On May 25th, we had a terrible thunderstorm and the tree next door was hit by lightning. Half of the tree fell onto the house next door and the other half flopped over into our yard. On the 26th, the owner of the next door house was out there with some tree removal men to take the tree apart, with chainsaws, and remove it from our yard - and their house. After 99% of the tree was cut up and removed to the curb, a nest was found attached to one of the logs that had been dragged to the curb. Mostly destroyed, the nest had two very dehydrated, very young squirrels still inside of it. Being men, they were a bit freaked out finding these tiny blind creatures and were not sure what to do with them. I knew what to do with them, though. I gave each of them a bit of subQ Lactated Ringers Solution as well as an oral rehydration liquid with an insulin syringe, (I pulled out the needle, first), and then put them in a shallow box where the tree HAD been and then sat on my porch and watched and waited, hoping that Mom Squirrel would show up and claim her children. After 6 hours, and full dark now here - I finally gave up and decided that for better, or worse, I was now foster Mama to two little baby squirrels aged between 10 and 14 days.
Fortunately, I have a LOT of experience in hand raising kittens and puppies and I figured it could not be a whole lot harder to hand raise a baby squirrel, (except at first they were so much smaller than any kitten or puppy I have ever hand raised). So far, things have gone well and the babies have doubled in size. They have some fur now and eat REALLY well. They are getting personalities, too, and are flat out adorable.
The little girl I have named Squeakers because she is more vocal than her brother, Sneakers. Right now, they are just getting their bottom teeth and I think their ears are opening now. In a couple more weeks, their eyes will open as well. Here are a few pictures of the babies - I try to take a shot of them at least a couple of times per week so that I will have a record of how much they have grown. As I take a new picture of them, I will post it in the thread for you to enjoy.
~Tiger
May 27
May 30
June 4
June 5 - Sneakers having a feed
June 5 - Hang In There Baby! - Squeakers
June 7 - Now they fill the bottom of a Cool Whip bowl
Fortunately, I have a LOT of experience in hand raising kittens and puppies and I figured it could not be a whole lot harder to hand raise a baby squirrel, (except at first they were so much smaller than any kitten or puppy I have ever hand raised). So far, things have gone well and the babies have doubled in size. They have some fur now and eat REALLY well. They are getting personalities, too, and are flat out adorable.
The little girl I have named Squeakers because she is more vocal than her brother, Sneakers. Right now, they are just getting their bottom teeth and I think their ears are opening now. In a couple more weeks, their eyes will open as well. Here are a few pictures of the babies - I try to take a shot of them at least a couple of times per week so that I will have a record of how much they have grown. As I take a new picture of them, I will post it in the thread for you to enjoy.
~Tiger
May 27
May 30
June 4
June 5 - Sneakers having a feed
June 5 - Hang In There Baby! - Squeakers
June 7 - Now they fill the bottom of a Cool Whip bowl
