Farm Council Saves Squirrel

This past Sunday morning my husband Richie was out fiddling in the barn when he noticed an unusual gathering in the middle of the pasture. Gathered  in a circle were a group of our chickens staring at the ground. Our Great Pyrenees, Shep, doesn't let "unusual" activity occur without his approval, so he also joined the circle of chickens. 

Perplexed, Richie started to contemplate the reasons for this activity. It was Sunday, so perhaps they were holding their own church service. Maybe it was a hazing of some new unfortunate chicken recently new to the free range gang. Or, maybe they were having a council meeting of sorts to discuss how to take down that peacock that was trying to rule the roost and making their lives miserable. He decided it was best to go check it out for himself.

Shep met him on his way to the pasture, urging him to join the chickens. Shep does this when he finds things he thinks we should check out. As Richie approached the group, he feared the worst. Something was dead or harmed. In the middle of the group laid a small, baby, red squirrel, barely breathing.

He took off his over shirt and picked it up, wrapping it in the denim cloth. He quickly ran to the house to show me. I was quite surprised to see what he was bringing in this time. He never ceases to amaze in this way. The squirrel was precious but traumatized and weak. We immediately googled "caring for an abandoned squirrel." Every site said to find a wildlife rehabber as a first step. It was Sunday and odds were slim anyone would be available. We found hydration and heat to be the two most important recommendations. We went to work. Richie got a cage from the barn and filled it with hay. I heated the doggie bed warmer in the microwave and we mixed 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar and two cups of water. Richie found a small dropper and attempted to give it to the squirrel. Luckily, the baby quickly responded and drank the fluid.  

The next 24 hours passed with my husband "mothering" this little creature. Fluid intake increased and you could see life returning to the orphan. It was even holding onto its dropper. First thing Monday morning, Richie was able to reach one of two wildlife rehabbers in our state. She was only 20 minutes from our home and had another baby squirrel she was rehabilitating. They met around lunch time and our little squirrel was passed on to the expert. "It's a girl," she said. She was quite pleased with the condition and health of the squirrel. She also gave us kudos on rehydrating and warming the little girl. Her plan was to introduce it to the other squirrel she was working with and release them both, as friends, to the woods behind her house. She is going to text us with the progress and we will keep you posted as well.