New addition

Monday, about 48 hours ago, a line of powerful storms moved through the area. Later in the evening I was picking up downed limbs when I found two of these.


Pinkie day 1.

At first I saw one out of the corner of my eye as Moving Pink Blob which initially triggered a flight response and a general case of the heeby geebies. Upon investigation I quickly ascertained that it was not a threat, picked the little bugger up and put him in a towel near some warmth.

After a search on the internet I learned much about squirrel pinkies. First is that if the mother hasn’t come for them in an hour or two then she isn’t coming. It had been 4 hours since the storm so I was okay. I found out how to hydrate them and that if they’ve fallen form a tree the first 48 hours is critical to them surviving since the pinkies don’t have fully calcified bones and are very susceptible to internal injury.

I went to see if the little bugger would take hydration and found him dead. Then it occurred to me to check for siblings. And I found a second one crawling along.

At first he wouldn’t take anything. Then yesterday morning he took a little hydration and in the afternoon started taking formula. Yes, formula. Now today he is vigorously taking formula and has learned to suck on the eye dropper. He’s made it through the 48 hour period and is eating and pooping, so it looks like I may have a baby squirrel on my hands in a few weeks.


Pinkie at day two.
If he lives I’ll take him to a rehab place so he can be taught how to be a proper wild squirrel and then released. Helen was at first intrigued by the notion of a pet squirrel but quickly came off the idea after I relayed a few stories from the net about just how unglued “tamed” squirrels become after they reach adulthood. But for now he lives in a box on my dresser and strangely enough the cats are completely uninterested in him.

I guess it’s not sporting enough.