Q. Why is My Baby Squirrel Shivering?

Posted by Mia Carter Jan 10, 2009

On January 10, 2009, I received the following question on my article titled How Old is My Baby Squirrel?: "Hello, Mia. My name is Stacie and I found a baby squirrel three days ago it was in the middle of the street almost frozen to death with snow still falling. I stopped and picked it up it seemed to be fine up till this afternoon; it has started to have some shaking episodes sorta like seizures and I'm really worried about him. He is so gentle and it's breaking my heart but it's the weekend and I'm in a small town so there's nothing i can do till monday and I hate to see him suffer. My children are extremely upset as well. Any ideas for us, please? Thank you so much."

This is a great question, Stacie!

So there's two basic causes for shivering that come to mind: hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or he could be experiencing discomfort from needing to go to the bathroom or because he's cold. These problems are fairly easy to treat at home, though I would absolutely recommend getting him checked out by a vet on Monday in case you have an underlying problem to blame here.

Hypoglycemia as a Cause for Shivering

Hypoglycemia is among the most common causes of shivering in an animal. In most cases, a pet will start shivering due to hypoglycemia, which occurs when an animal has not eaten properly due to illness or some other similar circumstance.

So the first thing I would examine is this little squirrel's feeding schedule. Are you feeding him the proper formula? Esbilac puppy milk replacer formula is the only suitable food for a baby squirrel who is not weaned.

Are you feeding him often enough? Are you feeding him enough formula each time? Feeding frequency and amount will depend on how old he is, so you'll want to check out my articles on the Orphaned Baby Squirrel Page with information on how to determine the age of a baby orphaned squirrel.

For a look at the feeding schedule for these little guys, you can check out How Old is My Orphaned Baby Squirrel? for a feeding schedule for weeks 1 through 5. And read Squirrel Age and Development, which looks at squirrel care and development for babies ages six weeks to 12 weeks.

My article titled Feeding a Baby Squirrel also has some great general information on feeding young squirrels.

Discomfort as a Cause of Shivering in a Baby Squirrel

The other possible cause is for your little squirrel's shivering is discomfort.

There's very specific warming techniques and temperature recommendations for a baby squirrel. The younger squirrels in particular have a very difficult time maintaining their body temperature, so it's really important to provide a very warm habitat for your baby squirrel. Check out How to Warm a Baby Squirrel for my recommendations on how to keep a baby squirrel warm.

Another thing that comes to mind is that your baby squirrel could be experiencing discomfort due to a full bladder or bowels. You must stimulate a baby squirrel's genitals with a warm, damp washcloth several times a day (it mimics a mother squirrel's licking) to encourage him to go to the bathroom. So I'd make sure you're doing this after each and every feeding - and be patient. It can take a few minutes!

It's also possible that this little guy is shivering due to an infection or injury. If this is the case, there's really nothing you can do to help him other than to keep him calm, warm, fed and well hydrated. And on Monday, a veterinarian can examine him and treat him for any injuries or infection that may be present. Shivering can result from pain from an injury or due to a fever, that can occur when the baby squirrel has an infection.

It is also possible that he did suffer some traumatic brain injury from his fall or due to extended exposure to the cold, which could leave him prone to seizures. But that would not be my first guess in this situation, as the above-mentioned causes account for the animal's shivering in the vast majority of situations like your own. Again, only a veterinarian's examination will tell us if something more serious is to blame, but for now, I'd focus on the more likely causes - hypoglycemia and discomfort.

I also have an article that talks about some of the more common causes of shivering, titled Why is My Pet Shivering? You might want to read this to gain some insight into the most common causes of shivering.

I hope your little guy is doing better soon! If you have any additional questions, do feel free to post a comment under this post or send an e-mail to Mia.Carter@Suite101.com and I would be happy to assist you to the best of my ability.

Have a pet question? Send an email to Mia.Carter@Suite101.com or check out The Sick Dog Blog (don't let the name fool you - I'll be discussing an array of pet care topics!)

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.