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| fallen tree blocking bridge walk way |
MORE THAN RAIN DROPS FALLING
In front of my house we had a different problem. Our friend came to pick up her son from our house and pointed out there was a dead squirrel on my front step. I looked and saw it was twitching - not good. It looked like it had been dumped in a bucket of water and slammed onto the front step. It was a bit overwhelming so I didn't notice much about it - like the fact that it was a baby.
I asked my husband to go collect it as I thought it was near death. The neighbors silver maple tree has a nice hole in it that hangs over out property and squirrels live there. My husband calls to me, he says it's alive, really alive, not full grown, and trying to move. I'll tell you with my degree in Wildlife Biology we never learned wild-animal rescue. I couldn't leave it outside though suffering, it was soaking wet and I had no idea the extent of it's injuries.
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| how we like to think squirrels handle a thunderstorm |
And let me just say now - although I have a degree in Wildlife Biology and have always loved wildlife and the outdoors, I am not a caretaker. I take care of my children because they came out of me. I was looking for a rescue center, someone else to take care of the squirrels. On another note I can't handle animal suffering...especially baby animals.
LOUIE TO THE RESCUE?
I called my nephew Louie who lives across the street to see if he wanted to take the squirrel (this is the Louie that 'Loui Saves the Earth' is based on). He said, "of course! I'll be right over." He came with a towel and picked it up. Then my husband noticed a second baby squirrel on the cement by our steps. 'I'll be right back with another towel and a box," I said.
When I returned they had three babies (the third had landed in the garden) in one towel. We snuggled them into the box together. I asked my nephew to look on his phone for a place that would take injured squirrels. He said we need a heating pad and a box with a cover. "Wait, you didn't find a place to take them?" "I'm going out, I'll be back later. I wish I could take them but I can't with my two big dogs." Oh boy. I'm not really a care-taker type. I mean, I have three kids, a dog, a husband, sure...but I'm not looking for more.
UNINVITED GUESTS
We got them inside our house and my husband was wise enough to put them into the dog carrier. We put the heating pad underneath their box and I looked up places that take squirrels. I also posted that we found three baby squirrels on Facebook. I found Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation center online and my friend from Now Studio recommended contacting 2nd Hand Ranch & Rescue. I put in calls to both places and as it was after 7pm they were both closed. I also texted 2ndHRR. They both stated on their messages and websites not to feed or give water to any injured animal and how to keep it warm and safe until it could be transported.
I read on Facebook from someone who had taken care of a baby squirrel that if you put them in a basket under the tree the mom will come get them. Then one baby squirrel started chirping it up - my little Yorkie was going crazy. I was too - knowing the baby was stressed. This one was definitely alive and well. It was trying to chew it's way out of the carrier. So my husband took the carrier outside (by now it's completely dark) and opened the door. It just clung to the carrier door. He put on gloves and put the baby at the bottom of the tree - NO! I didn't think that was a good idea. He went inside. The baby didn't chirp anymore. I didn't see the mom come out. It was dark and hard to see and I didn't want to get close. I could tell the baby wasn't moving anymore.
(CLICK HERE FOR: How to take care of a squirrel)
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| baby squirrel trying to free itself around 8pm - I was too busy with the crisis to think about pictures earlier |
I had to leave to pick up my daughter from her friends house and walked by the tree and could see the baby just laying there, it's eyes half opened. I texted my husband and told him he needed to get that squirrel back in the box with the other two and I wouldn't be home until I knew it was safe and warm. I wasn't coming home to a dead baby squirrel outside, under the tree.
He put it back.
I came home.
We had three baby squirrels for the night.
Needless to say I didn't sleep much. I didn't hear any chirping but I really wanted it to be morning so I could try and get the baby squirrels back to their mom.
REUNION WITH MOTHER SQUIRREL
I didn't want to wake up my husband too early. I waited until 6:15am and then asked him to take the carrier out to the front. He did. And when he opened the door the lively baby ran out, ran around, ended up going to the street - CRAP! After all that this baby is going to get lost or hit by a car. GREAT. I could see that one other baby squirrel was moving, but I didn't know if it was okay. I didn't want to pull the towel all the way back and see if the third one was dead - yeah, I don't really want to see dead baby animals.
My husband went back to bed. I hid under my other neighbors tree to be a safe distance, but close enough to warn anyone walking a dog to keep away from the box. I was cognizant enough to have my camera with me.
I waited.
I heard chirping. I saw the mom come down. She went under a car and well, if you watch the first video here you will see she got the lively little baby and ran her up the tree and shoved her in the hole. WOW - one of them made it.
PLEASE NOTE: I'm am not a professional videographer. And this first video has the squirrels hidden under the car for 30 seconds.
I was happy...for about 30 seconds. Then it started to rain. Then it started to pour.
I waited a few minutes. I was okay under the pine tree. The box was semi protected under the maple. CRAP! She's not coming out. They will get wet again. I brought the box to my porch and waited inside for a really loooooooong 12 minutes. The rain stopped. I put the box at the base of the tree. I pulled the towel back more.
I thought I would have to wait a while but I guess mom had it all figured out now. She jumped right into the box and got the second baby squirrel. This time it was a little harder to get a good grip. Mom also had a harder time getting the second baby into the hole.
I thought, this is it. Two babies rescued. That's great. But she jumped in the box again - she's not going to take a dead baby up to her nest is she? Well, this was the biggest challenge for her, but she got the third baby into her mouth and to the hole. I could see it was still alive. Less cooperative, but still alive. She really struggled to get this last one in and at one point I thought she would drop him. But she shoved 'em in at the last minute and all three baby squirrels were safe and sound.
Yay!
LISTEN TO YOUR RESCUE PROFESSIONAL
I got a call and a text from the rescue centers later in the day. Wonderful people, very helpful. They even explained why you shouldn't feed or give water to injured or rescued animals. Many times this causes more damage and can even result in a death that could have been prevented.
Sometimes this is due to the way the animal is being fed, sometimes it's what the animal is being fed, sometimes it's a factor of development, and other times it's due to an existing injury. Flint Creek Wildlife Rehab has great diagrams that tell you what to do if you can't get a hold of a facility in a number of different situation for many different kinds of animals.
In the end somehow everyone survived and was safe at home with loved ones...thanks to many, many people for help, advice, and patience.
Alexandra Gnoske is a Nature Lover, Writer, and Environmental Expert.
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