Friday, May 6, 2011

Caring for Indian palm squirrel babies

Please read the post in its entirety before asking questions. I am not a vet and cannot diagnose health problems, sick animals, or give you medical advice. If I do not respond to your question it is because I have answered it before, just look through the other comments. OR you just need to take the squirrel to a veterinary doctor. I am not qualified to answer health questions.
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This one has been requested by very many people so here it is finally.



"I have had a few squirrels come in. Do you think you can keep them?", the local zoo director called me at 9.30 in the night.
"Sure. How many?"
"Don't know but they've come in the evening and no one's had the time to look at them, if some are dead don't take it to heart."
I swallowed a big lump, "Okay... drop them off"

I begin preparing for their arrival- a clean shoe box (brand new, not one that has previously stored used shoes or new leather shoes), a couple of clean thick cotton cloths, a washed and cleaned bird cage, cotton swabs and warm buffalo milk. I wash my hands again... and wait.

A little plastic basket is delivered to me and out come one, two, three, four... nine squirrel babies, eyes closed, unresponsive, all of them really really cold. I was sure some of them were dead. I began rubbing them to make them warmer holding them gently in my hands. If you can describe squirrel babies in one word - fragile. You need to be very very gentle and careful around them. Except one, all their eyes were closed.




As they warmed up, they became slightly alert and then I began feeding them warm milk. I used undiluted buffalo milk because most animals have a higher fat content in their milk compared to humans. Animal babies generally DO NOT need dilution of milk with water and doing so generally results in diarrhea. I dipped a small cotton swab in milk and held it near the first baby's mouth. The milk is squeezed out from the swab and they happily will drink off the little stream they create with suction or hungrily lap it off the cotton swab. The good news was, all of them were alive and feeding except one. It was a small baby and needed more warming up before it finally accepted some milk. All the babies were carefully placed in the box lined with thick cotton cloth, the box closed with a lid and left inside the cage. The box must have one baby squirrel size opening cut out at one of the narrow sides of the box. The picture below was taken without the lid. Normally, the lid of the box was always closed so it was warm and dark inside and the squirrels could leave the box through the squirrel-sized opening at one end.





The babies need to be fed frequently. I timed their feeding around my clinic timings and the first feed used to be 6 am, then 9 am, 1 pm, 5 pm, 9 pm and midnight.




HYGIENE AND CLEANLINESS is just as important for animal babies as it is for human babies. I have seen far too many animals die in the care of well-meaning people because basic cleanliness was not followed.


Always use fresh boiled milk that is at a warm temperature, too hot and you will easily scald them. Use a new cotton swab for every feed. If milk remains at the end of a feed, discard it. DO NOT put it in the refrigerator and try to use it again, it will kill.

Wash and clean all bowls, dishes, cups that are used to hold the milk after every feed.

ALWAYS wash your hands before you begin feeding or handling the babies. This simple, basic and very important step if missed will give them an infection and I have lost three babies in this batch to infection because someone touched them while I was not around with obviously unwashed hands. I cannot stress hand washing enough.

If milk seems to coat the outside of the babies' mouths, gently clean in with a soft cloth moistened with water. Squirrel babies do not need baths and if you hold one under running water, you will kill it. If they have external parasites, consult your vet about what to use.

The cotton cloth must be changed daily and replaced with a fresh one. The used one washed, preferably dried in the sun and then used the next day.

Do not leave a water dish inside the cage. Squirrels get all their water content from their food.

My biggest issue was knowing which ones were fed and which weren't. I got a large lockable plastic basket and lined it with newspaper that was changed daily. I used to take a baby out of the box, feed it and place it in the basket where they promptly fall asleep again.




Once all the babies were fed they were put back into their box in the cage. I did not keep a record of the number of days but a few days later, their eyes began opening. It's quite funny :) Some of them have only one eye open and a couple of days later the other opens. This seems to be normal and you will have a few pirates in your brood at this time walking around with one eye!




You will find them become more and more adventurous with the cotton swab and more demanding. You will have to increase the size of the swab to accommodate that much more milk. Another good way of directing the milk into the baby's mouth is by making a wick-like end as you can see in the photograph above. The baby is feeding from the other end because it was very hungry and pretty much snatched the swab from me. It is on the roof of the bird cage and in the background in the little blue basket with newspaper lining it where fed babies were kept so no one went hungry.




Sometimes they are so hungry, in sucking milk, they will also suck a few strands of cotton with their ferocity. If that happens, no need to panic, just gently disengage the baby from the swab and VERY VERY slowly pull the strand of cotton out. If you pull it fast, you'll give it a painful cut inside the mouth. Even if they swallow a teensy weensy bit (and this will happen) it doesn't seem to affect them much.

There are two ways to go ahead after this point -
> Decide you are selfish, want a pet and allow them to get used to you and humans in general
> Try and see that they retain their fear of humans and are released back in the urban wild

If you choose the latter as I always do, you must ensure that they retain their fear of humans. The first step and last step is making sure they do not associate you with food. By now the babies knew that the cage door sound meant food. What I began doing is placing a shallow dish full of milk and making a loud sound of the cage door. Some of the babies are slow to catch on and you may have to guide them to the dish. Generally in a few days time you will have them lapping milk from the dish with no problem. This means they are no longer going to believe that human = food. First step towards their independence!

As your children begin growing, after a week I think of feeding milk from the dish, you can slowly graduate them to semi solid food. The best thing to do is get packaged baby food - Cerelac, Nestum, Farex. These foods have stages and you must begin with stage 1 food. Mix it with generous quantities of milk and present it in the same dish you used for the milk. Although the babies will now be feeding by themselves, it is important to monitor them. I had one baby in this batch which used to love playing in the food. It used to be so engrossed, it would never notice me picking up the dish with it inside! After about 20 minutes of play time I had to put it back in the box. But this was a phase and soon it became as wise as everybody else :)




By now the babies have also begun cleaning themselves and you don't need to step in for that. Changing the cloth in the morning must be quick business now and you must be careful because these babies are very inquisitive and swift. If one slips out the door, they are mighty difficult to catch, not for cats or dogs though, who will gladly make them game.




My strategy was to flick open the box from outside the cage using a long handled spoon, then quickly grab an end of the cloth and slowly begin pulling it out of the cage through the door. It helps because the door is not open and you can just slip the cloth out. Then quickly replace the cloth and close the box. Your scattered public should promptly file into the box again. Stage 1 food to Stage 2 and 3 should be a breeze and its fun to see them grow.




By now their rodent qualities are beginning to surface and they will begin nibbling the box at places. It is important therefore to have a box without too much printing ink on it. I had tied a series of cotton strings spanning the cage and when no one was around these kids would come out and play. At the first sign of humans though they'd dash back in and I was so proud of them!

After about two months, it was time to say hello to the real world and all of them were released at a hill near my house and I cannot quite describe the feeling. It is a lot of happiness and worry and sadness and joy all at the same time. It's good to see them in their natural habitat, sometimes immediately racing up a tree and beginning to feed, sometimes running along the ground before realizing that now is the time to head up and generally being a little scared the first time out in unfamiliar environment. But soon their squirrel sense takes over and they are frolicking in the trees. And all you can do is smile, pat yourself for a job well done and head home knowing a little better what your parents go through.

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(DISCLAIMER: I've had several batches of squirrel babies ranging from one, two to nine babies at a time. All of this information is from my own experience and not intended to be 'expert' advice. I've successfully raised and released squirrels and that is my only qualification.

Please read the post in its entirety before asking questions. I am not a vet and cannot diagnose health problems, sick animals, or give you medical advice. If I do not respond to your question it is because I have answered it before, just look through the other comments. OR you just need to take the squirrel to a veterinary doctor. I am not qualified to answer health questions!)

468 comments:

  1. hi, I find your article VERY helpful, thank you very much. I fund a nest of baby squirrel(s) on my almirah last night and i panicked. They must be a day old. I think they're mom keeps visitng them but she wouldnt have started feeding them yet, cuz acc to descripton they are weaned when they are 10 weeks old. shoul I just wait for the 10 weks to be over, or put them in ashoe box right away?

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  2. Hello! Glad you found this of help. If the mother is still visiting the babies, I would suggest keeping the nest intact and allowing the mother to care for them. If not, you should put them in the shoebox lined with cloth right away so they can keep warm. But then you will have to take over feeding duties six-eight times a day. Best would be to let the mother care for her kids and leave them undisturbed. Do feel free to ask if you have any more questions. Thanks for reading!

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  3. i found two baby squirrels 19 days ago, i've been taking care of them since then,but one of them died yesterday,it stopped taking any milk,now the other one is also taking considerably less milk and has become less active.what should i do?

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  4. See your vet as soon as possible!

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  5. Hi, I was gvn a baby squirrel to care for after its mother died n at dat time she was propably 4-5 dys old with unopened eyes. She has been with me for exactly a month now n I hv been feeding her cerelac 1 and mashed banana both of which she enjoys. Any suggestions abt wat else I can feed her with and how often duz she need to be fed? She is active and moves all over the hall when gvn a chance.

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  6. Try other varieties of Cerelac, Stage 2/3/4 and include other fruits. After another few weeks, try peanuts although they seem to have a varying fondness for these. Let me know how it goes. Good luck!

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  7. Tks very much for ur help. Wat specific fruit and veggies wud u advice? I hv tried raw as well as boiled carrot, fr.beans, tendli, caulif but she dusnt seem too interested n jst nibbles a little. Is it Ok to give puffed rice, boiled rice or rice based infant cereal like Nestum coz Cerelac is wheat based. Wud appreciate ur help and advice again.

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  8. try apples, pears
    they generally don't like vegetables. Rice and kadak roti works great as they become adults. Any baby cereal is fine.

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  9. Tks Czaee. Ur help is very much appreciated. Wl keep u posted

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  10. hi there....i found your blog most useful and hence discussing my queries...few days back i found and orphan indian palm squirrel baby in my backyard tentatively its between 3 to 4 weeks old..in your blog you said they should be fed with cerelac so when should i start to feed it with cerelac and till what time should i continue stage one so that i can shift to stage 2..i wish to release it in wild but when its fully prepared for other world. kindly help..right now me giving it just milk.n it sleeps most of the time.i hope it not hurt. there is no external injury..regards sneha shirsekar

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    1. Hello Sneha!
      Thank you for writing in. If you are unsure about the age, give it Cerelac Stage 1 mixed with milk in a runny consistency. After a week, switch to stage 2 or 3 depending on what you feel. If you can already see well-defined years, it is probably older. There is no way to find out really if it is hurt unless you have a veterinarian examine it. But if it is eating well, I wouldn't worry. If it is sleeping a lot, that is normal for babies. They eat and sleep. I am happy to hear you want to release it. Just make sure it does not associate humans with food.

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  11. hello sir...i was searching for proper squirrel diet n all...& randomly got ur blog.i found ur writings very helpful & interesting..:) well, last week i found one indian palm squirrel baby in my balcony..she was quite good and healthy( 3 weeks old).i was feeding her with "lactogen infant milk" & pedialyte rehydration solution..now also she take her food but she's becoming thin n lil weak...i'm so worried n sad...plz help me out..as i'm staying in Bangalore i cant get pure buffalo milk..:( i dun wanna loose her..plz help

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    1. Hi
      Sorry I wasn't able to respond earlier. Try cow milk it should work. Don't give her prepared human foods. Thy are only good for human babies. More natural food, the better. So just give her cow or goat milk that is available to you easily. Hope this helps and hope the squirrel gets better

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  12. I also found one baby squirrel two days before.I really don't know it's age but can surely say it is just born baby...Now my question is how much amount of milk should be offered and what intervals ? my e mail id is rahulashah74@gmail.com and mobile no is 98250 24337 ( gujarat ) please help me.

    rahul shah

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    1. Hello
      If you read the post above carefully you will find the kind of milk and the intervals that are best for feeding young squirrels. Also the babies stop feeding once they are full so they won't over-feed. Let it have milk as long as it is drinking enthusiastically. Once it is full, it will slow down. Hope this helps

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  13. hey i found 3 dehydrated young squirrels who have not yet opened their eyes day b4 yesterday . they look weak and im confused about what to feed. since i found them i have been giving boiled milk with a pinch of glucose .. they also tell not to feed them anything when they are dehdrated so what to give them to rehydrate them ?? can i continue what im giving them or else can i follow this 1. 1 tspn of salt 2. 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 quart of warm water ??? please reply as of now the squirrels are drinking that boiled milk with glucose please help me thanks

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  14. Currently they are passing stools and are urinating but im confused only about the feed

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    1. Hello Vishnu,
      Boiled milk is good. I don't think the glucose is necessary.
      I just have a question, how do you know they are dehydrated?
      If they are urinating and passing stools, my guess is they have come back to normalcy. So please don't give them the salt solution, it might worsen their condition. Continue with the milk and read the post above for step-by-step instructions as they grow. Let me know how they are doing. Good luck!

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  15. there are wrinkles on the skin just above their shoulders as i read on some other site so i guessed they may be dehydrated !!

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    1. if they are eating and sleeping and peeing well, I don't think you have any reason to worry. Wrinkles could be just their loose skin.

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  16. I will send you a video of them ! please check if they look healthy !

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  17. Here is the video https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=374296135956236&set=vb.100001275593291&type=2&theater

    Thanks

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    Replies
    1. You will need to change your privacy settings for the video. I cannot see it.

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  18. Send me a friend request on fb :) im sorry !!

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  19. Hey you there !! ? I found another squirrel but i dont know the age
    its jumping well and moving fast but it is a medium sized squirrel !! please help me thanks.... sorry to bother you again ... i got it from my neighbor's house from their AC shaft .. they were cleaning the ac when they found it and gave it to me, i also have it's nest. please help me with the age matter coz i need to know what to feed..

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  20. I have a baby who opened eyes about 5days ago, he is very ill and his hair are no longer soft ( maybe due to urine) should I give it a bath,and please tell me about his hygiene, he has gotten thinner then be four and the main problem is that he seems to be loosing control over his limbs' ,and now he has gotten worse, he can barely balance himself on my palm. And his eyes are also almost shut, he is getting very weak, please help.

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    1. What have you been feeding him and how are you housing the baby?

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  21. Milk and he lives in a shoe box
    Yaar us ko doray party hain
    He usually shakes and can't control it.

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    1. Don't give it a bath, that will kill it. Take it to a vet. It seems to be sick I am sorry I will be unable to help you more than this. Make sure the place where he sleeps is absolutely clean. But take it to a doctor. It seems to be a health issue.

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  22. Ok thanks man, though I can't take him to vet ,I hope he gets better , and will see the result, sooner or later.

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  23. Thank you very much!!! I do also have two squirrel babies. now they have become 12weeks old. If I release them now will they be able to survive????

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    1. If they are afraid of humans and know well to stay away from people, they should do great. Good luck!

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  24. Hello, read your blog and was fascinated by your service to the squirrels.. hats off!! I had a squirrel for almost one and a quarter year, but last month she got choked with some human food, I gave her and died leaving our family shattered. from then i have been desperately searching for a baby squirrel and finally found one a week back. she was looked after by a small boy working in our farm and was handed to me only yesterday. I have been feeding her with cow's milk with the help of an ink filler. she is a week old. please suggest me what else I should give her as of now. also i am planning to add a pinch of calcium carbonate powder to the cow's milk. please tell me if that's ok.. any other further advice from u wud be of great help. Thank you :) waiting for ur reply!!

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  25. hai, i saw a helpless indian palm squirrel at my terrace,still she didnt open her eyes,i fed her milk using a clean ink filler.she drank,she also hd sme fresh filtered pome juice,is it correct to feed juice?i would like to keep her as my pet.what should i do for that.can squirrels identify us like dog or cat do?kindly give me a suggestion.

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  26. hai ,my suqirrel has opened its eyes yesterday,hw long should i feed milk,when should i start solid food for her?

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  27. I JUST FOUND A BABY SQUIRELL CAN I FEED HIM COW S MILK???HE IS N DRINKIN IT..M WORRIED:(((((((

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    1. If it is older, try fruit. If the squirrel is not feeding at all, it is either sick or injured. Take it to a vet.

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  28. hi....the information u provided was very useful for me .....but i have some more doubts in my mind....so,i wanted to contact u as soon as possible cuzzz i have two squirrels n both r very small...i need ur help...n i guess ur from india soo can i get ur contact number......plzzzz its urgent

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    1. Please ask your concerns here, I am sure I can deal with them in writing.

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  29. I have a squirrel baby, looks abandoned and he must be of 4 weeks (eyes opened) . We have fed him diluted cows milk but as you have writen he is suffering from minor loose motions. so now we fed him with some electrol water. The only problem is he keeps sleeping..alot ..but plays just after he is fed. His other toilet activities seem normal. Please suggest if he is fine. and what else can we feed him.

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    1. Stop the diluted milk and electral immediately. Electral is meant for dehydrated humans. They need the fat, don't dilute the milk. Feed it either whole cow's milk or preferably buffalo milk.

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  30. my squirrels have opened their eyes and now they dont like to drink milk and they look weak .....their weight have also decreased....wht should i do ???

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    1. try another kind of milk. If you were feeding cow milk, try buffalo milk.

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    2. i am feeding buffalo milk................only
      and one of my squirrel has become weak
      her back legs are very weak

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    3. plzzzzzz reply .........i need ur advice

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    4. Hi shruti my name is GOLDY and i have total 3 squirrels. They all are females and one of them is elder (1.25 yr old) named as "RamPrasad" and another two are 2 months old... I can help you, you just try to feed them cow milk using ink-dropper. But remember dropper's outer edges should be blunted and if its no you need to blunt it using sharp blade... you can watch their photographs on my facebook account named as Kedar Jani (Goldy)(goldykedarjani@gmail.com)

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  31. i have found a squirrel whose eyes r not yet opened. it is sleeping a lot for 5 to 6 hours so i want u to guide me.

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    1. read the post above! or ask me a specific question

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  32. If somebody says Squirrels do not need to drink water and they can get sufficient water from the foods, it is totally wrong I have a Squirrel 1.25 yr old and it is drinking the water externally...

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    1. Adult squirrels that are kept as pets may drink water. As babies, they get all their water from their food. In the wild, squirrels get their moisture from their food unless it is a very hot summer.

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    2. also find another blog to troll

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  33. Hi ..need some advice ..There's a nest of baby squirrels near my apartment window on the first floor and from yesterday evening I've been hearing high pitched calls( I guess distress calls!) and the mother was nowhere in sight, today morning the calls continued and I saw the babies moving about a lot in their nest after a while everything was silent but the calls continued as if from a distance and the nest seemed to be empty.I checked up and found that they had fallen and were on the ground floor, they seemed fine and about 4-6 weeks old with plenty of hair on them. I placed them back in their nest but today also there is no sight of the mother, I'm wondering what to do, I feel I should wait till tomorrow before doing anything..I just need to know if the mother's absence is a normal part of the weaning process or should I step in and adopt because tomorrow will make 2 days since the mother has been seen. Pls adv urgently...

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    1. Hi John,
      If you are sure the mother is not around, please take the babies in immediately. They will dehydrate and die very soon if they do not get help. In your case, it is okay to believe the mother is not going to come back. Good luck and keep me posted.

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  34. Tks Czaee, this morning I took them in and they are now in a shoe box lined with cotton cloth, We have fed them cows milk from an ink filler. They are approximately the same size as the squirrels in your first couple of photos.I will feed them every 4 hrs.Big relief to know that I can count on you for advice..Bye

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  35. Czaee, Hi..just need your help with this..regarding the 2 squirrels I rescued, one squirrel is very brisk and has become big, he jumps all over and drinks the milk very well but the other one I'm not sure if its a boy or girl is not drinking properly , it takes approx 30 mns to feed him milk with ink filler every time and he drinks very little, also he is just half the size of the bigger one and doesn't move as fast as the other one, he tends to fall asleep a lot while drinking and my mother has to keep waking him up.., Can u suggest some thing to help his appetite! or is something wrong. Teeth have developed for both of them and they have started gnawing at the inside of the shoe box and they also bite our fingers while feeding them..we are trying to get them to drink on their own so that we can later put them onto cerelac.. We've become very fond of them and they've become very used to us, any suggestions how to make them independent so that later on we can release them into the wild? Today is 3 weeks that they are with us..Rgds

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    1. Hi John, some babies are small and grow larger over time and some others just almost give up. Keep doing what you can, but there is a possibility the small one might not make it. There is also the possibility that they are older than you think they are the smaller one has a deficient diet if it is still only milk.
      To make them independent, stop hand feeding immediately, if they are nibbling on the shoe box they can now take pieces of fruit and Stage 4 baby food with some milk. They have to stop associating you with food if they are to be independent. Keep them in a large cage and give them food in a shallow dish which should be cleaned with soap after every feed. Let me know how it goes.

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  36. Hi Czaee, its been about 12 days since I've started them on cerelac stage 4, they are lapping it up and the small one, definite its a female, has become brisk like the male and also grown a bit, she looks healthy now compared to before when she was only on milk but still much smaller than the male. I think they are around 2 and half months old. still feeding them from the ink filler because the small one doesn't like to eat a lot and at least with forced feeding from the ink filler she ends up eating almost as much as the male. Probably, after a couple of weeks she will be bigger and then will try to start them eating on their own. Thinking about getting a cage for them so that they can have a bit more space for them to move around and get some exercise rather than being in the shoe box the whole day. We allow them around half an hour of play time after feeding time and they run about and play on the chairs etc. but sometimes they run on the ground and don't get into the box even after a long time and it becomes difficult to catch them especially the male who is very fast and even bites (already bit me twice).Will close for now, Bye

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  37. Czaee, Hi! just wanted to know when is it the right time to let them go? They are nearly 3 months old and I will be getting them to feed on their own after a week and then after that I thought that maybe slowly get them used to things like fruits and other foods that they might find in the wild so I thought maybe I can release them when they are 5 months old..Is this ok because I'm willing to keep them even longer even for a year if necessary if it is the best thing for them..pls adv

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    1. They are good to go. They are old enough to care for themselves now and know what to eat. A lot of it is instinctive. Great job!

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  38. Czaee, Hi! another problem, a few minutes ago while feeding them the male ran out of the box, I caught him but he was wriggling while trying to hold him and his tail came off..is this going to be a problem? will he grow another tail, pls adv

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    1. Sigh! This is why I mention in the blog post that squirrels are fragile. Never try to grab them with the tail. Anyway, what's done is done. See a vet immediately. The animal must be in a lot of pain and you want to prevent an infection. Of course he is not going to grow another tail, only geckos and salamanders do that. I really don't know what else to say. Poor thing. Take as much care of him as you can.

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  39. Hi Czaee, i found a indian palm squirrel 2 days before. i guess he is 6-7 weeks old n very active. he eats papaya and apple but dont drink water. am i to feed him with milk? frankly i am afraid to hold him with my hand also afraid to release him at this stage coz he is not quite old enough to manage alone. he always hide when we get closer to his cage. his stool is small, black and dry, is it a problem? plz kindly advice.

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    Replies
    1. Hello,
      Wild squirrels do not drink water. If he is eating solid food, you should be fine. If he is hiding from you, make no attempt to try and hold him, it will stress him out. Stress can kill these animals. The stool you are describing is normal. I would suggest to release him as soon as possible, it does not sound like this is a baby. Also what condition did you find him in?

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  40. he was quite fine but had slow movements when compared to other wild squirrels. he cnt clim on to something quickly n when he try he falls. this makes me afraid to release him coz wild cats and dogs are around. today his stool is reddish n not dry.

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  41. by the way i forgot to thank for ur advice, im sorry about that. anyway thanks alot for ur advice n im quite relaxed with ur reply since i have neither cared any squirrels nor had any pets in my life. i dnt want to pet him instead want to care him until he becomes healthy n swift enough to take care of himself.

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    1. Sounds like he was weak for some reason. Good luck with bringing him up. And I appreciate your gratitude very much! Keep me posted.

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  42. Czaee, Hi! just wanted to inform u that yesterday I released both squirrels into the wild, its an area full of trees and plenty of plants etc..regarding the male squirrel's tail, it was only the tip which came off so he's got about 65% of it remaining, I spoke to a veterinary doc who told me to watch him and that if he was behaving normally and if there was no blood,pus etc then he was ok, so I watched him for about 3 days, He seemed normal so I released them.. Tks a lot for the help n support. Bye

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    1. Congratulations John and a job well done! You should be very proud of yourself and I wish your babies long happy lives.

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  43. Thanks for the beautiful narrated article. It helped me a lot as now I am taking care a Subbu ( we named the small little one reached our home last week). Subbu is not urinating Or passing the stools. We are feeding him with boiled milk and padding his stomach with lukewarm cotton cloth. Trying to locate a Vet who can treat Subbu, apparently most of the Doc's I have called are not treating Squirrels. Help!! Sorry to bother you!!- Sunder T

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    1. How long have you had him? What kind of milk are you giving him? How do you heat the cloth? What are the squirrel's living arrangements?

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    2. Thanks for your reply. Subbu is with us for last 4 days. We are feeding him with Buffalo's milk. He lives in a Shoe box ( new unused) with clean cotton cloth inside the box. We use the lukewarm water dipped cotton cloth to pad the belly. And yes, he has passed stool ( brown color) and Urine. We feel that his left front leg is having some problem as he is limping while walking around. We are taking him to the Doctor tonight. Pl suggest.

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    3. Please don't use the water soaked cotton for his stomach. It might lead to local skin problems. Everything else sounds good. Glad to hear he is better.

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    4. OK thanks for your valuable inputs. Today Subbu's mother 9 as we guess) visited him. It seems both are talking to each other!! ..chip..chip..chip etc.. She is also visiting hi every now and then.. should we stop touching ( fear of infections)? Just now we are allowing and Subbu seems to be more happy seeing her..

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  44. A brief background..We found Subbu beneath our AC machine with his sibling last week and there was no nest.. The other sibling ran away though and Subbu cannot run and remained with us. That time Subbu was not even opening his eyes!! Now is that we have found the elder one visiting him...

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  45. Hi Czaee ,

    Your ideas and experience has helped a whole of people which can be seen in this blog....Great..

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  46. I have just found 3 orphaned Squirrel babies just like shown in ur first picture...I am having them for past 6 hrs and they dont seem to take anything like cow's milk cerelac or normal milk....I have placed them in softcotton inside a big shoe box as mentioned here....I am not sure what to do now and am worried now since they did not eat or drink anything...They are active and moving and making noice when disturbed...their eyes sleepy n like to inside the cotton bed all the time till now....Please suggest what should I do now...ASAP....

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    Replies
    1. Sorry I wasn't able to respond to your question earlier. Often when squirrels come in they are very cold (hypothermia) and that causes them not to feed. Hope they are doing better now.

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  47. Any suggestion from guys in this blog also welcome....

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  48. hi my name is jessi , i just want to knw what is the time we should release the squirrel....

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    Replies
    1. 8 - 10 weeks old and stays away from humans

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  49. Hi, I got a baby indian palm squirrel 5 months ago, and it is still with us. We called http://www.peopleforanimalsbangalore.org/joinpfa.php for help and they told us to feed it not with milk but with papaya juice. She loved it. For the age: She had small upper teeth, no lower teeth yet, could run, but not climb yet. I always kept her close to my body to keep her warm, she would sleep either in my hand or on my belly in the folded shirt. Food-wise she has her phases, papaya, almonds, pomegranate, grapes, broccoli, pistachio, walnuts have been her favorites for some phases, some of these she does not touch at all anymore. She also like flowers (she licks the nectar), barks, leaves and seeds, we simply bring whatever we find outside. She drinks water from a glass, I don't know if it is her natural behavior, but with us she goes there to drink. When she is on our terrace she also licks the clay pots and goes from plant to plant nibbling at their leaves and flowers. And not to forget, fresh soft coconut malai (meat) of course they like a lot.
    For more advices you might go on the website of people for animals Bangalore and call them. They rescue wild animals in Bangalore and should have experience.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your input. Your squirrel is an adult and seems to be doing great. Good for you.
      The advice on this blog is for people who find squirrels that are about a week old and need rehabilitation. At about 2 1/2 to 3 months, the squirrels are quite independent and do not need human intervention to survive. Papaya juice is a good alternative for milk for older squirrels. Also it may not be available to every one (seasonal/regional variability). So milk tends to be easier to procure and feed. Also infants need the fat and calcium for good growth. Good luck with your pet.

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    2. Hi Czaee, the time I got the squirrel, it was about 5 weeks old and could not survive outside as it could not climb the trees. We tried to give her back to her mother, but her mother would not carry her back (maybe they can't do this?) and she could not climb back herself. I am still considering to wilder her out, as she is scared of any other people then us, but she is also scared of being outside and runs back into the house. Might she go from alone when she is matured and wants to mate? Or what advice would you have to wilder her out? We have too many cats (good squirrel hunters) around the house to lock her out.

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  50. Hi,I have a female squirrel and she is one year old. She is not afraid of humans. I'm really worried to leave her outside cause I don't know whether she can take care of herself. She's left out freely I'm my house inspite of her spoiling all my furniture.
    Today I've got two newborn squirrels,they are very small than my first one.
    One of them is hurt at nose. pls help me to take good care of it and leave them outside. And give me suggestion how I can leave my first one outside to live a happy life. Thank u. My e mail I'd online.sathya@gmail.com. Pls do reply.

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    Replies
    1. Make sure you read the blog very carefully and ensure they don't associate humans with food

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  51. I found a 2 baby squirrels one of them is eyes r opened and one of them is one eyes was opened.I put it in a ice cream box with his net
    I feed milk with a filler.After 23 days one of them was unfortunately died.another one is with me.what is the reason for die

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  52. I had a pair of squirrels that probably mated a few months ago and now I have a tree swarming with them. The mother has been feeding at my house (and is quite fearless, comparatively speaking) for about six months now, and I had a question on what foods work best for squirrels. The mother feeds happily on muesli and pumpkin seeds - the latter a hot favorite - boiled rice and crumbed brown bread also seem to work pretty well though not as well as those two. The problem I face is that the elder squirrels tend to finish off most of the food I put out and the younger two don't really get to eat much, if at all - and they really shy, which means I can't call them to feed like I can do with the elder ones. I suspect and hope that they have sufficient sustenance in the neighborhood, but if there's a reasonable and easily purchasable commodity that they can feed off, I would introduce that as a bulk staple and give them the seeds when I have some at hand (they're not particularly easy to find).

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    Replies
    1. how to train our squirrel to stay with me
      i train my squirrel to jump when i say jump kutty it will jump

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    2. Bharath Raj, squirrels are not dogs so I would advise against trying to train it.

      Sangram Rakshit, if the little ones are not eating the food you put out, it is alright. I am sure they are getting plenty of food in the area outside your house. Not to worry. If you feel you must supplement their diet try putting the food closer to the tree they live on, further away from your house so they feel it is safe to feed. Don't force them to come closer to humans if they find it scary.

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    3. Thankee.

      Little ones were just scared, we're reaching some level of understanding now. Just needed some time I guess.

      Delete
  53. Where can I get a squirrel I wanted one or more as a pet.

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    Replies
    1. Get a dog or a cat. Squirrels are wild animals. This post was to help people care for orphaned squirrels, not to find pets

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  54. Hi, I'm so sorry to bother you but a baby squirrel wandered into my house today and his mum is gone so we took him in and I'm freaking out a little. He did poop today, but though I've been swabbing him with a damp q tip I don't think he has peed yet.
    Do you think I could just be like, missing it? Or should I get him checked out? Can't find a vet treating squirrels nearby!

    Thanks a ton. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If the squirrel was by itself, it may be dehydrated. Make sure you provide it milk or fruit juice/whole fruit like apple or watermelon depending on how old you think it is and watch it for a couple of days. Stop trying with the q tip. If it is dehydrated, nothing will come of it and you will likely stress it out. Remember wild animals fear humans and they think you are trying to hurt them. You know you are trying to help it, it is probably scared to death. So keep contact minimal and keep me posted.

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  55. Hi there great blog hats off to u .. I got a baby squirrel 5 weeks I guess , I assessed it with the info given in other site . I'm feeding it ceralac wheat apple stage 1 food , today she started eating raisins .. is this ok am I on right track please guide sir

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  56. Pls reply sir , she passes stools and urine frequently , today the feces was little soft like toothpaste , should I worry ????

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    Replies
    1. I am sorry I did not get back to you earlier. Last week has been rather busy. I hope the squirrels are doing okay. Please give me an update

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    2. I also find it interesting that people automatically assume I am male.

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  57. Is it. not good to feed baby squirrels with cows milk??

    two babies were found in my chimney .. this morning.. i have been feeding them with cows milk using an dipper .... both have the milk and sleep soon after...

    but every 2 hours they wake up to ask for milk.. By makin sound..

    pls help me understand about the frequency intervals to feed them..
    what apart from.milk could i feed them.....
    the babies haven't yet opened their eyes.. how ling would it take for them to open their eyes?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cow's milk will do. If they are that young, yes, they will need milk every 2-3 hours. That is normal.

      I have no idea what age the squirrels are so I am not sure when their eyes will open.

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    2. I found out through google that they open their eyes when they r 5 weeks.

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  58. Czaee, I have a female Squirrel of about 6-8 months and I need a male companion for her. I tried several pet shops but all turned me down saying it is illegal to buy one. Is there any way I could get a squirrel from somewhere? I live in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Any help would be appreciated.
    P.S. Your post is great. Can handy for growing my baby squirrel up. Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ankur, thank you for the compliment and I am glad the post helped. If your squirrel is now used to humans and become your pet, it is doomed to live a live in isolation. The only chance for a squirrel to find a mate and live out its natural life is in the wild, is if it remains afraid of humans and is released in the wild. This is why I never let any of my squirrels become used to humans. If you now try to release your squirrel, chances are, it will be killed.

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  59. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  60. Hey, i rescued 2 squirrels rejected by their mother, they were about 8 days old wen they came to me, but now they are about a month old.. i used to feed them milk using a syringe,. They are still on milk. Plz suggest me the right time to let go on them..! I want to see them live their natural environment...!

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    Replies
    1. You can try Stage 2 baby food now. One more month and they should be good for release. Good luck!

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    2. Thank u for your suggestion..
      They do like to nibble on to friuts, n sometimes our hands too :) ,
      N will it be ok if i release them on a tree near my house, other squirrels are also living there, plus i could keep an eye on them in the beginning.???

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    3. Don't let them nibble on your hands. They sound old enough to feed on their own. Just keep the food in a clean ceramic bowl in their cage or wherever you have housed them. Let them not associate humans with food, otherwise their chances of release will be slim. Releasing them where there are other squirrels is good.

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  61. Hi Czaee, I found your post very helpful as I am caring for 2 orphaned squirrels I found last week. They look exactly as the one in the cover pic. My naughty cat ate their mother sometime back! Everything seems to be fine with them with food, hygiene and all and they don't have any visible injuries. My only concern is that after feeding and/or when placed outside the box, the two kits frolic a lot for sometime and appears very playful, but then suddenly become inactive; at times it crawls beneath the sofa or the rugs (I think tries to hide) or just crawls to the corner. Is it kind of activity ok for them or they are under some stress? If so, can you suggest how to bring it down? Also, is it ok to dilute Dettol in the moist cotton swabs with which I wash them? - Regards, Avi

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    Replies
    1. Being outside the nest box is usually stressful for the babies. It is natural for them to want to go back to the safety of the nest and fall asleep. Babies need their sleep. Please do not wash them everyday, unlike humans, squirrels do not need daily baths. Also adding Dettol is potentially dangerous and might kill them.

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  62. Hey Czaee!
    The blog's awesome. Wish it was there when i found my squirrel.
    Anyways, he's been with us for the last 3 years. He's doing good and is part of the family now. I'm wondering if you have any idea of their life span?
    My family is very fond of him. He's always been a sunshine for my mother.
    My mother raised him. She never let him be in a cage. So, it's a bit important for me to find out. I don't want her to be shocked. Just to give her a heads up.
    Regards.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Alok,
      Not much is known about their lifespan in the wild. But in captivity, 5 years is a reasonable guess-timate. Having said that, honestly I have no idea. Sorry cannot be much help here.

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  63. That's alright! Glad you replied. Thanks Czaee! :)

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  64. I hav got a baby squirrel. very small, eyes closed. its getting cold .how to make it warm. tried but still warm and is also no feeding well...
    help
    plz ....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ravi,
      Try wrapping it in a soft cotton cloth and holding it cupped between the palms of your hands. You will have to hold it like that for a long time so heat from your hands will warm it up. Also try massaging it VERY VERY slowly and gently while you are holding it. Squeeze some warm milk from a small cotton ball onto its lips. Like a drop or two. See if it licks that up. If it does, that is what you should do ever 2-3 mins. It is tedious, but the efforts pay off. Good luck and keep me posted.

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    2. Also when I say wrapped in cloth, make sure it is a small cloth and the squirrel's head and nose stay out of the cloth, otherwise it might suffocate.

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  65. Hello. This page is really helpful as I have got 2 baby squirrels about 4-5 weeks; probably abandoned by their mom. One of them has opened one eye! The other hasn't. I want to know if i can feed them Cow's milk.
    Please reply as soon as possible.

    Thank You. :)

    ReplyDelete
  66. Hi,m Parul. I hd an indian palm squirl. Whn he ws 6 wks old this 13 july I releasd him at safe place where there were no dogs bt lots of squrls. I want to know will he b able 2 survive? He prefrd brown bread soakd in milk, little mango, & jst nibble othr eatbles bt doesn’t eat. Whn I releasd him I went there aftr 1 hr n saw 2 squrls near him like they wr calling him. Bt he seem afraid & whn I call him he came 2 my arm, refusing 2 go 2 d tree again. I left him in shoe box. Again aftr 1 hr I came I saw him on d tree bt no squrls. I calld him fr 10 mins bt he dint came, thn I left. Aftr dat day whenevr I visit there cant see him bt only othr squrls. I ask d guard there if he ever sees a small squrl, bt ho too hasn’t. Isn’t my squrl suppose 2 roam there where I hd left him, jst lke othr squrls roam at there own particular place? Now I m so worried will he be ok or nt?

    ReplyDelete
  67. What happen???? No answer???????
    I only wanted to know that if we realease d squirl aftr 6-8 wks, will he be able to survive, as in captivity he totally depends on us for food & shelter & suddenly releasing him 1 day, will he be able to find food fr himself & mk shelter fr himself??
    PLZ REPLY.

    Parul.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry I could not get back to you earlier Parul but before jumping to offended conclusions, please understand that sometimes life's priorities keep me offline. 8 weeks is a good time to release the squirrel but I have no way of telling you if your squirrel is okay, I wish I was God and had the power but I don't. Usually younger squirrels will try and find a territory away from other males so it is possible he travelled further away. I hope he is well too.

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  68. Hi
    Yesterday i found a baby squirrel with broken leg. How to take care of it ???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, there's Mrs. Vasanti (09958555443). She works in an NGO who takes care of abdoned animals. She gets lots of call about baby squirrels. Plz call her she'l help u what to do.
      Parul.

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    2. Hope your squirrel is better now. It needs a vet's attention for broken limbs

      Delete
  69. Dear Czaee... i dont know if you still check this post... or still blog... i initially found this post when i wanted to know how take care of the baby squirrel i found..your post was very helpful of course... but then.. i began reading your blogs....other ones... and .. i dont know how to put this... i just really felt like writing to you.. but theres no email id so i'm replying here.... i take it youre studying now... and it seems you left your previous job... i really appreciate it.. i guess it must take a lot of spunk to begin again.. cos 7 years is a lot of time... i suppose i can relate to your need to write.. even bits...just sending it out there...to be heard? ...i could never be coherent enough to start a blog...but then.. i guess i dont really want to... i imagine i like to write.. but then when i bring myself to it.. its too self-conscious.. im posting this comment on a whim.. already feeling very foolish.. but i will send it.. good luck in your endeavors.... by the way.. my squirrel boy is about a month old.. i know you wont approve but he is entirely used to me.. although i intend to release him when hes about two months old... ill follow you advice and try to make him eat on his own.. Cheers...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for writing and I appreciate you honesty about the squirrel. It is fine to keep pets, I guess. Just that I feel it is also limiting their potential for a full life.
      About writing a blog, yes I am an infrequent writer and I felt just like you did 'i have nothing to say' 'What if I hate what I write?' But honestly the blog has been a liberating thing. More than to be heard, it is cathartic for me at times... it helps, even if no one is listening; especially when no one is listening. You should be proud of your courage to write to a complete stranger because something in her writing made you want to write back. I take that as a huge compliment by the way. Try writing. Start an anonymous blog if you will. I did that. So I did not have to fear judgment from close quarters. I also started a project of my own... 'Project imperfect' I used to wait so long for the 'right' words, the 'right' inspiration, it was always about making it perfect. I was obviously missing out on a lot of things because of that. So Project imperfect was to tell myself it is okay, to mess up, to make something mediocre, even inferior. But it is important I did it. I had to free myself of self-imposed shackled of perfectionism. Try it if it appeals to you. Life is short and censorship is meaningless. Self-censorship is harmful. Creation and the Universe don't judge you, you have no right to judge yourself. You are already all you aspire to be. Don't be shy. Let the words flow...

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    2. You echo my sentiment about mediocrity.. if it be so called... i wonder why one is so petrified of the ordinary...it is liberating to accept it.. and yet not be burdened by it or even get used to it ...i might write.. i might just start some day... its not that i fear judgement.. its just that.. i feel sometimes.. written or unwritten.. it is the same... but i see evidence of the contrary.. had you not written..i wouldnt have read.. and thought.... our words perhaps find their meaning in someone else.... or someone else finds meaning in our words...even casually spent.. you get my point i am sure.. about our baby squirrel.. hes living with us now.. my dad couldnt bring himself to leaving him... i feel a bit guilty too... but then... its ok i guess... One should be allowed to love selfishly sometimes... ;p

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    3. Good luck with the writing and the self-doubt of whether the writing matter to others and the world at large, or even to yourself is often strong. But what I've found out is, when I begin to do what I enjoy and believe in, it feels right, regardless of whether or not it matters.
      It is good the squirrel lives in a loving home, I won't comment on the human love being selfish part since no one needs to know my opinion on that :)

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  70. Hi Czaee...I really appreciate your article...its very helpful especially for a first time squirrel parent!...I have 2 baby squirrels which I found 3-4 days after they were born (typical pinkies)...I have been taking care of them with a cow's milk diet...now its almost 6 weeks...they have grown into very cute and active brats!...I still hand feed them with milk thrice a day and they voraciously eat apples and guavas in regular intervals...after reading your post I was wondering if it is necessary to give them an artificial cerelac diet or would fruits with milk suffice...secondly I dont really have enough space to arrange for a large cage as shown in your pics...I have kept them in plastic baskets now and am worried about their release because it does associate me with food...when can I stop the milk completely and shift to only fruit so that it can transition easily...and finally would a release at 8-9 weeks be alright?...can they fend for themselves by then?...Thanks a lot and kudos for your enthusiasm and spirit :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for kind words. I think if they are healthy and active, you can try phasing out milk. Be sure to add some carbohydrates, if not Cerelac, rotis or rice in addition to the fruits so that those compensate for no milk. Try to get them to feed on their own but generally associating humans with food means they will not do great in the wild. They are more likely to approach humans and not all humans have a heart like yours.

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  71. Greetings
    Loved this and all pics are so sweet and gentle--Bless you
    When I was a kid of 6, till about age 11, .... I had some experience of rescuing fallen Baby squirrels- that dropped from nests in coconut trees when coconuts were being harvested especially- Then with my grandmother's support, she explained -showed how to with a cotton wick soaked in milk -look after and release to after they are grown up--They usually leave at some time go back to nature after a couple of months-
    Some times lose them too-( Cats can be quite a hazard )
    Small experiences help us and esp as chldren to Learn COMPASSION- to all
    All Creature Great & Small-
    a poem/prayer we used to sing in school -thanks
    Kind Rgds
    CaptTR Retd
    Chennai

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Captain,
      Thank you so much for your kind words. I am so glad you have wonderful memories of raising squirrels as a child. I do also want to salute your bravery and courage for being part of the army in India. I have the highest regard for men and women who are willing to give their all for the country. May you always be blessed.

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  72. hi,
    I've just read your post and it's been a great help!
    i found three baby squirrels a couple of days back. they are presently about 5 weeks and i read online that they need to be hydrated before starting them on a milk diet, so i fed them water mixed a little with sugar and salt.

    after reading your post i have decided on feeding them buffalo milk from today.

    but the thing that has been worrying me is, last night one of my squirrels passed away. i noticed that he was slightly wet(this has been happening to the others as well 'cause they pee all over) and i think he must have been cold(i heard that baby squirrels can't produce body heat) so right now i have a lamp lit beside their bed to keep them warm. so would it be alright if i kept the lamp on the entire night??

    and also another one of the squirrel is looking extremely weak and is not as active as the other one. I'm really worried! any suggestions or advice?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi akiraze, I am sorry to hear about the death of one of the babies. Are they in a closed cardboard box lined with soft cloth? That is very important that they have a cosy place to sleep in that will help retain heat. Any liquids they pass are then easily absorbed by the cloth and the babies largely remain dry. Also change in the diet will help. I am not sure if artificially added sugar and salt are healthy for baby squirrels. Wait and see, take the sick baby to a vet if needed. Please keep me posted.

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    2. Thank you for replying!
      right now i have them in a bird cage lined with the nest i found them in. they burying themselves deep inside when they're sleeping. i keep the lit lamp next to the cage for about 10 mins to just warm them up.

      after reading your post i decided to change their diet to buffalo milk. i acquired it from a household that rears buffalo's in our neighborhood. i have already started them on it.

      another query that i have is, one the squirrel's fur seems like as if it has wet patches. when i touched to check them it's not.the coat looks slightly messy and gives it a ill-looking effect.
      is that some sort of infection? would it be better if i took them to the vet?

      Delete
    3. Hi,
      Don't use the nest they were found in, instead use a clean shoe box with lots of cotton cloth that they can bury into. Also if the fur does not look right, take a cotton cloth and some lukewarm water and wipe them gently. Be careful to use very little water, if you make the fur wet, they become very cold. Once you have wiped them down with water, use a dry cloth and gently dry them off and then put them back in the box that should solve your problem

      Delete
    4. Thanks a lot...they seem much better now! they're running and climbing all over me!(^.^)
      I'm starting them on semi-solid foods from today...
      thanks again!

      Delete
    5. Awesome! Glad I could help :)

      Delete
  73. Hi,

    I have orphan baby squirrel who is approx. 2.5 weeks old. I have been doing exactly the same as you wrote in your write-up. He is doing fine, become active. But he cries a lot and i have to keep him in my palm for hour to make him sleep after every feed. Can you help ? What to do ? Is it normal ? What you suggest ? I am worried he should catch any infection. Please Help !!!

    Regards
    Nits

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am worried he will catch an infection...

      Delete
    2. What do you mean by cries a lot? Once babies are full, they promptly go to sleep and you don't need to hold it in your hand for it to fall asleep. Are you feeding it enough? Squirrel babies will make noises when they are hungry or when they are active and playing. Not clear which of these two you are observing.

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  74. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Advocate Tusi Saha,
      As much as you have written here, I have to disagree with all of this. I have never had the need to 'get' the babies to urinate, nor have I ever seen 'mustard' coloured stools. The problem is, you have copy pasted all this information from a Canadian website. They deal with red and grey squirrels which are larger animals to begin with. For people who are just beginning to care for orphaned squirrels, using a syringe is dangerous. Not only could you physically hurt the squirrel's mouth, but if you force the milk out too fast, the squirrel might choke. With a cotton wick, it is easier for the animal to control the feeding. Also it is cotton, not nylon, so a few ingested strands have never caused problems in my experience. Also the 'stroke with a warm cloth' issue often leads to people using too hot water or too much force and causing abrasion injuries. It is completely unnecessary.

      Delete
  75. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    Replies
    1. Firstly, those links are for Canadian grey and red squirrels which live in a different habitat and very cold weather conditions and grow to be several times larger than Indian squirrels. Secondly, there is no need of a lamp because it does not snow in India, unless you live in the foothills of the Himalayas. If babies did not thrive on cerelac or baby food, I should have had at least fifteen to twenty dead squirrels and this post would not have been written. There is no need for bones from a pet store. I live in California now and we do not have the quality of pet bones that are found here. The ways you have mentioned could go wrong very quickly for most other people. Also if you supplement their diet (as they get older) with fresh fruit, there is no need for further vitamin supplements. You seem to be experienced, unfortunately not everyone reading this is as experienced at animal rearing and I've written about simple ways anyone could care for orphaned squirrels without overly complicating the process.

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  76. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    Replies
    1. Good you have this number and people should feel free to call if the blog does not answer all your questions, but I hope you can also help absolutely novice squirrel parents without completely overwhelming them.

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  77. Hi Czaee,

    I had been in touch with you about my baby squirrels a couple of weeks back.Thanks for your reply then. I released my babies (a boy and a girl) at 10 weeks at a friends place who have a huge garden and thankfully no cats. As I had told you they did associate me with food but had weaned and were very very active. On release both of them were extremely happy and disappeared immediately. I was pretty satisfied with the whole situation. But 2 days after letting them go the guy was found sitting on my friends balcony and is having a jolly easy time since then getting food thanks to its cuteness! it doesnt come inside the house, stays on a tree but whenever it sees humans in the balcony (all very animal friendly people!) it climbs on them for treats. I am happy that I got to see him again but a little worried also. I am hoping that it wont be ostracized by the other squirrels. Do you think I let if off too early? Should I ask my friends to stop giving him anything at all? The girl by the way was not seen again. Thanks again :)

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    Replies
    1. I don't think your boy will be ostracized by other squirrels, trouble usually begins when they go up to humans who are not nice. Perhaps stopping feeding might help but it could go either way. Either he will adapt to the wild and be fine or approach other humans for food and get trapped, killed, sick. So I am really not sure what to do and is one of the reasons I will sometimes advise people with squirrels who are too friendly not to release them at all. In your case, I think if your friend continues feeding him, at least he will keep coming to a friendly human. But now, your friend will always have to look out for him. Sorry cannot be much use here but next time you rescue orphaned wild animals, be sure to keep them wild so they can live independently.

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    2. Hey, thanks for getting back so soon. I suppose my friends would have to look after him for a while though I would ask them not to pamper him too much. I did try my best to get them adapted for the wild. Almost for a month I used to set them free in a room for the whole day and leave food around. But I guess this one was very attached to me. When it was a week old it had severe diarrhea and I had sort of nursed him back from a very bad shape. So probably its more human friendly. I can only keep my fingers crossed for him now!!! Thanks a ton :)

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  78. Hey, im writing to you again..!
    I mentioned earlier about my two rescued baby squirrels, unfortunately 1 died due to some infection..
    The other one is somehow healthy..
    I tried releasing him, but he was so scared all alone in an entirely new place so i brought him back.
    Today he is 4 months old and has become a part of my family.!
    He recognises all of us and whenever a guest comes in he sniffs them exactly like dogs, he is not friendly with them.
    He has build a nest in one of the curtain folds n takes away all d cotton and bits of clothes in his nest,. He also has a companion soft toy and loves playing with him...
    He loves to eat fruits n green veges. We also feed him milk, roti, bread, corn etc,.
    I want to know if there is anything else i need to include in his diet..
    And i hope i did not do wrong by bringing him back..!

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    Replies
    1. If he is happy, that works I guess. Not an ideal outcome in my book, but the world does not run according to my book :)

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  79. Hi There,

    We have found 2 baby Indian Palm squirrels, unable to determine the age but they have hair grown and the stripes are visible, am confused as to what to feed that babies, is Lactogen or NAN human baby formula good for them.

    Please advice. Looking forward to hear from you

    Regards,
    Madhavi

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    Replies
    1. Do not feed them human formula, cow/buffalo milk will do. Please read the post carefully, it has all that you need to know. If you still have questions, feel free to ask me.

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  80. Hi....i found a baby squrriel 3 days back...i cannot judge her his age exactly but i think hes about 3weeks(just a guess)...i took help from the article and am giving him milk but i found out her bowels today were loose and yellow unlike before when they were blackish. Plz help me n let me know if its due to overfeeding or any other reason i cant think of.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Taran,
      Are you boiling the milk? Washing your hands? It seems your squirrel might have an infection. Please see a vet at the earliest.

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    2. Thank you for your reply :) Yes i use boiled milk and wash my hands as much as possible. I started giving sparkle(thats wat ive named him) fresh papaya juice as i read in one of the comments above and thankfully hes alright now. Hes playing again and his bowels are back to normal. Now i alternate milk and papaya juice in his diet. What else can i feed him? And when do i start feedind him solid food?

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  81. 1more thing i wanted to ask- is it possible that his stomach gets upset due to cold? Bcz here the weather is changing and it gets cold at night. Though sparkle sleeps in cotton cloths (2-3) i find his feet cold in the morning at times.

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  82. hey! i found a baby squirrel at my house today. it was quite developed with its eyes open. i dont know how old it is. ive started feeding it milk so far. when shud i start trying to feed it semi solid food and such? and it also doesnt seem to be sleeping any time soon. it keeps crying out even if it is left alone... what shud i do?

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    Replies
    1. I think you can try semisolid food. It may also be crying out of hunger.

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  83. Hi
    I was given a baby palm squirrel to look after a week ago, she was about a week old when I got her. She's gained weight and her fur's come in, eyes are not open yet. I'm guessing she's two weeks old at best. I have followed most of your advice except that I've added a little cream and a 1/4-pinch of 'pediasure' to her feeds. She's been doing well for the past week, but only passing stool twice a day for the past two days (is that normal?), she passes urine after each feed. He stool has changed colour (as expected) and although it's not runny, its softer than it was when I got her (is that normal too?).
    I feed her using a syringe and a deflated twisty-balloon with a hole pierced in it, both of which are washed and sterilised after each feed. I premix her milk-fat combination and refrigerate it, reheating single feed quantities at a time, I discard the feed mix after 24hrs, and also discard anything left over in her 'bottle' after each feed.
    She sleeps a lot and I keep her warm with a beanie heat-pad and a tiny teddy-bear nest-buddy...
    ...now here's the problem - she's been a little listless today and has refused her evening feed, she seems too sleepy to take it...also she's been twitching in her sleep and yawned a couple of times...I'm not sure if the twitching is normal and if the yawning means she's not getting air in her lungs...she did aspirate some of her feed a couple of days ago, but I promptly sucked her nose gently....(lol, don't judge me...I love her), but she's been doing fine after that incident.
    When I take her out of her nest she normally explores my hand and is pretty active, today she just slept...
    I fed her at 8 in the morning, then again at 12, then once more at 3...she's refused to take her 6pm feed and has had to be woken by me to take her earlier feeds...
    I guess I sound paranoid, (VERY paranoid) I think I just need some reassurance from someone who's been through the same thing. I live in the back of beyond and the only vet available here is a crazy person who would most likely kill my poor baby squirrel!!!
    Thanks in advance
    ;o)
    p.s - I think you did a fantastic job raising those baby squirrels!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for the compliments.
      Aspiration of food is never a good thing to happen. I would suggest stopping the pediasure and cream completely. It sometimes happens that aspiration leads to other problems like infections. Make sure she is never on her back when you try to feed her. Stop the pediasure and cream and keep me posted

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  84. Hey im back with another question..!
    My squirrel is 7 months old now, he recognises all the family members and know who is a stranger..
    Rest everything is fine with him, what i am worried about is that he sleeps a lot these days,.
    Is it due to the cold or is he sick.. rest everything is normal with him, his eating, playing all other activities are as before.
    Just want to reconfirm cuz i love him a lot...!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. its bcz of Winter season.
      i have baby sqrrl.

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    2. Thank you..!! Is there anything specific that i can do for him.. because his feet are cold while his body is warm..!! He often lay himself on the laptop charger when it is warm..

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  85. Hi,
    Tumcha Article Chhan Hota.
    Tyat Barich Mahiti aahe.
    Mazakde Squirrel Baby aahe.
    Dhanyavad.

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  86. Hi mam from where can i get squirell babies in india... I want them because i like animals very much plz help me want squirelks..... Plz plz plz plz plz....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please rescue a dog or a cat from a city shelter or from the streets if you genuinely love animals so much

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    2. When baby squirrels fell down from trees, than only you can get 1. So you have to be very attentive. I am also looking for a baby sqrl, so I hv told my frnds whosoevr found any baby sqrl, they just call me & I wl come & take it.

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  87. Thank you for the link, but most of the information is similar to what I have here. It would be nice of you to reveal who you are and perhaps leave an email address so people can contact you with questions.

    I always find it amusing to find 'rehabber' trolls who will have a general sense but no specific information or experience in the species themselves but will very happily go to other people's posts and point out what is wrong although they may be completely wrong themselves. It is sad that somehow self-righteousness and the need to be right trumps any geographic/ species-related / human factor / economic understanding.

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  88. Wow!!!! What a load of information here!!! I was doing some research for the squirral that we found in the wild a couple of days ago. (Sad, I wanted to raise it. Din have the commonsense of leaving the babies with its mother) actually few of my students accidently knocked down the nest and selfish enough to bring them to keep as pet. So I also took one. Now feeling bad.
    Now the squirrel is doing good. Just that I have been feeding it on electrolyte solution for a week now. Seems I should immediately start milk. But the issue is, as mentioned earlier by someone else, it keeps making noise when I try to keep it in the box. But it gladly sleeps in my palm or over my belly. What is the reason for that?
    Well done work you are doing, a wealth of specific information in your website. Very much glad to bump into your blog.
    Regards
    Bipin

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    Replies
    1. Hi Bipin,
      Definitely start with milk and cerelac. Does the box have enough things to keep it warm? If the box is cold, a baby squirrel cannot generate enough body heat to keep it warm. The other issue is in the nest they are used to sleeping with their litter mates. With the brothers and sisters now gone, I am sure it senses there is no warm body to snuggle up to. Keep me posted.

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  89. hi Czaee
    I found a baby squirrel 5days back. It has well defined stripes on it with eyes still closed and appears to be 4weeks old. i'm feeding it with a needle-less syringe. It drinks just 4-5 drops of warm cow's milk per feeding. After which it pees a few drops and stool a size of rice grain. My only concern is if that much quantity is enough for its diet.I read somewhere that it needs to have 4-5ml of milk. It runs around the box and climbs the length of my hand already.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi nive,
      You can trust the squirrel to know when it is full. While there might be an average, each individual squirrel is different. As long as it is being fed at 2-3 hour intervals and like you say, pees and poops regularly, you are in good shape. Good luck!

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  90. Hellllooowww mam
    I wnt squirrel s my pet...how can i get baby squirrel!!!???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Himani,
      Squirrels are wild animals. Even I don't have a squirrel as a pet. If you really love animals, rescue a stray dog or a cat. They really love being someone's pet! They really need and appreciate your love.

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  91. Hallo! Really helpful info in here but I have a few other queries. Please help me out.
    I got a little squirrel baby with eyes closed and a broken back-left leg. Its now a day and it has not passed out anything. its only taken a few drops of cow milk and keeps sleeping all day. Only when I take it in my hand does its passion for hand climbing arise. It chirps sometimes and yawns in its sleep. It looks healthy and is active when picked up. My main concern is its leg and no appetite. I need your help. The vet in my town is stupid and will surely kill the squirrel. Also he is absent most of the time.
    Awaiting you reply!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Shivang,
      Sorry to hear about the injured baby. Not passing stools or urine is a bad sign, and might mean there are more internal injuries than just the broken leg. Unfortunately, I understand all too well the knowing that the closest vet is incompetent. Do try feeding it buffalo milk if possible, I once hada batch of two babies who refused cow milk even when they were starving. Help keep it comfortable, but unfortunately I have no idea how to help with the broken leg over the internet. Good luck

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  92. hi..

    thank god i found th page . my neighbour gave otwo squirrel. one diff on the rod day cos it was injuredon nose . . the other one was bit fine . and was feeding cow milk oly using swab.


    i gave water mixed with 3e parts of sugar and one part of salt toprevent de hydration he dint open eyes yet..its been 5 days. i give him oly 2 times milk oly. . now pls pls do guide me how make him grow properly.. already i lost one squirrel 2 years back who was in sixth week and was active.

    so i fear a lot for this kid. his back legs are weak to walk properly.. he is makingnoises frequently. Wat should i give him somethin like nestum

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You need to feed him every two hours. See if you can feed them more frequently. They might not make it if they are fed only two times a day. Stop the sugar and salt solution immediately. It is unnecessary and might hurt them. Read this blog carefully

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  93. Hello.I also have found two baby squirrels three days back.their eyes were closed at that time now its open .I give them pure buffalo milk.is it ok.I work so iam not at home for about 6hours.I feed them when I go and feed them when I come.when im at home I feed them every 2 hours.I clean them with cotton and warm water.they r active enough. What else should I do.I generally feed them with infants dropper. They drink well from it.do I have to take them to a vet for check up .please help I know nothing about raising squirrels. Wat else should I give them to make them healthy. Do reply thank u

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is a silly question, but can you take them to work with you? Because they are small, they will generally feed and go back to sleep in the box. I have done this in the past. as long as you don't let anyone handle them without washing their hands first, you could do that. Feeding only two times a day is really insufficient at this age. Do read this blog carefully. If they are eating well, no need of a vet visit

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  94. Thank you for your reply.but I cant take them to work as im a kindergarten teacher.I myself have so many human squirrels around. Anyways I will take care of them and make them independent .God has made me their mother and mothers knows best.regarding your blog its been read by me .properly.Ithink you didn't get enough time to read mine.I said I feed them every 2 hours when I come back home.the babies are growing well and theynever cry.active babies. Its quite silly on your part that you reply like that.I was just worried. Otherwise let me tell you I have raised 8 street cats in devastating condition and made them wild .I have also raised canines. Squirrels are first. Thank you.dont bother to reply.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes it is true, I was reading your reply at the end of a very long day and I tried to answer all your questions. I read every 2 hours as twice a day. I apologize for the misread but wow the venom!!!!

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  95. What do you mean by using the word venom! !! As far as I know only poisonous animals have it.Did I stung you with my words in anyway. ??? I was expecting good response after reading your blog but you disappointed me.So may be.....Anyways I also apologize if I m rude.its Sonali this side.take care

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sonali, yes I thought you were rude, "Its quite silly on your part that you reply like that." not sure what you were referring to? And especially ending the message with 'don't bother to reply..' but it's alright. Apology accepted, no hard feelings.
      I am curious though... you say you were disappointed with my response because it was not good. What does it mean? What were you expecting? And what was it that I said that made you so defensive that you felt like I was doubting your capacity to care for squirrels and you had to tell me about all the animals you rescued? I think it will be useful to see what is happening especially since the written word gives no clue about what tone things are said in.

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    2. Hi there! Regarding your first question wat made me defensive is calling my question silly. I was just not sure that the babies will survive like that or not.and as I was searching more info sbout squirrels I came across ur blog.your way of presenting was crystal clear.so I was happy that somehow I m doing right.my next reply was harsh as I thought yours was rude.regarding my cats and dogs .I come from air force background we have to travel a lot I have raised many cats and released them in wild.dogs r fewer. Three r street dogs staying with my parents.any thing else mam or sir.please forgive me I dont understand to whom I m interacting. Take care.

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    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  96. Hallo!
    Thanks for ur reply. Fortunately the squirrel has started feeding and passing out waste its recovering from the leg injury and has also opened its eyes. One thing I saw yesterday is that it has developed front teeth. Hence I gave it a bit of laddoo. immediately it started nibbling at it but started choking after a while. I had to give it a few drops of milk to swallow it. The Question- Should I give it solid diet like this now?
    Also I have started feeding it Buffalo milk which it accepts happily.
    Thanks again!!

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    Replies
    1. Fantastic! Good to hear that. Please don't give it any human food. Even though it has teeth it does not have the digestive capacity yet. Think of a 7 month old human baby, they may grow their first teeth but you wouldn't give them tandoori chicken. Feed it milk for another week, then follow the advice in the blog and switch to baby food. Good luck!

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