Screaming Squirrels Day 13

I've lived in my building 3 and a half years. I've never woken up before to such loud racket. It sounded like the velociraptors from Jurassic Park were throwing a block party at 7 AM.

After checking on Theodore and Polar Bear (both asleep), I stumbled outside to find our superintendent trying to persuade two healthy, screaming squirrels away from the back doors and to the trees.

"Loud, crazy squirrels," he yelled to me, leaning on his broom.

Yes, I agreed, uncomfortably aware that I was concealing a smaller, quieter one inside the building. What a weird coincidence!

He asked me what I thought and I told him they were adolescents who likely wandered out of their drey to explore. Their mother would come back and collect them if we could just be patient.

"Oh, I thought they were sick," he said, and we spent the next few minutes watching them and marveling at their fat, awkward bodies. They were nearly adult in appearance (I'm talking Polar Bear sized), but ridiculously helpless. I'd guess they were around 10 weeks old. They froze and screamed any time we came within three yards.

I had to leave, but eventually their busy mother did come back and escort them back up into the trees.

It is a lot quieter now.

I've never heard any noise like that come out of my squirrel. He is for the most part silent now. In our first week, he would quack quietly when he wanted milk, but now that he is on a set feeding schedule, he doesn't even do that. Could it be Polar Bear's silent-as-a-monk influence? Maybe he cries when I am away?

I don't know...

but those squirrels were loud and fat.

Would-be squirrel rescuers: You should wait several hours (if the baby is not in critical condition) before intervening when you come across a young squirrel. You can't assume they are orphaned. 

Sometimes they stumble or fall out of the nest while their mom is out. She will carry them back in when she returns. When they are nearly adult-size their mom takes them outside to train them in squirrel activities. 

You don't want one of those little guys screaming all day in your home. Put your pets inside and check back later. If the squirrel is healthy and not too cold, it's best to wait til dark.

The Art of Escape Day 10

Friday, Theodore broke out of his hamster cage.

My friend spotted him hanging out on one of my sculptures by the window. He looked so at ease there, I grabbed the camera.


I was both worried and proud that he figured out how to get the door open. Now I am locking the door at night with dog leash clips.

Last night they broke out again. I say they, because I have reason to believe it took both of them to push the cage to the edge of the tray it was sitting on.

 For now there is a book on top of the cage, while I work to prep the office room (a glorified walk-in closet) into a free range habitat.

Day 7 and 8

 The first week blew by so quickly. I am comparing pictures and it is clear that Theodore has grown considerably. His tail fur was short on Day 1 and now it is fluffing out like a bottle brush. He is starting to swing it around when he plays with Polar Bear.

Polar Bear is gaining weight eating all the shredded pecans. Theodore still can't figure out how to chew and swallow solids.

All in all, our squirrel is acting more like a house cat. He drinks milk, but sometimes pushes the bottle away, as though he no longer likes it. He mostly sleeps and grooms with the Bear.

Day 1. Theodore

This is Theodore. On September 11th, 2013 he crawled into my path. I had never seen a squirrel so small. To my surprise, he tried to climb my shoe while I restrained the dog I was walking.

If you find a baby squirrel, it is important to try and reunite it with its mother.

Theodore's mother could not be located. He was lethargic and dehydrated. I made the choice to intervene and set myself to the task of rehabilitating him. He was very trusting from the beginning.

With absolutely no knowledge of squirrels, my first objective was to keep him alive. I knew from rescuing other baby wildlife to look for bruises and check for dehydration (Gently pinch the skin between the shoulder blades. If the skin does not go right back into place when you release it, you have a dehydrated animal). I warmed his lightly furry body with my hands and rushed to the pet store for milk.

It was there I made my first two mistakes as a squirrel rescuer. I bought cat milk and the kitten baby bottles. Later, I learned through research that the cat milk is toxic and baby bottles can cause them to drown (see below for safe alternatives). No wonder he threw up after the first feeding! It took me three days to realize I was feeding him the wrong stuff.

I was able to keep Theodore alive, despite my initial mistakes. I credit this to determination and dumb luck. I kept hunting online for information, and found these websites:
 www.squirrelnutrition.com
 Squirrel baby feeding care
They may fight over who came up with the information and recipes, but they both had a hand in saving Theodore, so I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I will put a link to the scalded milk formula below.

By the end of day 1, I learned Theodore was roughly 5 weeks old. His tail was about the thickness of my thumb. He simply ate and slept. I carried him around in my microfiber bathrobe pocket, and eventually put him into a wooden tissue box stuffed with bedding.


 
Special Notes for squirrel rescuers:
It is much safer to get a syringe style feeder (available at Duane Reade and other drugstores) and put one of the kitten baby bottle nipples on the end of it. You can slowly feed them by pressing the plunger. Remember to pierce the nipple with a hot pin and not to feed them too much. You want them to have to suckle slowly, so as not to choke. ((FEEDING CHART)) 
When you are done feeding them, wipe their little faces clean.

If they are under six weeks you will need to gently rub them with a tissue or damp cotton swab to make them go potty.


Kitten and puppy milk formulas are both dangerous to squirrels DESPITE what wildlife rehabilitation centers are saying. They are toxic. The Esbilac formula has been altered recently and is NO LONGER safe. See here: http://www.ewildagain.org/Nutrition/Esbilac%20Manufacturing%20Changes.htm

 Scalded Milk Recipe  This is not only cheaper, but better.

So a quick squirrel review: 1) Keep the baby warm. 2) Feed the baby scalded milk in a syringe with a cat bottle nipple 3) Help the baby go potty. Those are things I wish I had known on Day 1.