How to take care of a baby squirrel

One of the most beloved creatures found in nature is the squirrel. These furry, inquisitive animals are excellent climbers, playful and a delight to watch. There are over 300 different species of tree, ground and flying squirrels found throughout the world. The squirrel that most people are familiar with is the tree squirrel, which includes both the common Eastern gray squirrel and the red squirrel. These fascinating mammals can be found in neighborhoods, parks and wooded areas, because they receive their diet and lodging from trees and other plant life. Since we share the same space, it is important that we are mindful of their needs and learn to peacefully co-exist. This is particularly true for baby squirrels, who are born extremely vulnerable and helpless.  This is a smaller article of the one found here: https://www.whatdosquirrelseat.org/baby-squirrel/ .

Gestation Period and Birth

Squirrels mate one to two times per year, depending on the species and availability of food. Tree squirrels generally mate once in the fall from August to September, and again in the spring from February to April. After mating, the female will chase off the male squirrel in order to protect her litter. Female squirrels must be well nourished and maintain a healthy weight in order to breed successfully; if food rations are scarce, they may only be able to produce one litter. The average gestation period of a squirrel is 40 to 44 days. Newborn squirrels are born hairless, blind and toothless. They must rely completely on their mother for warmth, nourishment and protection from the elements and predators. Infant squirrels are unable to regulate their own body heat for the first six weeks of life. The mother keeps her babies safe and warm by constructing a large nest out of tree branches and twigs, insulated with grass, moss, pine needles and leaves. Squirrels can have litters ranging from two to five babies at a time. They will remain in the nest with their mother until they are fully weaned at around six to ten weeks of age.

Development

Newborn eastern gray squirrels weigh only 15 grams on average. They are born pink, without any fur. Their ear flaps are not fully developed and lay flat on the side of their head. After two weeks, you will begin to see some gray fur start to grow, and the ears begin to move out from the head. At four weeks, squirrels are much more recognizable. Their ears are now standing up, their eyes may start to open, fur is starting to get thicker, and their lower incisors are developing. At five weeks of age, the squirrel is completely covered with fur, and their upper incisors are coming in, allowing them to try to eat solid foods. At six to seven weeks of age, squirrels may venture out of the nest, as they now have better motor skills and are able to run around and play. At this time, they still need nourishment from their mom, but are beginning to eat more solid food. By eight to ten weeks of age, the squirrel should be fully weaned. Once the squirrel is able to leave the nest, it is referred to as a juvenile squirrel. The juvenile squirrel is fully developed and looks like a miniature version of an adult squirrel. They are extremely active, and they are able to eat an adult diet, including cracking their own shelled nuts. However, the juvenile squirrel is still very vulnerable to predators. It is important once they leave their mother that they find a safe place to nest and an ample food supply in order to survive on their own.

Protecting Infant Squirrels

One of the greatest threats to young squirrels is not other animals, but humans. It is important that we take steps to safeguard infant and juvenile squirrels and their habitat. Begin by protecting your home from a squirrel invasion. This is for both their safety and yours. Keep your roof in good repair, and make sure that your home is sealed properly—especially in the winter months—so that squirrels do not nest in your attic. However, if you do find that there are infant squirrels who have made their way into your home, do not relocate them until they are fully weaned. It is also important to protect any squirrel nests on your property. They are much larger than bird nests and typically easy to spot. Wait to trim any tree branches that may be housing infant squirrels until they are old enough to leave the nest. If the mother squirrel is frightened away from the nest, it leaves the babies extremely vulnerable.

What To Feed A Baby Squirrel

Providing proper nutrients and hydration for your pet squirrel is essential for them to survive. This is especially true for baby squirrels. If you find an abandoned baby squirrel, it is very important to hydrate them sufficiently. The best thing to use for proper hydration is a saline solution, such as Ringer's lactate solution, which can be purchased online or from your veterinarian. The first day you will want to give the baby squirrel only the saline solution, after that you can add the saline solution to their formula. Most squirrel rehabilitators suggest feeding your baby squirrel a puppy supplemental formula that can be purchased at your local pet store. PetAg Esbilac Milk Replacer is the most recommended brand. Use a syringe to slowly squirt the formula inside the squirrel’s mouth. When initiating feeding for the first time, give the squirrel one tiny drop, allowing them to taste it and stimulate eating. It is better to place the syringe in the side of their mouth, where there is a gap between their teeth. Squirrels that are four weeks old or younger should receive six to eight feedings per day. Those four to eight weeks old should receive four to five feedings daily, and those nine weeks or older only need to be fed once per day. The squirrel should eat five percent of their body weight (in grams) at each feeding. At five to six weeks old, you can offer regular food along with the formula. At this time, you also need to feed your squirrel rodent block . This will ensure that your squirrel has enough calcium in their diet, preventing Metabolic Bone Disease. After each feeding, you will need to stimulate the baby to urinate by gently rubbing a warm Q-tip on their genitals.

Adult squirrels should be fed fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that they would find in their natural habitat. During warmer months, you can obtain pine cones, acorns and other natural food sources from a nearby wooded area or local park. Rodent block should still be a major source of the adult squirrel’s diet. You can add fruits and vegetables, such as grapes, apples, oranges, broccoli, spinach, carrots, strawberries, blueberries, figs, dates, and apricots. Make sure to incorporate plenty of nutrients that are rich in calcium. Nuts and seeds should also be a major part of their diet, including pine cones, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds. It is important to clean your pet squirrel’s cage out daily, and always offer fresh food. Proper hydration continues to be essential. Make sure that your squirrel’s water bottle has a metal tip, because he could easily chew up a plastic one.

Conclusion

If you find an infant squirrel, your initial goal needs to be to maintain body temperature and reunite it with its mom. If you can locate the squirrel’s nest, place him there and watch for the mother’s return. If the infant squirrel is orphaned or you cannot find its nest, then you will want to keep the baby warm and hydrated while you contact your local wildlife rehabilitator. Place the squirrel inside a small box, lined with a cloth, t-shirt or newspaper (do not use a towel because their sharp nails will get stuck, resulting in injury). Place a heating pad on the lowest setting or a hot water bottle underneath the bedding to help maintain the squirrel’s body temperature. In order to re-hydrate the squirrel, try feeding the baby squirrel by giving it one milliliter of Pedialyte in a dropper every 30 minutes. Do not feed the squirrel milk, because this is extremely harmful and will do more harm than good. You can find a bit more information on caring for a squirrel in our article on Pet Squirrels. By far the most important thing to do is to get the squirrel professional care as soon as possible.