09/04/2023
Found a baby squirrel? Here’s what to do! Please share!
1. Squirrel has fallen from its nest - what do I do?
ANSWER: put the baby in a small box lined with something soft up on a chair or table directly underneath the tree it fell out of. Mom should come down and retrieve it in a short amount of time. NEVER wait more than 4 hours.
2. There are babies on the ground but it’s been over 4 hours and mom hasn’t come to ge them.
ANSWER: please gather them up into a shoebox lined with a T-shirt or blanket and bring them inside your garage so that the ambient temperature stays the same. Neonate squirrels cannot thermoregulate and need help staying warm. Fill a water bottle with very warm (not hot) water, wrap it in a blanket or towel and place it near the babies for warmth.
3. There are baby squirrels on the ground and they are covered in ants! What do I do?
ANSWER: IMMEDIATELY brush off the ants and get the babies put into a shoebox lined with a T-shirt or blanket and put in your garage until you have found a Rehabber to take them to. Fill a water bottle with very warm (not hot) water, wrap it in a blanket or towel and place it near the babies for warmth.
4. There are babies on the ground and I see mom but she isn’t coming down to get them.
ANSWER: gather all of the babies into a shoebox lined with a T-shirt and put them up on a chair or table directly under the tree that they fell out of and go back inside. In all likelihood mom is desperate to retrieve her babies but there is too much commotion going on. Give her space and time please.
5. I found some babies can I feed them? ANSWER: NO!!! Please do not attempt to feed baby anything unless you are under direct supervision from a wildlife rehabilitator. Your good intentions could lead to their preventable deaths.
Mom does not abandon her babies. She has nest A, B and C ready to go should she deem the current nest uninhabitable now. You need to give her time to move them. Obviously if it is over 4 hours and there is no sign of her then a Rehabber needs to be contacted.
Because of the heat many baby animals will be falling right now. Please be kind and thoughtful in how you approach any situation. Their lives will depend on how you responsibly respond to the situation.
It is a myth that if you touch an animal or bird that the mother will abandon them. But it is always a very good idea to wear gloves when handling any form of wildlife.
(Copied from rescue board)
