Monday, January 18, 2010

How do you take care of a baby squirrel?

well, it has flees, we picked a lot off but dont know how to get rid of the rest, and he dosent want to eat very much and we have to make him swallow milk, but i dont think we should use milk from a store...How do you take care of a baby squirrel?
Go immediately to the website Squirrel Nutrition and Care by Clarissa Summers and follow to the letter her advice. This is the BEST rehabber in the country. Do it now while you still have a chance to save this baby and then call a qualified rehabber.





*other responders* : Suggest you visit ';Squirrel Nutrition and Care';, read carefully the part where it describes why NOT to use ESBILAC or any of those other prepared kitten/puppy formulas.





Evaporated milk, diluted 50% with water is the safest thing you can feed the baby. Get a 3cc/mil syringe (throw away the hypodermic needle) from the drug store. Load the syringe with the diluted milk making certain there is NO air in the tube. DROP by DROP, introduce milk to the baby. DO NOT force. Forcing will flood the baby and it will aspirate/inhale the liquid, drowning or causing pneumonia.





** correct not to feed a cold baby** Milk does'; NOT ROT in their guts'; and set up other diseases.


For those who have no knowledge of cooking, 'scalded milk' does NOT mean BOILED.How do you take care of a baby squirrel?
Go online and find out how old your squirrel is. Baby's open their eyes at about 5 weeks - they're born with no hair... Baby squirrels belong with their mom's, however if there is no mom around - you've watched and seen none, then chances are it is an orphan.





Once you've established how old it is, feeding properly follows. Newborn squirrels and until they're about 12 weeks old can have puppy formula - ESBILAC - it's the best match to their mom's milk. Cow milk, kitten, other are not good for them - they can't digest properly.





They need warmth - towels, blankets, or even a heating pad when they're very young. It's a huge committment and that's why there are rehabbers specifically qualified for the job.





Having squirrels is illegal in most states. It's a wild animal and should be in the wild. This is from someone who has a squirrel at home...





Handling your squirrel and getting it used to human contact is bad if it is to be released. If you live somewhere with land around you they are pretty territorial and will stick around. The only problem is you hhandling it later if it's been exposed to others and the outside.





Do what's best for your squirrel, but remember, if you plan on keeping it, they grow up, can bite (mostly unintentionally), their teeth grow 6 inches a year and need stuff to chew on and a balanced diet. Weather is also an issue depending on where you live...
It is actually illegal to keep wild animals as pets. You need to turn this squirrel over to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. You should be able to find one here: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.鈥?/a>





Licensed wildlife rehabilitators have the specialized training to care for sick, injured and orphaned wild animals, and they have the required state and federal licenses that allow them to keep the wild animals until they are healthy enough to be released.





If squirrels are legal to keep as pets in your state (they are not legal in all states), you need to purchase a squirrel from a USDA licensed breeder, or from a store or dealer that has acquired it from a licensed breeder.





You can find out if squirrels are legal in your state here: http://www.api4animals.org/b4a2_exotic_a鈥?/a>





Also, if it is your intention just to care for the baby until it is old enough to be released, please know that this is probably illegal, as well, unless you have the proper permits to rehabilitate wildlife. ';Wildlife rehabilitation licenses or permits are required to work with most native species, since wildlife is a natural resource and considered the property of the collective people of a state. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requires federal rehabilitation permits to work with migratory bird species, marine mammals, and species listed under the Endangered Species Act. With very few exceptions,


wildlife agencies require wildlife rehabilitation permits or licenses to rehabilitate wildlife.'; http://www.ewildagain.org/pdf/RecBooklet鈥?/a>
Take the squirrel to your local DNR. The number is in the yellow pages. This is a wild animal and you cannot give it the care it needs.
if you wish to persue bringing back a baby squirrel i reccomend you get the NWRA handbook on wildlife rehab.





do not use cows milk, it will only give it diahhrea and then you will have more trouble on your hands.





always before feeding babies you have to make sure they are not chilled, chilled means they will not digest the food and it will rot in their guts. this could lead to lethal infections.





if you feel that you are unable to keep it alive for any reason bring it to a wildlife rehabber before it gets too far along and dies.

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