Many people like to take care of baby squirrels. However many people do not have a proper understanding of how to take care of baby squirrels. So we thought we’d ask a vet about it. This article is based on a discussion with veterinarian Kumudhu Bandara.
Many people come across newborn baby squirrels. That’s why those baby squirrels are so tiny. They have no hair follicles. A healthy baby squirrel has a bright pink color. Baby squirrels respond to things like sounds from outside by shaking their body a little. But if the color of the body is not bright pink but dark pink like black, then the baby squirrel is dehydrated. A baby squirrel can survive twenty-four hours without milk, but if it is dehydrated, it cannot survive for more than twenty-four hours. So, when these dehydrated baby squirrels are found, many people immediately milk them.
How to feed a newborn baby squirrel?
Do not give milk to a dehydrated baby squirrel. The reason for that is that milk can cause diarrhea and the baby squirrel may become more dehydrated. To prevent the baby squirrel from that risk, make a liquid mixture as mentioned below.
* A teaspoon of salt
* A teaspoon of sugar
* Two and a half cups of boiled water
After the heat of this mixture decreases, give 0.5 ml every two hours to the baby squirrel. For this, use a 1cc ie insulin syringe. Because sometimes a dehydrated baby squirrel may not suck. After about 12 hours, the color of the body should change from dark pink to bright pink. Then you can assume that the baby squirrel is out of danger of dehydration. If no such change occurs even after 12 hours, consult a qualified veterinarian.
How to give warmth to a newborn baby squirrel?
Another major cause of death of newborn squirrels is hypothermia due to lack of warmth. A newborn baby squirrel cannot regulate its body temperature in the first few days after birth. Therefore, it is mandatory to supply heat from outside. Another important point is not to give food or water to a baby squirrel that is cold. First, we should give warmth to the baby squirrel. For this, you can follow one or more of the following methods.
1. Wrap the baby squirrel’s body with a thick cloth so that only the head is exposed.
2. Place a heated electric heat pad at a safe distance from the baby squirrel. If you can’t find such a device, wrap a 40W yellow filament bulb with a cloth and place the baby squirrel next to it.
3. Keep the baby squirrel in a windproof box. But don’t forget to leave some holes in the box to allow air to pass through.
4. If the baby squirrel shrinks due to insufficient temperature, place a 40W yellow filament bulb above the box. The temperature inside the box should be at least 40 centigrade.
What type of milk should I give to a baby squirrel?
Many people give powdered milk we drink or the powdered milk of children to baby squirrels. But don’t give those milk powders to baby squirrels. Those artificial milk powders lack nutrition. The best thing to give baby squirrels is mother squirrel’s milk. Of course, it cannot be found. So you can give goat milk. You can buy it from supermarkets. Goat milk is suitable for newborn baby squirrels.
How should I give milk to a baby squirrel?
For the first 5 days, give 0.5 ml of goat milk every 2 hours. We sleep for 5 or 6 hours at night, so feed the baby squirrel at least twice during that time. Use a 1 ml syringe for this. While giving the goat’s milk, give it very slowly and little by little. Do not give too much milk at once. Because if we give too much milk and it enters the baby squirrel’s respiratory system, it can cause lung infections.
One more thing to say. Baby squirrels cannot pee and poop without external stimulation. Mother squirrel usually licks the belly to stimulate the baby squirrel. All we have to do is brush the baby squirrel from its belly to the bladder with our fingers after finishing milking. We must do this until the baby squirrel pee or poop. If this is not done, it may suffer from digestive problems and constipation due to the blockage. If the squirrel’s belly seems to be a little swollen, give 0.3 ml of gripe water three times a day.
After the baby squirrel is 10 days old, give 2 ml of goat milk every two hours. Give one milk meal at night. After 21 days of age, give 4 ml of goat milk every 3 hours. Give one meal of milk at night as before. When the baby squirrel is about 28 days old, hair follicles start growing on the body. Then give 6 ml of goat milk to the squirrel every 3 hours.
Feed the baby squirrel with solid food.
Within 30-35 days after birth, hair follicles grow all over the baby squirrel’s body. By this time, baby squirrels open their eyes. After opening the eyes, the baby squirrel must be fed solid food. Do not feed squirrels the same type of food every day. It causes metabolic bone disease, which is a common disease among squirrels. Squirrels affected by this disease lose control of their legs and die in three to four months. I will give more details about this disease in another article. Therefore, change the food given to squirrels regularly. The following types of food can be given to squirrels.
* Sunflower seeds
* Carrot
* Grapes
* Beans
* Maize
* Pumpkins
* Peanuts
* Cashews
* Leaves like Grona triflora
If the baby squirrel seems a little weak, give it a small amount of chicken feed. Do not feed squirrels food like yogurt and rice. They do not get the nutrition they need from such food. Also, give food that can be chewed well. Otherwise, if only soft food is given, the teeth of your squirrel can grow abnormally large.
