The Baby's Are Here! What You Can Do To Keep Them Safe

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

This sweet baby squirrel came to me alongs with his 2 tiny siblings, by a concerned citizen who found them scattered on the ground in a local park while walking her dog. Squirrel moms never abandon their babies, but they will often relocate them to another nest, or retrieve them if they fall.

When rehabbers like me get calls about 'orphaned' squirrels we ask the finders to first check to see if the babies are injured, as any injury requires immediate attention and proper care from a trained wildlife rehabilitator. If 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 the best outcome for the babies is to reunite the family.

But after waiting for over an an hour, with nightfall approaching and no sign of the mother, we decided it was time to intervene.

Two weeks later, eyes open and perfectly plump!

The first baby squirrel I ever held in my hands was what we call a pinky. Just a few days old, naked, blind, and with skin so thin it was almost transparent, I was terrified that my lack of skill would cause more harm than good. It probably would have without the guidance of my patient mentor, an experienced rehabilitator, who understood my trepidation and gently guided me through every small step.

I learned very quickly that rehabbing a baby squirrel, whether it is a pinky or a 3-week old like the little fellow in this post, requires practice, patience, and persistence. But it also requires the proper tools. Compassionate hearts and good intentions are not enough. Without knowing what to use, such as the right sized syringes and nipples (there are different kinds, different sizes, and some baby squirrels prefer one to the other) all the love in the world can't save these fragile lives and can actually place them at great risk. In fact, the most challenging cases for me have come from people who tried unsuccessfully to care for babies for a few days - good intentions that caused a lot of avoidable suffering. Life-threatening conditions such aspiration pneumonia, severe stomach ailments, and skin and parasite problems, all of which developed or worsened because these orphaned babies did not receive the immediate and proper medical care they so desperately needed.

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 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.

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.

Safe and sound, bellies full, they sleep in total contentment!

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

Be the hero, of course!

As so many of the rescuers tell me over and over again, it brings them great joy to know that they were able to save the lives of the animals whose paths they cross. They cannot explain why, only to say that the bond they felt, the moment they placed these vulnerable lives in their hands for the first time is something they ill never forget. The simple actions below will be the difference between between life and death for these tiny creatures.

Step 1: Check to see If the baby is injured or cold the mother will not retrieve it. Follow steps bulleted steps below:

• Rescue the baby, place it in a box lined with something soft and dry - sweatshirt material is a good choice but whatever soft and warm cloth you have will do.

• Call a rehabber right away. No food, no water. 

• Handle the baby as little as possible. Make sure it is warm and dry and let the baby sleep. The rehabber will ask you questions and guide your next steps

Step 2: If the baby does not seem injured (no blood on its face, head is not swollen, has no trouble moving) and its body is not cold, watch to see if the mother is nearby and wait as long as possible - an hour if possible. If the mother does not show up, or if you feel the baby is in imminent danger (pinkies are very vulnerable to heat and cannot regulate their body temperature) take the baby home and call a wildlife rehabilitator right away.

1. Keep it warm and dry. Handle the baby as little as possible and call a rehabber right away. The rehabber will ask you questions and guide your next steps.

2. If you have to keep the baby overnight and it seems healthy to you in the morning you can try once again to reunite it with its mama. But first check with your rehabber for proper guidance. Mother squirrels look for their babies for days, as they have spent a lot of time and energy throughout their pregnancy preparing for the arrival of their infants. They are filled with nourishing milk, and their maternal instinct and biological need to nurse is very strong. Your human scent on the baby is not a problem.

3. If she does not show up and you have waited long enough, retrieve the baby again.  The baby will now be in danger of dehydration. Dehydration can be deadly, so it is very important to get the baby to a rehabilitator right away!

4. Remember, no food, no water!

Note: As far as diseases go, just wash your hands and you will be fine. While it is always a good idea to wear protective gloves when handling wildlife, squirrel babies do not yet have teeth, (or they are just growing in) and their little claws are not yet sharp enough to scratch. Rabies is not a concern