I recently found a baby squirrel near my front yard. The squirrel was obviously in pain and the stray dogs were trying to eat it. So, I took the squirrel home......gave it some fresh water to drink...fruits, nuts to eat....Since the squirrel was young and orphaned and in desparate need for help..I decided to raise the baby squirrel albeit for a temporary period.
Here are some of the tips used by me while raising a baby squirrel:
PS: I have safely released the squirrel back to the wild after caring/raising it for 2 months because Squirrels should not be kept in captivity ....they should not be locked in cages permanently .........I am really happy because the the feeling you get to help a baby squirrel and see it released back in the wild is wonderful. You know you did your part. :)
Care and Feeding:
Squirrels need to be provided with a variety of foods to make sure they are getting the proper nutrition. Good mixtures to feed your squirrel include vegetables (such as celery, carrots, green beans, and romaine lettuce), and many fruits (such as apples and bananas). You can also try insects and mealworms. Parrot food is another good choice since it has many seeds that squirrels like. Calcium is also very important, so you should include a calcium supplement for squirrels kept as pets. There are many types of tablets and powders available at pet stores that can be used.
Squirrels teeth grow constantly throughout their lives, and so you should make sure that they are provided with chewing material. Hard bark and large bones are good for this.
Make sure there is a constant supply of water for your squirrel. Put water in a heavy dish or in a water bottle attached to the side of the cage. Also make sure to thoroughly clean food and water dishes daily with hot water.
Habitat and housing:
It is best to try and imitate a woodland home for your squirrel. Purchase or build a cage that is a minimum of 3 cubic feet per squirrel. It is best to use a mesh wire cage, with a removable tray for easier cleaning.
Provide a nesting box (usually hung on the outside of the cage with an opening into the cage). To make your squirrel feel more at home, put twigs, leaves, grass, and bark on the bottom of the cage. This will give him a variety of materials to choose from when making his nest comfortable.
Provide your squirrel also with branches throughout the cage so he can get his exercise and feel more comfortable. To ensure the health of your pet, make sure to thoroughly clean the cage with hot water at least once a week.
Social Behaviors:
Depending on the type of squirrel, social behaviors vary. Red Squirrels are solitary creatures and prefer to live alone all year long, except when raising young. However, gray and flying squirrels are solitary during the summer, but will often stay together in large groups (of up to 24 squirrels) during the winter to keep warm. In general, squirrels should be kept away from other pets. They can often be hurt, or sometimes hurt other animals. They can however, become very affectionate to their owners and make great companions.
Handling and Training:
When handling your squirrel, make sure to support it's whole body, and don't don't just grab it by it's tail, as this could cause discomfort and/or injury.
Many squirrels can make great pets and are extremely affectionate. It is not unheard of for squirrels to actually learn to come when their names are called. The best "trick" is that of the Southern Flying Squirrels. Since they have a membrane between their fore and hind feet, they are able to actually glide for short periods. This allows them to learn to glide from high objects to their owners.
Activities - Exercise and Play: In the wild, squirrels get plenty of exercise scurrying up trees and leaping from branch to branch. It is therefore important to provide these opportunities in captivity to keep your squirrel healthy and happy. First, make sure to provide tree-like objects (such as large branches) in their cage. This will help give them exercise when they don't get out much. But a great thing to do is to let your squirrel roam free in designated rooms for short periods of time with supervision. This will give them lots of jumping and scurrying time, and will give flying squirrels the opportunity to glide.
Ailments/Treatments:
As with all animals, squirrels can become ill. But you can do your best to avoid this simply by taking good care of your pet. Make sure he gets proper nutrition and exercise. This will keep your squirrel in the best of conditions and reduce the chances of him getting sick.
Signs that indicate your squirrel may not be feeling well include: watery eyes, listless or lame attitude, abscesses, excessive scratching and biting the skin, unnatural feces, and underweight.
Since squirrels are an exotic animal, if it appears your pet is sick, then the best thing to do is to take him to a veterinarian.
Releasing back to the wild:
Now we need to talk about releasing the baby you have raised. Sometimes they are not releasable due to some injury or size of animal or their teeth. If you are in doubt please check with a rehabber or your vet.Never release a baby before it is 4 months old. They are too small and they have no sense. They are Predator bait as they have no experience out in the wild Usually their mom teaches them all this. The absence of their mother to teach them to be savvy in the wild clearly delays their development and diminishes their chances for survival in the wild. They do not have her to warn and teach them of danger,they do not have a nest and how will they learn their food is high in the trees. After all your hard work and care and expense, why would you put them out there before they are ready, just to become predator food? They have no sense of danger until after 4 months of age when at some point their instinct to be wary kicks in.. Never release in the winter. Do it in the spring or summer so they have time to adjust before cold weather sets in. be sure in the spring the trees are beginning to leaf out, providing them with a source of food and cover to avoid being a hawks lunch.When you release do it as a soft release, by that I mean allow the squirrel to come back to sleep and for food until it is ready to stay out on its own. Some type of outdoor shelter will allow it to do that. Make this shelter before you release the squirrel and allow the baby to get used to the outside. Make sure it is safe and predator proof and as large as you can afford. They also will need a sleeping house that is dry and warm placed in the shelter. Provide water and food for the squirrel. Leave the baby in here for at least 2 weeks to allow him to get used to all the sounds and smells and then open the door in the morning and let him out. Leave the door open so he can come and go and provide food and water as long as he wants it .Close the door at night after he returns so no predator can get in to hurt him.Be sure to let him out every morning. He will come back for a while until he is sure about the outside. Never just take the animal out in the woods and release him. If you cannot release him in your yard, please take him to a rehabber who will do it. They do this all the time and are experienced at it. Your squirrel will thank you.
Labels: baby., Pet, Squirrel