What should I do if I find an orphaned baby squirrel?

You’re out for a while, bright spring day you look down on all the ground you see a little squiggly thing. It’s a baby squirrel. You most likely the little fell has fallen out of his Nest. If you want to help the baby, first tried to spot the nest and see if you can reunite him with his mother. If that’s not possible, you should call it an animal rehabilitator who will take the baby, raise it for 6 to 8 weeks, and properly release it into the wild. If you decide to take care of the youngster yourself, there are some things you should know. Many states have laws in place making it illegal to keep wild life for more than 48 hours without a permit. As soon as possible get the baby squirrel to a warm place.



A small box with a cloth laid in the bottom works well. Make sure the cloth doesn’t have loops like a towel, because their little claws will get stuck in those. Any squirrels become the hydrated easily check him out if he looks wrinkly, or has sunken eyes, he needs to hydrate. Pedialite water is the perfect thing to give him. You can feed him with a needleless syringe, but make sure he’s warmed before you try to give him anything. Baby squirrels will not be able to process food or liquids if they are cold. If it is a “pinky “, this is a squirrel under three weeks old. Be careful handling it or giving it anything to eat or drink.

Once the kit is warm and hydrated you can feed it puppy or kitten formula, goat milk, infant formula, or in a pinch, cow’s milk. As soon as their eyes are open, they should be old enough to eat baby food, bits of fruit, and pieces of nuts. At about 12 weeks they are ready to go out on their own. Relocating a squirrel is risky business because they are so territorial. If you plan on releasing it into the wild, you should seek an expert’s advice. Remember that a squirrel is a wild animal, and it’s never a good idea to try to keep a wild animal as a pet.

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