I'm twelve and when I came home from school today my mom told me that my Dad had cut down a tree and it fell he heard a squealing noise and went to check. He found a baby squirrel in the tree, and gave it to my mom. It's eyes haven't opened yet, and it can't hear we don't think. He looks fine enough, he just squeals when he is lonely and we come and stroke him. We wonder if he will live and have been feeing him on canned milk and water mixed. Against our will, we are getting attached to him (Petery) and want any helpful hints. Please Help!

-- Liz Beth (evelynv@ipa.net), March 08, 2001

Answers

could cal it "stewie",, or "fryer"

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), March 08, 2001.

Sounds like you are doing OK with it. I've never raised a squirrel but lots of wild baby rabbits. Rabbits don't tame but squirrels do. You may have a nice pet or you can let it go when it is older and put out a few nuts slowly decreasing the amount so he is forced to look for his own. The best milk to feed is the prepared stuff at the vets that they make for kittens. Actually the very best I've ever used is Human milk but...that's not easily come by! Good Luck...Artie Ann

-- Artie Ann Karns (rokarns@arkansas.net), March 08, 2001.

It may be too late now, but you should have left the baby for the mom to find. They find them by the squeaking noises, and most squirrel mom's have an alternate nest prepared in case they have to move the babies. My mother's house was being remodelled last year and when the insulating board was torn off, there was a nest of 5 red squirrels, with closed eyes. The workmen put them in a box with some of the bedding and I took out a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel and put it under the box. As soon as there was a lull in the "action" in the area, the mother was in there collecting them one by one. After they were all transferred, she came back and squeaked for more, but no one answered (because they'd all been moved), so she left after awhile -- squirrels can't count, I guess!

If you have a wildlife rescue organization in your area, call them for information. I will try to find some info for you and get back to you. I think kitten milk replacer and a nursing bottle will be what you need.

Stan, I think your reply to a tenderhearted child was very mean! I suppose it's too much to hope for, but I think you should feel shame for such a callous post!

-- Joy F (So.Central Wisconsin) (CatFlunky@excite.com), March 08, 2001.

Liz Beth:

Sounds to me like you are doing the right thing with it; however, it is difficult to raise wild animals (you cannot substitute 100% for momma). I have been places where squirrels were so tame they would come take a peanut out of your shirt pocket. Do you have something like a small purse you could wear around your neck to keep it in so it gets some movement and heartbeat sounds? I've heard of people wrapping a wind-up clock in a sock and putting it in with a puppy.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), March 08, 2001.

Hush, Stan.

Liz, go to Wal-Mart, if you can, and get something in the catfood isle called "Little Tiger", or tiger something or another. Its like condensed milk, but with all sorts of vitamins and such for hurt and abandoned babies. Keep it warm and out of drafts, like in a high-sided box in a bed of wool or other natural fuzzy stuff, and in a warm room.

You'll need to feed the baby squirrel several times, like every couple of hours, but just a little bit, only an eyedropper full, if that.

Over a week or two, you can cut back to feeding about every 4 hours, and so on. As soon as it will eat "solid" food (start with baby food, but not meats) it's time to find a wildlife rehabilitation specialist to teach it how to live in the wild. In fact, you should contact one NOW so that they can give you better advice. In some places it may be against the law to keep wild animals like this except for short periods of time in emergencies, and you have to talk to the specialist as soon as you can.

If you don't get the squirrel rehabilitated, it will be really friendly to people and this could result in it getting killed by people, either by accident or even on purpose. Good luck. And pay no attention to Stan. He's a guy and guys are like that sometimes. That's why we marry them, to keep them from hurting themselves and others!

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), March 08, 2001.

Okay, more info: http://www.gsenet.org/squirrel.htm

They say that the first step is to get the baby warm, then to hydrate it (get it to take water), and that the hydration is more important first before the correct formula. You can read all about it at the site above, it's too long to post it all here.

Locate a wildlife rehabber: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm

I FOUND A BABY SQUIRREL (what to do): http://www.squirrelworld.com/ifounda.html

Other sites you might find interesting eventually:

http://members.tripod.com/Thryomanes/squirrel.html

http://www.squirrelworld.com/

-- Joy F (So.Central Wisconsin) (CatFlunky@excite.com), March 08, 2001.

I just suggested a name for it,, geeeez

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), March 08, 2001.

Please try to find a licensed wildlife rehabber. You can usually find them through vet's offices, local police department or your Parks and Wildlife department. While many orphaned wildlife babies are "successfully" raised by people every year it is not usually the case. A squirrel that young needs a special milk replacer, has to be fed every 2 hours, has to be stimulated to go to the bathroom and other than nutritional needs it has social needs also that will only be met by being around it's own species. I do volunteer wildlife rehab and I have seen many animals that have died because of improper care and/or nutrition. Good luck.

-- LaDena Johnson (kjohnson@wcnet.net), March 08, 2001.

Hello Liz. You are in for a big adventure. If you have a wildlife shelter in the area, I strongly suggest that you take it there and let them deal with it. If you raise it yourself, you are in for a lot of heartache down the road. In the meantime, or if you cannot locate a wildlife shelter, you will need to keep the baby very warm. A hot waterbottle wrapped in cotton flannel (refill as it cools, or add a new hot one on the other side of the enclosure as that one cools, close enough that the baby can crawl to it if it wants to be warmer, but with enough space that it can crawl away if it is too warm. You will have to monitor closely.) is good for this. Heating pads can be too hot, and I like the water bottle application better myself.

Baby squirrels can be fed from pet nurser bottles, an eyedropper, or even a clean syringe (no needle). You want to be careful to apply JUST enough pressure on the container for the baby to be able to suck the formula out, and NOT squeeze it into their mouths, or it will come out their noses, and possibly go down their lungs, leading to drowning, or pneumonia later on. This also takes fine tuning to get just right. If a little does back up out his or her nose, blot it off quickly with a kleenex.

After eating, you will have to wash the baby's tummy and groin area, probably a warm wet cotton ball is best, to stimulate elimination, the way that the mother does. They have to have this in order to eliminate body wastes, and it is not a step that you can omit.

Very tiny babies need to be fed every two hours day and night. Young gray squirrels may take only 1/8 oz at a time, flying squirrels even less.

Squirrel formula -- 1/3 cup Esbilac, and 1 Cup cool boiled water. Blend on med. speed for twenty seconds and store in the refrigerator. Heat only small quantities as needed, discard formula after each feeding and do not reuse. Test temperature religiously! Your mother can probably show you how to do a wrist test so as not to scald the baby to death with too hot formula.

Alternately, if you do not have access to Esbilac tonight, a make- shift formula is 1 C. whole milk (goat would be great if you've got it), 1 raw egg yolk, and 1 tsp. sugar or white Karo syrup. Blend, store, and feed as with above formula.

I suggest that you take it to a rehabilitator, as squirrels raised by humans become quite tame and domesticated -- and it is illegal to keep them. If anyone finds out that you have the squirrel, likely the wildlife department will show up on your doorstep to take the squirrel away from you and release it somewhere you can't find it. They won't let you just release it in your own back yard either, and a tame squirrel like this will likely be lunch for some other animal when thrown out on it's own. There are also possible fines for keeping a squirrel (which is totally bogus, as well as stupid). If you have to keep the squirrel, or elect to keep the squirrel, I hope that you are somewhere that no one will see him/her and report you -- AND MAKE SURE YOU DON"T TELL OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT IT!!! I don't mean don't talk to the people from the forum about it, don't tell things to people at school and so on. Our tame squirrel was taken away from us and came to a bad end. (if you want more info on raising, email me and I'll send it to you directly)

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), March 08, 2001.

I agree with julie f above. We raised three orphaned baby squirrels and they were a real joy to have around. Initially we raised them in a box where they were kept warm and protected. I built a cage, attached to the house, that could be accessed from the house thru a window or from the outside with a door. As they matured we simply left the cage door to the outside open and they could come and go as they pleased and they eventually moved out and started families of their own. We lived in a neighborhood where there were alot of Squirrels and the neighbors were friendly toward them and got a kick out of having the tame sqirrels around. (Shhhh! don't tell any one. It was a mystery where they came from.)

One of them, my special little buddy, would sleep in the pocket of my wool shirt while I was wearing it, and then when I wasn't wearing it.

Julie is right tho about not saying anything to others about it because its probably against some law or another.

As far as I'm concerned raising orphaned or injured animals is one of the simple joys of country life and if its what you wanna do I say gofer it. There's a place for the wildlife rehab folks too but the experience of doing it yourself is very rewarding but you must remember that you have a wild animal and to keep it in a cage for its whole life just because you don't wanna let it go is unkind.

We've raised a racoon and a baby rabbit too. The coon we released as a near adult in a state park where there was no hunting or trapping He lived there for about seven years and returned to us on his own to die. The rabbit stayed in the yard, had several litters and would come to the door for food.

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), March 08, 2001.

Hello Liz....do everything Julie says in her response,especially the tummy bit,thats how the mom helps them go pottie.We have raised lots of squirrels they are the easiest.If you can feed him often enough,you can do it yourself.When he is older put him out in a cage in a tree with a y shaped branch in the cage.In the y put a toque (or winter hat).feed him in the cage.when you are outside with him open the cage,always feed him in it.When he is ready,and you are too,you can take the cage to the bush hang it on a tree,put lots of food in it and leave the door open.Check each day,when the food goes untouched he has probaby found his own food source.God bless you will have a riot withthe little guy.we have found that they adapt very well to being wild again.Watch for hawks.It is better is he has a squirrel buddy,that is the only drawback,you could ask discreetly if any rehab people may know another single baby somewhere.The laws here have changed and we are no longer allowed to have an animal more than 48 hrs.I have a good book with all the formulas in it.Your baby should take 1/8 ounce or so every 2hrs.If you need more info feel free I will try to send it....teri

-- teri (mrs_smurf2000@yahoo.ca), March 09, 2001.

Liz,What a find! all the advice from Joy,julie and Soni is spot on.the one thing that I saw that was meantioned breifly was the need for the baby to be stimulated to pee&poop.It is VERY important.most people that raise orphans call it "piddling".After you feed him take a kleenex or a peice of soft toilet paper and GENTLY wipe his/her bottom.The baby will go to the bathroom.This is one way that the mother can keep the nest clean.Baby only goes with permission.As they get a little older you will not need to do it.As far as worrying about wild life control and "official"rehabilitators.Take the advice with a grain of salt.Every darn one of them learned the same way you are learning.If they tell you different they are lying.It is important not to brag about what you are doing to others though.This is what happens when we pass one size fits all laws and regulations.You can do this.It is a big responsibility.The sqirrel is also a wild thing so you will need to let him go and let him make his own way when he is ready(even if it is only as far as the back yard).You will have a little nosey wild friend for life.Good luck! You are going to learn how much work it is to be a parent. keep us posted. Greg

-- greg (gsmith@tricountyi.net), March 09, 2001.

I must apologize for misjudging the posters on this forum. I see everyone here sees the importance of actually letting wild animals be wild after they are in our care. I wish the people here in our area valued wildlife as much. We just do not have very good luck with the general public in our part of the country when it comes to wildlife. Several years ago we had someone shooting Brown Pelicans at the beach. They shot dozens. There was a adult Bobcat that was turned in after spending 3 days chained to someone's tree in their backyard. It literally breathed it's last breath in the rehabber's arms. Someone called about an adult Fox that they caught in a HavAHeart trap and had kept for an unspecified amount of days in a rabbit cage. It was dead when the rehabber arrived. One baby skunk was placed in a bag and run over by a car. The other 3 were turned in by the people that had them. Someone had found a litter and passed them out to friends as novelties. We even had an adolescent buck White-tail that was living in a house with people. He of course is a risk because he is imprinted and has no fear of humans. A man from my hometown was killed by an imprinted buck during rut when he went into his enclosure. There are also other documented cases of WT attacking people. I hate to go on and on but I wanted to give you an idea of how people view wildlife in our area. They don't view the domestics any better sometimes. I just took a call for our SPCA yesterday about 3 small dogs abandoned with no food,water or shelter in someone's backyard yesterday. Once again, my apologies. I really like this forum and I would like to say that some of the other sites I visit, if someone has a different opinion people do not react nicely. I appreciate the fact that everyone disagreed with me and was nice about it. LaDena

-- LaDena Johnson (kjohnson@wcnet.net), March 09, 2001.

Hi Liz, You need Puppy milk replacer and a eye dropper to feed. Every 2 hrs. It needs to be warm until it grows hair! We used a heated rock for a while(micro wave and wrap in a towel). Then we got a electric rock at the pet store made for iguinea(sp) lizard. They must be warm!!! After feeding take a q-tip, dip in warm water, and gently wipe its family jewels. This tells the baby to pee. You are now (in its mind) its mother. They are great friends and you will NEVER REGRET the effort. Some will say it must be WILD and returned. this is not true, as it is now a people. That is all it knows. Just love it! L.A.

-- L.A. (lromsa1@state.wy.us), March 09, 2001.

Liz Beth, let us know what's happening with the baby, as soon as you get a chance! Thanks.

-- Joy F (So.Central Wisconsin) (CatFlunky@excite.com), March 09, 2001.

Everyone thank you for your help and opinions, even though some of you say this is wrong, we are going to raise it until it is old enough to release, then it will become our backyard pal. Not that many PEOPLE around here to be worried about(at least not on our property, we don't like hunter's on our land) it's our dogs and cat I worry about. But with hope Petree will learn about them. Petree is a little boy, and he's so cute. We are having slight problems getting him to peepee and poopoo, but I think that will work out because he seems just fine:). I will try and keep you posted on him. Thanks again. ~Liz Beth P.S. We might try to post a picture or two of Petree on the coutryside friends forum, If that doesn't work, e-mail me and I will e-mail you a picture of him(if he holds still long enough).

-- Liz Beth (evelynv@ipa.net), March 09, 2001.

Liz - congratulations! I am a licensed rehabber in Ohio. First thing you must be concerned with is keeping him warm. Keep him in a box with shredded, plain paper towels. Put 1/2 of the box on a heating pad, turned on low - only half of the box so if it gets too warm, he can wiggle his way to the other side. Food - 1 Cup of plain yogurt (or vanilla) - 1 cup of whole milk - 2 egg yolks - several drops (about 3-4) of a baby vitamin. Mix this all up and keep in a well sealed jar. Until the baby starts to get his teeth, you can use a glass eye dropper, but be sure to change to plastic after he gets teeth. Heat a small amount of the formula - as if you were feeding a very young human baby. Do not squirt the formula down his throat, or he will aspirate (choke). If this happens and you see the formula bubbling out of his nose, gently turn him upside down and gently swing him(like a pendulum on a clock) until the liquid stops coming out. At this age, you really need to not mess with him too much until his eyes and ears open and he is becoming alert. You might even think about putting a small stuffed animal in with him for something to snuggle around or just for company.

Feeding schedule: up to 2 weeks - every 2 hours - 2-10 drops (day and night); 3-4 wks. every 3 hrs. - 3-6 droppersfull - quit at nite; 5 wks. every 4 hrs. - 4-10 droppersful. Just let the little guy suck or lap the drops off the dropper. If he won't take to it, it is because it isn't anything like mom. Give him a break and try again later. As long as he is healthy, he will eventually eat. And never fill the dropper all the way full. That way if he decides to inhale the formula, there won't be enough for him to aspirate. You can also start to add a little baby rice cereal when he is about 4-6 weeks old.

Feel free to email me and I can get you further along later.

Good luck with your new charge.

Chris

-- Chris Cheatham (CCheatham@cinci.rr.com), March 09, 2001.