hour, but we had a neighbor watch him while we were gone. The neighbor reported that he'd sort of sat still in a low branch for a while, then may have climbed up to his nest but she wasn't sure. When we returned, we didn't see any sign of him or of any trouble, so we're hoping he found his way home again.

    My question is this: is this behavior at all normal for a squirrel that age? Could his mother have rejected him? What should we do if he comes back again? We want to do right by this little squirrel, and also by any other squirrels in trouble in our area. We contacted a local rehabber during his first visit, and they said we did the right thing by taking him into the house that time, but we're wondering what to do if this behavior continues?

    Thanks for your help.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Is This Young Fox Squirrel In Trouble?

    Quote Originally Posted by squirrelfancouple View Post
    My question is this: is this behavior at all normal for a squirrel that age? Could his mother have rejected him? What should we do if he comes back again? We want to do right by this little squirrel, and also by any other squirrels in trouble in our area. We contacted a local rehabber during his first visit, and they said we did the right thing by taking him into the house that time, but we're wondering what to do if this behavior continues?

    Thanks for your help.
    Pictures always help, but if this baby us truly 8 weeks or younger he should not be far from the drey. They're typically venturing out a few feet (3 - 4) up and down the tree.. back and forth on branches, only to rush back to the drey in a panic. Do you feed mom... I am asking because I wonder if she is not able to provide enough nutrition for him. She may have stopped lactating as well for whatever reason.

    I agree you did the right thing... and I would do it again if you see him out at dusk without mom around.

    If you do not already, I would recommend providing lots of food and fresh water where mom and the baby can readily access it. Squirrels should not be fed on the ground, especially in open spaces, as this is when they are most vulnerable. A feeder on a tree (does not have to be fancy) is great. Water dishes should be placed very near trees if you have no way of providing in the trees.... though hanging plate style feeders work well.


  3. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Spanky:

    Chirps (05-18-2022), squirrelfancouple (05-18-2022)

  4. #3
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    Default Re: Is This Young Fox Squirrel In Trouble?

    Thank you for the response. Mama is well-fed and watered -- she's the neighborhood favorite. We feed her (and many other squirrels) and give her clean water, as do some others, plus it's a green, lush area with plenty of trees and gardens and lots of rainfall. So I think she's OK. That said, the baby doesn't seem to be doing that great. Maybe he's a little older than we were thinking -- we could of course be wrong about that -- but he doesn't seem interested in solid food yet, so he can't be much older than nine weeks, right?

    I saw him this morning playing with some gray squirrels from the next tree over who are about his age, but still no sign of his mama being super-interested in him, and I'm worried he won't go home again tonight. If he doesn't, our plan is to take him in again, try to reunite him again when mama comes around tomorrow, then we'll contact a nearby squirrel refuge if this continues. It's frustrating because he looks perfect to us, but maybe something's wrong with him and that's why she isn't taking close care of him? She's the only nursing mother in the area (and she seemed really happy to see him when they reunited the first time), so we're pretty sure she's his mom, but maybe not? I don't know -- it's frustrating because we care about these squirrels and want to do right by them.

    Thanks again for your help. Pictures attached (I didn't have permissions to attach photos before).
    Attached Images Attached Images   

  5. #4
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    Default Re: Is This Young Fox Squirrel In Trouble?

    The Squirrel Refuge is super terrific.

    She may be a new inexperienced mother. :dunno

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Is This Young Fox Squirrel In Trouble?

    Foxer Luv!!!

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