Unexpected Visitors Drop In

[pasithea]

The wind has brought not only a chill today but a pair of unexpected guests. Two young western grey squirrels.

Hoped their mom would show up and rescue them but we haven't seen her all day. After a couple of hours, they were getting cold and weak, so I went and got some puppy formula and a bottle and nested them in a towel on a potting heater pad.

One of them had a pretty bad bloody nose that wouldn't stop. He seemed pretty dazed and I was worried he was concussed but he seems to be doing better now. Still weak but he took the nipple and drank a fair bit and he wants to climb around so I think that's a good sign.

Called the native wildlife rescue and they gave me a couple other numbers to call. Sounds like I'll be able to take them to a place where they can be given better care soon. They're going to call me back. That will be good because it's difficult not to get attached to little squirrels. They're really really cute and make little churring sounds when you stroke them, which you shouldn't do because they shouldn't get hooked on human attention but they also really need attention. They're very affectionate creatures (when they're young like this at any rate)

Edit They're now safe and sound with the wildlife rehab person.

Comments

[frith]

In fact, stroking them is good for their cognitive development, as demonstrated with rats. Rats that receive more "mothering" during development become larger and are more outgoing than neglected rats. In wildlife rehabilitation, mothering needs to be tempered with limiting the number of caregivers to one person only. Too many caregivers tends to increase habituation in hand-raised wild animals. It's best to give the orphan the _same_ milk it will receive from the rehabilitator whenever possible.

[pasithea]

Yeah. I did stroke them gently for a while because it calmed them and made them willing to eat more. I didn't have squirrel milk available and research on the internet said that puppy formula was the best alternative. I finally got in touch with the rehab person around 7PM and she took them to where they can be better cared for.

She's going to give the one with the bloody nose some meds to reduce swelling and hopefully that will up his odds of survival. They were both a little dehydrated but will probably survive, I think.

[frith]

I only did deer, but I think squirrels are quite tough. I think your findlings will make it.