City Wildlife recently admitted the first baby squirrel of the year! Each spring, we get flooded with orphaned squirrels that have fallen from their nest. We do our best to give every squirrel a second chance at life, but our specialized care does not come close to the care they receive from their mother. To ensure their best chance of survival, squirrels should be reunited with their mothers whenever possible. For that, we need your help!
If you find a healthy baby squirrel, follow these simple steps to reunite it with its mother:
- Do not give the baby any food or water.
- Keep the baby warm. Place uncooked rice or birdseed in a sock and warm it in the microwave for twenty to thirty seconds. Then, wrap the sock in a soft towel and place it next to the baby.
- Place the baby in a box or basket lower on the tree or at the base of the tree where the nest is located.
- Observe from a distance for the next six to eight hours. Reheat the rice/birdseed-filled sock every two hours.
- If the mother does not return, the baby is orphaned and will need to be brought to a wildlife rehabilitator.
- Do not leave the baby out overnight. After the sun sets, bring the baby inside and keep it in a quiet and warm place. Do not handle it and do not give it any food or water. Try re-nesting it after sunrise the following morning.
If a baby squirrel is visibly injured, covered in fly eggs (which look like small grains of rice), cold, wet, and/or vocalizing, then it needs immediate attention. Please call us at (202) 882-1000.
Hi
I am in india, got your web info while google how to survive baby squirrel dropped from nest.
I have put back 2 baby squirrels back into nest with her another siblings and her mom
Both were dropped from balcony of 1st floor no visible wound or bleeding.
Also fixed support around their nest.
Her mother around them she bring both into nest with the 3rd one
I can’t see them as they are inside nest
Please guide what to observe and do?
Thanks
Chandresh Swami
Since the mother has returned them to the nest, there is nothing else you need to do. The squirrels have been successfully re-nested!
I’ve been watching 2 baby squirrels and mom. 4 or 5 days ago the babies started poking their heads out the nest, nest is a hole in very large tree. Now babies are able to climb around pretty well. I’m thinking they are 7 weeks. Mom is not protecting them while other squirrels are near. Mom hasn’t been with babies at all during the day. I know this because mom is eating buds off the tree all day long, non stop. Babies try to get close to her and she quickly will jump over them and take off. I believe mom is going into nest at night but I can’t say for sure. Is this normal? I feel really bad for the babies. Mom had a litter late last summer and took very good care of those babies. I should mention I do not have access to the tree to feed them. What do you think? Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to help them?
Mom is no doubt encouraging her young to be more independent. They are old enough to find their own food at this point. She is doing what needs to be done in their world.
Hi,
A baby squirrel of one day old fell from the nest which was kept inside the house near entrace & the mother left as she can’t find her babies. Now the baby is of 3 day old. Do the mother squirrel come & take her baby if o place baby squirrel near the nest and by playing baby squirrel sounds?
Mother squirrels often do retrieve babies who have fallen from the nest. But not always. If a squirrel is not retrieved by the mother, the baby will have to go to a wildlife rehabilitator.
Found mother and nest of 4 babies under the hood of my tractor, she jumped out and ran off. Late in day. Early next morning I returned tractor to barn and popped hood and made a box nest with all 4 babies, checked on them mid day and mom had returned and taken 2 of them. Check on them late in day. May have scared mom. Not sure. At end of day checked and there were still 2 babies. They have short fur and eyes are closed. They all look healthy and are staying warm with a hot water bottle under nest. I brought them in the house for the night and plan on setting them back in the early morning again. How long should I wait for her to move the last 2? I plan on playing a baby de stress call in the morning as well. But have been reluctant to do so, not wanting to attract predators. If she doesn’t move them by the afternoon then I think I should take them to a wild life rescue. Input?
Thanks for helping the squirrels! We generally recommend that you give mother squirrel 24 hours to move her babies to a back-up nest, taking them in at night and keeping them warm, as you are doing. After that they should go to a wildlife rehabber.
Mother squirrel moved 4 babies successfully. I haven’t seen mother come to eat is this normal. Why has she not come out. It’s been 3 days. I have put 3xtra seed out where she normally feeds. Any input appreciated
I accidentally wrecked a nest in a rose bush while gardening and 4 newborn squirrels fell out. I followed the instructions here and put them in a box at the base of the bush, and will watch for the mother to return. They are peeping like crazy though (and it is a 95 degree F day) – is there anything else I should do for them?
If the mother does not come back for them, they will need to go a wildlife rehabilitator in your area.
Found a single day old? baby squirrel behind my greenhouse. No nests in that particular area. Took in GH, as it was getting dark and cold,with downpours forecasted. Can I put it back out tomorrow ( out of rain) for mom to find?
Yes, just follow the instructions in this piece: https://citywildlife.org/re-nesting-baby-eastern-gray-squirrels/
And thanks for helping the squirrel!
I have a baby squirrel squealing.. I saw the mother take one baby away to a nest but she has not returned for the other one. It is 730 here and the sun is going down. Will she come back tonight? Need to do something for the baby tonight
It may be too late for this squirrel pup now, but in general we advise bringing the pup in overnight and keeping him or her warm. You can put him back outside in the morning as described in the piece we wrote. But again , do not feed the baby or try to give him/her water unless you know how. We lose lots of pups due to formula or milk or water or pedialyte in their lungs.
Success story/sharing … Nest found under my gutter helmet, technician removed two baby squirrels, gently. They were not scared … they were placed in a cardboard box with original nest materials at the foot of the tree moma squirrel used to get to roof/gutter nest. Hour later when it was quiet and peaceful, mother squirrel came and removed both babies. Nature at its best
So we’ve had a squirrel nest on our patio for a few months now. Today 5/3/24 mom took the 3 babies down and now they are struggling to get back up. We live on the 3rd floor in our apartment and that’s where the nest is currently located. Mom’s been trying all day to get them to climb the side of the building but the babies keep falling. We’ve tied rope to the end for them to climb on, and even though they can they still struggle to make it back to the top. Is there any way we can help bring them back home ? The babies are currently on under the AC unit on the first floor and mom is currently in the nest as of 9:18pm.
We would recommend that you reach out to a local wildilfe rehabilitator or animal shelter for advise and help. Thanks for caring!
Hello….
We moved a tarp from our shed and after placing it on the ground heard a baby squealing. I was careful not to move the nest of leaves and I did notice a little squirrel, eyes closed, whitish/pink. We moved the tarp back to the same area and attempted to leave it as we found it. We then left the backyard to give the mom time to return. I checked back 2 hours later and was not able to hear anything. I am afraid to move it further or create any worries about mom coming back. How can I tell if the baby is still in the nest ?
The best thing is to watch for the mother squirrel. You can also try putting flour around the tarp to see if the mother has been by, but that can be tricky. Other animals may mess up the flour, or the mother may be getting to her nest through another route. For specific information, call City Wildlife between 9 and 5 any day at 202-882-1000. Ask for advice in re-uniting squirrels.