WHAT
TO DO UNTIL YOU FIND A REHABBER:
***IMPORTANT
PRECAUTIONS – READ BEFORE PROCEEDING*** Whenever you make the decision to
handle wildlife, you are doing so at your own risk. If you decide to do so,
please follow instructions carefully and take appropriate precautions. Do not
contact wildlife with bare hands, and do not allow children or pets near baby
wildlife! Many wild babies may look healthy, but can harbor fleas, internal
parasites, or illnesses that can cause harm if proper sanitation is not
observed. Always wash hands thoroughly immediately after handling the baby or
its container, as well as any item that comes in contact with the baby
squirrel. Discard used disposable items
away from where people or pets may come in contact with them.
NEVER FEED MILK OR OTHER FORMULAS TO WILDLIFE! THIS CAN CAUSE
ILLNESS OR DEATH. IF YOU HAVE DONE SO ALREADY, STOP IMMEDIATELY. Tell the
rehabber if you have accidentally fed milk or any other formula, so they know
that the squirrel has it in its system and can treat the squirrel accordingly.
DO NOT USE FLEA TREATMENTS – MOST CAN KILL YOUNG SQUIRRELS. Leave that part up to the rehabber you
contact. In the meantime, keep the baby away from pets and children.
STEP 1: Retrieve
the baby and Keep it in a safe, quiet, warm place away from pets, children, or
danger.
Look around the area to see if there are other orphaned baby
squirrels that may have been part of the litter.
-Rescuing
older baby (“juvenile”) squirrels such as the size shown below:
Protect your eyes and use heavy gloves when attempting to pick up a
squirrel this size. Using gloves (heavy
gloves and a towel for larger juvenile squirrels to avoid being scratched or
bit), you can put the squirrel in a ventilated container (such as a small pet
carrier or very strong box that they can’t chew/climb out of). Put in some soft
cloths for bedding and security (be sure the cloths are not stringy or have
loops, such as terrycloth, as baby’s nails can get caught). Put half of the container on top of a
heating pad set on low. This lets the squirrel move toward or away from the
heat as needed. Wash hands thoroughly after handling baby, bedding, equipment,
etc. Keep everyone, especially pets and children, away from the baby squirrel,
and put it in a quiet location. Do not let anyone handle or disturb the
squirrel(s).
You can estimate the approximate age of the baby
you’ve found, using the photos in STEP 2.
-Rescuing
small baby squirrels: such as in the photo shown below:
You can estimate the approximate age of the baby
you’ve found, using the photos in STEP 2. Use gloves or a cloth to pick up the baby(s). You can put them in container such as a
shoebox, with holes in the lid for ventilation. Place some soft cloths for bedding in the box. Be sure the bedding is not stringy, such as
terrycloth. (Babies get their toes
caught in the loops and can be injured).
Put half of the container on top of a heating pad set on low. This
lets the squirrel move toward or away from the heat as needed. Wash hands
thoroughly after handling baby, bedding, equipment, etc. Keep everyone,
especially pets and children, away from the baby squirrel, and put it in a
quiet location. Do not let anyone handle or disturb the squirrel(s).
STEP 2: Determine the
approximate age of the baby squirrel.
These photos can help determine the baby's age, so you
can tell the rehabber the approximate age of the baby.
Newborn to 1
week old (“pinkie”) You can see that squirrels are born without fur, but
they already have tiny fingernails and toenails:
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1.5 to 2
weeks old The baby in the next
2 pictures, is being moved by its mother in her mouth. It is approximately 1.5
to 2 weeks old:
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2.5-4 weeks
old The following pictures show
that at this age, the eyelids are developing, and thin fur covers the back and
tail:
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4.5–5 weeks
old Here you can see, the baby squirrel has a bit
more fur, ears are open, and its little eyes are either open, or will be
opening soon:
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Approximately
5-6 weeks old Babies this age
have a thin long furred body with large feet and hands. Usually around 5 weeks the
eyes open, but this can vary. You can see in the 2 pictures below, that this
baby’s eyes have opened. The baby’s
tail is thin and not yet bushy. (The syringe in this photo is not filled with
milk. It is a specially ordered squirrel formula mix.). Tails although still
thin, are a bit fuller.
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6-7weeks old
(juvenile) grey squirrel The next picture shows squirrels
approximately 6-7 weeks old. You can
see that their tails are getting fluffier and fuller. The body is getting
stronger and more proportionate to the head and arm size. They begin to attempt to sit up on their own
during this phase. They are beginning to nibble at soft solid foods, but are
still dependent on the mother. They
still sleep a lot, but when awake are very frisky if healthy.
8 week old
(juvenile) grey squirrel The next photo shows a juvenile closer to 8 weeks
old. Note how the squirrel’s tail is
much bushier and the body thicker. This
juvenile can sit up and eat some soft foods and soft nut pieces. He is still dependent on the mother.
(Caution: at this age only handle with strong gloves or
a towel and protect your eyes. A
squirrel this age can jump quite fast and deliver a good nip and scratch,
especially if they are frightened):
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Juvenile grey squirrel 9+ weeks old These
squirrels are almost weaned from the mother and are able to eat solid foods to
supplement their diet. They are fast
and run away if approached. This one shown below is approximately 9-10 weeks
old. At this point they are able to
crack through hard nut shells. A
squirrel this age can deliver a nasty bite, and scratches. When a rehabber handles a young squirrel
this age, they must protect their hands with heavy gloves and a towel, and
protect their eyes.
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You can also refer to the following website to see excellent
photos of babies to approximate different ages, as well as other information:)
http://www.squirrel-rehab.org/squirrels/photo1.html
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STEP 3: CONTACT A WILDLIFE REHABBER IN YOUR AREA.
Once the baby is safely contained and warm, immediately find a
qualified wildlife rehabber in your area for help.
IF YOU LIVE IN WISCONSIN, CLICK HERE TO FIND A REHABBER IN YOUR AREA.
IF YOU LIVE IN ANOTHER STATE, FIND A REHABBER BY GOING TO ONE OF
THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES:
http://www.squirrel-rehab.org/
http://www.wildliferehabber.com/
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO CONTACT A REHABBER IN YOUR AREA: It is best to
just keep the baby squirrel safe and warm and in a quiet location until help
arrives. However, if you have not been able to locate a rehabber for several
hours, or must keep the baby squirrel overnight until you can get help, you may
need to help a small baby urinate and defecate since it cannot do so on its
own. Dehydration can also be a threat if help cannot be found for several
hours. If you need emergency
instructions,
CLICK HERE. Note that these instructions do not take the place of a
qualified rehabber. They are provided only to keep a baby alive if several
hours have passed until a qualified rehabber responds in your vicinity. Do not
attempt to rehab a baby squirrel by yourself!