Before you go any further, yes I’m talking about an actual Squirrel.
The other night, as I’m standing over my stove making dinner, Logan came in and said “Hey Mom, you have to come look at this! It’s a baby squirrel!” I’ll admit, when I first heard it I didn’t believe it. For all I knew, Logan could have been tricking me so he could make fun of me about something (it has happened), or maybe it was a chipmunk and not a squirrel. I turn down the heat on the chicken I was cooking and head outside.
I walk over to the tree in the front yard where Mase is standing and I look down...sure enough, there was a tiny baby squirrel curled up in the grass! It’s eyes were closed so it was very young, but it was breathing and clearly alive (Hallelujah!!!!). I told the boys to keep away and hopefully the Mama Squirrel would come back. Inside, I’m freaking out because I need this Mama Squirrel to come back and get her baby! I text my friend and neighbor, Jewel, and ask her if she has someone to contact in case the Mama doesn’t come back. Thankfully, Jewel being Jewel, she came through and gave me the name, number and Facebook contact for a lady named Fran Kitchen who is the owner/operator of a non-profit wildlife rescue/rehab place.
Fast Forward several hours, I go check on the baby and it’s still there. It’s getting darker and I can’t leave this baby outside. I wouldn’t leave my baby outside so I need to figure out what to do. I go to Fran’s page and I get her number to call...”the number you have dialed doesn’t have voicemail set up...”!!!! I continue to look at her page and she has a number for another lady on her page in case Fran can’t be reached, she also gave info in how to keep the baby warm while waiting to get in contact with her. So, I find a plastic bottle with a screw top and fill it with hot water and put a sock on the bottle. I asked Mase to get a towel so I can pick up the baby. As I wait, my mind is racing with “what ifs”.
Once I pick up the baby in the towel, making sure to not touch it, I decide to place the baby and the bottle near the tree as a last ditch effort to get the Mama to come get her baby. The baby started to perk up and squeak more once it felt the warmth from the bottle, surely the Mama would hear her baby and come get it...right? I waited for an hour as it got darker and went out...baby was still there. So, I had Mase get a towel and place it inside the cat carrier we have in the garage. I place the baby inside, with the bottle close by and close the door on the carrier. We can figure something out int he morning.
Of course, I had to go to work. I worried the whole time that something would happen to the baby. I kept researching and seeing if there were more people I could contact. I contacted one to see if she would be able to take it, but she wasn’t able to. I figured that I should probably cool my jets and wait until I get home to make sure the baby is still alive before I call and make arrangements.
I get home and find that baby is not only alive, but moving around a bit more. I get some towels, an eye dropper and some water and set to work on trying to get some water in the baby. It did well, but it wasn’t taking a lot in. I put the baby down on the towels that I had on my lap and very gently stroked one finger down it’s back and knew that this baby needed much more than just the little bit of water I was able to give it. I picked up my phone and called Fran...and she answered!!!! I could drop the baby at her place!!!
I carefully packed up the baby for the short trip to Fran’s. Logan had just gotten home from school, so I took him with me to help. We made it to Fran’s in no time and we were able to get the baby checked in. We found out that the baby was in fact a girl. She was uninjured and healthy and came at the perfect time because Fran was just about to start feeding time for her other wildlife critters.
I left Baby Girl in the very capable hands of Fran, who runs Operation Orphan Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc. Fran rescues and rehabilitates wildlife that have been injured or orphaned. Fran’s operation runs on donations and I highly recommend donating. Go check out her website! You never know if you might be in the situation that I was in. Save a Life! Make a Donation!
