Squirrels |
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If you find a baby squirrel on the ground it may have fallen from its nest or have been blown out of a tree during a recent storm with heavy winds. There may also have been some kind of threat in the vicinity which frightened the mother away. If the baby is cold to the touch, it has been separated from its parents too long and needs immediate help from a professional. If the baby is warm but lacks fur or is too young to walk well, place the baby in a small, open box that has been lined with dryer-warmed, non-stringy bedding. If the presence of a squirrel's nest--a large irregular bunch of packed leaves in a treetop--suggests the tree from which the baby may have fallen, try to place the box securely in the branches. Otherwise, put the box at the base of a tree close to the area where you dicovered the baby. Parent squirrels will reclaim babies even though it may take a few hours. The mother may not miss the baby until the time of its next feeding or until she hears it crying. Sometimes gently handling the baby will cause it to cry and possibly attract the mother's attention. Remember, human scent will not cause the mother to reject her young. Abandonment can occur, however, if your presence frightens the mother and discourages her from returning to the vicinity. Do what you need to do quickly, place the baby in the mother's way, then keep your distance. Again, if the mother does not return in one to two hours, follow FWC's general emergency instructions until you can get the baby to a wildlife rehabilitator. |
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