• Home
  • About
    • Our Family
    • Our Purpose
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our Christmas Letters
    • Other FAQ’s
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Flanders Family Homelife

Living, Loving, & Learning Together

  • Home
  • Love
    • Respect your Husband
    • Love your Wife
    • Get Along with In-laws
    • Find Time for Intimacy
    • More on Marriage
  • Learn
    • Why Homeschool? Our Family’s Reasons
    • Occupying Toddlers
    • Kindergarten Plan
    • Choosing Curriculum: Cultivate Your Child’s Love for Learning
    • Report Cards
    • High School Transcripts
    • CLEP/ Dual Credit
    • High School Diplomas
  • Parent
    • Tips on Potty Training
    • Stop Sibling Squabbles
    • Chore Assignments
    • Computer TIme
    • Adult Children at Home
  • Eat
    • Breakfasts
    • Breads
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Sides
    • Main DIshes
    • Desserts
  • Celebrate
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • Summer Vacation
    • Independence Day
    • Back to School
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Save
    • Kids Eat Free
    • Budgeting Tips
    • Earn Cash Back w/Ebates
  • Read
    • Recent Reads
    • Books We’ve Authored
    • Reading Rewards
    • Free Books!!
  • Travel
    • Vacation Planning
    • We Flew FREE to Europe
    • Sample Itineraries
  • Organize
    • General Tips
    • Goal Setting
    • Mom’s Notebook
    • Kitchen
    • Bedrooms
    • Garage
  • Print
    • Calendars
    • Chore Charts
    • Coloring Pages
    • Math Drills
    • Prayer Guides
    • View All >
  • Subscribe
You are here: Home / How To / Raising Squirrels (Monday Mailbag)

in How To· Mailbag

Raising Squirrels (Monday Mailbag)

478 shares
  • 471

Monday Mailbag Q&A

Today’s question is admittedly a little quirky, and I received it via voicemail on our home phone rather than email through our website, but decided to post my response here, in case other inquiring minds want to know how to do such a thing:

Tips for raising baby squirrels from www.flandersfamily.info
Hi, Jennifer,

I was doing some tree work and knocked a couple of baby squirrels out of their nest. There’s no putting them back — the limb is gone — so I am considering trying to raise them.

I understand you have some experience with this. Can you give me any guidance?

Thanks!
A tender-hearted arborist


Dear Tender Heart,

You are right. Our family does have experience with raising squirrels, thanks to the fact my daughters brought home a couple of abandoned squirrel kits they found on a concrete path near our home last fall and we nursed them back to health.

I’m happy to share everything we learned with you.

Bringing them home:

  • Of course, the best choice for raising baby squirrels is the squirrels’ mother. Don’t ever disturb babies in the nest, and if they fall out and are in no immediate danger from dogs or cars or water, wait to see if the mama squirrel will retrieve them before getting involved.
  • If mama squirrel is dead or unavailable, or if their home has been destroyed, check this site to see if there is an experienced wildlife rehabilitator in your area who would be willing to care for them. Raising baby squirrels is a tedious and time-consuming job and should not be undertaken lightly.
  • If you do decide to raise the babies yourself, you’ll need to learn as much as you can about caring for your new charges. Two of the most helpful sites we found for doing this were Squirrel Tales and The Squirrel Board. Both are full of reliable, accurate information and are great places to get your questions answered by licensed squirrel rehabilitators.
  • In the meantime, wear gloves when handling the babies (for your own protection — their nails are sharp!) and follow the steps in our “quick-start” guide:

napping pups

Keeping them warm:

  • You need to get the baby warm before you attempt to feed it.
  • One of our babies came to us via a cardboard box left on our doorstep. A neighbor’s dog carried the squirrel kit home in his mouth, so the neighbor dropped it off on our porch. It was pretty stiff when my son stumbled upon the package, but he placed the squirrel inside a sock that had been warmed in the clothes dryer and kept it cuddled on his chest until his sisters could get home and take over. That worked like a charm!
  • To keep the squirrels warm in their nesting box, place a heating pad under one end of a shoebox. That way, the squirrel babies will be able to move to a cool area if they get overheated.
  • You’ll also want to provide nesting material. We used newspaper and shredded paper bedding for small animals.
  • One of our squirrels did most of his sleeping inside a child’s cotton sock. (This not only kept him warm, but had an added benefit of protecting him from his sister, who did a lot of rooting around wanting to nurse in the night, but was not very discriminating about what she pacified on.)

napping pup

Rehydrating them:

  • Depending on how long it has been since your babies were last fed, there is a good chance that they will be dehydrated when you get them. You must tend to the process of rehydrating them before attempting to give them other nourishment.
  • We used Pedialyte for this purpose, which you can find on the baby aisle of your local grocery store. Warm a small amount of it up slightly (test on your wrist to make sure it’s not too hot), then feed to the babies using a 1 to 3-cc syringe (do NOT use a dropper).
  • Hold babies belly down or upright and tilted forward to feed (see photos below). Do NOT feed babies on their backs, as you risk getting the fluid in their lungs which could kill them.

Raising Baby Squirrels: a step-by-step guide

Feeding them:

  • Continue to use a syringe to feed the babies (no needle). If you cannot find a 1-cc or 3-cc syringe, ask your pharmacist for one of the syringe dispensers they provide for giving medicine to babies. Those will probably be 5-cc size, but they are usually free and will work in a pinch.
  • If you are feeding more than one baby, use a separate syringe for each. Wrap colored tape around the base of the syringe to keep them straight — we used blue for the boy and pink for the girl.
  • Once the babies have been rehydrated, you will need to switch them to formula. Do NOT feed squirrels cow’s milk or baby formula. Use something specifically made for baby animals.
  • We got very good results using Esbilac puppy formula mixed with heavy cream. You will need to gradually wean them onto the full strength mixture. You’ll find the concentration levels we used here (scroll down to Section D for the full mixing instructions and feeding schedule).
  • The babies need to eat every two hours until their eyes are open, and every four hours thereafter. After a few days of this, the feedings all start to blur together! We used this chart to keep track of it, and took turns during the nighttime feedings:
  • [click image to print]

  • Continue to hold them belly down and tilted forward, and feed them as much as they’ll eat.
  • We bought a small can of ready-mixed Esbilac from a local pet store, as we needed it immediately, then we ordered a large canister of the powdered variety online, which was more economical.

Raising Baby Squirrels: a step-by-step guide

Raising Baby Squirrels: a step-by-step guide

Raising Baby Squirrels: a step-by-step guide

Keeping them regular:

  • The babies will need to eliminate after almost every feeding.
  • To encourage them to do so, dip a cotton ball in warm water and gently swab their parts. This simulates the mama squirrel’s licking them clean.
  • Their poop should be soft, but not runny. Later, when they begin eating solids, the scat will resemble small, hard pellets.
  • Once they begin eliminating on their own, you can discontinue the cotton ball cleanings.

Raising Baby Squirrels: a step-by-step guide

Housing them:

  • A large shoebox makes an acceptable nesting box for very young baby squirrels (before they open their eyes) — provided you don’t have cats in the house.
  • Once they become more active and start climbing, they’ll need better boundaries. At this stage, we still kept ours in the shoebox, but we placed the shoebox (and heating pad) inside a much deeper box (the kind paper towels come in at Sam’s). That way, they were still contained — and still able to stay safe and warm — even if they wriggled out of their smaller bed.
  • Your squirrels will eventually stop sleeping all day and will want to be active and look around, yet they will not be quite mature enough to release into the wild. At that point, you will need to keep them in a large cage for their protection — the bigger the better. You can see the one we used, purchased second hand at a garage sale, in the background of the photos below.
  • Put a tree branch in the cage for them to practice climbing on.

Raising Baby Squirrels: a step-by-step guide

Raising Baby Squirrels: a step-by-step guide

Protecting them:

  • It is okay to let your squirrels run about the house, and later the yard, but you will need to watch them very carefully while they are out.
  • Keep toilet seats down and watch baby squirrels closely around swimming pools.
  • Walk slowly, watch where you are stepping, and don’t slam any doors when the babies are out of their cage. The squirrels are so fast, you will hurt them unintentionally if you are not vigilant. Look up as well as down when shutting doors, as squirrels like to climb and will sometimes rest on top of open doors.

Raising Baby Squirrels: a step-by-step guide

Releasing them:

  • Your squirrels will be ready to release at about 12 weeks of age.
  • If they are still sleeping in a shoebox, you will have to provide a more permanent home before setting them free. We built a wooden nesting box using a slightly modified version of these plans.
  • Provide material for them to use in building their nest inside the box. Leaves and straw are fine. We also cut up strips of polyester fleece, which dries quickly and offered extra warmth for the winter months ahead.
  • To start getting them acclimated to the outdoors, move their cage outside on sunny days. We wired the wooden nesting box inside their cage so they could get used to sleeping in it a few weeks before we placed it in the tree.
  • We have a large yard with lots of trees, and we would allow the squirrels to practice climbing for short periods everyday until they were old enough to be on their own. This is a little risky, as a couple of times our little boy squirrel stuck in the tree and we had to get a ladder to fetch him down.
  • Eventually, we were able to leave the door to the cage open, and the squirrels would play outside all day and only return to the cage when it was time to be fed or to bed down for the night. We only locked the door to the cage when they were in for the night, to protect them from the cats who prowl our neighborhood at night.
  • Later, my husband wired the door open wide enough for the squirrels to come and go, but too narrow for cats to get through.
  • Once they were spending most of their time outside the cage, we put the wooden nesting box to a tree, about 15 feet off the ground.

Raising Baby Squirrels: a step-by-step guide

Here’s a little video we made of our squirrels, so you can see them in action, from the day we brought them home to the day they were released:

We now have second generation squirrel kits scampering about our yard and eating from our bird feeders. They are so much fun to watch!

Suzy still visits our porch every day in search of the nuts my daughter leaves for her. Her new friends come, too, but dart away when they spot us watching through the window.

Suzy stays and stares us down. She won’t let us hold or pet her anymore, but she doesn’t act like she feels threatened by our presence.

We count it such a privilege to get to raise our little baby squirrels, and wish you success in caring for yours!

Related

478 shares
  • 471

14 Comments

« Fresh Fruit Crumble
In the Word on Wednesday: 1 Peter 5:8 »

Comments

  1. Chris says

    January 25, 2022 at 3:03 pm

    Hi Jennifer!

    I am from Sri Lanka. I came across your YouTube video today regarding raising baby squirrels. Then I saw the link given in the description box which took me to your website.

    I see that you too love Jesus and are a believer. Last year I lost my squirrel pet and have been sad and upset ever since. It was nice watching your squirrel video.
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Flanders says

      January 25, 2022 at 3:14 pm

      I’m so sorry about your loss, Chris. I’m glad you enjoyed watching our video.

      Reply
      • Chris says

        January 26, 2022 at 2:58 am

        Thank you for your reply.
        Yes, It was sudden. It had been affected by MBD. I didn’t know.
        It’s been 3 months and I still miss my little pet.
        Some Christians say we will see our pets in heaven, but we don’t have any definite verses to back that up.
        What do you say?

        Reply
        • Jennifer Flanders says

          January 26, 2022 at 3:01 am

          The Bible says there will be neither grief nor sorrow in heaven (Revelation 21:4) God has also promised to provide for all our needs, something He will continue to do throughout eternity (Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 3:20-21).

          Therefore, I 100% believe that if being reunited with our pets in heaven is needful for our eternal happiness, God is fully capable of making that happen. 😊

          Reply
  2. Renee says

    October 19, 2021 at 3:07 pm

    I had a baby squirrel that we found in our backyard. I got so attached to him. He slept on my stomach most of the time. When it was time to release him, it broke my heart. But I knew he was better off in the wild. We fed him kitten’s milk. He disappeared after a while from my yard. I think he found a girlfriend, lol. It was an experience I will never forget and would do it again.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Flanders says

      October 29, 2021 at 11:02 am

      That’s how we feel, too, Renee. We’re raising one right now that is about 8 weeks old. She’ll be ready to release in another month.

      Reply
  3. Smoki Whitney says

    April 9, 2019 at 8:35 pm

    You said your little suzy won’t let you pet or hold her anymore, does Oliver still come around also?

    Reply
    • Jennifer Flanders says

      April 9, 2019 at 8:53 pm

      We haven’t seen either of them for several years now, Smoki. We moved out of that house in 2016 and left the squirrel box behind. We all miss them!

      Reply
  4. Wasim Alam says

    June 3, 2017 at 4:07 am

    Hi Jennifer,

    I got a squirrel baby and I tried to reunite it with its mother but I failed. I have a problem that I have a cat as per in my home has can I keep baby squirrel safe.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Flanders says

      June 3, 2017 at 6:51 am

      I would suggest keeping the squirrel in a cage until he is ready to release and then providing a sturdy squirrel box for him to live in in the wild. Also, keep the cat away from him as much as possible. Even if your pet happens to get along well with it, cats are natural predators and you will want your little squirrel to maintain a healthy fear of them.

      Reply
  5. Lin V says

    March 7, 2016 at 6:11 pm

    Thank u for ur advice, but what is pneumonia? Our squirrel is like the last picture of ur blog in the Protect Them section. Can u tell me more about milk, cause i kinda confuse. It’s fine if we use condense milk?

    Reply
    • Jennifer Flanders says

      March 7, 2016 at 6:54 pm

      Pneumonia is a lung disease that makes it difficult to get adequate oxygen. It would be best if rather than giving the squirrel cow’s milk or condensed milk, you fed it formula specifically designed for smaller mammals. We used Esbilac puppy formula. You should be able to find it at your local pet store. You can add a little heavy cream to the mix to provide more calories. Our squirrels grew fat and bunchy on that recipe. There is a link in the blog to a squirrel board that will give you the exact proportions we used in feeding. Until their eyes are open, they should eat every 2 hours. Afterwards, you can stretch the feedings to every 4, although you may want to continue with more frequent feedings until your squirrel regains its strength. Best wishes!

      Reply
  6. Lin V says

    March 7, 2016 at 3:38 pm

    I have a question. I raise a kinda baby and he can walk and still drink milk, but the problem is he is start to not moving anymore and he is not eat. His body is kinda cold and he cant even stand, his body is very weak. Can u help me what wrong with my squrrel and how we can treat him 🙁

    Reply
    • Jennifer Flanders says

      March 7, 2016 at 3:58 pm

      I’m afraid there is very little you can do when a squirrel stops eating and gets that weak. We had one die on us, too, and it is so very sad. He got pneumonia. Make sure you are keeping it warm, either by putting a heating pad under his box, or warming a fuzzy sock in the dryer, then putting the squirrel inside the sock once you take it out of the dryer. He may also be dehydrated. Forget giving him milk until you get him rehydrated. Give him Pedialyte, instead. Use a syringe to feed, not a dropper, and keep him on his tummy or upright while you do (don’t lay him on his back, or the fluid may run into his lungs and speed his demise). And when I say milk, I really mean puppy formula mixed with heavy cream. Squirrels should not be fed cow’s milk, as they are not able to digest it properly.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




meet the parents

Doug & Jennifer Flanders - www.flandersfamily.info

We love Jesus, love each other, love our 12 children, and love the life God's given us. We started this blog as a way to share resources with others who want strong marriages, happy families, & healthy homes.

Read more

connect with us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

looking for something?

freebies in your inbox

Join over 19K other subscribers and get sunshine delivered weekly to your inbox.

Unsure? Browse my newsletter archives to see what you're missing

get your family talking

Table Talk Book

cook gourmet meals at home

HelloFresh delivers great recipes and fresh ingredients to your home each week.

start your day right

make over your mornings

If your mornings don't run as smoothly as you'd like, this course can help. Good for night owls & early birds alike!

join the conversation

  • Jennifer Flanders on Free Printing Practice Sheets
  • EJIEH HOPE on Free Printing Practice Sheets
  • Jennifer Flanders on Best 2022 Reading Rewards Programs for Kids
  • Emily on Best 2022 Reading Rewards Programs for Kids
  • Jennifer Flanders on 2023 Calendars for Advanced Planning
  • Valerie on 2023 Calendars for Advanced Planning
  • Julie on Pretty Printable Scripture Bookmarks
  • Jennifer Flanders on Children are a Blessing Coloring Page

Readers' Favorites

Name that Line - Christmas Movie Game

Name that Line Christmas Quiz

Shares: 32657

How Well Do You Know Your Christmas Carols

How Well Do You Know Your Christmas Carols?

Shares: 27336

Age-Appropriate Children's Chore Chart - IG

Age-Appropriate Chores for Children

Shares: 92699

Make Every Month More Meaningful

Make Every Month More Memorable

Shares: 52583

most popular posts this week

  • 2023 Calendars for Advanced Planning
  • 2022 Calendars (Free Printables)
  • Free Editable High School Transcript Template
  • Number Writing Practice Sheet (Free Printable)
  • Armor of God Coloring Page
  • Homeschool Report Cards
  • Free Printing Practice Sheets
  • Best 2022 Reading Rewards Programs for Kids
  • One-Year Bible Reading Plan
  • Baby Shower Word Scramble (Free Printable)

earn free books and bibles

Tyndale Rewards Club

This is a great program, and it's FREE! Bonus: when you sign up through this link, you get 25 points (& I get 10 -- so, thanks!).

free starter set

Free Starter Set from Grove Collaborativefree starter set from Grove

unleash your child’s creativity

agathon web hoting
Christian Family Blogs
  • Home
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Food
  • Fun
  • Freebies

visit jennifer’s blog

Jennifer Flanders' Blog: Loving Life At Home Loving Life at Home

visit doug’s blog

Doug Flanders' Blog: All Truth Is God's Truth All Truth is God's Truth

privacy policy | disclosure statement

shop our books

25 Ways to Communicate Respect to Your Husband 25 Ways to Show Love to Your Wife
Sit Down & Eat Get Up & Go

thanks for dropping by

Thank you for visiting our website Let's Get Social
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

looking for something?

recommended resources

as seen on:

America Tonight ABC Australia BBC Tyler Morning Telegraph

Doug hired a limo on our wedding day to transport Doug hired a limo on our wedding day to transport us on from the church to our hotel — a limo that maintained a strict “no shoe polish policy.” So I’ve been making up for that unmarked car ride ever since. Ha!  #happilyeverafter #weddinganniversary #thehoneymoonstillisntover #35years #everydaywithyoudearissweeterthanthedaybefore
Do you see those black clouds rolling in? No soone Do you see those black clouds rolling in? No sooner did we get checked into our hotel and suited up to swim than they closed down the attached water park due to the impending storm. #badtiming  Fortunately, the sun was back out early the following morning, and we enjoyed some very short lines to some very long slides for several hours before time to check out.  We had a wonderful time there, but when we later heard our kids recounting their favorite parts of our trip, that water park hotel didn’t even make the list.  Do you know what did? Playing Marco Polo with Mom and Dad at another hotel’s small indoor pool. We couldn’t have spent more than a half hour playing, but it paid big dividends in terms of good memories and grateful hearts.  Which just goes to show that the time parents invest with their children trumps the money they spend on them every time.  That’s because, deep down, kids don’t want stuff. They want attention. They don’t need more of your paycheck. They need more of you.  #flandersfamilytravels #familyfun #homeschoollife #timetogether
Our daughter’s colleagues staged a “friendly r Our daughter’s colleagues staged a “friendly roast” last week, and here’s what they had to say about her: “If your mom wrote a book on sex, you may be Bek Flanders.”  They’re right. I did!  The thing I love about this photo (besides Bek’s big, beautiful grin)? Realizing her co-workers would never have even known about my book had Rebekah not shared that information herself, which means she can’t be too embarrassed about the fact.  Doubtlessly, it also helps that what I wrote is NOT a how-to book, but a why-to. (Swipe for a peek at the cover or follow link in profile for more details.)  Bek answered: “Yeah, I’m not embarrassed about it. I think it’s funny and starts good and important conversations. I’ve been able to encourage people from all over the country to think and talk about sex in a healthy/scientific/biblical/serious and lighthearted way, and how to raise the next generation to do the same. If we want our world to have a healthy view of sex, we’ve got to be vocal about it. If we stay silent then the only advice this generation will hear is the world’s, and I certainly don’t want that.”  #smartgirl #goodadvice #importantconversations #loveyourhusband #loveyourself #embracinggodspurposeforpassioninmarriage
We’re all heading to a homeschool dance tonight, We’re all heading to a homeschool dance tonight, and Abby’s feeling a little like Millie out of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. (Here’s hoping the evening doesn’t end in a fist fight. Ha!)  #ohitsetsyoursensesinaswirl 
#doodinuptogoandseeagirl
The most economical souvenirs we’ve ever collect The most economical souvenirs we’ve ever collected on our travels are also some of my children’s favorites: #juniorranger badges and/or patches from the #nationalparks we visit. Nearly every Park has one. The booklets/activities the kids must complete to earn their badges are usually free and very educational, too! Abby ended up earning nine new badges on this trip (not pictured: the one she got in Gettysburg).  #flandersfamilytravels #roadtrip #homeschoolfieldtrip
We spent a day at George Washington’s Mount Vern We spent a day at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, too, but my phone ran out of battery before we got to the property’s magnificent museum.  #flandersfamilytravels
We toured Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and were We toured Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and were delighted by the character actor’s knowledge of all things Jefferson-related. Obviously a huge history buff!  #flandersfamilytravels #ushistory
Three cheers for my boys and their keen puzzle-sol Three cheers for my boys and their keen puzzle-solving skills for figuring out how to stuff luggage for six people, plus assorted souvenirs, colonial costumes, pillows, and snacks for the road, into very limited space in the back of our Armada. And repacking it again and again, without complaint, every time we leave one city and drive to the next.  #whatwouldwedowithoutthem #roadtrip #flandersfamilytravels
A quick stop by the Lincoln Memorial on our return A quick stop by the Lincoln Memorial on our return trip through Washington DC…  #flandersfamilytravels #honestabe
Gettysburg is so full of history — even the hote Gettysburg is so full of history — even the hotels have a long and rich backstory. When this one was first built in 1896, it served as a high school.  One of the US flags to which its students pledged their allegiance every morning now hangs in the upstairs foyer of the hotel.  #federalpointeinn #oldglory #gettysburg #pennsylvania #fourscoreandsevenyearsago
#flandersfamilytravels

Copyright © 2022 · Market theme by Restored 316

478 shares
  • 471