As a squirrel lover, with years of experience observing and interacting with these incredible animals, I am passionate to share my knowledge with those looking for the ultimate guide to hand raise a baby squirrel. With the right information, you will have all the tools necessary to care for and nurture this animal in its early life.
If a baby squirrel is found and needs to be hand-raised, it is important to first try to reunite the animal with their mother. The best way to do this is to place the babies in a box near their nest, and make sure they can’t get out. Supervise from a distance, keeping the babies safe from predators. If the mom doesn’t come within two hours, you must take over responsibility for caring for the baby squirrel.
A Comprehensive Guide to Hand-Raising a Baby Squirrel
If you happen to come across a baby squirrel and are unable to locate the mother, don’t panic. You can step in and become an adoptive parent! Ensuring the little one is safe, properly fed and healthy is essential and you can provide these important elements needed for their development. Before taking on such a responsibility, it’s best to be prepared with the necessary supplies such as formula, bottles, a heating source and nesting material. With your guidance and love, you can give this orphaned animal a chance at life that they so deserve.
Key Considerations Before Adopting a Baby Squirrel
Identifying the Species
The first task in adopting a baby squirrel is identifying what species it is. While this may seem like a daunting task, there are some tips and tricks that can help. Look closely at the tail, fur texture, and ears of the squirrel to make an exact identification. Each species can have different requirements when it comes to feeding, cage size, etc. so this step is important in gathering the right information before taking on an animal.
Determining the Age of the Baby Squirrel
Aside from identifying the species of squirrel you have, you should also determine its age. This can be done by observing physical characteristics such as body size, hair length or color of eyes or fur. When a baby squirrel is younger than two weeks old they won’t be able to move very much but when they are older than two weeks old their movements will increase. It’s important to identify how old your squirrel is so you can know when to start reducing formula feedings and introduce solids.
Signs of Abnormal Human Disruption
Before adoption occurs, it’s important to recognize signs of abnormal human disruption in order for the mother that potentially left her litter behind due to human intervention can return to retrieve them. Keep an eye out for construction or landscape projects near potential habitats that could disrupt baby squirrels from their mothers as well as interactions with cats, dogs, hawks and snakes that may separate babies from their family unit.
Adoption and Care for the Baby Squirrel
Checking for Injuries and Bathing
Once adoption has been decided upon, check carefully over the whole body of your new family member using a soft cloth looking for fleas, larvae or eggs on their skin before bathing them with blue Dawn soap or Instant Shampoo. With a Q-tip gently rub their “nethers” area stimulating urination before handing these activities off to experienced wildlife rehabilitators.
- Important tip – Wear gloves during all interactions with wild animals.
- Do not use terrycloth towels in the bottom of your box when housing babies.
- Massage to stimulate (the baby’s) genitals (area) with a wet cloth to encourage urination.
- (Gradually) reduce formula feedings as solid foods are introduced.
Providing Temperature Controlled Environment
Providing the right environment for your baby squirrel is key to their growth and development. Temperature plays a major role in the wellbeing of a baby squirrel – the ideal temperature should be kept between 25°C to 28°C. To ensure this, you can use a heat lamp placed at least 8 inches away from the box. Make sure you keep an eye on your little one; if they become too warm, move the lamp further away to lower the temperature.
Rehydration and Feeding Guidelines
Rehydrating and feeding a baby squirrel are essential elements in providing a safe, healthy and happy home. You may need to rehydrate the squirrel if it’s been without food or water for some time. This can be done by offering small amounts of warm water orally or with a dropper every few minutes. Feeding should include approved formulas designed for infant squirrels, as well as various other types of food such as fruits and vegetables.
Playtime and Mental Stimulation
Playing is an essential part of a baby squirrel’s life; it teaches them valuable lessons that they’ll need as they grow up. To ensure their safety and keep them engaged, give your little critter plenty of cuddles and provide a selection of natural items like sticks, bark, wood chips, leaves, nuts and pinecones to play with. These materials not only offer stimulation and practice manipulating objects in their environment but they will also prepare the squirrel for the world outside when you release them back into the wild.
Remember that until they have fur as physical protection, these items are best kept separate from the baby to avoid potential abrasions. With proper care and regular playtime and stimulation your squirrel will soon be ready to return to the wild.
Ongoing Medical Care and Hygiene
Caring for a baby squirrel is very challenging and time-consuming as compared to other animals. Even though there are replacement formulas available for feeding purposes if mother’s milk is not an option anymore, nothing beats a mother’s milk. That’s why taking help from a wildlife rehabilitator who already has replacement formulas on-hand may be beneficial for the baby.
Besides providing food and shelter during the developmental stages of their lives, ongoing medical care is also essential for a healthy growing squirrel. As a caring guardian of a baby squirrel, one must carry out regular health checks to ensure any potential injuries or illnesses are addressed immediately. Regular baths with warm water should be given as well; however make sure that your pet squirrel is completely dry before putting them back in their environment.
Releasing the Baby Squirrel Back to its Home
If the baby fell out of the tree today or if there was any kind of disruption due to human activity then try to reunite them with their mother first. Place them in a safe place near their nest in a box so that their mother can come take them back safely without being disturbed by humans or predators. Monitor from a distance for about two hours; if she does not arrive in this time frame you will need to look after them yourself.
Once your pet has fully acclimated its environment outside in the wild you can think about releasing it into its natural habitat.
Fun and Interesting Baby Squirrel Facts
Baby squirrels generally accept handling right away as long as it’s done gently – which makes learning more enjoyable! Most of the times you’ll find newborns who haven’t even opened up their eyes yet which means giving extra attention while nurturing them since they don’t yet have the ability to walk or gather food on their own.
- Baby squirrels have an acute sense of smell which aids in finding food sources
- They can climb trees within just 24 hours of birth
Adopting and hand raising a baby squirrel can turn out to be one rewarding experience! With plenty of patience and dedication you can ensure that your beloved pet finds its way back home safely.
FAQ
What type of food should be given to a baby squirrel that has fallen from a tree?
If you’ve come across a baby squirrel that has fallen from its nest, the first thing to know is not to give it food or water. Instead, wrap the squirrel in a towel and place it in an open container such as a box. A proper diet for young squirrels of this age should include uncooked rice or bird seed, kale, broccoli, apples, grapes, sweet potato and shelled nuts. Hold the squirrel upright in your hand whilst feeding it and don’t forget to clean up afterwards with a Q-tip or similar.
What type of food should be given to a 4-week-old baby squirrel?
To feed a 4 week old baby squirrel, provide it with an open container such as a box and wrap it in a towel. Do not give them food or water! Give them something like uncooked rice or bird seed as part of their weaning diet. They should also be given soft vegetables and fruits, such as apples, grapes, sweet potato, kale and broccoli. To feed your squirrel, place them upright in your hand and hold until they have finished eating. After feeding is finished, clean with a Q-tip.
What type of food do baby squirrels consume?
Baby squirrels need specific food for their diet, and need to be fed accordingly. Here are some of the foods they can eat:
What should be done if a baby squirrel is found on the ground?
If you come across a baby squirrel on the ground, there are a few steps you need to take. First, don’t try to pick up the baby. Find a towel and gently wrap the squirrel before carefully placing it in an open container. DO NOT feed or give water to the squirrel – this can cause serious health issues. Instead, provide uncooked rice or bird seed for nutrition and arrange for proper weaning. Hold the squirrel upright in your hand while feeding it, and use a clean Q-tip to tidy up when done.
What is the process of caring for a baby squirrel from infancy?
Hand raising a baby squirrel requires careful attention and plenty of patience. The first step is to provide it with a warm, safe environment; wrap the squirrel in a towel and place it in an open container such as a box. Do not give the baby food or water. Feed it uncooked rice or bird seed, as well as other suitable items from its natural diet, such as:
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Apples
- Grapes
- Sweet potato
- Hard-shelled nuts out of the shell
Situate the baby squirrel upright in your hand and remain there until it finishes eating. After feeding, use a Q-tip to clean up any messes.
Conclusion
If the mother of the baby squirrel never arrives, it is essential to provide the best care possible. This guide has provided an overview of how to hand-raise a baby squirrel with careful planning and dedication.
Whether you are trying to reunite a baby squirrel with its mother or taking on full responsibility for the animal, remember that wild animals require extra patience and understanding. Following this guide will help ensure that the baby squirrel remains safe and healthy. With these insights in mind, you have all the tools necessary to successfully hand-raise a baby squirrel.
You may also be interested in reading: