Nerbal, the baby squirrel

Pics forthcoming.

Yesterday someone in our apartment noticed a couple of tiny pink animals on the ground. They had a shoebox and tissue and placed both animals inside. This morning the family (me, the missus, baby beez) took a look. One was dead, but the other was still alive.

Thus Nerbal. Right now, the baby is curled up inside a cut up towel on a heating pad getting a dropper full of whole milk.

Dunno if it'll last the day, but we will do our part.

Anyone else ever raise a squirrel?

www.orphanedwildlifecare.com...

Quick go to that link so your baby will survive!!!!!!!

Orphans that have been without their mother will be suffering from chill and dehydration. They must be thoroughly warmed first, and then, although they are starving, they must be given warmed rehydration solution before any milk formula is offered. Their dehydrated little body is simply unable to digest food (i.e. the milk solids in formula) and if given formula or other food before they are rehydrated it can kill them, or cause debilitating diarrhea. Pedialyte is a rehydration solution made for human babies, and is available in drug stores – it often comes fruit flavoured, but if you can find the unflavoured kind that is best for wildlife babies. It should be heated to body temperature and offered frequently: every 30 minutes to babies that will take only a small amount, or every 2 hours to those that take a larger amount. Feed only Pedialyte for the first several feedings – as much as the baby wants until it is rehydrated and producing lots of light yellow urine when you stimulate it. Stimulate it at each feeding using light feathery strokes.

In an emergency, a homemade rehydration solution can be made by mixing: ½ teaspoon salt + ½ tablespoon of sugar + 2 cups of water – warm slightly to dissolve sugar and salt. Use this homemade solution only until you can get to a drug store. Pedialyte is a balanced electrolyte solution, much better for the baby. Once Pedialyte is open refrigerate between feedings, and discard any unused portion after 72 hours. It can be frozen in an ice cube tray and the cubes stored in the freezer for use within a couple of months.

USE AN ORAL FEEDING SYRINGE NOT THE SMALL PET NURSING BOTTLES AVAILABLE AT PET STORES

You have to stimulate the baby to go to the bathroom. When I was bottle feeding kittens and had to do that, I just used a q tip soaked in warm water to stimulate the area.

There are so many important things to know and that link is awesome!!!

I so hope your little one makes it!!!!!!!!

For feeding, another idea.

"Readily Available Option: PetAg makes a puppy milk replacement formula called Esbilac, which should be available at local vet clinics or pet stores. Some stores might carry another type of puppy milk replacement formula that can be used if you can’t get Esbilac as long as it has the same ingredients as Esbilac. Do not be put off by the fact that it is called a puppy milk replacer as it can also be used for baby squirrels. Get the powdered product rather than the liquid, and keep it refrigerated after opening."

From same link.

Beeeeeeeeezer, where are you?????????? Are you seeing all this info? Don't want you to kill the poor little thing. Already, you gave it cows milk and shouldn't have, but hopefully he will be ok.

Originally posted by Night Star
Beeeeeeeeezer, where are you?????????? Are you seeing all this info? Don't want you to kill the poor little thing. Already, you gave it cows milk and shouldn't have, but hopefully he will be ok.

We have given it cows milk. Apologies. Running to the store for pedialite now.

It is critical that baby squirrels are stimulated to urinate at every feeding. They may be peeing a bit on their own, but this can simply be overflow from a distended bladder, and if they are not stimulated the bladder can rupture. Inside their nest they do not pee on their own, the mother squirrel licks away the urine and thus keeps the nest clean. To stimulate a baby squirrel hold it over a face cloth, and dip your finger, a Q-tip or tissue in warm water and then light feathery strokes over its genital area will cause the baby to urinate and/or defecate. On males stimulate the penis - a small nub about ½” above the anus; on females stimulate the little nub right near the anus. Once the squirrel starts to pee don't stop stroking until it is finished or it will stop without finishing emptying its bladder.

Very important!!!!!!!

Beez I'm worried about the baby squirrel. Can you tell?

Originally posted by beezzer

Originally posted by Night Star
Beeeeeeeeezer, where are you?????????? Are you seeing all this info? Don't want you to kill the poor little thing. Already, you gave it cows milk and shouldn't have, but hopefully he will be ok.

We have given it cows milk. Apologies. Running to the store for pedialite now.

Oh thank God! There you are!!!!!! Whew!!!!!!! I'll be leaving soon, but keep us posted. That link is all you should need to raise the baby. Good luck hun!!

Hi Beezer,

Please check out link below, a whole lot of good information for you :

www.squirrels.info...

Substitute Milk :

You will need:

full fat goats’ milk

full fat cows’ milk

live natural plain yogurt

Abidec toddler vitamin drops (or similar)

Method

- Using two thirds goats’ and one third cows’, make up approx ¼ pint.

- Add one teaspoon of yogurt.

- Add 2-3 drops of Abidec.

- Stir well and store in fridge.

- At each feed, pour a few teaspoons of the mixture into a small bowl and warm gently (We do this by putting small bowl into larger bowl with warm water in. Feed squirrel and discard any leftover milk.

- Squirrels do not like cold milk!

To store, cover and put it in the fridge. Only keep a batch for 24 hours.

Full fat milk is essential as it contains all the nutrients the squirrel needs.

Semi skimmed is temporarily acceptable but skimmed has no benefit to the squirrel. Remember you are trying to replace mother’s milk.

Vitamin drops are advisable, and can be easily purchased from chemists.

The recipe above is tried and tested by us to a good degree of success, but nature has taught us to be flexible. Some people use powdered formula milk, which we don’t approve of, with the possible exception of Esbilac, which is a reasonable substitute, although expensive

Be prepared to feed the little bugger every 2 hours for at least the 1st moth and a half (day AND Night!!!)

Reminds me of when i used to hand feed baby Saimiri monkeys...

You will find recipie for substitute milk in one of the PdF sheets

Kindest respects

Rodinus

reply to post by beezzer


Good luck! And good on ya for helping the squirrel!

Here's some additional info: don't mix the Pedialyte with formula,

Choice #1: Use fruit flavor Pedialyte, an infant rehydration fluid available to the public in drug and grocery stores. Pedialyte is designed to replace lost body fluids and electrolytes. DO NOT MIX PEDIALYTE WITH FORMULA.

more

Can't wait for the pics and good health report!

You beautiful people, restore my faith in humanity.

Save the Squirrels!

Squirrels are awesome.
1. Squirrels are kindly and will adopt orphaned squirrels if they are found.
2. There are millions of extra trees on the planet because squirrels sometimes forget where they bury their nuts.

Good on ya for looking after this one.

Live long and prosper Nerbal

Nerbal, blurry. Sorry.



Got the pedialite and a syringe. Pharmacist gave me a funny look.



My personal pedialite. . . . . . honey? I didn't mix the two up, did I?

Feeding with the Pedialyte.

Nerbal had a nice pee also.

The missus has taken a real liking to him.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Fingers crossed for the little fella beez

Don't forget what it's like to be a new dad.

Good on you all my friend for this act of kindness

Keep us posted mate

Cody

reply to post by beezzer


Oh my goodness!! Good luck to you. I had a pet squirrel only for a moment. He was a young one but he didnt look like that. He ran up my friends pants leg and climbed onto his shoulder. So we kept him. I was young and dumb and had no idea how to take care of him! He started chewing on wires and that scared me so bad!

My friends mom had kept squirrels before and she wanted me to bring him to her, so I did. She said he could stay in her barn which was out in the country and she would make sure he was taken care of. He stayed there for a long time and did very well and that made me happy...but then one day my friend told me that the lil guy was gone.

He reminded me a lot of a kitten. He would roll on his back and play with my hand just like a kitten. I really enjoyed him a lot. He would ride on my shoulder as I did things around the house. He was awesome.

So much good luck and good vibes being sent your way from me.
Peace and love to to the tiny guy nerbal

Very important!!!!!!! Beez I'm worried about the baby squirrel. Can you tell?

reply to post by Night Star


It's not as if anybody would notice Night Star

Bless your soul with all that's good and pure

Cody

Thanks everyone for the links.

Nerbal is @ 3 weeks old, has survived for 3 feedings (and 3 wee's). He has a home of soft blankets with a heating pad in a quiet area of our home. We have 2 cats which may provide some interesting times in the future, but will put that aside for now.

Just interested in the next 24 hours right now.