To keep the baby squirrel safe while you figure out how to help them, put the squirrel in a small cardboard box with a soft towel or t-shirt. Even on a warm day babies can get cold, so give the baby a heat source:
a clean sock filled with dry, uncooked rice, and microwaved for one minute
a plastic bottle from the recycling bin filled with hot tap water and wrapped in a cloth like a tea towel or face cloth
an electric heating pad set to “LOW” and placed under half of the box
several chemical hand warmers (e.g. Hot Paws) that stay warm for up to 8 hours
Do not give the baby any food or water – right now keeping them warm, dark, and quiet is more important.
Signs that a baby squirrel is injured or orphaned and needs professional help
A baby squirrel with any of the following signs needs help from a licensed wildlife rehabilitator:
Wounds or blood on their body
Any contact with a cat – even with no obvious injuries, this is a medical emergency for baby squirrels
Many bugs or insects crawling on them, or insect eggs on them
For now, please put the baby in a box and keep them warm (using one of the heat sources listed above); wild babies cannot regulate their own body temperature and can get hypothermic even on a warm day or indoors. However, make sure there is room in the box for the baby to move away from the heat if they become too warm.
Put the box in a dark, quiet place – like a bathroom with the door closed, or a closet, away from people and pets. Don’t give them any liquids, like water or formula, either in a bowl or through a syringe. Baby squirrels aspirate easily when fed incorrectly, and the wrong food can cause digestive issues which can lead to a serious and even life-threatening medical situation. Sliced up apples or pears can be provided to older baby squirrels that may choose to suckle on it for sugar and hydration. Baby wildlife should never be force fed. Further temporary care instructions can be found here.
When to attempt reuniting baby squirrels with their mother
Sometimes baby squirrels fall out of a nest or get separated from their mother for a variety of reasons. If the baby isn’t showing any signs of being injured or orphaned (as listed above), attempting to return them to their mom is the best possible option. Squirrels are excellent mothers and will come back for their babies if given a chance! Squirrel moms will also take much better care of their babies than any human possibly could.
Steps for reuniting squirrel babies with their mother
Step One:
Place the box with the squirrel (and a heat source) as close as possible to where the squirrel was found. If there is a tree nearby, put it at the base of the tree. Squirrels don’t always nest in trees, so next to a house or building will work too. The most important thing is to not move it to far away from where the baby was originally found.
Step Two:
Be patient. Reuniting should typically be attempted for 24 hours to see if the mother will come back. Make sure the babies stays warm at all times – refresh the heat source as needed. Sometimes, a mother squirrel can be called into the area by using a recording of a squirrel distress call. Play a video like this one on your phone with the volume up. Play the video for about 2 minutes, repeat every few hours to try to draw mom near.
What if it’s a really busy area?
In high traffic areas, you can put a sign on the box to let other people know that the squirrel is waiting for their mother. Here’s one you can print off. If there are a lot of dogs around, you can nail the box to a tree, wall, or fence 4-5 feet off the ground to keep the baby safe.
What if it’s raining?
If it’s raining lightly, cover half of the box with a piece of cardboard. If it’s raining hard, bring the baby inside and keep it dark and quiet and warm until the weather clears up a bit. A mother squirrel won’t be looking for her babies during a heavy rain.
What if it’s late in the day?
If the baby was found late in the day, leave it out for the rest of the day. Bring the baby inside at dusk. Keep the baby in a dark, quiet place overnight, and warm (you may have to refresh the heat source several times). Place the box and baby back outside in the same spot at dawn until the 24 hour time frame for reuniting ends (e.g. if a baby squirrel was found at 12pm on a Tuesday, reuniting should be attempted until about 12pm on Wednesday, generally).
MYTH! If you touch a baby squirrel, its mother will NOT abandon it. Squirrels are excellent moms. All they want is their baby back.
What to do if the mother doesn’t come back
If you’ve kept the baby warm and waited at 24 hours, the baby is probably orphaned. Mother squirrels almost never abandon their babies, but sometimes something happens to mom and she can’t make it back.
Make sure the baby is contained and has a heat source, don’t give it any food or water other than sliced apple or pear in the box (if an older baby), and contact a wildlife rehabilitator for advice.
