Need advice

[Lamh9798]

Copy of what I sent to rehabbers:

Yesterday I found a baby squirrel on my friend's sidewalk, under a tree I guess it fell out of. I checked it out and set it in the grass off the sidewalk so it would not get stepped on when I was carrying groceries in. I really think it was waiting for his mother, and I hoped she would get him. after a while, it started raining and I had seen somewhere online to put it in a box give it a nut and an apple slice. I put him in a box 8" high 1/2 on a heating pad. He ate some pecan and some walnut, and left lots of crumbs. It was starting to get late, so I went to get some pedialite and dog formula. He did seem a little dehydrated, and when he was outside, he stayed within a foot of where he first was.

I was gone to the store longer than I expected, because i was trying to run another errand when I was out. I was probably gone close to an hour. When I got home, the squirrel was out of the box. I asked my friend, whose house it was, and who thought I should leave it to nature, if he had thrown it in the bushes somewhere. He denied it I expected the squirrel was in the bedroom and I put a towel under the door, then I went to go back outside and saw that the squirrel was just to the side of the front door! Trying to get back to his tree!

It was not raining and I had not seen and cats or dogs, and it just occurred to me that crows were a threat, but It was so late, i thought they were roosting and the mom might get the baby, still, and I could take the puppy formula and the pedialite back to the store. I was amazed that he knew the direction to the tree and that he crawled so far. it was 18 of my steps, and he had to turn 2 corners to get to the front door.

I kept looking out the window and he sat there, moving very little, then I glanced out and a giant crow had apparently got him out of the grass and carried him a short distance and dropped him beside him on the side you I panicked and ran out and scared the crow off and checked on the squirrel and decided it was too dangerous to leave him.

He had a tiny bit of blood in his mouth, and did not move as freely. I figured he was in shock. I did give him some pedialite and at about 10, I gave him some puppy formula 1:3 parts pedialite.

I did not expect him to last the night. Today, he has had 3 diluted formula feedings, and 1 pedialite feeding. Last feeding was of diluted formula. He eats very enthusiastically, lapping drops from the end of an eye dropper. I have not seen urine, but this morning I saw a dot of poop in his anus and he pooped 2 pellets. After the 2:00 feeding. he pooped 3 pellets. Yesterday he was 80 grams. This morning he was 79, then back to 80 and after his last feeding, up to 81 g.

I am not feeling well and my car is having problems, but I would still like to try to get his mom to take him and if she doesn't, and if he gets better, I will bring him in to you guys if you can take him. I don't want to move him right now, anyway. I think he has been through too much for another adjustment. I am wondering if I can arrange a cage situation outside where momma squirrel can get in, but mean old crows cannot.

He is very clean. This morning, he took a big stretch, arms, legs, tail all looked undamaged. He has been sleeping constantly, when not eating

One thing that I don't understand is that his eyes have both been closed all day. Closed tight, like they were never opened.

Here is a video of how good he looked when I first found him: he does have bottom teeth, by the way https://www.facebook.com/10001122178...ibextid=cr9u03
##
I have been feeding around every 2 1/2 hours. No pee I am seeing, possibly I am wiping it away. He had 2 poop pellets this morning and 3 poop pellets this afternoon.

Not sure if I should stretch time out between feedings.

His last feeding—much more energetic.

Why would eyes be closed again.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Copy of what I sent to rehabbers:

Yesterday I found a baby squirrel on my friend's sidewalk, under a tree I guess it fell out of. I checked it out and set it in the grass off the sidewalk so it would not get stepped on when I was carrying groceries in. I really think it was waiting for his mother, and I hoped she would get him. after a while, it started raining and I had seen somewhere online to put it in a box give it a nut and an apple slice. I put him in a box 8" high 1/2 on a heating pad. He ate some pecan and some walnut, and left lots of crumbs. It was starting to get late, so I went to get some pedialite and dog formula. He did seem a little dehydrated, and when he was outside, he stayed within a foot of where he first was.

I was gone to the store longer than I expected, because i was trying to run another errand when I was out. I was probably gone close to an hour. When I got home, the squirrel was out of the box. I asked my friend, whose house it was, and who thought I should leave it to nature, if he had thrown it in the bushes somewhere. He denied it I expected the squirrel was in the bedroom and I put a towel under the door, then I went to go back outside and saw that the squirrel was just to the side of the front door! Trying to get back to his tree!

It was not raining and I had not seen and cats or dogs, and it just occurred to me that crows were a threat, but It was so late, i thought they were roosting and the mom might get the baby, still, and I could take the puppy formula and the pedialite back to the store. I was amazed that he knew the direction to the tree and that he crawled so far. it was 18 of my steps, and he had to turn 2 corners to get to the front door.

I kept looking out the window and he sat there, moving very little, then I glanced out and a giant crow had apparently got him out of the grass and carried him a short distance and dropped him beside him on the side you I panicked and ran out and scared the crow off and checked on the squirrel and decided it was too dangerous to leave him.

He had a tiny bit of blood in his mouth, and did not move as freely. I figured he was in shock. I did give him some pedialite and at about 10, I gave him some puppy formula 1:3 parts pedialite.

I did not expect him to last the night. Today, he has had 3 diluted formula feedings, and 1 pedialyte feeding. Last feeding was of diluted formula. He eats very enthusiastically, lapping drops from the end of an eye dropper. I have not seen urine, but this morning I saw a dot of poop in his anus and he pooped 2 pellets. After the 2:00 feeding. he pooped 3 pellets. Yesterday he was 80 grams. This morning he was 79, then back to 80 and after his last feeding, up to 81 g.

I am not feeling well and my car is having problems, but I would still like to try to get his mom to take him and if she doesn't, and if he gets better, I will bring him in to you guys if you can take him. I don't want to move him right now, anyway. I think he has been through too much for another adjustment. I am wondering if I can arrange a cage situation outside where momma squirrel can get in, but mean old crows cannot.

He is very clean. This morning, he took a big stretch, arms, legs, tail all looked undamaged. He has been sleeping constantly, when not eating

One thing that I don't understand is that his eyes have both been closed all day. Closed tight, like they were never opened.

Here is a video of how good he looked when I first found him: he does have bottom teeth, by the way https://www.facebook.com/10001122178...ibextid=cr9u03
##
I have been feeding around every 2 1/2 hours. No pee I am seeing, possibly I am wiping it away. He had 2 poop pellets this morning and 3 poop pellets this afternoon.

Not sure if I should stretch time out between feedings.

His last feeding—much more energetic.

Why would eyes be closed again.

Hello Lamh9798:
I apologize for you not yet having a response to your post! I am at work and go to The Squirrel Board when I am able but I usually have very little "extra" time while working! How is your little Squirrel doing? Have you heard back from the Rehabbers who were sent a copy of your email? My post will BUMP your thread back in view for others to respond!

Here is a link to Henry's Pets 6 page excellent and concise Guide to Baby Squirrel Care. https://henryspets.com/3-how-to-feed-a-baby-squirrel/

Please read the first three page immediately! It provides almost everything you need to take care of a Baby. The one thing I would ignore is any reference to Fox Valley 32/40 Formula as there have been many problems with this formula!

There is an short order of actions to follow after intake of a Baby Squirrel and each step must be completed before the next is accomplished. These are all in the Henry's Guide!

First, the Baby must be warmed;

Second, the Baby Squirrel must be rehydrated. It can be correctly assumed that virtually every Baby found away from mom is dehydrated to some degree and often quite dehydrated. I would NOT recommend using Pedialyte beyond one or two dosings of this. Most dehydration is loss of plaion water and very little electrolyte (sodium, chloride, etc) and Pedialyte and other oral rehydrating solutions have high concentrations of electrolyte and with any prolonged use of Pedialyte there is a very real risk of the Squirrel developing an unsafe elevation of one or more of these electrolytes. I would recommend using plain water with a sweetener such as honey, molasses or syrup and this can be mixed with 1 teaspoonful of the sweetener to 1 cup plain water. The solution should be quite warm and I would suggest heating it to 105 degrees F.

You will need a 1cc syringe or even a 0.5cc if available for feeding both the water and the formula to follow the rehydration step. The baby must be held gently but upright for feedings and the tip of the syringe should be placed in the mouth pointed upward toward the roof of the mouth. The feedings should drop by drop to help assure the formula is swallowed and goes into the stomach instead of into the lungs (aspiration). Again, see Henry's.

Third is to begin nutritional support by feeding formula. It will be necessary to obtain and accurate weight of your Squirrel, preferably in grams using a digital scale. This should be done each morning as this is the basis for calculating the amount of each feeding for that day.

The baby may still need to be stimulated to pee and poop (see Henry's).

Caution, please do NOT mix Pedialyte with formula or with the water rehydration either! When formula is mixed with anything but pure water, it changes the concentrations and ingredients of both Formula and the Pedialyte and if both are truly felt to be needed, they should be given separately!

If there are wounds, it can be a risk for infection and it would be good to see what antibiotics you or friends or family may have available.

I do not know for certain why his eyes are closing for prolonged periods but it may be from an eye injury sustained with the suspected fall or from the crow. Also, his eye may have just recently opened and they are sensitive to relatively bright light.

I am sorry I have such limited time but I will monitor your thread as I can and get back to it also when I have more time today. Others will see your thread as well and can comment.

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[CritterMom]

Babies that have gone through extreme stress - like being separated from mama - can open their eyes early - before it is technically time. Perhaps once this little one was warmed and hydrated and fed he just let them close. They won't still be sealed like they were. A picture would help us to pinpoint the age.

Mama will likely only take the baby back for 24-48 hours, especially if she has others. Unless you saw a female around him stressing out, it is very likely that she won't come for him. You can place him back out (in a box or something where he can continue to be kept warm) but you need to sit out there close enough to intervene with predators while he is out. If you search on "Baby squirrel distress call" on youtube, you will find lots of recordings you can play as loud as possible on your phone while you wait - to see if any mama squirrels come looking. But please don't leave him untended.