Warming a Cold Baby Squirrel
Temperature Requirements for Young Squirrels and Warming Methods
Oct 5, 2008
An orphaned baby squirrel has three basic needs: food, fluids and warmth. Warmth is an often-overlooked and not-so-obvious need of orphaned baby squirrels, but it's absolutely vital that a young squirrel is kept at a suitable temperature to avoid hypothermia and death.
Warming a Cold Baby Squirrel
When an orphaned baby squirrel is found, it is often cold and traumatized. Even before providing food and hydration, a baby squirrel must be warmed. Warming can be accomplished in a variety of ways.
- Use a heating pad. An electric heating pad can be used to wrap the baby squirrel. Always supervise a baby squirrel when using an electric heating pad to ensure that the heat does not become overwhelming and to ensure that he does not chew on the electric cord.
- Use a heat lamp. Any lamp that emits a significant amount of heat can serve as a heat lamp. When using a heat lamp, be sure to shine the light on one part of the squirrel box or cage, so the baby can move out of the light if he overheats.
- Use heat packs. Microwavable heat packs can be purchased at any drug store for just a few dollars. They can be used to wrap and warm the cold baby squirrel in a similar way as a heating pad. When available, opt for a heat pack with non-toxic filling.
In addition, baby squirrels must always be provided with warm, soft blankets that can be used as "nesting."
Keeping a Baby Squirrel Warm
Once a cold baby squirrel is warmed, the trick is to keep him warm to prevent hypothermia and death. Very young squirrels are especially prone to hypothermia since their fur has not yet grown in. A furless baby squirrel must be kept in an environment that's at a constant temperature of 100 degrees F.
Baby squirrels from the age of four-weeks-old through around ten weeks of age are still sensitive to cold, but they're a bit more resilient than the younger squirrels under four weeks of age. These slightly older squirrels do best around 96 to 98 degrees F.
Whether the baby squirrel is kept inside a box or a cage, a constant heat source must be provided until the squirrel has reached twelve weeks of age. The squirrel must always be provided with clean and soft fabric for use as bedding.
Heating pads are a popular heat source, which can be placed beneath the box or squirrel cage. It is unwise to leave an electric heating pad with a baby squirrel while unattended, as a young squirrel may urinate on the heating pad, causing a short circuit. A slightly older orphaned squirrel has the added danger posed by teeth, which can easily chew through the heating pad power cord, resulting in electrocution.
Reptile heating pads are a great option for squirrel cages with metal bottom or thick plastic bottoms. Cages with a thin plastic bottom or cardboard boxes cannot be used with a reptile heating pad, which can melt and burn a box or thin plastic cage bottom.
A heating lamp is another great option for a constant heat source, as it's reliable and the lamp's distance from the cage or box can be adjusted to increase or decrease the temperature.
Squirrel Buddies
A Squirrel Buddy is a comforting and warm heat source that can be given to squirrels of all ages.
A Squirrel Buddy can be made by filling a large sock with uncooked rice or uncooked beans. Do not pack the sock full tightly - it should be a bit malleable so that it conforms slightly to the squirrel's body. Knot the top of the sock and place the Squirrel Buddy inside a microwave for a couple of minutes.
The warm Squirrel Buddy can then be placed inside the squirrel's box or cage, though it should be checked to ensure it's not too hot. The Squirrel Buddy will remain warm for about one hour.
Squirrel Buddies are comforting, particularly to a lone orphaned squirrel who, in nature, would sleep with his/her siblings and parent squirrels. The warm Squirrel Buddy feels much like another squirrel's body, which can be comforting on a deep instinctual level for an orphaned baby squirrel.
Visit the Baby Squirrel Care Page for more hints, baby squirrel Q&A and information on caring for orphaned baby squirrels.
