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Did you find a little orphaned squirrel? Have you asked people how to care for it and got the same answer? "Call your local wildlife fish and game services". Well I'm one of those people that will tell you otherwise!
Welcome to "Odd But Wonderful Pets #1-Guide and Chat Thread"! This thread of the OBWP (soon to be coming series) will be for squirrliest of creatures.
The Squirrel
Most(well not really) important thing to know is the age of the squirrel you have acquired. Here is a chart I found online that will help you with this problem.
Approximate Age 1 to 3 days old
Skin:
Pink hairless
Eyes:
Closed solid with no slips visible
Ears:
Sealed flat to the head
Weight:
Approximately 15 grams
One to Two week old squirrel
Skin:
Slight greyish fur beginning
Eyes:
Beginning to see actual slits
Ears:
Beginning to move away from head
Three to four week old
Skin:
Fur is thicker from head to tail
Eyes:
Eyes are developed. Eyeslits are showing signs of opening
Ears:
Appearing to be more normal looking
Teeth:
Lower incisors are emerging
Five Weeks Old
Skin:
Fully Furred
Eyes:
Opening
Teeth:
Upper incisors beginning to cut through at five weeks old
Movement and behavior:
Starting to nibble solid foods, at this age the squirrel will not comsume much solid food but the squirrel will be trying to eat it. Crawling movement and more active
Six to Seven Weeks Old
Hair:
Tail is becoming thicker and fuller
Eyes:
Fully opened and beginning to focus more clearly on objects. Will see signs of fright of different objects and exposure to humans.
Movement and behavior:
Walking and beginning to play, eating solids well but still needing formula.
Eight to ten weeks old
Movement and behavior:
Very Active, climbing, jumping, hanging from hind legs. Looks like a small adult squirrel, tail is becoming very bushy especially closer to ten weeks of age. At about ten weeks old the squirrel should be able to start cracking hard shelled nuts. Weaning of formula should be done by ten weeks of age, some squirrels will wean off starting at about eight weeks of age.
Eleven weeks to 18 weeks
Squirrels in rehab will now be in an outdoor large acclimating enclosure. At this age the squirrels look like adult squirrels though still imature from eleven to 14 weeks of age. In rehab they are ready for release at 18 weeks of age pending on health and maturity.
I hope this chart helped with the age issue. Now anyway, if you have an 11 week to 18 week, it can be released as soon as it is found, because in this case it does not need any care. But the young ages still need to be cared for.
My Very Squirrely Story
I found my squirrel right in my backyard, she was beginning to deteriorate. Skinny and small I fed her whole milk in a teaspoon to get her more active. She was about 6-7 weeks old so she still needed the milk. I always warmed the milk to at least body temperature if possible. She would always suck it right down at feeding time. We named her Snowflake, but we called her Snow(and no she was not an albino). She was very lovable and tame to my surprise, the only reason I found her was because she walked right up to me and I picked her up. I have her in a little box right now with a large space at the top for exit. She is heated with 250w heat lamp which works great. I fed her 3 times a day, right after each of my own meals(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner). After feeding she was sleepy but I tried to at least get her exercised after her meal by letting her crawl up my shirt and back. She would nibble my finger with her growing incisors, and lick extra milk off my hands. I especially adored her beautiful fluffy tail, I would pet her all the time and she would happily accept it. Sometimes she would grab my finger in her little paws and nibble my finger(which usually meant she was hungry). She is still tiny now.
Squirrels make excellent pets, but don't just get a squirrel to have one. And you can't buy a squirrel at the petshop, I'm sorry people but this is true. But this is no rush to action, and it definitely doesn't mean go raiding squirrel dreys(nests). I got my little Snow because she was off wandering on her own at too young a age and was starved. If you are not ready to take up a job as raising a squirrel if you do get a squirrel you can call wildlife rehabbers to help. But to care for a squirrel you will need a few things...
- A large ferret cage(this is for adult squirrels, if you have a baby do not use a tall cage, and if you have a bald baby, use an incubator to keep it warm)
- A nest box of some sort(a birdhouse will do for young squirrels)
- forget about a feed dish
- a water bottle for hamsters and rabbits can work but you'll have to teach it to use it
- either that you could use a water dish
Cages:
Tree squirrels need tall cages with room to climb around, the bigger, the taller, the better for adults. Baby squirrels need smaller cages so they don't fall and hurt themselves. Newborn babies should be in incubators. Ferret cages will do okay for adults. You want something at least 3' tall with shelves and ladders for adults. The one at right is from PetsMart and is $169 with everything in it. I think a squirrel would probably like more climbing room so you don't have to put all the shelves and ladders in. Tree squirrels can jump and climb better than ferrets. They even have some 70" tall cages. Tree squirrels like to be off the ground so be sure to elevate the cage on something sturdy. A cage can be on top of a bookshelf or cabinet and can go to the ceiling. One can drape fabric over the top and back. It keeps the wall clean and makes her feel more secure. One can also drape one over the front when it's bed time. One can put newspaper on the bottom of the cage and change it every other day. (see litter training below) Remember that squirrels are strong. Make sure the doors are a little tough for you to open or your squirrel will get out. Sometimes you need to bend the latches to make them tighter or use twisty ties. If you pick up Ferret magazine, they have some nice stock and custom cages in there also. If you don't take your squirrel out of the cage for exercise, you will need a much larger cage. Fish & Game regulation size for pre-release of tree squirrels is 4' x 6' x 6' tall. This is a great, cheap, fast place to get them. Check out walk-in aviaries. I have some photos of some below. http://www.californiacageworks.comFor permanent residents it's even larger so get the biggest cage you can afford. There are plans on the internet to make you own cages. Search flight cage, large walk-in bird cage. You basically just need six pieces of hardware cloth, wire and metal cutters to build a cage. California Cageworks above sells materials to make a cage.
Some people have large outdoor cages for their squirrels either as the main cage or extra cage. If you have a large pre-release type outdoor cage, be sure they have protection from the sun, rain and wind, and a nest box which can be purchased from wild bird house stores.
Nest box:
Squirrels like a nice safe place to sleep. Some squirrels like to be in a giant sized igloo but wood nest boxes are fine too, so is a small cardboard box with a hole in it. Petco sells parrot nest boxes for $10. Just make sure you get one with a big hole 2-2.5" diameter so they can get in it. You can also hang those nest boxes outdoor on a tree or post if they will eventually be released.
Bedding material:
Your squirrel needs something to sleep in. One can put two men's undershirts inside the nest box and she makes a nice cozy bed out of them. It's better not to use towels as they can get their claws stuck in the loops of thread. Fleece is very nice also. One can wash the t-shirts once a week. You can also use newspaper that you run through a shredder.
Hammocks:
They also like hammocks. Hang this from the ceiling of the cage. They like playing in them and sleeping there too. Make sure you get the ones with metal clips or they will chew through the plastic ones. They also like the ferret sleeves and pouches that hang the same way. One can wash the hammock once a week. You can also just use a washcloth to make your own hammock or any piece of material. They love fake fur and fleece.
Toys:
Squirrels like to play with toys. A small stuffed toy their size or smaller with do. Remember to take the eyes, nose...off so they don't chew and swallow them. Don't get the ones with beans inside, just natural stuffing. They make these especially for dogs, cats and ferrets so they're safer. Squirrels love to wrestle with their stuffed squirrel, throw him around, chew on his arms, do somersaults...The ones at right are ferret toys from Petco but I saw some fleece and sheepskin ones for dogs that looked very similar. They like those hanging parrot toys with wood and rawhide. They also like the natural wood bird perches that attach to the side of the cage or you can get some tree branches and wire them to the cage vertically and horizontally so they can climb and sit on them. I also just take a piece of fireplace wood, drill a hole through it and wire it to the cage.
Wheels:
Some squirrels like wheels, especially ground squirrels. Make sure you get the jumbo sized one that is tail safe. They can hurt their back from arching too much if it's too small. Be sure to bolt it firmly to the cage so it doesn't tip over if they swing on it. I haven't tried those plastic balls that they run inside on the floor. Others have told me their squirrels enjoy them.
Harness, leash, collar:
Someone wrote in and told me to be sure to include harnesses and leashes. Some people like to take their squirrels out for little walks or just around town. I also saw a ferret carrying bag that perhaps some squirrels might enjoy. Search Petco and Petsmart for ferret items.
Things to chew on:
Squirrels teeth grow 6 inches a year so they need things to chew on. Give them flavored wood chews made for rabbits, sterilized bone chew for rabbits, pieces of hard wood, sterilized deer antlers, sterilized cow hoofs, cuttlebone for birds (no need to put it on a holder, they have grape and orange flavors), corn cobs, pumice stone, whole nuts with shells and mineral blocks for small animals and birds. They also like to chew on fruit tree branches, pine tree branches and other branches.
Exercise:
Squirrels are awake and active for a few hours after sunrise and a few hours before sunset. They are resting or sleeping the rest of the time. During their awake hours they are very active. They need to run and climb. You can take them out for an hour a day and let them run around one room in your house. Make sure all electrical wires are covered and secured so they can't chew through them. Of course make sure they also can't escape and make sure your cat or dog won't eat them. You can have a tall cat tree that goes to the ceiling that they will love to climb and play on. Squirrels also love to climb the screen door. You can add heavy duty metal mesh to the screen door so she can climb it without ruining it. You can make your own cat trees with carpet, wood and sisal rope. There are free plans on the internet, search cat tree plan. You can even make them out of a small fallen natural tree. Just be sure to bolt it securely. I hear when they are very tame, they will climb all over you. Their claws on sharp. Some people trim them with cat nail clippers. I don't recommend this as they need their claws to climb. They also like to look out windows. Make sure the screens are secure and not rotten or they will get out. I suggest a perch next to a window so they can look out. You could just put a box or table under a window also. You don't want a bored or restless squirrel so make sure they have plenty of things to do. If they start pacing, rub on the cage a lot or try to get out all the time, they are bored and need fun things to do though they may do this the first few weeks of captivity. It's very important for their healthy survival that they have things to do.
Dishware:
You can get small stainless steel, thick ceramic or the super hard and tough plastic bowls. I find it neater if they clip to the cage bars. Squirrels are messy eaters and food will get everywhere no matter what. I also use a water bowl that attaches to the bars. You can find these in any small animal aisle at pet stores. You can use bird dishes as well. If your cage doesn't have a high pan you might want to have the newspaper go up three inches on the bottom sides so food doesn't end up all over your floor.
Welcome to "Odd But Wonderful Pets #1-Guide and Chat Thread"! This thread of the OBWP (soon to be coming series) will be for squirrliest of creatures.
The Squirrel
Most(well not really) important thing to know is the age of the squirrel you have acquired. Here is a chart I found online that will help you with this problem.
Approximate Age 1 to 3 days old
Skin:
Pink hairless
Eyes:
Closed solid with no slips visible
Ears:
Sealed flat to the head
Weight:
Approximately 15 grams
One to Two week old squirrel
Skin:
Slight greyish fur beginning
Eyes:
Beginning to see actual slits
Ears:
Beginning to move away from head
Three to four week old
Skin:
Fur is thicker from head to tail
Eyes:
Eyes are developed. Eyeslits are showing signs of opening
Ears:
Appearing to be more normal looking
Teeth:
Lower incisors are emerging
Five Weeks Old
Skin:
Fully Furred
Eyes:
Opening
Teeth:
Upper incisors beginning to cut through at five weeks old
Movement and behavior:
Starting to nibble solid foods, at this age the squirrel will not comsume much solid food but the squirrel will be trying to eat it. Crawling movement and more active
Six to Seven Weeks Old
Hair:
Tail is becoming thicker and fuller
Eyes:
Fully opened and beginning to focus more clearly on objects. Will see signs of fright of different objects and exposure to humans.
Movement and behavior:
Walking and beginning to play, eating solids well but still needing formula.
Eight to ten weeks old
Movement and behavior:
Very Active, climbing, jumping, hanging from hind legs. Looks like a small adult squirrel, tail is becoming very bushy especially closer to ten weeks of age. At about ten weeks old the squirrel should be able to start cracking hard shelled nuts. Weaning of formula should be done by ten weeks of age, some squirrels will wean off starting at about eight weeks of age.
Eleven weeks to 18 weeks
Squirrels in rehab will now be in an outdoor large acclimating enclosure. At this age the squirrels look like adult squirrels though still imature from eleven to 14 weeks of age. In rehab they are ready for release at 18 weeks of age pending on health and maturity.
I hope this chart helped with the age issue. Now anyway, if you have an 11 week to 18 week, it can be released as soon as it is found, because in this case it does not need any care. But the young ages still need to be cared for.
My Very Squirrely Story
I found my squirrel right in my backyard, she was beginning to deteriorate. Skinny and small I fed her whole milk in a teaspoon to get her more active. She was about 6-7 weeks old so she still needed the milk. I always warmed the milk to at least body temperature if possible. She would always suck it right down at feeding time. We named her Snowflake, but we called her Snow(and no she was not an albino). She was very lovable and tame to my surprise, the only reason I found her was because she walked right up to me and I picked her up. I have her in a little box right now with a large space at the top for exit. She is heated with 250w heat lamp which works great. I fed her 3 times a day, right after each of my own meals(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner). After feeding she was sleepy but I tried to at least get her exercised after her meal by letting her crawl up my shirt and back. She would nibble my finger with her growing incisors, and lick extra milk off my hands. I especially adored her beautiful fluffy tail, I would pet her all the time and she would happily accept it. Sometimes she would grab my finger in her little paws and nibble my finger(which usually meant she was hungry). She is still tiny now.
Squirrels make excellent pets, but don't just get a squirrel to have one. And you can't buy a squirrel at the petshop, I'm sorry people but this is true. But this is no rush to action, and it definitely doesn't mean go raiding squirrel dreys(nests). I got my little Snow because she was off wandering on her own at too young a age and was starved. If you are not ready to take up a job as raising a squirrel if you do get a squirrel you can call wildlife rehabbers to help. But to care for a squirrel you will need a few things...
- A large ferret cage(this is for adult squirrels, if you have a baby do not use a tall cage, and if you have a bald baby, use an incubator to keep it warm)
- A nest box of some sort(a birdhouse will do for young squirrels)
- forget about a feed dish
- a water bottle for hamsters and rabbits can work but you'll have to teach it to use it
- either that you could use a water dish
Cages:
Tree squirrels need tall cages with room to climb around, the bigger, the taller, the better for adults. Baby squirrels need smaller cages so they don't fall and hurt themselves. Newborn babies should be in incubators. Ferret cages will do okay for adults. You want something at least 3' tall with shelves and ladders for adults. The one at right is from PetsMart and is $169 with everything in it. I think a squirrel would probably like more climbing room so you don't have to put all the shelves and ladders in. Tree squirrels can jump and climb better than ferrets. They even have some 70" tall cages. Tree squirrels like to be off the ground so be sure to elevate the cage on something sturdy. A cage can be on top of a bookshelf or cabinet and can go to the ceiling. One can drape fabric over the top and back. It keeps the wall clean and makes her feel more secure. One can also drape one over the front when it's bed time. One can put newspaper on the bottom of the cage and change it every other day. (see litter training below) Remember that squirrels are strong. Make sure the doors are a little tough for you to open or your squirrel will get out. Sometimes you need to bend the latches to make them tighter or use twisty ties. If you pick up Ferret magazine, they have some nice stock and custom cages in there also. If you don't take your squirrel out of the cage for exercise, you will need a much larger cage. Fish & Game regulation size for pre-release of tree squirrels is 4' x 6' x 6' tall. This is a great, cheap, fast place to get them. Check out walk-in aviaries. I have some photos of some below. http://www.californiacageworks.comFor permanent residents it's even larger so get the biggest cage you can afford. There are plans on the internet to make you own cages. Search flight cage, large walk-in bird cage. You basically just need six pieces of hardware cloth, wire and metal cutters to build a cage. California Cageworks above sells materials to make a cage.
Some people have large outdoor cages for their squirrels either as the main cage or extra cage. If you have a large pre-release type outdoor cage, be sure they have protection from the sun, rain and wind, and a nest box which can be purchased from wild bird house stores.
Nest box:
Squirrels like a nice safe place to sleep. Some squirrels like to be in a giant sized igloo but wood nest boxes are fine too, so is a small cardboard box with a hole in it. Petco sells parrot nest boxes for $10. Just make sure you get one with a big hole 2-2.5" diameter so they can get in it. You can also hang those nest boxes outdoor on a tree or post if they will eventually be released.
Bedding material:
Your squirrel needs something to sleep in. One can put two men's undershirts inside the nest box and she makes a nice cozy bed out of them. It's better not to use towels as they can get their claws stuck in the loops of thread. Fleece is very nice also. One can wash the t-shirts once a week. You can also use newspaper that you run through a shredder.
Hammocks:
They also like hammocks. Hang this from the ceiling of the cage. They like playing in them and sleeping there too. Make sure you get the ones with metal clips or they will chew through the plastic ones. They also like the ferret sleeves and pouches that hang the same way. One can wash the hammock once a week. You can also just use a washcloth to make your own hammock or any piece of material. They love fake fur and fleece.
Toys:
Squirrels like to play with toys. A small stuffed toy their size or smaller with do. Remember to take the eyes, nose...off so they don't chew and swallow them. Don't get the ones with beans inside, just natural stuffing. They make these especially for dogs, cats and ferrets so they're safer. Squirrels love to wrestle with their stuffed squirrel, throw him around, chew on his arms, do somersaults...The ones at right are ferret toys from Petco but I saw some fleece and sheepskin ones for dogs that looked very similar. They like those hanging parrot toys with wood and rawhide. They also like the natural wood bird perches that attach to the side of the cage or you can get some tree branches and wire them to the cage vertically and horizontally so they can climb and sit on them. I also just take a piece of fireplace wood, drill a hole through it and wire it to the cage.
Wheels:
Some squirrels like wheels, especially ground squirrels. Make sure you get the jumbo sized one that is tail safe. They can hurt their back from arching too much if it's too small. Be sure to bolt it firmly to the cage so it doesn't tip over if they swing on it. I haven't tried those plastic balls that they run inside on the floor. Others have told me their squirrels enjoy them.
Harness, leash, collar:
Someone wrote in and told me to be sure to include harnesses and leashes. Some people like to take their squirrels out for little walks or just around town. I also saw a ferret carrying bag that perhaps some squirrels might enjoy. Search Petco and Petsmart for ferret items.
Things to chew on:
Squirrels teeth grow 6 inches a year so they need things to chew on. Give them flavored wood chews made for rabbits, sterilized bone chew for rabbits, pieces of hard wood, sterilized deer antlers, sterilized cow hoofs, cuttlebone for birds (no need to put it on a holder, they have grape and orange flavors), corn cobs, pumice stone, whole nuts with shells and mineral blocks for small animals and birds. They also like to chew on fruit tree branches, pine tree branches and other branches.
Exercise:
Squirrels are awake and active for a few hours after sunrise and a few hours before sunset. They are resting or sleeping the rest of the time. During their awake hours they are very active. They need to run and climb. You can take them out for an hour a day and let them run around one room in your house. Make sure all electrical wires are covered and secured so they can't chew through them. Of course make sure they also can't escape and make sure your cat or dog won't eat them. You can have a tall cat tree that goes to the ceiling that they will love to climb and play on. Squirrels also love to climb the screen door. You can add heavy duty metal mesh to the screen door so she can climb it without ruining it. You can make your own cat trees with carpet, wood and sisal rope. There are free plans on the internet, search cat tree plan. You can even make them out of a small fallen natural tree. Just be sure to bolt it securely. I hear when they are very tame, they will climb all over you. Their claws on sharp. Some people trim them with cat nail clippers. I don't recommend this as they need their claws to climb. They also like to look out windows. Make sure the screens are secure and not rotten or they will get out. I suggest a perch next to a window so they can look out. You could just put a box or table under a window also. You don't want a bored or restless squirrel so make sure they have plenty of things to do. If they start pacing, rub on the cage a lot or try to get out all the time, they are bored and need fun things to do though they may do this the first few weeks of captivity. It's very important for their healthy survival that they have things to do.
Dishware:
You can get small stainless steel, thick ceramic or the super hard and tough plastic bowls. I find it neater if they clip to the cage bars. Squirrels are messy eaters and food will get everywhere no matter what. I also use a water bowl that attaches to the bars. You can find these in any small animal aisle at pet stores. You can use bird dishes as well. If your cage doesn't have a high pan you might want to have the newspaper go up three inches on the bottom sides so food doesn't end up all over your floor.
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