How Old is My Orphaned Baby Squirrel?
Learn What Changes in Food & Care Should Occur as the Squirrel Grows
Squirrels are among the most common wild orphans, and if an alert animal lover discovers a baby wild animal in need, there’s a very good chance this baby will be a baby squirrel.
One of the most common questions that squirrel caretakers ask in the beginning is “How old is my baby squirrel?” And it’s an important question to ask because significant changes in care - specifically concerning feeding the baby squirrel - should occur depending upon the age of the squirrel orphan.
Dr Michael Levine, DVM, has been active in wildlife rehabilitation for the past twenty years and he offered an array of information for squirrel caretakers who are looking to determine the age of their little squirrel orphan. The following information is for squirrels up to the age of six weeks.
Week One
The newborn baby squirrel is pink and hairless, about the size of a large peanut shell. At about six days of age, a small amount of tan fur will appear around the snout. The eyes are closed. One-week-old squirrels must be fed between .50 and .75 cc’s of warm Esbilac puppy formula every two to two and a half hours. Esbilac puppy formula is the only appropriate formula for baby squirrels. All other formulas will cause diarrhea, dehydration and death. In addition, all feedings must be performed while the baby is held upright to avoid choking and aspiration of the fluid.
Week Two
During week two, the pigmentation of the skin will darken slightly on the head, back and upper portion of the legs. The two-week-old squirrel must still be fed Esbilac formula every two to two and a half hours. An appropriate meal size is between .75 cc’s and 1.75 cc’s, depending on age.
Week Three
During the third week, a fine hair will begin to grow from the area of darker pigmentation on the baby squirrel’s head, back and upper legs. The teeth will begin to emerge on the lower jaw during the later part of the third week. The eyes will remain closed and the squirrel is much like a human baby in that he lacks coordination and his day is spent eating, sleeping and growing. An appropriate meal size is between 1.75 cc’s and 3 cc’s and the diet should still consist only of Esbilac formula, given every two and a half hours.
Week Four
In the fourth week, a great deal of soft hair has emerged on the baby squirrel’s head, back and upper legs, and a fine white hair will emerge on the belly and other hairless areas, like the lower legs, by the end of week four. This will be the squirrel’s last week of feeding only formula. Meal size should be between 3 cc’s and 4 cc’s, given every three to three and a half hours.
Week Five
The baby squirrel should now be fully furred, although the fur will still be thin on the underside. During week five, the fur will thicken noticeably. Week five is a big week for the baby squirrel, as his eyes will open for the first time during this week. His vision will be poor in the beginning, but within a few days, he will begin exploring his environment a bit.
Formula feedings should take place about every four hours. At week five, the amount of food intake rises noticeably to between 5cc's and 6cc's on average, though some squirrels prefer to eat even more by the end of week five. It is around this time that the squirrel can be provided with as much formula as he would like to eat, as long as the stool remains consistent.
Once the baby squirrel’s eyes are open, solid foods should slowly be introduced to the baby’s “nest” – usually a box with T-shirts or fleece, with a heating pad or heat lamp for warmth. He may not eat these new foods until about five or six days after the eyes open, but it is good to introduce the foods early so he can become familiar with the smell.
Following feedings, the squirrel caretaker should use a soft piece of damp fabric, like a soft washcloth to gently wipe the baby squirrel’s genital area to stimulate bathroom activities. This is a vital part of infant squirrel care, as the baby squirrel will not initiate bathroom activities on his own. In the wild, the mother squirrel will lick the squirrel to stimulate urination and defecation.
Notably, when the squirrel is very young, feedings can be performed every three to three and a half hours during the night to allow the caretaker to sleep.
Caring for an infant squirrel is time consuming and much like a human child, as the baby orphaned squirrel is helpless and must be fed and provided with a warm sleeping environment.
Related Reading
For more information on care for squirrels between the age of six weeks and twelve weeks, see our related story on caring for adolescent orphaned squirrels.
Also check out Suite101's Baby Squirrel Resource Page, with links to additional baby squirrel care articles, including pieces on how to determine a baby squirrel's age, appropriate feeding amounts based on the squirrel's age and basic baby squirrel care tips. There's also a few links on caring for an injuries that are commonly seen in baby squirrels.
How Old is Your Baby Squirrel?
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