Q. How Can I Help a Sick Baby Squirrel Until She Visits the Vet?

Posted by Mia Carter Oct 12, 2008

On October 12, 2008, I received this question from a reader of How Old is My Orphaned Baby Squirrel?: "I have two baby squirrels that fell out of a tree five weeks ago. No mother around.The boy is a mess and plays constantly, but the girl refused to take her formula or even her apple yesterday. The girl has a rapid heart beat and sits with her head down. I hope my vet will look at her tomorrow. Is there anything I can give her tonight in case she has something in her lungs? I don't want to loose her. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Dianne."

Thanks for your question, Dianne. You're right that she may have aspirated some of her formula, resulting in a lung infection or pneumonia - a relatively common situation with these little baby squirrels. It's also possible that she's gotten sick due to her young not-quite-developed immune system. Either way, I agree that a vet visit as soon as possible is the best course of action.

In the meantime, there are a few supportive measures that you can try to keep her in good condition until she makes it to the veterinarian. Firstly, I would try again to get her to eat. Make the formula a little more concentrated than normal and try to hand feed her. You don't really need her cooperation for this - you open her mouth slightly and place formula on her tongue, one drop at a time - no more, or you'll risk putting her in a situation where she could inhale the formula. But one drop at a time is relatively safe and the calories will prevent her from going downhill too quickly. You may also try tempting her with other fruits or veggies or nuts that are new to her - this can work on occasion. We do want her to eat, if possible.

I would also work to keep her warm. So I'd warm up a Squirrel Buddy (click here for directions) and keep her with a heating pad or heating lamp (which she should have until she's around 11-12 weeks anyways.)

Now, her breathing can indicate one of two things. Heavy breathing can be due to a physical problem with the lungs, like an infection. Or it can be due to stress that's brought on by an illness. Only a veterinarian can tell by listening to her chest and she may require x-rays as well, if he suspects pneumonia. To help her breathing, we want to keep her in warm, moist air. If you have a humidifier, turn it on right near where she sleeps. If not, I'd try two things: I'd get a few wet towels and hang them near her cage - they will add water to the air as they dry. And I would try to get her into a steamy bathroom for about 20 minutes every three hours or so. If you can move her cage into the bathroom and keep it there overnight, with the door closed and running the shower periodically to steam up the air, this is even better. This will help her to breathe easier.

You can also check out my tips for caring for a sick rat - rats are very prone to respiratory problems and the supportive care measures are essentially the same for rats and squirrels when it comes to breathing problems.

I hope your little girl squirrel makes a speedy and full recovery! And of course, you can check out other squirrel care articles on my Baby Squirrel Care Page.

Have a pet question? Or a suggestion for a pet care article? Send your questions and suggestions to Mia.Carter@Suite101.com

Disclaimer: I have extensive experience in caring for animals, including sick and special needs animals, but I am not a veterinarian. I can provide information and advice based on research and my many years of experience with pet care and training, but it's not a substitute for seeking medical attention from a veterinarian.