Did you find a baby squirrel all alone? The best solution is always to give it back to the mother, but, if you have no other choice, it is possible to take care of it and make it grow into adulthood. Be aware that in many states this action constitutes a crime. First, consult the animal protection agencies. Raising wild animals is dangerous and much more difficult than caring for domesticated animals from birth. If you offer him food, shelter and care, your squirrel will grow up healthy and strong in his new home, until he is ready to return to nature.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Rescue a Baby Squirrel
Step 1. First, look for the puppy's mother
Nobody can raise him better than his mother. If you find a chipmunk, your priority should always be to reunite him with his family. The squirrel mother will look for her young and accept them back into the litter if they are still warm.
- Squirrel moms do not accept cold puppies because they believe they are sick or dying. It is your job to monitor this situation. If the puppy is injured, cold, or if it's night and the mother doesn't come to pick him up within an hour or two, he needs your help.
- The smell of humans on a squirrel cub does not induce the mother not to accept it, so don't be afraid to touch it.
- If you see more than one puppy and one of them is already dead, the mother will not get the living ones back either. Consequently, it will be your task to raise them and try to get them to be accepted by their mother after some time, when they will no longer have the smell of the dead specimen on them.
Step 2. Pick up the puppy gently
Wearing thick leather gloves (for safety), take the opportunity to observe the animal and check that there are no wounds, parasites, bleeding, swelling or other injuries. If your puppy is bleeding or if you notice that he has broken bones or severe injuries, you need to take him to a vet immediately. Consider, however, that almost all veterinarians will refuse to visit the squirrel if you do not have authorization to retrieve those animals. In that case, contact the wildlife protection agencies immediately.
Step 3. Warm the puppy
Newborn squirrels are unable to regulate their body temperature, so you will have to do it for them. Find or borrow an electric blanket, a hot water bottle or even a hand warmer. A liquid heating pad with water recirculation system is the best solution for temperature control. Make sure the device you choose is set to a medium-low temperature.
- You should keep squirrel cubs incubated at around 37 ° C. If you have a thermometer handy or you can borrow one, use it to create the ideal environment for their health.
- Some heating pads will turn off after a few hours, so check them often to make sure they are always on. If you have no other choice and are forced to raise the puppy yourself, invest in a heating pad that doesn't have an auto shut-off system. The life of the animal depends on it! To keep him warm, you can also cover his cage with a perforated towel.
Step 4. Get a small box
When you have the necessary to keep the squirrel puppy warm, you will need a small box, basket, plastic container, etc. about 30 cm2 (with perforated lid). Insert the heater inside, on one of the sides. That way, if the squirrel gets too hot, it may simply move away from the heat source. If you use a heating pad, make sure it is UNDER the container, not inside.
- Create a nest inside the box with materials found in the area where you found the puppy. Build a donut den and place the squirrel inside it. Make sure that the heat source is close to the nest, but not in direct contact with the animal.
- If necessary, you can use soft fabrics that you have around the house. Do not use towels, as puppies can get caught and break their ankles, lose limbs, etc.
Step 5. Look for the mother again
Place the nest outdoors. If the area is free of dogs, cats, ferrets, and other predators, you can place it on the ground. If you are unsure, place it on a tree or pole to keep it safe.
When your squirrel is warmer, it will instinctively call its mother. If she is around, it is very likely that she will be able to claim her child. Mothers carry their kittens like cats do, so don't worry if the nest is in a tree
Part 2 of 4: Adopting a Squirrel Pup
Step 1. Bring the nest indoors
After an hour or two, you have to face reality. There are many reasons that may have prompted the mother not to take her child back. She could be injured or dead. Either way, the puppy will now become part of your family.
- If you have a dog or cat, make sure the puppy has a secure room and that other pets NEVER have a chance to come into contact with it.
- Make sure you continue to keep the burrow warm.
Step 2. Find a wildlife rescue center
Call your veterinarian, animal shelters, or animal welfare agencies and inquire about wild animal recovery professionals who accept squirrels. You can also search the internet for "squirrel recovery", followed by the name of your city.
- Search the internet for forums and sites dedicated to rodents, especially squirrels, to find more information until you have the opportunity to entrust the animal to a professional. On many forums you will be able to ask questions about how to raise a puppy.
- If you do not have the option to entrust the squirrel to a professional, you will find advice on the internet on how to raise the puppy before releasing it into the wild.
Step 3. Be aware that some states have strict laws on squirrel breeding
In the UK, breeding, keeping or reintroducing a gray squirrel into the wild is a criminal offense that can lead to up to two years in prison. In some states in the United States, such as Washington, there are laws that prohibit owning or breeding injured, sick, or orphaned wild animals other than to transport them to a professional who looks after them. Be aware of the laws in your area and consider what legal consequences you can risk if your state is banned from breeding wild animals.
Step 4. Clean up your squirrel cub
Be aware that it may be infested with parasites such as fleas, ticks, mites and worms. Remove fleas and worms by hand with a fine-toothed comb or tweezers. In pet stores, you will also find flea and mite sprays designed specifically for small animals such as hamsters. Always make sure that the products you use are safe for a squirrel. You can use non-chemical agents, such as diatomaceous earth and natural liquid soap.
If the puppy is tiny and has pink skin, don't spray him with chemicals. Apply the spray to the cloth you wrap around it. Do not spray the product directly on the wounds or you will hurt them
Step 5. Check for signs of dehydration
You can evaluate the hydration status of a puppy by giving it a light pinch on the skin: if it takes more than a second to return to its original position, the animal is dehydrated. In that case, you need to give him a drink as soon as possible, because you don't know how long he hasn't been drinking and eating.
Hollow, wrinkled eyes or a gaunt appearance are also characteristic symptoms of dehydration in squirrels
Step 6. Choose the right liquid
Almost all puppies need water. The best solution, however, is to go to the supermarket or pharmacy and buy a hydrosaline supplement for children. Puppies enjoy the taste of fruit, but they will also drink plain water. DO NOT give your squirrel sports drinks.
- If you can't get to a pharmacy or supermarket, here's how to make a supplement at home:
- A teaspoon of salt.
- Three teaspoons of sugar.
- A liter of warm water.
- Shake the solution well.
Part 3 of 4: Feeding the Baby Squirrel
Step 1. Use oral syringes
They are special syringes without a needle. Do not use models that contain more than 5cc and, if possible, buy a 1cc syringe at the pharmacy.
Step 2. Check the puppy's temperature
You don't need a thermometer to get an accurate measurement, but the little one should feel warm to the touch. This is a fundamental step before giving him fluids, because, if he were not hot, he would not be able to digest them.
Step 3. Feed pink, hairless puppies very carefully
If the squirrel is still hairless, it is probably tiny and no taller than 5-7cm. The risk of causing fluid to build up in the lungs of such small animals is very high, which could cause them to get pneumonia and die. To avoid this, hold the puppy straight in the hand with the syringe pointed towards the roof of the mouth. Don't force feed it, but be patient. It can take an hour to administer 1 cc of liquid to a squirrel who has not yet learned to suck the syringe.
- Make sure the liquid is warm but not too hot. You can keep what you don't use in the refrigerator.
- If the puppy is very small, just pour a drop on his lips until he drinks it. If he doesn't drink, pour a drop of liquid into his mouth for him to taste. Some specimens will open their mouths and start sucking.
- If he keeps his eyes open, you can allow him to take the syringe into his mouth and gently give him a few drops.
- If a large part of the liquid comes out of the animal's nose or mouth, you are proceeding too quickly. Immediately hold him upside down for 10 seconds, then wipe the liquid in his nose and wait a minute before starting to feed him again.
Step 4. Feed the squirrel the right amount of liquid
Tiny, pink and closed-eyed puppies need 1 cc every two hours; babies with closed eyes and fur drink 1-2 cc every two hours; give 2-4 cc every three hours to puppies with their eyes open until further instructions from a professional are given.
- If your puppy chokes or doesn't react when you try to feed him, take him to a professional right away. Thanks to the use of lactated Ringer's, he should start eating again.
- Feed the animal every two hours throughout the day until it reaches two weeks of age. Afterward, feed him every three hours until he opens his eyes. Keep feeding him every four hours until weaning, which will typically take place between seven and ten weeks.
Step 5. Stimulate the squirrel cubs
They need to be stimulated to urinate and defecate when their eyes are closed, so before and after feeding them, you will need to gently clean their genitals and anus area with a warm, moist cotton swab or Q-tip until they produce excrement. If you don't, their stomachs could swell and lead to death.
In nature, mothers are responsible for this process. If your puppy is very dehydrated and hasn't eaten for some time, he may not urinate the first few times you feed him and may not defecate for a day
Step 6. Feed the puppy less frequently
If he eats smoothly, is hydrated and continues to grow without incident, feed him every 4-6 hours. Use the recipe below as a guide:
- 1 part infant formula milk for puppies.
- 2 parts of distilled water.
- A quarter of a part of whipping cream or plain yogurt.
Step 7. Reheat the food
You can put it in the microwave. As you did for liquids, you should gradually introduce soft food into the animal's diet. However, the process should be pretty quick.
DO NOT mix the hydro-salt supplement and milk. Start by diluting the milk a lot: 4 parts of water and one part of powder for a day; 3 parts of water and one part of powder for one day; 2 parts of water and one part of powder until weaning
Step 8. Wake up your puppy
When he is ready for solid foods (he will have his eyes open), you can give him the rodent food that you will find in all pet stores. These foods contain the right amounts and varieties of nutrients. You can also buy squirrel-specific foods at Henryspets.com. Continue to feed the animal with food until it is time to free it.
Step 9. DO NOT start feeding your puppy any dried fruit
Start with healthy vegetables (broccoli, salad, kale, etc.). When she eats her food and vegetables smoothly, you can gradually introduce fresh and dried fruit into her diet. Don't give him more than one walnut a day and only 1-2 pieces of fruit.
- Just like small children do, the puppy will let you know that he doesn't want milk anymore by pushing him away.
- If you notice the squirrel urinating on food, don't worry, this is normal.
- Feed him small amounts of food to prevent him from suffering from diarrhea.
- Avoid picking pinecones from the ground, as they can contain many invisible toxins, which can quickly kill these rodents.
Part 4 of 4: The Transition to Adolescence
Step 1. Purchase a large cage
Squirrels need space to run around. Make sure your puppy's cage measures at least 60x60x90cm, with shelves, a cot and something to climb on.
- Keep a ceramic drinking bowl in the cage. Squirrels can chew, shred and eat plastic.
- Put some toys in the cage. You can use pine cones, clean sticks, or dog bones. Avoid anything that can be crumbled, swallowed, or stuffed (like a stuffed animal).
- Place items in the cage that the rodent can get its teeth on, which will never stop growing.
Step 2. Play with your squirrel
He needs social interaction, especially if he has no mates. You should keep him entertained for at least an hour out of the cage every day. If there is no room in the house where you can safely release the pet, get a larger cage to keep outdoors (you will still need one in the future, but don't put the squirrel inside if you don't have a pet carrier), or move it to a second cage in another room. Do not allow him to play outdoors outside the cage. Hawks and other predators are much faster than you and may eat it before you have a chance to react. The puppy may also get scared and run away, unable to find its way home.
- Get the animal accustomed to heights, thanks to curtain rods. You must avoid that once released it has a tendency to always remain on the ground, where it would be an easy prey for snakes, cats, etc.
- Professionals match squirrel cubs to each other before they open their eyes, so they form a bond. This is another reason why you should take the pet to a professional; two friendly squirrels will help each other survive in the wild in many different ways.
- A squirrel cub that is kept in a cage for too long can develop deformities due to limited space or the habit of walking in circles in the space in which it is confined.
- When your puppy stops getting milk altogether, avoid taking him out of the cage. It must learn to be afraid of man in order to survive longer in nature.
Step 3. Continue rehabilitation in kind
When you reach 4-5 months of age, you will have to move the squirrel to a very large open cage, preferably 2 meters high. Make sure it's predator-proof.
- Make sure the cage contains a doghouse to nest in, sticks for playing, spaces to climb and jump on different surfaces, and that it is partially protected from the rain. It should also have a solid bottom or the animal could attempt a reckless escape. If you want to build the cage yourself, install double doors so the rodent doesn't jump out when you feed it. Make sure you make a door the size of a squirrel, about 10 cm2, which you will use to release the puppy. When it's time to free him, open the door and let him return to nature.
- The squirrel should spend at least four weeks in its open cage before being released. During this time, it is very important to feed him foods that he can find in nature, so that he understands how to feed.
Step 4. Let the squirrel go
Since the specimen has no mother or siblings, you must make sure that the area where you release it is free from dogs, cats, unfriendly neighbors and other predators. Make sure she has plenty of water, food, fruit, and trees that produce nuts.
- Continue feeding the squirrel for at least three weeks after releasing it. If you decide to keep it in the garden, set up a feeding trough and supply it with fresh food. After all, you already know what they like to eat.
- Bringing the puppy back to the environment where you found it is an excellent idea, if it is a safe place where it has the opportunity to feed.
- It is very important not to release the rodent too early. After four months of life he will be completely unprepared to survive on his own and will be an easy victim of predators.
- During the first week, keep an eye on the squirrel to make sure it is able to find food, water and that it feels comfortable in the new environment.
Advice
- Due to the use of powdered milk, the puppy's urine will have a really unpleasant smell. This feature will fade after weaning.
- Squirrel babies need company. Try to find a professional who looks after other squirrels so your rodent can find friends. These animals learn from each other and need company to stay healthy.
- Make sure the dried fruits you give your squirrel are raw. Roasted or salted peanuts are not a suitable food. In addition, it will be much easier to encourage the animal to eat hard nuts.
