I have done this five times in my life, and I am glad to say that 3 out of 5 have made it to the point where they could be released back into the wild. I am sorry to say 2 didn’t make it :( One of the ones that died had severe injuries with internal bleeding and the other died of pneumonia. Baby squirrels catch pneumonia very easily especially if you try to force feed them.
Here is the best advice I can give anyone trying to save a baby squirrel. Feed whole milk, with a little karo syrup and vitamin E (water soluable), scald the mixture on the stove. Never feed a cold baby, warm them up first with a heating pad. If you are feeding with a bottle make sure the hole in the nipple is very tiny like a pinhole. Or if you feed them from a dropper let them suck out the amount they can handle, don’t try to squeeze it out into their mouths. This will keep the formula from running down into their lungs. Feed every 4 hours or so for the first few weeks and let them drink until they are full. You will need to stimulate them to use the restroom afterwards – this is very important!
You have a great feeling of accomplishment when you see that squirrel scamper up the tree and out of your sight, and you know that you did your best to prepare them for this moment. It is a little sad when you see that they don’t need you any more – but that should be the outcome you were striving for because wild animals deserve to be free!
If anyone needs help raising an orphaned squirrel please contact me. I would love to help!
I found this website has a lot of great information:
