Have you ever taken in a baby squirrel and started feeding and caring for it, then physically made it go downhill and die? You’re not alone! The following are three common reasons why baby squirrels die in captivity:

1. The wrong diet.

Improper diet is the number one reason squirrels die. There is much controversy over what is the correct formula to feed baby squirrels that are still nursing. Many wildlife rehabbers will tell you to buy expensive puppy formula and never feed a squirrel cow’s milk. I used the expensive puppy formula with marginal success, but they recently changed the formula and left it without enough milk fat for the squirrels. Now all of a sudden they are telling people to add heavy cream to increase the fat content! Hello! What is heavy cream? It’s the cream of cow’s milk! The reason why cow’s milk will kill a baby squirrel is because there are substances in the milk that will give the squirrel severe diarrhea. Diarrhea will lead to an electrolyte imbalance, leading to heart irregularity and ultimately death from sudden cardiac arrest.

I found that if you get rid of the substance in cow’s milk and cream that causes diarrhea, a baby squirrel will do fine on a rich cream cow’s milk formula. But you must do one simple but vital thing to make this formula safe for squirrels! I can teach you how to make this formula and save you from spending twenty bucks a can on puppy formula!

2. Hypocalcemia.

The second big killer of squirrels is hypocalcemia. That’s a fancy name for low blood calcium. Squirrels, especially in captivity, have an extraordinarily high calcium requirement. Death from low blood calcium levels occurs after they stop breastfeeding. While they are getting milk, their calcium needs are met. When they stop breastfeeding, they need a calcium supplement or they will develop what is called metabolic bone disease. This disease is characterized by the loss of calcium from the bones, especially in the spine and hind legs. They begin to drag their hind legs when they walk and gradually lose nerve and muscle control. Their bones become brittle and break easily.

Low blood calcium levels can also lead to heart irregularities and sudden cardiac death. A squirrel with metabolic bone disease is a pathetic scene! Prevention is easy! I teach a very simple way to make a dietary supplement called Nut Squares or Nut Balls that will ensure optimum calcium intake and good health for squirrels.

3. internal injuries.

The last big cause of death for baby squirrels is internal injuries. Many times a found squirrel has fallen a great distance from a nest of leaves. One of the first things you should do for a baby squirrel after bringing it into a warm environment is to check it carefully for injuries. Babies normally have rapid breathing and heartbeats, but if a baby squirrel is having difficulty breathing or using more than their chest muscles to breathe, they may have internal injuries. He could have broken ribs or a bruised lung or heart! Blunt trauma to the abdomen can injure internal organs such as the liver, kidneys, or spleen. The abdominal wall of a baby squirrel is very thin. If you see a dark purple discoloration in the abdomen, that’s an ominous sign indicating internal bleeding.

There isn’t much that can be done for a baby squirrel that is in that condition. A vet could evaluate the animal, but most likely nothing will be done other than watching and supporting its respiratory struggle with oxygen and a warm environment until it dies. In my years as a squirrel rehabber I have found that squirrels love to have their head and neck rubbed gently, it is very calming for them. Death is part of life. For me, holding and comforting a dying squirrel helps me realize how precious and short life is. I find great joy and satisfaction in caring for these magnificent creatures, and thank God that even in death, I can make a difference!