Squirrel Care
Squirrel Care
Baby squirrel care
Adult squirrel care
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Found a baby squirrel?
The Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019 means that it's no longer possible for wildlife rehabilitators to rehabilitate and release grey squirrels. However, rescue centres are permitted to take in and rehabilitate grey squirrels for up to 6 weeks without a licence or permit to keep, whereas rescue centres with a licence to keep can take in and rehabilitate grey squirrels indefinitely (depending on available spaces).
For the best chance of survival, it's best to reintroduce baby squirrels to their mothers.
Fortunately, even in cases where their drey [nest] and tree have been destroyed, female squirrels will collect and relocate their babies to an alternate nest site.
The best thing to do is to keep the baby squirrel where you found it, keep pets away, watch from a distance so you can intervene should a predator approach the baby squirrel. Please follow these tips:
Check the area for any other siblings which may also need assistance.
If it is the hours of darkness, go to the section 'Unable to reunite the baby squirrel with its mother?' section underneath.
The baby should cry which will encourage the mother to collect her infant. You can also play baby squirrel baby distress cries (you can find some on YouTube), whilst placing your mobile phone in the box with the baby squirrel.
If a baby squirrel or their drey [nest] has fallen to the ground, put them back in the tree for the mother to collect. The safest way to do this is to use a basket or pot you can put the nest in and hang or place in the tree.
If the drey hasn't fallen with the squirrel, you can find leaves and small twigs to keep in the basket with the squirrels. Using a basket and securely placing it in the tree will be the best way to protect the baby squirrels from predators.
Don't give a baby squirrel food or water, as this can do more harm than good.
If the baby squirrels are cold to the touch, first warm them up in your hands before carrying out the steps above.
If the baby squirrels are injured, emancipated (all skin and bones), or covered in flies or maggots, abort the steps above and go to the steps below.
Unable to reunite the baby squirrel with its mother?
If the parents don't return after a few hours then they are unlikely to return for the baby squirrel.
If the baby squirrel is cold, gently warm up in your hands, and place the baby squirrel into a secure metal or plastic pet carrier with ventilation holes, lined with a a soft blanket (the baby squirrel may catch its nails on the hooks of towels or flannels, which could cause injury such as a fractured limb; these are best avoided).
If you take the baby squirrel to a vet it is likely they will euthanise the squirrel. We therefore advise you not to take grey squirrels to the vet, unless their injury appears such that they require euthanasia, although first try and ascertain this with a grey squirrel centre or general rescue centre.
We would advise that you contact grey squirrel rescue centres. Next should be rescue centres and animal hospitals. Vets will likely kill by putting the grey squirrel to sleep.
However, Natural England has confirmed to Grey Squirrel Protection UK in writing that any member of the public ("the finder") who finds an injured grey squirrel, may take it to a vet for treatment (the vet can charge for some treatments), and that after treatment the vet can return the grey squirrel back to the unlicensed finder. Vets are not breaking the law by doing so! The onus is on the finder to find a licensed facility/rescue centre for the grey squirrel, which is not an immediate onus, hence why it is legal for a vet to return a grey squirrel back to any unlicensed finder after treating it. Many vets have been misinformed, and incorrectly believe than they can (legally) only treat grey squirrels if brought in by a licensed individual. This is not the case. Both licensed and unlicensed individuals can bring grey squirrels to a vet for treatment.
Taking the baby squirrel home*
There may be instances when it is impractical or impossible to immediately contact a grey squirrel centre, rescue centre, animal hospital or vet. You could be out of mobile phone battery or the situation could be critical. If this is the case then you may be required to take the grey squirrel home, to administer lifesaving first aid, before you focus your attention on finding a placement for the squirrel.
Natural England has since confirmed that you are allowed to take an injured grey squirrel/s home (WITHOUT A LICENCE OR PERMIT) to administer necessary care, and "possess" the grey squirrel/s, until a rescue centre or licenced facility has reopened (one that will not euthanise).
*However, we would strongly recommend to first try to find a rescue centre or licensed facility to care for the squirrel, as it requires a lot of expertise, and is fairly easy to inadvertently kill the baby squirrel*
If the baby squirrel is cold, gently warm up in your hands, and place the baby squirrel into a secure metal or plastic pet carrier with ventilation holes, lined with a a soft blanket (the baby squirrel may catch its nails on the hooks of towels or flannels, which could cause injury such as a fractured limb; these are best avoided).
Weigh the baby squirrel. If the baby weights 50g (1.76oz), you divide 50 by 100, which equals 0.5. You then times 0.5 by 5, which equals 2.5. This number (2.5) is the millilitres (ml) the squirrel needs for rehydration and feeding.
Take the baby and gently pinch the back of its neck. If the skin takes several seconds to spring back into place then it is likely extremely dehydrated. In any event most baby squirrels require rehydration.
Never feed a squirrel until it has been properly rehydrated. Always wait a few hours after rehydrating the squirrel before attempting to feed it, as this could be lethal. Make sure the baby squirrel is warm. Never attempt to rehydrate or feed baby when its cold. Now the baby squirrel is warm, it needs rehydrating. From the example above, the 50g squirrel requires 2.5ml of fluids.
Mix 1 sachet of Dioralyte (US: Pedialyte) Natural flavour into 200ml of water. Take three 1ml syringes. Fill up 2 and a half syringes with Dioralyte. Attach caps to the ends of the syringes. Fill up a glass of fairly warm water and places the syringes face down. The contents of the syringes should warm up quickly. Once they are around 38oC (100oF), it is time to rehydrate the baby squirrel. If the baby is a newborn, without fur and eyes still closed, you may need to use a very small and narrow tipped paint brush to rehydrate (and feed) the baby, dipping the end of the brush into the pre-measured out liquid, keeping the liquid at body temperature on a 'liquid warmer pad'.
Hold the baby squirrel upwards but slanted forwards (on its back is dangerous as fluids can enter its lungs which is fatal). Feeding too fast can cause aspiration pneumonia (fluid entering the lungs), which is fatal and for which urgent antibiotics are required. Drop by drop feed baby the rehydration fluids with the teat attached to the end of the syringe (the circular disc type teats prevent the squirrel from sucking the teat into its mouth and chocking). A dab of honey on the end of the syringe can encourage the baby squirrel to drink, and give it some glucose if it is weak. If the baby squirrel does not take much rehydration fluids, do not panic. Try again 15 and 30 minutes later. The baby may not take 2.5ml in one sitting. That's fine.
After each session of fluids or feeding, the baby will need you to help it toilet. Using either your finger or the tip of a cotton bud dipped in warm water, gently perform circular motions around its genitalia and bottom.You can try different speeds and motions to see what works best. The baby should start urinating and defecating. Always perform after each feeding or fluids. If you do not the bladder or bowel could rupture, causing a painful death to the baby squirrel.
After each feeding, place the baby squirrel into its small plastic container, with fleece or cotton-like bedding (do not use flannel or a towel, as the mall hooks can catch the baby's nail and put it at risk of a limb fracture). Place the container on a heat pad (one that never shuts off) so that it runs constantly at around body temperature (38oC (100oF). Baby squirrels cannot regulate their own temperature and will die without this external heat source. Only half the container should be placed on top of the heat pad, so that baby can choose how much heat it needs by crawling to/away from the heat source. The heat pad must not be inside the container. Never use heat lamps, radiators or reptile lamps to heat a baby squirrel.
You will need to wait an hour or two after the first rehydration. Gently pinch the back of the baby's neck to check if it's still dehydrated. If it is, repeat the above and wait 2 hours before feeding.
When it is time for feeding, mix 1 part Royal Canin Babydog Milk with 2.5 parts water, making sure the water is at 80oC (176oF). Ignore the instructions on the label as these are written for a puppy and not a squirrel. Ensure baby is fed when the milk is at around 38oC (100oF).
The milk must be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for a maximum of a couple of days. Never reheat the entire contents of the sealed container for each feeding, as it'll spoil and lose essential nutrients. Instead, use the syringes to suck up the amount of milk needed dependant on baby's body weight, then place the syringes facing down in a cup of warm water, until they reach body temperature (38oC/100oF).
Hold the baby squirrel and apply the correct number of drops or caplets from the Xeno 50 to the back of the neck, watching and counting as each drop comes out. Do a practice run of squeezing the caplet first onto some tissue, as too much flea treatment can kill. All baby squirrels will need this treatment, as they will carry fleas and parasites, as do all wild animals.
If a squirrel has been attacked by a cat or a dog, even if it is a scratch, it will likely need antibiotics, as even stratches can be lethal to a squirrel due to he bacteria cats and dogs carry. A squirrel centre, rescue centre, animal hospital or vet, should be able to advise you on this. An example of one such antibiotic is Synulox 50mg tablets, which can be ground to a powder and mixed with water. A 1kg (2.20lbs) squirrel requires 12.5mg of Synulox per dose, with each dose 12 hours apart.
Found an adult squirrel?
*The following advice is for rescue centres and licenced facilities*
If you have found a young squirrel with its eyes open, the above applies in terms of weighing the squirrel, rehydration, feeding and on.
However, an adult squirrel does not require a heat pad, unless injured or malnourished, and does not require help with toileting. Please note the following with regard to an adult squirrel:
A metal carrier is essential for an adult squirrel, as it can very quickly bite through plastic and escape. The MDC cat carrier is proven to prevent any adult squirrel escape. These carriers are vital for transporting the grey squirrel.
Adult squirrels no longer taking Royal Canin Babydog Milk require Zocal-D. This is because without natural sunlight the suirrel cannot produce vitamin D3 and calcium, so requires suppliments. Natural sunlight (UvB) cannot penetrate glass. Without this supplement captive squirrels are prone to metabolic bone disease, which is a slow and painful death, resulting in many bone fractures. It can be easilly prevented with Zocal-D. Add 2.5ml of Zocal-D per 50ml of water. Place this mixed together in a dish for the squirrel to drink at will. The dish should be replaced every day or two. Do not give the squirrel more than the stated dose of Zocal-D as this can be toxic to the squirrel.
Squirrels' teeth at this age are growing constantly and they need to be kept trim. Providing deer antler will allow the squirrel to gnaw on it, shaving down its teeth, whilst getting a calcium boost in the process. Fresh sticks, and thick branches are welcome too, as squirrels like to gnaw on these too. Check that those do not contain fungi and mould.
An adult squirrel may require rehydration fluids too. Mix 1 sachet of Dioralyte (US: Pedialyte) Natural flavour into 200ml of water (blackcurrant flavour if you cannot find natural flavour). Take three 1ml syringes. Fill up 2 and a half syringes with Dioralyte. Attach caps to the ends of the syringes. Fill up a glass of fairly warm water and place the syringes face down. The contents of the syringes should warm up quickly. Once they are around 38oC (100oF), it is time to rehydrate the baby squirrel.
Apply the correct number of drops or caplets from the Xeno 50 to the back of the neck of the adult squirrel, watching and counting as each drop comes out. For adults, you can just squirt out the entire contents of each capsule of flea treatment, then count the remaining drops. Too much flea treatment can kill. All adult squirrels will need this treatment, as they will carry fleas and parasites, as do all wild animals.
The vast majority of organisations are informing the public that grey squirrels cannot be released if they are trapped, and that they must be killed. This is false. If the squirrel is trapped (for example, in a bird feeder, on your property, or in netting in a park), free it. The law still permits freeing grey squirrels and releasing them where they were found. www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/squirrels/injured
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