Has it ever dawned on you what coming across a helpless baby squirrel in your garden feels like? Perhaps you have already given thought to the impression, and it just made you more jumbled, which is an excellent place to start!
If that’s the case, I will tell you explicitly what to do with baby squirrels. Therefore, this article is tailored to enlighten you on comprehensive measures you can undertake upon an unprecedented encounter with a baby squirrel.
Tag along to get informed.
Contents
What To Do with Baby Squirrels?
Well, there are many scenarios in which you may have a chance to meet with a baby squirrel in your yard.
It could result from a fallen tree containing nests; a careless baby squirrel fell from a nest, or a nest housing a baby squirrel fell from a tree.
At this point, your knowledge of how to handle these little critters will determine their survival. It’s your onus to save a life, champ!
Here is how you go about it; the first thing is to determine the health condition of the baby squirrel by looking for signs of injury.
Thus, if the baby squirrel appears to be in good form, allow the mother to retrieve its baby by leaving it on the same spot.
However, if the little animal is injured, you can temporarily take care of it as you seek assistance from the nearest wildlife rehabilitator.
Determine Baby Squirrel’s Situation to See If You Need to Intervene
Sometimes, you may be touring your garden and find a lonely baby squirrel that needs your assistance. Some of the instances that may need you to rescue a baby squirrel are if;
- There is proof of injury, such as a broken limb.
- The little animal is quivering as a result of cold or fear.
- The mother has not retrieved the baby squirrel.
Similarly, some cases may not need human sympathy; hence, salvaging the baby squirrel is unnecessary. They include if;
- The baby squirrel appears warm and healthy.
- The mother is likely to retrieve the baby.
Help The Baby Squirrel Reunite with Its Mother
The survival of a baby squirrel is enormously dependent on the presence of the mother. Therefore, it is only under the care of its mother that a baby squirrel can receive proper care and treatment.
What can be done to reunite baby squirrels with their mother? When attempting to reunite a baby squirrel with the mother, it is imperative to do it correctly.
Create an environment that is safe for the baby squirrels and convenient for the mother squirrel to retrieve the baby if it’s going to come for it. Below are the head starts.
- Keep other animals away from baby squirrels
Naturally, baby squirrels are susceptible to attack from other animals posing as predators such as snakes and cats since they cannot do anything independently.
Therefore, ensuring that the baby squirrel is in a haven before being reclaimed by the mother is crucial.
For instance, if you found the baby lying on the ground, you can place it in a box lined with clothes and provide a heat source for them if they look cold. Leave it on the same spot for a reunion with the mother.
- You also should leave there and monitor from afar
After ensuring the baby is safe, you can move away from the sight while monitoring the reunion attempt from a safe distance to avoid scaring the mother when it comes for the baby.
Mom Didn’t Come Back, Take Temporary Care
Suppose the nonchalant mother didn’t come for the baby, then what? Or probably we should give her more time?
But again, how do we tell that the mother will not come back? Huh! Exciting lines of questions that definitely need to be answered.
Typically, you should give the mother a time frame of 2-8 hours to come for the baby. If she doesn’t show up within the interval, the chances are that she won’t ever avail.
Conversely, if you found the baby in the evening, the mother will not come for it as squirrels are barely active at night.
Baby squirrels cannot survive on their own since they cannot protect themselves from predators or search for food. They will definitely succumb through starvation or getting killed and feasted on by a predator.
Most state laws prevent individuals or rehabilitators from fostering abandoned squirrels and only provide an avenue for temporary care.
For instance, The Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019 was passed to inhibit foster care and promote reuniting infant squirrels with their mothers.
For an in-depth insight on how to care for baby squirrels, be sure to check out this article: How to Care for Baby Squirrels: Everything You Need To Know
Wrapping Up
Squirrels are very adorable and charming, and having an opportunity to care for one, particularly a young squirrel, can appear a sense of achievement for a squirrel lover.
However, these animals have the best chances of survival under the care of their mothers. So, they should be reunited with their parents.
Also, it is vital to understand the measures you need to take to ensure that the little animal survives before the mother or a wildlife rehabilitator can retrieve it.
