A baby squirrel can only eat a small amount of solid food at first, so you should give it a variety of healthy vegetables. After a few days, you can start giving it nuts. However, if you’d like your squirrel to eat solid food early, you’ll need to start with a nutritious diet. At three weeks of age, you can give your squirrel unsalted sunflower seeds or raw fruit. You’ll need to keep changing the nest as your squirrel grows.
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Steps To Feeding A Baby Squirrel
The first step is to warm up the newborn squirrel. You’ll need to make sure that the mother is not nearby, and you can do this by dipping the baby in a warm bath. This will help warm up the core temperature of the new creature. Also, you’ll want to check for any injuries, such as broken teeth. Then, it’s time to introduce it to solid foods.
Read Also: How To Stimulate A Baby Squirrel To Poop
You’ll need to give your squirrel water. You can find a solution at your local drug store or supermarket, but it won’t do much harm. Just make sure to keep the dropper away from the baby’s nose. It should not be able to lap the liquid, which is a natural reflex of the squirrel. It is also important to clean the cage regularly. You can apply diatomaceous earth and blue Dawn dish soap on the inside of the box but never spray it directly on the baby. These products can cause harm to your new friend, so keep this in mind when purchasing the animal.
If you’re concerned about how much to feed your new baby, you can consider buying feeding blocks. If you’re feeding it a block of formula, you can give it up to 5% of its body weight per feeding. By eight to 10 weeks of age, your squirrel should be ready to eat solid food. You can gradually add some pieces of food to the block and give your squirrel a solid meal. You should also monitor the baby squirrel’s weight, as diarrhea is a sign that something is wrong.
You can measure the baby’s body weight using a scale. If the stools are not formed, they are too loose or too long. If the squirrel is too hungry, try to increase its food quantity. Generally, you should feed your baby a few times a day. You should weigh it every few days. Its bodyweight needs to be between two to six grams in order for it to grow properly.
A puppy milk substitute is another option. You can purchase a bottle of this at any pet store. This is different from human milk and is not suitable for feeding a squirrel. It should be mixed with water and held in your palm. Do not force the baby to drink too much at once, as this can result in dehydration. If it suffers from diarrhea, it is not the right food for a baby.
A newborn squirrel needs water to grow properly. A hydration solution is not enough. A newborn squirrel needs liquid every three hours. It needs to drink a liquid between two hours and should be fed at least five times per day. A baby squirrel should be fed once a day. You should avoid giving it solid food right away. The squirrel’s stomach will be too hard to swallow. You should give it a formula that is specifically designed for its size and condition.
Final Thoughts
If your new baby is under four weeks old, he will need a small amount of formula to grow. The formula is best for babies. It should be mixed with a little water and one teaspoon of powder each day. The food should be given at least six times a day. In addition to the formula, you can also give it solid food. A little bit of solid food is best. But don’t overfeed him.
Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
