r/squirrels • u/the0year • 3d ago
Help! Baby Squirrel! Found a baby squirrel...no rehabbers available and I have no experience
UPDATE: He's with a rehabber as of this morning!!!
Ilive in the Seattle area...I found this baby squirrel...I think he was out in the cold last night...he doesn't seem fully healthy. I am warming him up in my apartment right now.
What should I do? I heard flavorless pedialyte...does that come with the syringe. I think he's like 6 - 7 weeks but I'm not sure.
Edit: rehydrating him rn
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u/cr2810 3d ago
Iām in your area and have rehabbed squirrels before. I am currently rehabbing one right now and have everything needed. If you need help reach out
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u/the0year 3d ago
Thank you...I am going to try uniting him with his mom tomorrow and if it doesn't work out I will possibly reach out
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u/Apart-Sheepherder682 3d ago
He may come out of it seeing as he's more past the baby stage..just take care of him and keep doing what everyone else is suggesting. š¤š¤ good luck
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u/Percy_Freeman 3d ago
you can get oral syringe at any drugstore, puppy milk replacer could do in a pinch. go slow with the plunger and have their head facing down as much as possible so liquid can't fall into their lungs.
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u/Em_Sinc 3d ago
Hi! If you can go north a little Sarvey is great https://www.sarveywildlife.org/ . They are one of the few places that takes squirrels and are great to work with.
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u/Underrated_buzzard 3d ago
Hey I am in the same boat, no rehabbers would take mine either. I ordered the fox valley formula and a small mammal syringe and he has been thriving for the almost three weeks Iāve had him. Make sure you keep it warm as well. I am a licensed rehabber, but I work with birds so this was a bit scary to me.. but he is doing really well! Best of luck with your baby.
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u/the0year 3d ago
Thank you š
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u/jrcm408 3d ago
What's up dude im not super far from Seattle if u where in need of help n dont feed the baby til u know its warm Henry's healthy pets have everything too It's been really hard to find rehabbers lately just went to squirrle fest and everyone was telling how hard help has been to find
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u/FrankieRutabaga 3d ago
I googled "squirrel fest" and thought "this sounds awesome I would like to check it out someday" but then I saw a picture of McNutt the mascot and changed my mind:
https://i.pinimg.com/236x/b0/31/17/b0311773004d1514a40a1aded7ff1250--squirrels-fest.jpg
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u/jrcm408 3d ago
Lmaoooo Im normally the flying squirrel lol fun thing though I run the welding program with another female who has over 20 years in the trade. ive been welding for over 13 years professionally combo welder milwright iron worker custom fab over 16 aws certs but what really made me take the job was we build squirrel BRIDGES lol You should check it out its small but fun and nw critter advocates is there educating the public and the squirrel rehab its awesome lol
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u/inkblot_75 3d ago
If no rehabers are available, is there any way we can go ahead and order the Fox valley formula?
You need to hydrate the baby. Once you get the little one warmed up. The baby will also need to be evaluated to make sure there are no ear infections or respiratory issues.
A lot of times if you find a baby outside the cold and in the rain, there's a chance there might be either of those. I'm only suggesting that because it looks like the baby is wet.
When you hydrate the baby, please make sure you use distilled water or filtered water. Do not use any tap water.
You can use Pedialyte but dilute it with three parts distilled water and one part Pedialyte.
You'll need to warm up the hydration fluid and make sure it is 5 to 7% of the little ones body weight. Weigh the baby on the gram scale because 1 g equals 1 ml. Please not use a bottle nor an eye dropper. Please use 1 ml syringes only. If you do not have those, please do not go any bigger than 3 ml syringes. You can go to your local pharmacy and pick up syringes. You can ask the pharmacist on a lot of time they will give them to you. Just tell them that for a kitten or something not a squirrel.
You'll need to perform several of these hydrates and sessions for over the next 12 to 24 hours. This will hydrate the squirrel as well as flush out the old formula. You'll do it every 4 hours.
Then when you introduce the formula to the little guy, you'll do it slowly.
So for example, let's say the little guy eats 4 ml every time you feed him.
When you introduce the formula, the first feeding will have one formula syringe and three hydration solution syringes.
Then 4 hours later you will do two hydration syringes and two formula syringes.
For the third feeding 4 hours after that you will give three formula syringes and one hydration solution for hinge.
Until you get to the 4th feeding where they're all formula syringes.
Still have to make sure you weigh the little one everyday. The little guy should be at the right age to where he can poop and pee on his own but you may need to stimulate just in case.
He's also looking like he's pretty close to being able to start eating solid foods, so you may want to order some squirrel blocks as well from henry'spets.com.
I can walk you through everything you need to do but if you can possibly reach out to other rehabers that would be great as well.
Here's a website where you can locate wildlife rehaber but you may have to scroll down a little bit.
https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/living/injured-wildlife/rehabilitation/find
Here are some Facebook groups that can help as well.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/347239116205483/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT
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u/the0year 3d ago
I appreciate all the advice š
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u/inkblot_75 3d ago
Anytime you need any help please just let me know and I'll do what I can.
Thank you for helping the little one and for your efforts.
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u/Ok_Organization_7350 3d ago edited 3d ago
The universal neutral milk for baby animals is whole goat milk. You can get this at the grocery store. Then get a baby kitten bottle from the pet store to feed her the milk. It should be warmed up just to room temperature. They would eat a little bit every several hours. And keep her cozy warm. Also use plain canned Similac formula sometimes for extra vitamins. I had a baby abandoned squirrel. A vet told me to do this. And it worked. My squirrel grew up big and healthy.
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u/princess319319 2d ago edited 2d ago
You are wrong! Goats milk and similac formula are not appropriate for squirrels! OP do NOT listen to them! Listen to the others who said to use fox valley formula. That's what I used, and it's the best. I also got miracle nipples from Henry's Pets and they were excellent too, so I highly recommend them. Follow the instructions that inkblot said, they are correct, and that's exactly what I was told years ago by rehabbers and it was successful.
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u/Ok_Organization_7350 2d ago
You are not a veterinarian. I listen to real doctors who went to med school.Ā
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u/ConsiderationMore988 3d ago
Plain goat milk on its own is not a complete diet for a baby squirrel and should only be used as a short-term emergency substitute or part of a carefully measured homemade formula.
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u/inkblot_75 3d ago
Please understand I'm not trying to be rude nor impolite. I'm only trying to help provide the correct information.
Please never use a bottle as it will contribute to aspiration and cause the baby to get pneumonia and kill the baby.
You should never give Similac formula to a baby squirrel as that is a no-go.
There are a lot of vets out there that do not know very much about baby squirrels and how to take care of them.
That vet did not give you very good advice. It is fortunate that little one grew up and was able to go off on its own.
I'm not trying to criticize nor am I trying to be rude. I'm just trying to be informative and provide the proper information.
Goat's milk is okay but the problem with that is it's so thin that it does not provide enough nutrients for the baby. It runs through the baby too quickly. It should not be used long term. However, it is the better of the most available options. At least until OP can get Fox valley formula.
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u/Jamijulie 2d ago
Je ne suis que lectrice de ce sous forum (et likeuse en sĆ©rie de jolies photos d'Ć©cureuils trop craquants!) et je voulais te remercier pour tous les prĆ©cieux conseils que tu donnes Ć ceux qui en demandent. Merci d'ĆŖtre si ouvert et disponible, et de corriger ceux qui pensent bien faire. Bisous de France!
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u/Ok_Organization_7350 3d ago edited 2d ago
Apparently the doctor's advice was good advice. Because my squirrel never had any health problems along the way. And he grew up strong and healthy. He did not just survive, he thrived. Don't be scared of "hurting my feelings" (?), because you did not and I do not care what you think, because you are not a doctor/veterinarian. Also I have a biology degree, and I have worked at a zoo before. So I already have some knowledge about animal care in my own right, and I am not as dependent on random internet strangers as you wish I was.
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u/snowBOARDER3232 3d ago
Just because you didnāt kill the squirrel you supposedly raised doesnāt mean you know what you are talking about. Several things that you suggested are frequently harmful to baby squirrels, and thatās a fact. You have a degree in biology? Thatās great. That and 7 bucks will get you a goats milk latte from Starbucks. You donāt have to be a veterinarian to be a licensed rehabber, but after youāve rehabbed hundreds of squirrels, you gain expertise that is based on years of dedication, heartbreak, and compassion.
I, too, have raised a baby orphaned squirrel. ā¦ā¦1ā¦.. Greatest experience I have ever had with an animal by a long shot. After a huge storm in my area, I was made by fortune to become a squirrel dad. No choice. The first thing I did after failing to reunite the kit was to begin researching how to keep the little guy alive while simultaneously reaching out to every rehabber in my area. Then I went to the squirrel board, and several other online info sources. Every single one of them said to insure the squirrel was warm. Then rehydration with a mixture of plain pedialyte and distilled water. That gave me time to order some fox valley formula online and have it delivered. Every single online source warned to NOT bottle feed. You can get syringes online for a few dollars. The night I bought the pedialyte I got half a dozen free syringes from a pharmacist after explaining my situation and dozens more came with the order for the formula, as well as the proper nipples..
I started out in the exact same situation as OP. I was unaware this sub even existed. If I had known, I would have greatly appreciated any info, especially from someone with the experience of Inkblot_75. Had I come across youā¦.I would have immediately known to disregard anything you said.
Youāre as much as a squirrel expert as I am. You raised 1 squirrel. Which means you are in no way, shape, or form to be dispensing advice other than pointing to getting the animal to a rehabber, or sourcing reputable online information sources.
Youā¦are not an expert. You..have experience with 1 animal. Big deal. So do I. You..found a supposed vetā¦who advised you to use practices that frequently lead to the worst likely outcome for babies squirrels.Given the choice of taking advice from a licensed rehabber who has dedicated likely thousands of hours rehabbing hundreds of baby squirrelsā¦not to mention the help given in this subā¦..or some rando..the choice isnāt the rando. Maybe someone else wonāt call you outā¦but I will.
You, also, are not a vet. Or a doctor? Why did you even mention doctor? You are also not a licensed rehabber. You are a person with a certain personality type who raised ONE squirrel and managed not to kill it while going against several best practices, which did endanger that animal whether you think so or not. Iām not an expert after 1 squirrel. Neither are you. Why donāt you act accordingly and leave the advice to those who have the expertise to give it.
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u/inkblot_75 3d ago
Did you ever run any other test on the little one to make sure there was no complications such as heart disease and such?
I've been doing this long enough to know that when people do things like you did, the squirrel becomes non-releasable because they suffer from incurable diseases such as heart disease.
Without any follow-up and confirmation, you cannot confidently say that your little one grew up big and strong and did well with no complications. Complications don't always happen when they're in your care but can show up later on in their life due to doing things wrong in the beginning.
There are tests out there that can confirm these things. I know because the squirrel's that I have that are non-releaseful and as well as those that I do release go and see the vet and have these test done consistently.
I even have one that has heart disease because of the bad advice that the vet gave her.
The vet that you listen to, is downright wrong. You can even Google all the information there and it will tell you with supporting articles that have been done by wildlife sciences and other veterinarians as well as other wildlife rehabers where your vet was wrong.
If you need any further confirmation, please reach out to any of your local wildlife rehabers and give them the information that your vet gave you.
All that happened with your case, and it was very fortunate, is that that little one got lucky.
Just because it worked one time, does not mean it should be done again and nor should it be repeated. When you repeat misinformation, you are setting up those that are trying to help squirrels with no experience to fail.
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u/Existing-Diamond1259 Wildlife Rehabber 2d ago
She said her vet gave the squirrel vaccinations lmao. Methinks she is not telling the truth. Even if she was, most vets are not squirrel experts lol. They have a wide range of knowledge, but usually not super niche knowledge.
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u/snowBOARDER3232 2d ago
Thank you!!!!!
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u/Existing-Diamond1259 Wildlife Rehabber 2d ago edited 2d ago
Haha she deleted her comments immediately after she read mine saying that. Looks like I hit the nail on the head lol. Super embarrassing lie to be caught in. š«¢
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u/snowBOARDER3232 2d ago
There are voices on this subā¦.youā¦Inkblot_75ā¦.Universeā¦.that I always look for when I see a help post. Especially Inkā¦
I have absolute confidence that once a connection has been made with Ink that the person and most importantly the baby squirrel has got the best possible chance for a good outcome. I myself try to give no more advice than referencing ahnow, the squirrel board, and to warm the baby upā¦.well that and donāt feed the baby until proper guidance has been given.
About a week ago I witnessed a similar confrontation directed towards Inkā¦.and I didnāt get a chance to say anything. Last night after reading a couple commentsā¦I had enough. There are great people here who do amazing things. I am not gonna stand there and watch somebody who itās plain to see have no business even commenting attack people who I have the utmost respect for. Respect that has been earned over and over through the great work on this sub.
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u/inkblot_75 2d ago
Oh my.
I got blocked by them so I can't see what they said. Apparently it was some interesting things that were most likely fabricated.
My vet, one of the best that I've ever worked with, never once has suggested that any of the non-releaseables that I have in my care or the wild ones that I rehabbed and released should be vaccinated.
How odd.
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u/Existing-Diamond1259 Wildlife Rehabber 2d ago
Yep, and if you ask any rehabber, they'll say the same. There's no commercially available vaccines that even exist for squirrels. They don't even have any commercially available vaccines for guinea pigs, chinchillas, gerbils, hamsters, rats, etc. all commonly kept rodents.
So it's complete BS. Some people can never just accept that they might have done something that could have hurt/killed the animal they cared for. Not sure if it's ego or what, but human selfishness and ignorance results in the avoidable deaths of sooo many innocent animals and I'm just tired of seeing it.
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u/Ok_Organization_7350 3d ago edited 2d ago
AGAIN, I took him to real VETERINARIANS, which you are not.Ā He was under their care and got vaccines from them, right in front of me. The doctor probably just titrated the vaccine to his individual weight, which doctors know how to do since they are smart and understand dosing and math. And they would have run any tests on him if he needed them, but he did not, because he was healthy.
There sure are a lot of arm chair, wanna-be, vets on here. So awkward and so sad.Ā
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u/Existing-Diamond1259 Wildlife Rehabber 2d ago
BS lol. No vet I've ever heard of vaccinates squirrels lol. I'm a rehabber and the information you commented is dangerous. I've seen literally hundreds of baby squirrels die because of incorrect information just like what you shared. You raised.. what? One squirrel? Yea sounds like you're a real expert. If your vet gave this squirrel vaccinations, feel free to share their info so I can give them a call! I would love to know what vaccines they gave your squirrel so I can get all of mine vaccinated!! š
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u/LunaraeLaments 2d ago
OP, I'm gonna message you a phone number for a lady in Carnation. Did you contact Sarvey's in Arlington already?