The other day M. brought me a baby squirrel, with an injured finger. He said 'you have to keep it warm or it'll die,' and took off. Actually he did tell me some of how he came to have it, but I didn't remember all he said. I was focused on how to take care of the first squirrel I'd been closer to than 6 feet.
Some ladies on a Yahoo group I recently joined, had been talking about A's squirrel so the first thing I did, with Doodle in one hand and typing with the other, was go on the group and ask for help. I'd never knowingly met anyone who had a squirrel before, so I was really glad I'd read their posts. A. called me and told me some stuff and I looked on line... I put a hot water bottle and towel and Doodle in a box and ran off to CVS for Pedialyte and a syringe, and WalMart for kitten milk, Fed the little guy a few times with Pedialyte and spent the time between feedings looking online. It was 10:00 pm by the time I found the wildlife rehabilitation lady in the next county, but she was up and took my call. She assured me the kitten milk would be fine and agreed to meet me at 11 the next day at her work. So I went to feeding him the formula, diluted more than you would for a kitten. He was so adorable, drinking from the syringe, holding it like a baby holds a bottle. I wish I could have gotten a picture, but both my hands were quite occupied. And at 11, I was at Julie's with a basket of squirrel.
I hadn't had much success with helping him to potty (they need the equivalent of the licking/grooming their moms would do) but the rehab lady did fine, so I believe Doodle will be OK. She promised pictures as he grows.
So where did M get an injured squirrel? He works at a lumber place. Loggers cut trees, load the logs on trucks, and bring them there. M. cut into one of the logs and found Doodle in there. With his saw! Which cut one of Doodle's little fingers. Poor little guy, with his eyes not even open yet and no squirrel family around, scrambling to get away! So M. scooped him up and brought him to me.
He says there have been quite a few squirrels - and snakes, too - in the logs they bring in to saw into lumber. He's tried to save them. Some didn't make it, some did. He was really happy to hear that Doodle was one who did.
It turns out that not only my new friends online have raised squirrels, but quite a number of other people I know had also done so.
Note: they aren't pets, they do chew, and if at all possible rescued squirrels need to be returned to their free and wild life. Kinda like RV'ers. I don't do well in captivity either.
Some ladies on a Yahoo group I recently joined, had been talking about A's squirrel so the first thing I did, with Doodle in one hand and typing with the other, was go on the group and ask for help. I'd never knowingly met anyone who had a squirrel before, so I was really glad I'd read their posts. A. called me and told me some stuff and I looked on line... I put a hot water bottle and towel and Doodle in a box and ran off to CVS for Pedialyte and a syringe, and WalMart for kitten milk, Fed the little guy a few times with Pedialyte and spent the time between feedings looking online. It was 10:00 pm by the time I found the wildlife rehabilitation lady in the next county, but she was up and took my call. She assured me the kitten milk would be fine and agreed to meet me at 11 the next day at her work. So I went to feeding him the formula, diluted more than you would for a kitten. He was so adorable, drinking from the syringe, holding it like a baby holds a bottle. I wish I could have gotten a picture, but both my hands were quite occupied. And at 11, I was at Julie's with a basket of squirrel. 
I hadn't had much success with helping him to potty (they need the equivalent of the licking/grooming their moms would do) but the rehab lady did fine, so I believe Doodle will be OK. She promised pictures as he grows.
So where did M get an injured squirrel? He works at a lumber place. Loggers cut trees, load the logs on trucks, and bring them there. M. cut into one of the logs and found Doodle in there. With his saw! Which cut one of Doodle's little fingers. Poor little guy, with his eyes not even open yet and no squirrel family around, scrambling to get away! So M. scooped him up and brought him to me.
He says there have been quite a few squirrels - and snakes, too - in the logs they bring in to saw into lumber. He's tried to save them. Some didn't make it, some did. He was really happy to hear that Doodle was one who did.
It turns out that not only my new friends online have raised squirrels, but quite a number of other people I know had also done so.
Note: they aren't pets, they do chew, and if at all possible rescued squirrels need to be returned to their free and wild life. Kinda like RV'ers. I don't do well in captivity either.
Oh thanks for pointing me here Jane! great fun ... I'll read who you are ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't do well in captivity either...
Doodle is adorable!
Dave from Florida here. I actually have helped raise a baby squirrel years ago when I was married. We had an old 2 story cage he lived in but when we were home we would let him out. Sometimes he would hang out on top of the cage and then jump on whoever was walking by. It was kinda cool but you couldn't let him stay on you long unless you were wearing a think sweater because he would run in circles around you like they do on a tree and his claws were sharp! He was very friendly and liked to hang out with people. We never tried to house train him so we did find little "surprises" from time to time. We had him for about 6 months until he got sick and bit my mother in law. Turns out he ate a pencil eraser and that's what made him sick. She was an old backwoods woman so, as a precaution, she cut his head off and took it to the local health department to see if it had rabies. I'm not sure if I had to do it again I would keep it. It was going to be only a matter of time before it got into something that would kill it. To much stuff in a house to eat. I wouldn't say he was ever really domesticated.
ReplyDeleteOh he is so cute. I'm glad you were able to find a rehab place for him. I'm finally finding some time for blog reading!
ReplyDelete