| p>Did you ever take in a baby squirrel and start to | | | | start to shuffle their back legs when they walk, and |
| feed and care for it, then have it go downhill | | | | progressively lose nerve and muscle control. Their |
| physically and die? You're not alone! The following are | | | | bones become brittle and break easily. |
| three common reasons why baby squirrels die in | | | | Low blood calcium can also lead to heart irregularity |
| captivity: | | | | and sudden cardiac death. A squirrel with metabolic |
| 1. The Wrong Diet. | | | | Bone Disease is a pathetic scene! Prevention is simple! |
| Improper diet is the number one reason why squirrels | | | | I teach a very simple way to make a dietary |
| die. There's a lot of controversy over what is the | | | | supplement called Nut Squares or Nut Balls that will |
| correct formula to feed baby squirrels who are still | | | | insure optimum calcium intake and good health for |
| nursing. Many wild animal rehabilitators will tell you to | | | | squirrels. |
| buy an expensive puppy formula, and to never feed | | | | 3. Internal Injuries. |
| a squirrel cow's milk. I've used the expensive puppy | | | | The last major killer of baby squirrels is internal |
| formula with marginal success, but recently they | | | | injuries. Many times a found squirrel has fallen a great |
| changed the formulation which left it lacking enough | | | | distance out of a leaf nest. One of the first things |
| milk fat for squirrels. Now, all of a sudden, they're | | | | you should do for a baby squirrel, after you get it in |
| telling people to add heavy cream to boost the fat | | | | a warm environment, is to check it over carefully for |
| content! Hello! What is heavy cream? It's the cream | | | | injuries. Babies normally have rapid respiration and |
| from cow's milk! The reason cow's milk will kill a baby | | | | heartbeats, but if a baby squirrel is having difficulty |
| squirrel is because there are substances in the milk | | | | breathing or is using more than just chest muscles to |
| that will give a squirrel severe diarrhea. Diarrhea will | | | | breathe, it may have internal injuries. It could have |
| lead to an electrolyte imbalance,which will lead to a | | | | broken ribs or a contused lung or heart! Blunt trauma |
| heart irregularity and ultimately death from sudden | | | | to the abdomen can injure internal organs such as |
| cardiac arrest. | | | | the liver, kidneys or spleen. A baby squirrel's |
| I've found that if you get rid of the substance in | | | | abdominal wall is very thin. If you see dark purple |
| cow's milk and cream that causes diarrhea, a baby | | | | discoloration of the abdomen, that is an ominous sign |
| squirrel will do just fine on a cream rich cows milk | | | | that indicates internal bleeding. |
| formula. But you must do one simple but vital thing to | | | | There's not a whole lot that can be done for a baby |
| make this formula safe for squirrels! I can teach you | | | | squirrel that is in that condition. A Veterinarian could |
| how to make this formula and save you having to | | | | evaluate the animal, but chances are, nothing would |
| spend twenty dollars per can for puppy formula! | | | | be done other than observe and support it's |
| 2. Hypocalcemia. | | | | breathing struggle with oxygen and a warm |
| The second big killer of squirrels is Hypocalcemia. | | | | environment until it passes. I've found in my years as |
| That's a fancy name for low blood Calcium. Squirrels, | | | | a Squirrel Rehabilitator that squirrels love to have |
| especially in captivity, have an extraordinarily high | | | | their head and neck gently rubbed, it's very soothing |
| calcium requirement. Death from low blood calcium | | | | and calming for them. Death is a part of life. For me, |
| comes after they stop nursing. While they are | | | | holding and comforting a dying squirrel helps me |
| getting milk, their calcium needs are being met. When | | | | realize how precious and brief life is. I find |
| they quit nursing, they need a calcium supplement or | | | | tremendous joy and satisfaction in caring for these |
| they'll develop what is called Metabolic Bone Disease. | | | | magnificent creatures, and thank God that even in |
| This disease is characterized by loss of calcium from | | | | death, I can make a difference! |
| the bones, especially in the spine and back legs. They | | | | |