You Can’t Make This Up

The best Momma for a baby squirrel is a Momma Squirrel.

We took a walk this evening, kinda looking for any other possibilities for where Baby Groot‘s nest might have been. I played the recording I have of a baby squirrel crying that is supposed to attract the momma squirrel. I played it out in the cemetery across the street from where he was found at a tall tree that had several dreys in it. When I turned it off, we heard a baby squirrel crying from a different tree, a much shorter tree. We walked over and sadly found at the base of the tree was a dead squirrel. A dead momma squirrel. Twenty feet up was a drey and the source of the crying baby squirrel. We were in sight of the house where Baby Groot was found, so we thought we’d found his drey and his sibling.

What to do, what to do? It was after 6:00 and would be dark soon. Momma Squirrel was right in front of us, and the baby had been alone for who knows how long. We knew we had to help.

We borrowed an extension ladder and Jamie went up.

What do you think he found? Not Baby Groot’s sibling. Three babies younger than him by a couple weeks.

All boys I guesstimate to be about 4-ish weeks of age. Baby Groot is 6-ish. Meet Drax, Rocket, and Yondu…

It’s my understanding that squirrels from different litters can’t be put together much past six weeks. When I got the new Littles home, I moved Baby Groot out of the little bin on a heating pad so I could get the Littles in there & warming. Yeah, Baby Groot was very unhappy about being moved. So, with some trepidation, I introduced him to the new babies. He snugged right in, and they were peas in a pod.

Their eyes aren’t yet open, so he’s the big brother.

Sweet baby squirrel toofers…

So what’s next? Babies have been warmed, hydrated, bathed for fleas, and I tried a feeding but they were too sleepy after the warm bath.

I’ve reached out to a rehabber. Since Baby Groot took so completely to these babies, I’d like to keep them all together. A release is much safer for a group than for a singleton.