Help Me! I Found A Baby
Squirrel...
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We have three types of squirrels in our area: Gray
Squirrels, Fox Squirrels, and the nocturnal Southern
Flying Squirrels. If you find an infant squirrel that
has fallen from its nest and is not injured:
- Watch and see if the mother comes,
remaining indoors where your presence will not
frighten her. Remember that mother squirrels do not
voluntarily abandon their babies. It is fine if the
baby vocalizes and cries out; this will help the
mother locate it
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- If the mother doesn't return for
her baby within 2 hours, or before it gets dark, place
it in a box lined with soft rags and keep it in a
warm, dark, quiet place. If you have a heating pad,
turn it on LOW and place HALF the box on top of it
- Only if you must keep the orphan
overnight should you attempt to give it anything by
mouth. Keeping it warm is the most important thing
- DO NOT GIVE IT ANY TYPE OF FORMULA
OR MILK. Baby squirrels require a specialized diet and
can develop fatal problems from being fed an incorrect
formula
- If necessary, you may make a
rehydrating solution of 50%Pedialyte OR Gatorade and
50% water. Once the baby has warmed up, you may
carefully try to give it drops of this warmed solution
with a syringe
- DO NOT FORCE IT IF THE BABY WON'T
SWALLOW. This can cause it to aspirate
- If the baby squirrel still has its
eyes closed, it will need to be stimulated to urinate
and defecate. After hydration, gently wipe its genital
area with a cotton ball, slightly moistened with warm
water
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