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Should I Feed A Baby Squirrel Commercial Formula?

8/1/2013

88 Comments

 
Let me preface what I'm about to say with this disclaimer: If you are happy with what you are feeding your baby squirrel, and the baby is doing fine, by all means keep doing what you are doing!

But, if you are not sure and are wondering if there is an alternative to commercial formula, allow me to lay out some facts for you to consider.

To begin, you should always read labels. What you will find on the label of most commercial formulas is the fact that they start with skim milk, then add fillers and finish up with a bunch of vitamins. At first glance, this seems to make sense, after all, who doesn't need vitamins? People should take vitamins to supplement what they are lacking. Because, if you take vitamins that your body doesn't need, especially the water soluble kind, you will simply pee them out. Many doctors will tell you that many people who take vitamins have the most expensive pee in the world!

This begs the question, " What vitamins does a baby squirrel need?" Here again I deffer to what most doctors and pediatricians say when asked the question, " What is the most important part of formula and/or breast milk for the growth and development of a baby?" Almost without fail they will tell you that it is the milk fat and protein in the formula or breast milk that is the most important component. Why the milk fat? Because babies synthesize everything they need for growth and development from the milk fat and protein!  Think about that last statement, that's why I underlined it. They synthesize everything they need for growth and development from the milk fat and protein!

All babies are in that unique stage of life where the main emphasis is on growth and development. Since doctors agree that everything they need in this stage is synthesized from milk fat and protein, why is there a need for formula to be fortified with vitamins?

The next question you should ask yourself is, " How much milk fat does a baby squirrel need, and does my formula meet that need?" Most Rehabbers cannot answer that question for you. But, I have an ancient research paper, that predates most modern formulas, that sheds some light on the milk fat requirements of squirrels. It was conducted by the Ohio State University back in the 1960's where they took a number of lactating female Grey Squirrels and milked them to analyze the contents of their breast milk. They were only able to obtain just a few cc's of breast milk and had to use ancient technology in their analysis. What they found was astounding! They found that the fat content of Squirrel breast milk ranged fro 12 to 24%. To put this into perspective, that would mean that Squirrel breast milk is second only to whale and seal milk in the amount of milk fat!  A PDF of this study can be viewed at:
https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/5665/V72N01_003.pdf?sequence=1



I think it is safe to say that baby squirrels in the wild are raised on milk that is very high in fat. If baby squirrels require a high fat content in the wild, why on earth would you want a formula that has skim milk as the main ingredient?

As a note of interest, the above report by the Ohio State University also mentions that they were feeding their research baby squirrels a combination of whole cow's milk with canned condensed milk added. In other words, they were increasing the fat content of whole cows milk with high fat condensed milk to increase the fat content of their formula. It doesn't say that they were using some powdered milk re placer. It also doesn't say that their babies were dying horrible deaths because they were feeding them formula made from cow's milk!

The idea of Cow's milk killing baby squirrels is a lie that is intended to get you to fear and doubt the idea of ever feeding them regular milk. The fact is, that if you feed a baby squirrel Cow's milk without first boiling it, it can give them diarrhea because their immature gut reacts to the enzymes present in the milk. If diarrhea is left untreated, a baby squirrel can get dehydrated and develop an electrolyte imbalance. If an electrolyte imbalance is left untreated, it can cause a heart arrhythmia, which could lead to sudden cardiac death. All this can be prevented by bringing milk and cream mixture to a boil. Doing so destroys the enzymes and leaves you with a high fat formula that is perfect for baby squirrels at a fraction of the cost.

Some of you may be asking yourself, why would Rehabbers and Formula Manufacturers intentionally mislead people about formula? All I can tell you is to follow the money line. Formula manufacturers make millions of extra dollars per year by expanding the scope of their sales into wild animal rehabilitation. They send their "experts" to the various State Rehab' conventions to explain to the Rehabbers that attend, why their product is superior for various animal species, and present half-truths like the above mentioned diarrhea to death scenario as being the end result of feeding anything else. To seal the deal, I'm sure that lots of money gets dumped back into the coffers of State Rehab' organizations, in exchange for them promoting their products.

It irritates me to no end that this stuff takes place, but it does not bother me. My goal is to provide my readers with truthful facts, and let them draw their own conclusions. I've never lost a baby squirrel to a formula related problem, and I've taken care of babies that were within days of dying from severe malnutrition and advanced metabolic bone disease! My homemade formula has never failed me, and I have no financial interest that would motivate me to lie.

I've taken heat from a number Wildlife Rehab' individuals including a pair that once tried to get my State Rehab' license revoked for, "spreading lies about feeding baby squirrels Cow's milk." I've always patiently refuted all their arguments and even made my State's director of the Division of Wildlife laugh when I explained my position in the ensuing investigation. Needless to say I'm still allowed to rehab' squirrels! 

If you have any questions or comments, you can always contact me at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com.

88 Comments
Squirrel Rescuer
8/31/2013 03:26:02 pm

I rescued a baby squirrel a week ago today, and she seems to be doing great. I started her on the commercial puppy formula and she was doing ok but after I found this site I switched her to the homemade formula this site suggested. After feeding the homemade formula for 4 days I noticed that she stops more when eating and she has developed diarrhea. Has anyone experienced this before? Am I doing something wrong?

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Kayla
5/4/2020 07:02:10 pm

Can I give a baby squirrel lactose free milk?

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Zoila
5/5/2020 08:46:31 pm

Hi, I'm not Bill but according to my experience is safe, my baby squirrel is weaned now and I used the formula Bill provided in this site (check out the menu): scalded milk with heavy cream and the milk I used was lactose free. My baby is now eating solids and seems quite healthy. Good luck!

Jolene
7/2/2021 10:18:49 am

Yes, you should be feeding esbilac, not this crap this guy is trying to tell you to feed

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Emilie Wang Naylor
3/19/2022 08:15:29 pm

I can't afford Esbilac. I have been feeding my baby squirrel with infant formula and he's ok. I am thinking Pedialyte is also for humans, but we also give this to the squirrel in case of dehydration. human products are more superior than the animal commercial products in the market. I am not worried about the fat content of the milk. once the squirrel starts nibbling on different nuts, it will give the squirrel an ample high fat diet. what we are concerned right now is diarrhea due to a wrong milk diet.

William Sells link
8/31/2013 07:07:45 pm

Hello! Thanks for writing! It's not uncommon for a baby squirrel switched from commercial formula to our homemade formula to experience some diarrhea. The reason is the richness of the formula.

I need to revise my formula web page to include instructions on how to implement the switch. Start out with just scalded whole milk, then gradually increase the cream addition until you work up to 3 to 4 tablespoons per cup. In the meantime, switch your little one to a 50/50 mix of Plain Yogurt, ( with live cultures,) and Plain Ensure Plus. This will restore the good bacteria in his gut and should get the diarrhea or loose stool problem straightened out.

Then, you can start him or her back on the milk and cream formula. Commercial formulas start with skim milk, then try to fortify them with additives, vitamins and fillers so that they have a proprietary blend that they can patent. You can't patent milk, and adding vitamins only makes expensive urine. If you read the Ohio State University analysis of Grey Squirrel Breast Milk study conducted over 50 years ago, (http://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/5665/V72N01_003.pdf?sequence=1,) you'll see that a mother squirrel's breast milk contains only 9.0 percent protein, 12.1 percent fat, 3.0 percent lactose, 1.3 percent ash, 0.36 percent calcium, and 0.45 percent phosphorus. Where's all the vitamins and fillers in that? Notice, 12.1% milk fat. That's pretty rich milk! Another study that was cited in that study placed the mik fat content of Squirrel Breast Milk at 24%.

Any baby doctor will tell you that the two most important ingredients in breast milk or any formula are the milk fat and protein. That's because babies synthesize everything they need for growth and development from the fat and protein! So, don't be afraid to work your baby up to a high fat diet! It's necessary at this stage of their life!....Bill

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SJ
9/21/2013 05:07:22 pm

I have had a couple of babies for about 6 weeks now, and they are gaining weight, and totally healthy! When I found them, I began with warming them, hydrating them, and then the next few days, eased them on to a mix of evaporated milk, yogurt with probiotics, and heavy whipping cream. They gained weight quickly, and were very healthy, with healthy stools. I Joined a...ahem..."famous forum" on squirrels, and people who found them, etc. And was told to try a powder formula that was incredibly expensive, and "the best" that wasn't killing squirrels, blah blah. I bought a bag, and then one of the babies managed to get diarrhea on and off through the whole time. Needless to say, I was not pleased. I made sure to hydrate between feedings, and still had diarrhea. Soooo I recently eased them back to the evaporated milk mixture, only this time I added a little canned pumpkin, apple sauce and baby oatmeal. It is time to start weaning them, and they seem to like a rat mix that I have bought, and always have the option of fresh water, and get fed their formula 3 times a day, and have been for the past week, and have been doing wonderfully. No diarrhea, healthy weight gain, however now that fall is setting in, they seem to be sleeping a lot. Is there anything I should add to their diet to keep their energy up? Or is this common? They are approximately 10 weeks old now, much bigger and two weeks away from a bigger cage for over wintering. Part of me assumed they were just bored because the cage isn't big enough and just started sleeping more. But I think a lot of it has to do with nutrition. Needless to say, the "good formula mixes" are garbage, and the people who were preaching to me about them, were completely false on other types of milk to provide for the babies. Also, there is a brand of squirrel blocks that people go crazy over, with a price of nearly 20 dollars for something that will last only about 2 weeks. I asked "what did people do before these blocks?" (I really did!) and everyone insisted that I only get these blocks. Since then, I have left the forum and have searched for people who have successfully raised baby squirrels in ways before these fancy expensive powders. I must thank you hugely for making this site. I have found more on here, than I have anywhere else!

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William link
9/22/2013 05:14:25 am

Hello SJ!
Welcome to common sense! I can answer the question about what was done before all the Commercial Formulas and other commercial food items. It's exactly what the Ohio State University was doing 50 to 60 years ago to raise the Squirrels they had in their research program. They fed them a high fat formula of Condensed Milk and regular whole milk, because their research of squirrel breast milk revealed that the fat content of a mother squirrel's milk was anywhere from 12 to 24% milk fat. Baby squirrels thrive on high fat milk. Commercial formulas start with Skim Milk, and it goes downhill from there. Militant defenders of Commercial Formula for squirrels are brainwashed robots that regurgitate a bunch of hogwash that was drummed into their heads by a bunch of company talking heads who's prime goal is to sell more product and increase company profits. To accomplish this goal, they first have to demonize the competition, in this instance, they have to lie and say that cow's milk will kill baby squirrels, which at best, is less than a half truth. If the cow enzymes in milk are not deactivated by heating the milk to the boiling point, it will produce diarrhea in the immature digestive system of a baby squirrel. Diarrhea left unchecked will lead to an electrolyte imbalance, which left unchecked will lead to a heart arrhythmia which would lead to sudden cardiac death.

You cannot patent milk, so formula manufacturers take skim milk and add all kinds of fillers and vitamins to produce a proprietary formula that can be patented. All commercial formulas really do is provide malnutrition and really expensive urine, since most of the vitamins they add are just peed out. The fact that baby squirrels survive commercial formulas is more of a testament to their tenacious ability to survive, than it is to the benefits of the formula!

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Melanie
9/1/2021 09:29:24 am

Omg, as soon as you mentioned you asked "What do you think people did BEFORE those blocks?", I jumped off my seat!
I have had the EXACT SAME issue in that group!!
I told them I lived in the far north of Canada and was able to forage him a proper wild diet rather than send away to the amazon gods for his food. They went crazy on me! They INSISTED my squirrel would DIE!! I just can't anymore, they are brainwashed.
Btw, I asked the EXACT same question. "What did we do BEFORE these magical blocks?" And I was never given a real answer, just attacked.

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William link
9/22/2013 05:35:20 am

Sorry SJ, I got up on my formula soapbox and forgot to answer your question. Baby squirrels do sleep a lot and when the weather starts to cool, they sleep even more. I've had a resident blind squirrel for over 5 years and she probably sleeps 18 hours a day. Squirrels are normally active at sunrise and sunset and spend the rest of their time napping. If I take Lucky outside during midday, she is very lethargic and just lays on my shoulder. But, if I take her out in late afternoon, she runs all over me. It sounds like you are feeding them very well. Forget about the rodent blocks, your main concern should be daily supplementation of calcium after they wean from formula. If you send me an e-mail at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com, I'll send you our food lists for squirrels and the recipe for Squirrel Nut Squares, which has everything a squirrel needs........Bill

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ashley vanerp
5/22/2015 01:36:25 pm

We found a baby squirrel eyes still closed need help want to save him I think he's hungry did warm him ip

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William link
5/22/2015 02:52:21 pm

Hi Ashley!

If you e-mail me at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com, I can send you all the information you need about caring for your baby squirrel.

Bill

Carol Goodmurphyl
5/8/2018 06:30:18 am

My niehbours dog and my dog found this baby black squirel .It was trying to get close to them .I looked for momma but I have a feeling she may have been a victim in a car accident. This little guy seems about half grown in size . it has full fur and is very tenacious .It was chasing after the dogs then decided I was more hospitable. My neighbour is younger and thought we should leave it outside and let the chips fall.I am a softy and could see it was cold and hungery. I brought it in and as it was trying to suckle everywhere. I made uo some almond milk a tiny bit of protien powder and a dab of honey. He devourer it from a shringe. I put it in a cat carrier and put a jar of warm water wraped in a bulky piece of knitted trile stitching. The baby snuggled right in after a bit of handling to whipe away any dribbled mik. He slept sound through the night and ate well again this am. Just want to know what os best to feed and when and how to wean later. It obviously stll needs formula.

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William link
5/8/2018 08:32:29 am

Hi, Carol!
Write to me at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com and request information on caring for baby squirrels and I'll send you all the PDF files I send out to new caregivers!

Bill

Miki Kramer
9/12/2018 07:45:41 pm

Can I have your receipe for ababy red squirrel. Probably 10 weeks old. All I had was Ensure. He looked it. Drank out of a ensure lid. But what else can I feed him. Has not went to the bathroom since I resuedr him from the cat. Thank you Miki

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Vi
8/8/2019 01:47:46 pm

Can you send me some care instructions for a baby squirrel I found it’s maybe a few days to a week old, My neighbor gave me her kitty formula that they are no longer using is this ok to give the squirrel?

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SJ
9/24/2013 06:37:54 am

I sent you an email right away, but not sure if you have received it yet! Figured I would drop a line here just to let you know!

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SJ
9/30/2013 06:03:17 pm

I am interested in buying the Nut Square Kit, but was curious, do I feed this to them for 3 meals? Or is this a once a day thing? I guess I am a bit confused at the difference between the nut kits and the biscuit kits. Also, do I need to dry them out? Or can I feed them if thawed in the fridge?

Also, can I feed this to them without drying out the squares?

They have been eating very well, I have also been boiling the milk and whipping cream and no poo problems! Still gaining weight of course! The seed mix, that I have been feeding them I have a feeling might not be good, I am not completely sure though. I pulled out all the corn from it, They tend to go for the sunflower seeds most anyway. Still the majority of the diet is the yogurt, cream and milk, with a puree of pees, carrots, sometimes a little pumpkin, and gerber baby oatmeal, 3 times a day. The rest is them picking through the seed mix, and the pieces of squash, celery and apples I give them a day. I have yet to introduce nuts. But I have a good stash of acorns and walnuts ready for them once they decide they don't want the formula mix. Fact is, I refuse to buy the garbage that is being flung all around certain places. I trust your credentials, and you most definitely seem to know what you are talking about, and obviously doing, especially with nutrition. I just want to make sure that everything I am doing is correct, I'd hate to make a terrible mistake with these two precious lives. Thank you so much!

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William link
10/1/2013 03:17:36 am

Hi SJ!
Let me clarify the Nut Squares vs Squirrel Biscuit item. Nut Squares are for captive squirrels and only require 1 per day after they stop taking formula. They supply the right amount of daily calcium to prevent Metabolic Bone Disease.

Squirrel Biscuits are for outside, wild squirrels to improve their nutrition status. They don't have as much vitamins as nut squares because they are designed as a food supplement to improve the nutrition status of a wild squirrel, especially when neighbors are feeding them a crap diet.

They should be dried and stored in the freezer to preserve the essential fatty acids.

If you send me an e-mail and request our food lists for squirrels I'll send you our lists of foods to feed, and not feed squirrels!

SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com

Bill

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christina
9/23/2015 12:19:14 pm

Can I feed my squirrel nut squares while it is still on formula? Is it ok to feed both the nut squares and squirrel biscuits while I overwinter her?

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William Sells link
9/23/2015 07:35:09 pm

Hi Christina!

As long as you squirrel is 8 weeks or older, you can feed it any solids because it's molars have erupted. Nut Squares are a supplement, and squirrel biscuits are a food, so it's perfectly fine to feed both at the same time!

Bill

June link
5/22/2014 03:51:50 am

Please send me the food list. Also how old should a squirrel be to be released. The one I have is about 8 weeks old and is outdoors in a 6' by 6' cage with an extra cage going into a garage for his bed. He has how stopped taking his formula and is very active. I do not want to keep him for a pet.
Thank you for your fast reply for my other email. I did not expect that. Thank you again.
June

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William link
5/23/2014 05:42:30 am

Hi June!

I'd be happy to send our food lists. Just send me your e-mail address to SquirrelNutrition@yahoo.com, and I'll get them right out to you.

As to how old to release. We keep all our squirrels until the following Spring. They are good and mature and have the whole summer and Fall to gather food and establish a leaf nest or den.

For people who live in warm climates, I recommend at least 6 months before release. It's difficult for single squirrels, because they are such family oriented animals that they bond with their caregivers so close that release often equals abandonment to them. Since yours is already in an outside cage, it should be a little easier. If you minimize contact with him, he will identify more with the squirrels in his surroundings than with you.

Hope this helps!

Bill

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Tony Gutierrez
9/29/2014 02:38:00 am

Bill, we are in kind of the same scenario. We found a baby (6weeks) that seems to be doing well. We are in Atlanta, and its fall. What should we do to prepare to release the squirrel? What age is proper? Do we wait out the winter? We have a wildlife reahab contact we can give the squirrel to if we cant handle the process.

June Boswinkle
8/25/2014 08:49:51 am

I have a baby squirrel about 6 wks old. For the first time I am feeding her the scalded milk formula but she has developed diarahee. Over the years I fed the babies, I got with the canned milk recipe. I am concerned, does the canned pumpkin work to correct this problem? Thanks.
June
June

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William link
8/25/2014 10:43:38 am

Hi June!

Going from commercial formula to our formula is like going from skim to super fat milk. You've got to do it slow, and you don't have to feed as often,( 4 times a day.) Diarrhea from changing formula is cause by one of two reasons. The richness of the formula or over feeding. Back off on the added cream, starting with scalded whole milk. Add cream at a rate of 1 tablespoon each time you make new. Give a half cc of live culture plain yogurt with each feeding to keep good bacteria in the gut. The problem will straighten itself out.

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Nik link
10/19/2014 08:00:25 pm

hello william, Im glad to see you here willing to share with others your knowledge and experiences on squirrel cares. I just bought a squirrel from petshop, he doest tame to me yet. He is about 3month old but he love cow's milk(nespray+warm water). I give him every day in morning, once a day. Im just want to make it clear again about giving cow's milk to squirrel, is it dangerous for the squirrel?

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Sabrina
12/1/2014 12:43:26 am

I recently had a squirrel given to me found on a construction site in a wall they were renovating. Her eyes are open already I'm guessing 8-9 weeks judging by research online. I wasn't prepared for her. I bought her rat food after doing some online reading. I gave her yogurt and tends to eat it like a crack addict. Any tips or suggestions will appreciated. I want to do what's best for her.

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William link
12/2/2014 07:19:11 am

Hi Sabrina!

We let our baby squirrels stay exclusively on formula for as long as they will continue to take it, even after they start on solids. On a high fat formula, like ours, you don't have to feed very often.

After 8 weeks, we start them on soft solids, plus oak and maple twigs for teething and drop back on formula to twice daily, and let them self-wean.

Bill

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William link
12/2/2014 07:22:11 am

PS. Sabrina,

You can obtain copies of recipes and food lists for squirrels through the form at the bottom of our homepage at SquirrelNutrition.com.

Bill

Lee
4/13/2015 01:02:20 am

Hello. I found 4 pink baby squirrels frozen. At first thought they were dead but instantly i started blowing warm ear on them.. and they came alive, i was so happy. i warmed them up and started giving double milk mixtured with little boiled water and honey to make it sweeter.. everything was fine up until 4th day when i started using baby kitten formula, after 3 days everyone had a bad diarrhea and in 3 days 2 of them have died from dehydration and i guess starvation.. i was heartbroken. And now i cant blame noone but myself because i did what everone asked me to do -feed kitten formula.. last night i found a page where its sayd to feed scalded milk only.. i instantly went to farm and got milk and scalded it, ever since i have been giving that with little drop on vitamin E.. and i read feedings must be done after every 5 hours, but it seems little long for me, since my babies are extremely skinny and they look wrinkley, dont know if suffering from dehyration or because they just dont have body fat. im so worried that they might die from dehydration.. so please tell me is it okay to feed them more often, they take about 1-1,5 cc at a time.. I thought if its no good to feed them more often that 5 hours i would want to rehydrate them with some kind of water just in case, what would it be ? Please get back to me as soon as possible.. im out of ideas and have no clue what to do i rreally dont want to lose them :(

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William link
4/13/2015 09:32:56 am

Hi Lee!
Stop he honey! Honey can contain minute amounts of Botulism. It doesn't affect humans, but new immature immune sustems it can and does kill.

Babies synthesize EVERYTHING they need for growth and development from the fat and protein in their milk. They don't need vitamins, those come later to support mature tissues. Clarissa Summers always advocated Vitamin E as an antioxidant. My feelings are that the Soybean Oil it is suspended in, along with the phyto estrogens contained in soybeans, are a greater risk, especially for male squirrels. If you boost the fat content of their formula slowly, by adding a tablespoon of Heavy whipping cream over 4 to 5 days, you will get the fat content up to about half of what their mother had in her breast milk.

Having fed other commercial formulas and the honey stuff, the diarrhea need to be controlled before you lose more to dehydration.

Put some live culture plain yogurt in their feedins for a couple days. Don't scald the yogurt, you want the acidophiles bacteria to repopulate the bowel. This should get diarrhea under control and improve digestion. A high fat diet only requires 4 times a day feedings.

Keep the babies warm and never feed a cold baby. They should always feel warm when you pick them up. Sounds like they are only 1 to 2 weeks old, so 1 to 2 cc for each week old is a normal feeding.

The day the eyes open, count back 5 weeks for relative date of birth.

Contact me a SquirrelNutrition @yahoo.com for further questions!

Thanks for writing!

Bill

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Margie Hall
6/14/2015 10:31:05 am

have baby squirrel, would like food list and wondered about feeding yogurt for calcium. if not what other food for calcium? thank you

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William Sells link
9/5/2015 08:53:07 am

Hi Margie!

Send me a request at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com and I can forward all you need. Please remind me of this Blog request, as I get dozens of e-mails per day!

Bill

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Keith Gras
9/1/2015 02:41:20 am

I read that Cows Milk has to much lactose for baby squirrels is that true or just another misleading fact

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William Sells link
9/5/2015 09:02:24 am

Hi Keith!

It's another bogus myth pushed by the, "Cows milk will kill baby squirrels!,) crowd!

Lactose is naturally occurring milk sugar that is present in the milk of any lactating female whether human or animal !

If the lactose in cows milk is too much for baby squirrels, then someone forgot to tell the scientists at the Ohio State University who studied Squirrel Breast Milk! They were feeding their baby lab squirrels a combination of Whole Cow's milk that was fortified with canned, condensed cows milk to boost the fat content!

If you didn't read it, here is the link to their study: http://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/5665/V72N01_003.pdf?sequence=1

Bill

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kim prince
9/4/2015 09:59:30 pm

we have helped about 26 squirrels or more over last several years.from just same day born to falling out tree.I live in Tacoma WA. area. I have never had trouble introducing back to the wild .Now I have a new little girl a lady called for help on .Had her four days so far.Total watery stool.I have always grabbed kitten can formula and went from there.This little girl is a lone ranger.All others had siblings.She needs me to do it correctly and I am not totally getting what to do that will save her little life.Since I didn't start out with her and she had been given regular milk for couple days I fear its a problem now .From no stool for two days to diarrhea .Thank you for helping me with her if you can.She also seem to of gotten to cold so today I have had her most day next to my body skin to warm her.She loves that.

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William Sells link
9/5/2015 07:25:40 am

Hi Kim!

Try giving her small equal portions of plain vanilla Ensure Plus and Live Culture plain Dannon yogurt every three hours for a couple days, or until the diarrhea stops. Warm it slightly but don't scald it. You want to get the audiophiles bacteria restored in the gut. Also give Pedialyte to replace electrolyte.

Babies that feel cold to the touch or are hard to maintain temperature are always concerning. That's an early sign of shock and need to be reversed quickly!

There's always the possibility of internal injuries, but these babies usually refuse to eat.

Bill

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Ann
10/18/2015 01:44:54 am

My dad found a baby grey squirrel and I have been taking care of it for a few days now. I just read online that puppy formula Esbilac is no longer good for them since 2010.. So now I am wondering what should I do.. He is about 6-7 weeks old now. He seems to be taking it well but I'm worried about his pooping.. Please help!

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William Sells link
10/18/2015 09:33:44 am

Hi Ann!

This is the homemade formula we have used for years to raise all of our squirrels: http://www.squirrelnutrition.com/squirrel-formula.html .

Just gradually increase the fat content to prevent mushy stools!

Bill

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Meagan
4/19/2016 05:36:58 pm

Three days ago I found a baby squirrel (5 weeks old) and I have been feeding her boiled cows milk about three times a day and I was wondering if I should add anything to the boiled milk. She seems to be doing fine and has had no diharea but she is a bit small. Also I have read on many websites that it is fine to give them Gatorade before feeding them to hydrate them if you can't afford the store bought stuff (I can't quite remember the name) but I wanted to ask you if that is true? Thanks,
Meagan

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Chris
8/28/2016 07:59:20 pm

I wish you got a reply about the Gatorade! That's all that I had at the time. Not everyone has pedialyte on hand. My first orphan baby so learning as I go and I sure wish I don't hurt this little guy. Any tips are appreciated.

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Veronica link
4/30/2016 10:42:27 pm

Hi, I found a baby Squirrel about five weeks old and I give her processed milk and she seems to be fine with it. She is playful and seems to nibble her cloth bed. Can I give her tiny pieces of biscuits or could you recommend any fruits to start with. I want to set her back to the wild as early as possible.

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William link
5/1/2016 12:02:12 pm

Hi Veronica!

Cut and paste your question and send it to me in an e-mail at: SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com, and I'll send you what you need to determine what to feed and when to advance the diet. If it is truly 5 weeks old, it needs to be strictly on formula until its molars erupt between weeks 8 and 9. Otherwise, there is an increased chance of choking on improperly chewed foods!....Bill

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Anam
3/28/2017 12:09:12 pm

Hello,
I found a baby squirrel a week ago and I tried to reunite it but his mom didn't take him back. From yesterday his stomach appears bloated from the left side more. He has some diarrhea also. I consulted a doctor he said its normal but i am really concerned with his bloated stomach. Help please

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Cheyenne
4/17/2017 06:24:39 pm

Hi,

So a family friend's boss gave me an orphaned squirrel today and I have been going on a whole lot of sites and I can't quite find what I need for her. She is around 5 1/2 weeks old from what I've found out. But all she does is sleep and it worries me since I've never owned a squirrel before. I've given her sugared water and my mum gave her some chicken feed crushed up in water and she seemed to enjoy both of those, however I'm not sure if she can have the latter. I boiled some milk but I'm a little hesitant on giving it to her due to everything I have read from other sites.

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William link
4/17/2017 07:24:47 pm

Hi Cheyenne!

First, let me assure you that baby squirrels sleep a lot, and that is normal.

Second, If your squirrel is only 5 1/2 weeks old, you should not be feeding it any solid foods, because even though it has the front incisors teeth, its chewing teeth, ( the molars,) do not erupt until 8 weeks. It is possible for the squirrel to choke on improperly chewed food.

Did you read the Ohio State University study on squirrel breast milk?
They were feeding their lab babies a combination of whole milk and canned condensed milk to boost the fat content. Cow's milk will not kill a baby squirrel! That is a lie that has been perpetuated by formula manufacturers, playing on the ignorance of squirrel rehabbers in a blatant attempt to sell more expensive formula.

High fat milk will not kill your squirrel! On the contrary, it give the squirrel everything it needs at this stage of its life for growth and development. Babies synthesize everything they need for growth and development from the fat, protein, carbohydrates, calcium and simple sugars contained within their milk, Period.

All the vitamins and fillers contained in commercial formula are not needed at this stage, and only make for expensive urine.

Bill

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Terrie Hogan
5/21/2017 11:00:57 am

I sent you email but thought I'd leave a reply here invade you don't get it
My email is terrielynne@live.com
Just found a 4 to 5 week baby squirel I need some help thank you 😊

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Valerie Smith
8/27/2017 09:59:57 am

I am in Texas and got to experience wonderful hurricane Harvey and we had found two baby squirrels from a tree that had fallen over. The little girl did not make it but her brother seems to be doing fine for now. I have been rehydrating him but I am concerned on what to feed him. I'm very limited on what I can get do to flooding, but I want to make sure he is getting nourishment.

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William link
8/27/2017 10:23:15 am

Hi, Valerie!

I can send you all the information you need to economically feed your squirrel if you write me at

SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com and request information on raising a baby squirrel. I have all kinds of attachments I can e-mail back to you.

Bill

Shaz II
7/3/2017 12:30:42 am

Hiii
I read ur article on internet.
Im confused about feeding formula...i tried homemade hydration formula...its works good ..but i want to know ,cow milk kills squirrel?..every website says puppy milk replacer is good
? In my city these item cannot be found...im living in village..,
I want to save my squirrel.
Its been 4 days he's with me..these 4days i didnt tried any fluid food, i only tried the rehydration formula (homemade)..but i worried about if i gave him cow milk .is he die?. . I need ur advise please reply me as fast u can.. i want homemade formula..how to make it pleaee let me know
Thank you

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Nancy
8/22/2017 06:53:26 am

We have a baby red and its eyes are open I'm not sure if it still needs milk and if I should make my own mix I have never saved a baby before. Is it a 50/50 of milk and condensed milk and do you boil it together?

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William link
8/22/2017 09:28:30 am

Hi, Nancy!

If you send me a picture that includes the tail I can age your squirrel. Send it to SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com.

As to the formula recipe, it's one cup of whole milk with 4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream. If your squirrel accepts it then it still need formula.

You shouldn't feed solid foods before 8 weeks because the molars or chewing teeth don't erupt before then. I can send you all the information when you send the picture.

Bill

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Faye baker
9/3/2017 01:06:17 pm

I have a baby squirrel that I'm trying help but every time it drinks the milk it has diarrhea what am I not doing right please help

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William link
9/3/2017 02:28:54 pm

Hi, Faye!

There's a lot of information you left out.

When you say diarrhea, do you mean explosive foul smelling and watery diarrhea? Or yellow and mushy stools.

If it's explosive and smelly, you're dealing with an intestinal infection.

If it's mushy and yellow, it's either over feeding or not enough digestive bacteria,

To correct mushy stools try feeding just plain yogurt with active live cultures. Don't boil it, just feed it slightly warmed for a few feedings and see if that straightens out the problem.

If it doesn't or you have an infection brewing you will need to consult a Vet about an antibiotic specific for intestinal infections. If you don't have a Vet that will see it, then write me at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com and I'll tell you what to do.

Bill

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CHRIS
9/3/2017 06:48:21 pm

I have been following your recipe and your suggestions for a few weeks now with our orphaned squirrel. She is about 3-4 weeks, she just started having mushy yellowish-white stools. I felt I was over feeding her and your last post proved me correct. I don't have any plain yogurt but I do have probiotic capsules. I make my formula in bulk for about 3 days worth can I empty a probiotic capsule into the formula mixture? Also I am feeding her about 6 times a day about 2 ccs per feeding. How often/how much should I be feeding her?

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William link
9/7/2017 03:12:44 pm

Hi Chris!
Sorry it took so long to get to this!

Probiotics should work OK.

I would decrease your feedings to 4 times a day, that's how often we do it! Our schedule is 7 AM, 1 PM, 7PM and 11PM.

Bill

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CarolMiller
9/13/2017 09:19:26 am

Two squirrels fell out of nest. Was giving them Esbilac and they are
so hungry. Realize they might have diarrhea. This is a replacer formula for puppies. It'sin a can. Please give me info that you have. I raised another squirrel on whole cows milk and he did fine. Supplimented with pine nuts n banana dried chips. These two smell really strong!!! They are doing prettygood. Please send me info on milk formula Thank you!!

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William link
9/13/2017 09:43:15 am

Hi, Carol!

Write to me at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com and I'll send you all the links you need.

Bill

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meredith mulcahy
9/30/2017 02:05:27 pm

how do you tell how old a little squirrel is? his tail is a good 6" long and he's eating all kinds of fruits, nuts, veg's and only had him about 5 days from a wind blown nest I guess? from hurricane Irma. been wondering about the milk and heard everything from you Will. I know he/she needs the milk and thanks so much for the advise!!

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William link
9/30/2017 03:24:30 pm

Hi, Meredith!

We tell by the appearance of the tail. You would have to send me a picture that included the tail for me to age the squirrel.

Before their eyes are open is more accurate. The day the first eye opens, you count back on a calendar 5 weeks to set the relative date of birth. This method is accurate to within a week.

The tail appearance is accurate to within a week to 10 days or so.

If you would like me to age it, send a picture to SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com and request the age of the squirrel.

Thanks for writing!

Bill

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Matt
11/23/2017 01:32:09 am

Hey i work at a tree trimminf place and everyone finds squirrels all the time well leave them by a tree until we leave and if there still there depending on if its been an hour or 2 some people take them and some dont but i found one eyes open and kind has some teeth. I kept reading articles about kmr or puppy replacement after reading that article it makes sense why people push that stuff. But what do you mean bu scald the milk like boil it and for how long?

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William link
11/24/2017 10:35:26 am

Hi, Matt!

To scald milk all you have to do is heat it while stirring continuously until it starts to boil. That's it! heating it to that temperature destroys everything that could give the baby diarrhea and leaves you with a high fat formula that is as close to squirrel breast milk as you can get.

A big advantage to a high fat diet is that you only have to feed 4 times a day!

Bill

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Stacy
2/27/2018 03:36:56 pm

Can I feed baby squirrels kitten formula not sure how old they are they have there eyes open and full fur

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William link
2/27/2018 04:07:07 pm

Hi, Stacey!

I would read the ingredients. Chances are, the kitten formula is probably made from skim milk. Squirrel Breast Milk is up to 24% milk fat. Skim milk is less than 1%.

I read a comment on a Q&A about kitten and puppy formula where a Vet Tech said she fed a kitten some puppy formula and the cat got very constipated.

I believe there is also a big difference in the phosphorus tolerance between cats and dogs because cats are prone to developing kidney stones.

Squirrels require as close to a one to one ratio between calcium and phosphorus as possible because they are prone to the development of Metabolic Bone Disease, (MBD.) Phosphorus will block the absorption of calcium when the phosphorus content is much higher than the calcium. For example, the calcium to phosphorus ratio of field corn is 1 to 25. Corn completely blocks the absorption of calcium and peanuts are close behind corn, yet, corn and peanut sales for squirrels is a multi-million dollar market!

I would recommend a high fat diet for your baby like our formula recipe. http://www.squirrelnutrition.com/squirrel-formula.html .

It's dirt cheap compares to commercial formula and because of the high fat content you only need to feed 4 times a day!

Bill

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Priyanka Shetty
3/4/2018 09:43:36 am

Hey ,i have emailed you but not sure if you have received it.... I have found a baby squirrel almost a week old.. His eyes are closed... And i am feeding him cow's milk and using homemade electrolyte to hydrate him is it okay?

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Nash
4/21/2018 09:54:30 am

Yes it's fine, jus dilute the milk a bit

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William link
4/21/2018 10:09:32 am

You should be able to drop the electrolytes after a few days and just keep on with the cow's milk.

Bill

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Cassandra
4/24/2018 03:11:20 pm

Hello, we found baby squirrels left abandoned and nearly dead from the cold. Warmed them up and gave them the water, salt, sugar mix for hydration. At first from the bottle, but then we tried from a plate when we realized that they are not so small anymore since they have fur and their eyes were open. We tried some carrots created and they eat some and even nibbled on some slivered almonds. Offered them lettuce, but they only nibble and little and left it. They liked the water solution, though. There are lot of conflicting information online about what to feed them or how to figure how old they are.
I did the stimulation to make sure they pee and have bowel movements and that was successful. They slept a lot and wanted to explore out of the cage. One of them looked more stronger, we named him Charlie, and was eating more, but then four days later when I bought them broccoli, he just tried it a little and just wanted to go back to sleep. The one, we named him William, that was smaller and less active was real happy and nibbled a lot on the broccoli.
The next day again Charlie just wanted to sleep and later in the afternoon I fed a raspberry to William and wanted the other one to try it, too. When I checked on Charlie and decided to take him out of his cozy box since he's been sleeping too much, and offer him a raspberry, too, I found that he was dead.
It was heartbreaking. I keep trying to figure out what went wrong and why did he die, although he looked like he was doing great, better than his brother was.
Did I offer veggies, nut and fruit too early? Should I have given them milk instead of the water solution? Was he injured and I didn't know it? But he was so energetic before for the first 3-4 days.
I did more reading and found your site about the formula. I missed the part about bringing the milk to almost boil, but I gave 2% which we usually have with few drops of coconut oil warmed up a little. I gave that to the little squirrel and he loved it. He goes crazy for the bottle. When I put it in his dish, he just gets himself wet, doesn't drink it. Which is strange, because they drank the water solution from the dish before. He wants his milk from the bottle.
Then I finally went shopping again and got some heavy whipping cream and added some of that to the milk before warming and still putting some coconut oil. He likes this, too. But it seems that since I started giving him the milk, he lost interest in the broccoli or carrots. He still eats a half raspberry or a blueberry if I offer it. I only offer a fruit once a day, because I read that too much of that is not good.
I'm just worried about him not really eating the veggies. Yesterday I offered him butternut squash, too, cut in strings, but he just nibbles a little, licks it and that's it.
What else should I do? should I just continue with the milk mixture and not try to get him to eat solids? Is giving him a berry a day a good thing? Since his brother died, he loves to cuddle with me in my lap or by my side and I let him. This way when he sleeps I can feel him breathing and know he's ok.
Any help and suggestion I would greatly appreciate. I will warm the milk up to boil as suggested going forward, although he didn't develop diarriah, but just to be on the safe side now that I know it's best.
I was thinking to give him yoghurt, but we usually keep greek yoghurt at home, so I wasn't sure if that would be good for him. I bought a different whole milk yoghurt with life cultures yesterday, but when I tasted it it taste sour like greek yoghurt. I'm not sure if that's good for a squirrel and how should I give it to him? should I be mixing it in with the milk? When do squirrels need to be weaned off the bottle and onto solid foods? At what age can they safely have nuts? Maybe we gave the nuts too early? William nibbled some of the almond sliver, too but not as much as Charlie.
I have all of these questions for two reasons: one, I'm trying to figure out what mistake did I do that may have caused Charlie's death, two, I don't want to make the same mistake again and want to ensure that William will strive and live.

Thanks and any help and suggestion you can provide!

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William link
4/24/2018 04:35:05 pm

Hi, Cassandra!

If you send me a picture that includes the tail I will age William for you and will be in a better position to advise. Send it to SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com.

Charlie probably died of an occult internal injury. It's fairly common and happens all the time. Usually caused from the fall they take from their mother's nest.

A squirrel's chewing teeth, (the molars,) do not erupt until 8 weeks, so it's not a good idea to give solids before that time.

Like I said, send me a picture and I'll be better able to advise you.

Bill

Reply
Cassandra
4/26/2018 12:43:27 am

Thank you for your response and help! I sent the pictures in an email earlier today.
That is so sad that happens in to these poor little squirrels. I didn't know that it could take that many days for that type of injury to take the baby's life.
Looking forward to your guidance,
Thanks !
Cassandra

Cathy
7/8/2018 06:53:54 pm

One of my cats got a baby squirrel. Don't know how long he had it but when my daughter saw & yelled he dropped. It was still alive but no idea where moma is. Did not see any wounds. It has full fire, even on tail and eyes are open. We brought him in & put him in a critter keeper with a towel under heat lamp. I do not know anything about caring for a squirrel. I was going to move it to small cat carrier if it lives. Is that OK? How warm do I need to keep it? Should I use a heating pad under the carrier? I read your comments about feeding and boiled some milk with a little heavy whipping cream but should it have a bowel of water as well? Would a small needless syringe or a bottle be better to feed it? Please help. No idea what I am doing.

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William link
7/8/2018 08:38:34 pm

Hi, Cathy!

Cut and paste your question into an email and send it to SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com and I'll send you all the info for new squirrel caregivers!

Bill

Reply
Tara
7/20/2018 08:22:41 am

I am a breastfeeding mom and have pretty fatty milk. My daughter and I found a baby about 3 weeks old in the morning but i know that mom moves babies sometimes or it fell and she will most likely be back. So we left it until 7:30 pm. At that time I got a few hand warmers and warmed an old thicker receiving blanket laid down the warmers and folded part of blanket over them so baby wasn't touching them. I put baby into the center of blanket that i arranged in a bird nest fashion and let it be. It is still here as of this morning. I can tell it is hungry and I am wondering what to do. Could I give it a few drops of my milk or would that not be sufficient? Should I give up on momma coming back for him. I'd love to see him go back with his mommy but I also dont want him to pass away. Any advice

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Héfé link
9/5/2018 02:01:55 pm

Hello! Your page has saved me from having quite the headache! Saturday while I was out my mother was helping my aunt move her outside furniture and saw a baby squirrel who was left all alone sitting in the corner by the bush of the driveway. My mom noticed that he was by himself, his mother never came and he looked hungry and cold. She waited for some time but she thinks he was abandoned and she took him to our home. I’m now taking care of him and I’m trying so hard not to get attached but I can’t help it. It’s been 5 days what I know about him already: he is about 6weeks (has fur),he knows my voice, he’s very vocal with little squeaks and making fussies,he continues to dive into my shirt to go to sleep -_-, I know when he’s hungry, he wakes up at 8am or 830 on the dot, he gives me kisses and he has quite the personality. I have spent 3 days straight trying to read up as much information as I could on how to properly care for a baby squirrel, what to feed them and etc. Day 1 rehydration, make a bed/area for him and keep warm, Day 2-5 feeding, cleaning etc. I’m frustrated because there is so much info on the Internet that’s VERY misleading and a tad bit confusing. Such as giving them puppy formula by Esbilac..(then to find out that is a big N-O), switched immediately after 2-3days to your recipe (which I love) and then I am seeing so many people say he will die from it. I started him with every 3 hrs feeding schedule is that okay? How much milk ideally should he drink? When should he be weened off from it? I also introduced him to organic and gmo free baby food (apple sauce,sweet potatoes and green beans) gradually and with his syringe. If you could please point me into the right direction Sebastian Grey (his name my lil sister picked) and I would greatly appreciate it). I want to care for him properly and then I wanted to know when it’s time SHOULD I let him go back into the wild or is there a possibility I can care for him permanently?

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Héfé
9/12/2018 08:51:09 pm

Att: Miki

Just saw your comment! I posted in the 5th and never heard back from the owner of this site...only to find out the TRUTH behind this misleading information that’s up here. If you’d like to email me personally on how to take care of your baby please email me ASAP! What you’re feeding him/her could kill it. My email is: hafellynwhitaker@icloud.com

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Don Tonachio
9/13/2018 05:05:45 pm

Bill
Can you send me the food list for a squirrel that has just finished with milk. Thanks so much

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Héfé
9/13/2018 09:16:10 pm

Hi Bill...
This isn’t my website and I don’t feel comfortable posting information up here concerning proper care, recipes and such but if you would like me to pass along the info please send an email to : hafellynwhitaker@icloud.com

Thanks

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susan
10/1/2018 12:39:30 pm

Would just like to say that I slowly switched my babies over to this milk/.cream formula (temporary diarrhea from the changes only lasted 24hrs) and they did great and are still doing great....fat, plump babies. So anyone doubting this recipe and believing what I believed and heard about feeding milk for years....Im telling you, they are all wrong, this milk/cream formula works!

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Naman
10/25/2018 09:17:21 am

I have a indian palm squirrel
I found it lying on street due to its poor condition i kept it with me
Now it is with me for a week .
I m giving it only cow milk
But now i noticed a drastic change
It becomes skinny
What should i do..
..should i add some cream in milk..
Or something else.....
Reply me fast
Situation is getting worse
Also it doesn't show any interest in drinking milk

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Lauren
4/21/2019 03:48:12 pm

Hello! I rescued a baby male squirrel probably 4-5 weeks old and after warming him up and feeding him a salt, sugar and water mixture hes perked up and I would like to start milk. Can I feed him grass fed organic whole cows milk? Thanks!!

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Amber
9/6/2019 03:10:24 pm

we found 2 baby squirrels that are orphans and I've been able to feed it Pedialyte and now I'm wondering about what milk i can give it. i have gerber baby formula can I feed that to it or powdered milk that we feed the baby cows?

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Hilary
10/30/2019 10:23:36 pm

I have the utmost admiration for what you do and I mean no disrespect at all when I mention that perhaps cows milk is not the most natural milk for a squirrel and wonder if something like nut milks or coconut milk/cream might be more suited, as it now appears abundantly in most grocery stores. I am not a nutritionist, but It gives me pause to wonder.

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Elaine
1/23/2020 08:33:43 am

Bill,
Love what you are doing and sharing the info! I have 3 gray squirrel siblings that I began raising in August 2019 when their nest and tree was destroyed. I used commercial kitten replacement formula, as that is what I was instructed to use by our vet. They are growing and very active and doing well. I plan to try and release in the spring when it is warmer in the mountains of NC. I am feeding them baby food (fruit with powered baby formula stirred in for nutrients) and an assortment of fresh vegetables every day. They like snap peas, carrots, grapes, apples, green beans, etc. Their all time favorite is avocado! They get 1/2 between the three of them daily. Nuts in shells are given as a treat maybe 1-2 daily at end of day. I am concerned about any vitamins etc that they might not be getting. They eat the milk/fruit daily, but some days not as much. I want them to be healthy and physically ready to release in April. Nutritionally what else do they need? Also any chance of them breeding before then? There are 2 males and 1 female in the litter.

Thanks for your help and advice. Elaine

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Zoila Baeza
2/11/2020 01:55:21 pm

Hello! I just sent you an email, hope you can reply me soon. I see we all have similar concerns here, hope someone can guide me, taking care of a baby squirrel is something new for me and every tiny details makes me stressed, I don't know if I'm doing right. This baby might be in between 5 or 6 weeks, a friend found him under a tree and I offered to take care of him. When he came he had just one eye open and 8 days have passed since then so my guess he is about 5 weeks and half? his tail is beginning to curl in an S, I just noticed today.

Ok, my concern is I had been feeding him with milk and a bit of yoghurt then yesterday I added the heavy cream (removed yoghurt) he ate well, about 6 cc. but this morning he didn't want to eat and also he had some watery stools, lighter in color than before. I don't know if it's due to the cream or I overfed him ( I was feeding him each 3 hours more or less, he sometimes ate more, sometimes less). Today I prepared new formula with just a bit of cream and I mixed it with Pedialyte but still he is not so in mood for eating (he ate 3 cc in last feeding), he also seems a bit nervous, sometimes I wonder if that affects his appetite as he just wants to go back to his nest. I feed him in a room with very little light and I try to avoid noises which is not always possible though (My family says I exaggerate, that I shouldn't keep him so hidden). Please any recommendation, advice I will be very very grateful.

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ivana
4/8/2020 01:18:32 am

Hi,
So I found a squirrel in my garden, it seems to have fallen off his nest. He has hair but his eyes are still closed, there is a tiny bottom tooth forming. My country is in strict quarantine and the only things I have access to are cows milk (regular) and almond milk. No pedialyte and no formula available. I have been feeding him 3cc every two/three hours and he seems to be doing fine. Mostly he just sleeps. He has peed a lot but doesnt seem to be pooping. I really want to help him but I dont have the possibility of going to the vet or farmacy. I read what you wrote about boiling cow milk so I will do that. Basically my question is, what/how often should I feed him (almond or cow milk) .. should i give him water or just milk and how can i get him to poop. Thank you SO MUCH!

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Gunjan Poddar
6/11/2020 10:54:47 am

Hi,
 I was searching for the reasons why my baby squirrel died. A baby squirrel fell from a tree in our backyard as told by a kid. At that time I didn't even know where squirrels make their nests.I found it on a leaf covered with wet mud.Searched the internet and discovered that it must be just a few days old. With an intention to save it I bought it in.For a week I was feeding it with diluted milk sometimes with sugar and sometimes without.then I shifted to boiled whole milk. The first stool of the squirrel was brownblack in colour as the human newborn. after that it became yellow. Sometimes I used to give boiled water with sugar. I used to clean the squirrel with clean q tip & warm water. keep it very clean in a neat & clean nest that I made from a basket.One day his stomach was bloated, next day it had diarrhea , after another day the diarrhea was recovered but it stopped eating fondly.and there seemed to be blood in his stool.I started feeding him with water with salt & sugar. but it started becoming thinner & thinner and on third day stopped eating anything. he was mostly cold and weak. so I placed a tiny hot water bottle in his nest. That tiny little baby hugged my finger and slept in the nest and when I found that he would sleep I took my finger out. I became so attached with this squirrel. It died yesterday. One of the saddest days in my life. It was growing well, what happened suddenly?It must be around four to five weeks old, it's eyes did not even open yet.Can you kindly tell me my mistake? I am feeling heart broken.
Best of regardsGunjan

Reply
MckinneyVia link
5/19/2022 04:08:36 am

I very much appreciate it. Thank you for this excellent article. Keep posting!

Reply



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    Author

    William Sells is a Registered Nurse turned Squirrel Rehabber and Nutritionist. His passion is raising healthy, disease free squirrels through feeding them the right way and the treatment of common squirrel diseases. He's always open to questions and comments regarding Squirrels and their care and feeding.

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