How to Care for a Baby Squirrel
So you are in your yard checking your gardens and beneath a tree you see a baby squirrel. You get a bit closer to see if he is alive and you notice he is. What do you do?
Mother Squirrel May Be Near By
First thing you do is back up a little bit and really look around. Is there a mother squirrel in the tree looking down at you?
Sometimes babies accidently fall out of the nest and maybe the mother was in the process of retrieving him when you showed up.
It is always better to reunite the mother and baby first. You can stay on guard to make sure no other predators come looking for a quick meal, but give it about 15 minutes if the baby is not in distress you can give it a bit more time. But if it is obvious that she is not returning, then chances are something happened to her.
Mother Squirrel May Be Near By
First thing you do is back up a little bit and really look around. Is there a mother squirrel in the tree looking down at you?
Sometimes babies accidently fall out of the nest and maybe the mother was in the process of retrieving him when you showed up.
It is always better to reunite the mother and baby first. You can stay on guard to make sure no other predators come looking for a quick meal, but give it about 15 minutes if the baby is not in distress you can give it a bit more time. But if it is obvious that she is not returning, then chances are something happened to her.
Find Heavy Gloves
1. You don't want to be bitten and its best if you don't transfer your smells. Find a large Tupperware container and line with a linen or cotton tea towel.
2. Gently pick up the baby and place in the container, while checking him for injuries, sores or bleeding.
3. He will need to be kept warm as babies cannot regulate their heat as well. You could use a heating blanket, but something more simple might be best, such as a microwavable heating pad, or even a rubber glove filled with warm water and tied off at end. Wrap in towel and place beside him to keep him warm.
4. Phone your local animal shelter for more instructions, if this is not possible, then follow these steps.
5. Hydrate if no one at the shelter is available with this homemade solution.
Note: This should only be done if you cannot get any professional instructions. But babies need fluids as they dehydrate quickly. You can use Gatorade or a homemade formula which is 1 teaspoon salt, and 3 teaspoons sugar mixed in a quart of warm drinking water.
6. Using a totally clean eyedropper or syringe
If you don't have either, and you can take a quick trip to the petsmart they will have them. Otherwise try and improvise, but don't drown him with the fluids. Just try and get some into his mouth. 1-2cc every couple of hours should help keep him hydrated. One way to know if he is dehydrated is to gently pinch his skin and if it stays In position like a tent, then he really needs fluids right away. Most likely if he was abandoned for a while he is desperate, so get right on the fluids.
7. Keep Trying to Get a Hold of Local Wildlife Facility or Animal Control
They will direct you to the right professional. The above instructions are emergency only, but will keep the baby squirrel alive.
Remember he is a wild animal, and should not be kept as pets, but it is nice to give Mother Nature a helping hand when you can. The goal is to return him to the wild. There are overnight numbers as well. Google your area and try and find someone who can guide you with further instructions.
But for the now the best bet is to keep him warm and hydrated. If you live in an area with lots of backyard squirrels, then you may find this book helpful also.
1. You don't want to be bitten and its best if you don't transfer your smells. Find a large Tupperware container and line with a linen or cotton tea towel.
2. Gently pick up the baby and place in the container, while checking him for injuries, sores or bleeding.
3. He will need to be kept warm as babies cannot regulate their heat as well. You could use a heating blanket, but something more simple might be best, such as a microwavable heating pad, or even a rubber glove filled with warm water and tied off at end. Wrap in towel and place beside him to keep him warm.
4. Phone your local animal shelter for more instructions, if this is not possible, then follow these steps.
5. Hydrate if no one at the shelter is available with this homemade solution.
Note: This should only be done if you cannot get any professional instructions. But babies need fluids as they dehydrate quickly. You can use Gatorade or a homemade formula which is 1 teaspoon salt, and 3 teaspoons sugar mixed in a quart of warm drinking water.
6. Using a totally clean eyedropper or syringe
If you don't have either, and you can take a quick trip to the petsmart they will have them. Otherwise try and improvise, but don't drown him with the fluids. Just try and get some into his mouth. 1-2cc every couple of hours should help keep him hydrated. One way to know if he is dehydrated is to gently pinch his skin and if it stays In position like a tent, then he really needs fluids right away. Most likely if he was abandoned for a while he is desperate, so get right on the fluids.
7. Keep Trying to Get a Hold of Local Wildlife Facility or Animal Control
They will direct you to the right professional. The above instructions are emergency only, but will keep the baby squirrel alive.
Remember he is a wild animal, and should not be kept as pets, but it is nice to give Mother Nature a helping hand when you can. The goal is to return him to the wild. There are overnight numbers as well. Google your area and try and find someone who can guide you with further instructions.
But for the now the best bet is to keep him warm and hydrated. If you live in an area with lots of backyard squirrels, then you may find this book helpful also.
It doesn't hurt to get educated on the daily routines of squirrels if you enjoy them. Giving them a place to eat and a squirrel house will keep them healthy and safe. But accidents happen. Mother Squirrels get hit by cars or attacked by predators, so it is nice when you can give them a helping hand. The above book would be good to keep on hand. Just click the picture to find out more. It also educates children on the habits of squirrels and the many types.
Your local pet shop should also have the numbers for local wildlife shelters and animal control and also the supplies to keep your baby squirrel alive until it can get the proper care and that second chance at life back in the wilds.
Your local pet shop should also have the numbers for local wildlife shelters and animal control and also the supplies to keep your baby squirrel alive until it can get the proper care and that second chance at life back in the wilds.
You can get this formula above online for squirrels less than 5 weeks old, and can be used for other young rodents as well. You don't need to add anything else to this formula but you will need an oral syringe.
If the baby squirrel is a bit older there are ready made food blocks that will feed him all the nutrition he needs, below.
If the baby squirrel is a bit older there are ready made food blocks that will feed him all the nutrition he needs, below.
The protein blocks are perfect for the older baby squirrel who may need extra nutrition. I once fed a small squirrel that looked a little too young to be out on his own.
I put a few of these blocks in the squirrel feeder, and eventually he got bigger and found other squirrels to hang with, so these can help them when they are very young and struggling to make it on their own.
I know it is the way of the wild, but sometimes us humans can give that extra helping hand and a second chance at life. I hope this page has helped you care for baby squirrels.
I put a few of these blocks in the squirrel feeder, and eventually he got bigger and found other squirrels to hang with, so these can help them when they are very young and struggling to make it on their own.
I know it is the way of the wild, but sometimes us humans can give that extra helping hand and a second chance at life. I hope this page has helped you care for baby squirrels.