Reuniting Baby Squirrels with Mom
BAby Squirrels fell from their nest! What do we do?
If a baby squirrel is visibly injured, covered in fly eggs (which look like small grains of rice), cold, wet, and/or bleeding, then it needs rehabilitation. Please contact us for next steps.
Reunion steps:
If you find a healthy baby squirrel, follow these simple steps to reunite it with its mother:
- Do not give the baby any food or water.
- Keep the baby warm. Place uncooked rice or birdseed in a sock and warm it in the microwave for twenty to thirty seconds. Then, wrap the sock in a soft towel and place it next to the baby.
- Place the baby in a box or basket lower on the tree or at the base of the tree where the nest is located.
- Observe from a distance for the next six to eight hours. Reheat the rice/birdseed-filled sock every two hours. You may also play sounds to get the mom’s attention: CLICK HERE
- If the mother does not return, the baby is orphaned and will need to be brought to a wildlife rehabilitator.
- Do not leave the baby out overnight. After the sun sets, bring the baby inside and keep it in a quiet and warm place. Do not handle it and do not give it any food or water. Try re-nesting it after sunrise the following morning. If no luck after a few hours, please reach out to discuss the situation.
Each spring, we get flooded with orphaned squirrels that have fallen from their nest. We do our best to give every squirrel a second chance at life, but our specialized care does not come close to the care they receive from their mother. To ensure their best chance of survival, squirrels should be reunited with their mothers whenever possible.