Baby Jonah

[Mochamoo123]

My baby jonah has passed but i was wondering why his mother left 2/5 of her babies. She took Three and left an injured one and a very strong one. She never came back, the larger was able to be release but the smaller as you know passed. Here is a picture of the both of them (blaze the released red squirrel on top and jonah the one who didn't make it bottom) The larger didn't like my picture taking and went to protect his little brother.

[Nancy in New York]

I really believe that the mom's know when some of their little ones just aren't up to "par".
If you have a sick baby to take care of, it's very difficult on any mother in the wild with other little ones depending on her too.
They have to stay sharp, alert, aware 24/7.
She would not have time to care of any sick little squirrel that may hold her back...............
so they leave them, and hope that someone like YOU will help them.
Regardless of what happened, Jonah passed loved, safe, warm and fed.
As rehabbers, we can't save them all. BUT what we can do is give them love,
and a soft place to call home until they leave for their final journey.
You did your job well.

[Mochamoo123]

Thanks for the answer but it still don't explain why she left a healthy baby also??

[grampyngramy]

He may look healthy. But mom may know he has no future. I think this is what hap poo ened with our Butters. He was found on our porch at about a few weeks old. But he took a turn for the worse at about 1.5 years. Nothing could have helped him except maybe surgery, which cant be done where I live. Then again he may be healthy forever. Animal life is so horrible at times for they have no adoption agencies. Just take care of him and love him because we have no idea what tomorrow holds. Prayers and well wishes.

[grampyngramy]

Ok maybe this will make it easier. Say mom has five babies. And she needs five nuts a day to feed them but she can only find three. Every day she can only find three. So she can only feed three every day plus herself she needs two nuts or more. So the runt always goes first. Then the next will be the more sickly. Like coyotes cull out the weak and sick, some how they know which is sick. Nature is cruel but it takes care of its own.

[CritterMom]

She was moving them for a reason, and something may have happened to make her fear returning. Honestly, I think sometimes they just lose count!

[HRT4SQRLS]

Mochamoo123,
As humans, sometimes it's difficult for us to understand instincts of wild animals. The instinct for survival is a powerful motivating force for wild animals. Sometimes a mother will abandon all of her babies in an attempt to survive. We don't know what happened in this situation but maybe during the process of recovering her babies she encountered a threat or predator that made further rescue too risky. Anything could have happened.

With that said, I don't want to understate the powerful driving force of the maternal bond of a mother for her babies. That's what drove her to rescue her babies in the first place. I think we all recognize that it's a wise decision never to come between a wild mother and her babies, especially if the animal in question is larger than you are. My family raised cows when I was growing up. Even the most docile old cow would 'run over you' if you got between her and her calf.

Squirrels are very small animals and are close to the bottom of the food chain. They are prey animals for other carnivores. Unfortunately, survival of the fittest is frequently the rule when it comes to wild animals. The strong live ... the weak don't. This mother did what she had to do to ensure her survival and that of 'most' of her babies. In terms of nature, it was a successful day, she survived, so did her babies. One thing I do know for sure, animals have emotions and grieve just like we do.
This I am sure of!

MM123, I don't know if this answers your question or not. You're young, I would encourage you to keep that compassionate heart that you have. The world needs more like you!

[Mochamoo123]

That baby may have seemed healthy but he could have MBD or something else and the mother knew either he would survive on his own or he would die anyways, Ok thanks for the feedback.