There have been many cases when baby squirrels left by exterminated pest squirrels are kept by the homeowners as pet. Baby squirrels have this undeniably cute demeanor that will push anyone who sees them to take them and take care of them; well, many people have been compelled to do so. However, it was also observed that majority of the baby squirrels taken into captivity die even before they become adults. Here are the top 3 reasons why this happens:
1. The squirrels are given the wrong diet
Giving young squirrels inappropriate meals will cause many digestion problems. There are many products available in the market nowadays which claim to be the right "baby squirrel formula" milk, but in reality, they are not. It should be noted that many squirrel rehabilitation centers allocate a huge budget on squirrel food, simply because the right foodstuff is really expensive. Majority of those who keep baby squirrels do not realize this fact and just give the animals cow's milk, which of course can upset their stomachs and lead to diarrhoea and dehydration. For some odd reasons, to make the milk thicker, some people would even add heavy cream which actually contains so much fat! All these "unprofessional" approaches to squirrel feeding have contributed a lot to the deaths of numerous squirrels kept in captivity.
Now, if it is too costly to buy baby squirrel formulas in the market, we can actually make our own. All that we need to do is to make a thorough research about the things which can be added into the mix and we are good to go. As much as possible, it is better if we consult a veterinary or someone who has had experience with taking care of squirrels in the past; that would be the surest way to be able to come up with the best formula possible.
2. The squirrels catching the disease called Hypocalcaemia
This disease is actually just a fancy name for the body condition wherein the blood will have sudden decrease of Calcium content. Squirrels need extra amounts of Calcium in their bodies; in fact, they need higher amounts of Calcium compared to the other animals. They require this much Calcium that its lack can lead to death. They usually get the Calcium that they need from their mother's milk, but in the case of captive squirrels, they are forced to feed on other milk formulas which may not contain enough Calcium in it.
This disease is manifested by lethargy. Sick squirrels are definitely suffering from spine and leg pains, causing difficulty in walking and moving. As a result, squirrels would rather not move in order to avoid the pain. This disease can be fatal too because the lack of Calcium in a squirrel's body can actually lead to cardiac arrest. When this disease strikes, it is almost very impossible to treat it. Thus, the best approach for this kind of disease is to prevent it before it happens. This can be done by making sure that the baby squirrels are getting the right amounts of Calcium.
3. The squirrels have Internal Injuries
Baby squirrels are very susceptible to getting injuries. Sometimes, these injuries are so severe that it can cause internal bleeding or swelling which might not be obvious from the outside. Owners should be observant of their squirrels. Although the injury may not be visible to the eye, the squirrels will definitely exhibits signs that can lead the owner to deduce that something is wrong with it. As an example, a baby squirrel with an internal injury will have rapid respiration and its heartbeat will be a faster than the normal.
