The circle of life can seem so cruel & unfair at times, and thus it was at the Kimbrell home last night. Death came calling in the wee hours for two of the baby squirrels.
This is Little Fella, and he left at about 11:00. I had just started the hydration process with the group and had started with the smallest, most desperate. I reached for him next, but he was gone. It had just happened, because all three were breathing when I started.
Sometime between 1:00 and 3:00, Death came back for Lil' Sis, who was the smallest, most desperate. I suspect closer to 1:00, because rigor mortis had begun setting in. I didn't take an additional photo because of this, but she's the small one on top of the pile here.
That leaves this guy, and he's struggling. I've named him Bulldog-the trio was found in Athens, Georgia, home of the Georgia Bulldogs-and he weighs a whopping 50 grams.
The story is this: the finder was at work and he & a coworker observed a Momma squirrel trying to move a baby from a nest. She had an injured leg, severe enough that she fell from the tree holding the baby, landing on the baby. When they went over to look, Momma Squirrel left, leaving behind the baby. They then discovered a second baby, Lil' Sis, lying on the ground nearby. And right after, another baby fell out of the tree from that same nest. I suspect Little Fella is the baby Momma Squirrel was holding & fell on, because he was the biggest of the three, and I would have expected him to be the strongest.
I also suspect, though I'll never know for sure, that Momma Squirrel's leg injury or something must have kept her from those babies for some time. They arrived here severely dehydrated, very weak, and struggling, suggesting they hadn't nursed in some time.
Prayers, good thoughts and healing vibes for Bulldog please. I'm working on hydrating him, but he's very weak. He's not yet suckling, so I'm placing a drop at a time on his tongue. I can't even try to start formula feeding until he's hydrated and stronger.
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