Baby Squirrel Love and the Joy of Rescue

Two weeks after rescue, eyes open and perfectly plump!

The first baby squirrel I ever held in my hands was a furless, blind, one-day old, with pink, paper-thin, translucent skin, its only defense against the harsh outside world. Yet this most vulnerable little creature, barely recognizable as a squirrel, moved its tiny hands and limbs, seeking the warmth, safety and perfect nourishment that only her mother could provide. Then she began to whimper.

It is a sound that pulls at the heart. Frantic that my lack of skill would cause more harm than good, I called my mentor, knowing that with her calm voice and years of experience she would gently guide me through every small step.

I learned very quickly that rehabbing a baby squirrel, whether it is a newborn pinky or a 3-week old, requires practice, patience, and persistence. Just when you think you have it down and tell yourself "I've got this" something unexpected happens: The baby won't eat, she is not pooping, her tummy is bloated. And those are the mild problems. Which is why we tell those who seek advice about what to do, "bring the baby to me." Compassionate hearts and good intentions are beautiful things - but when it comes to wildlife rescue, good intentions without knowing what to use, how to diagnose illness, or even something as simple as how to warm a baby, can end up with deadly consequences. In fact, some of the most challenging cases for rehabbers, including myself, are a result of good intentions that led to life-threatening conditions like aspiration pneumonia, caused by improper feeding which causes the babies to inhale the formula into the lungs, or other issues that were not diagnosed and worsened because the babies did not receive the immediate and medical care they so desperately needed.

When rehabbers like me get calls about 'orphaned' squirrels we have to ask the finders a lot of questions before figuring out the next steps. Are the babies injured or bleeding? Do you see any fleas? Are their eyes open? Doe they have fur or are they newborn? Do you see a nest? Any injury requires immediate attention and proper care from a trained wildlife rehabilitator. But they are not injured, we ask people to wait nearby as long as possible to see if the mom returns to fetch her little kits (yes, baby squirrels are known as kits or kittens) as mother squirrels do not abandon their young and the best outcome for the babies is to reunite the family. Squirrel moms never abandon their babies, but they will often relocate them to another nest, or retrieve them if they fall.

Baby squirrels do not open their eyes until five weeks of age. This little one, sound asleep in the palm of my hand, was only three weeks old.

The sweet baby in the picture to the right came to me along with his two tiny siblings, after they were found, scattered on the ground by the base of a tree, by a concerned citizen while walking her dog. After waiting for over am hour, with nightfall approaching and no sign of the mother, we decided it was time to intervene. She wrapped the babies in a napkin, place them safely in her bag, dropped off her doge, and got on the subway to bring them to me for care.

Hero's for Wildlife...It Starts With You

Saving wildlife is possibly the most rewarding thing I have ever done. But it truly takes a village and it starts with you! I often tell the rescuers who call me that they were heroes that day, because it was they, not I, who saved that life. They were the eyes and ears and hands that took the time out of their busy lives to stop and help a vulnerable little being in need. It is because of wildlife heros like you, your compassion, your concern, and your agency, that enables us to do the work we do. Together, we are their voices, and together, we can make a difference for each individual life that we take the time to notice.

Two of the three siblings curled up atop one other, sound asleep after an evening feeding, bellies full and totally content.

As for the three little musketeers that came to me that day, they were released at the ripe young age of 16 weeks. After acclimating to their new surroundings, they boldly leapt from the safety of their pre-release cage into the surrounding forested area with an abundance of food, and plenty of space for them to live, play and live out the rest of their very squirrely lives.

So what should you do if you find an injured or orphaned baby squirrel?

Be the hero, of course!