Baby Squirrels

DAY 31. Rock, Paper, Scissors
Saturday, 17 August 2002

The squirrels are drinking from the eyedropper now. Rock has the biggest head, and he drinks a whopping 4 ml then goes to sleep. Scissors squirms and doesn't enjoy having an eyedropper in her mouth, but if I catch her drowsy, she drinks quite a bit. Paper holds the eyedropper and drinks a lot.

They yawn while we feed them
and fall asleep sucking
from the eyedropper.

It took small Scissors three feedings to start lapping up the liquid. I worried that she might not make it, but she seems to be coming around. Paper clings to my fingers with her paws, and likes to eat upside down. Scissors is usually successful in the ongoing struggle to worm into the center of the bed. Big Brother Rock is amiable, and sometimes crawls away from the squirming sisters to sleep in peace and quiet.

They make little cooing noises when they're full and warm.

Click on any picture to see a larger view.

Squirrel care instructions:

Warm!  The first thing a baby squirrel needs is warmth. She should be warm to the touch and definitely not shivering. To warm a squirrel baby, snuggle it against a warm part of your skin, or put it on a heating pad. An emergency heating pad can be made from a ziplock baggie of very warm water, under a towel.

Hydrate!  A lost baby has not swallowed liquids for up to 24 hours! Find an eyedropper, and warm some water with 1/4 tsp of salt per cup to provide electrolytes (or get Ringer's Solution from a pharmacy or lab.) Add a few drops of milk for flavor, then gently put the eyedropper to the side or front of the baby's mouth. It is located about 1/3" beneath its nose. If you touch its nose with water, the baby squirrel will sneeze if it's old enough, or inhale water if it's young. So be careful!

When you first begin to feed a squirrel baby, hold it for a few minutes until it is sleepy, then gently put the eyedropper to its lips, and dribble some liquid. If the baby laps the liquid, good! Otherwise slowly dribble the water against his lips. Some will get inside, and the baby will begin to learn that this is how food comes now. It helps to feed the baby liquid in a darkened room, as he will instinctively hide from the light.

After, and only after, the baby is warm and hydrated...

Feed!  Buy puppy milk powder. Mix 6 parts water to 3 parts powder, and add 1 part real whipping cream. This formula is too rich for the baby to eat right away, so for the first feedings, mix with water according to the table below. Feed every two to four hours, all day long.

Clean!  Young squirrels do not defecate or urinate in the nest. They wait for Mother to lick them clean. If your squirrels are not voiding themselves, tickle their tummies with a Q-tip and absorb their urine drops.

Friday, 16 August 2002