Do Squirrels Drink Milk? Which Milk Is Best For Them?
Whenever you get the chance to look after an orphan baby squirrel, the first question that comes to your mind is what to feed him, and can you feed him with milk. As all mammals produce milk to feed their baby so whenever you will find a small, solidarity baby squirrel and want to rescue him, you will think of feeding him milk.[acf field=”Schema”]
Baby squirrels if not fed with mother feed can be fed by veterinary formula milk. Formula milk is easily available in the pet store. Puppy dog milk can also be given to squirrels. The puppy milk should be given in 2:1 to the baby squirrel.
It means two-part water and one-part milk. You must take special care while feeding milk because milk residues are acidic so the milk should be prepared fresh otherwise it will cause diarrhea.
If you find a squirrel alone, first check whether it is hydrated or not. you can check by the skin if the skin gets wrinkled for more than 1 or 2 minutes it means it is dehydrated. you have to feed him Pedialyte before giving him milk.
What Kind of Milk Does Squirrel A Baby Squirrel Drink:
A baby squirrel cannot be fed milk with lactose because if you feed them with any milk with high lactose, the stomach will get disturbed. After all, the baby’s stomach is not yet adapted to digest lactose milk. natural milk contains animal protein which is not easily absorbed by the squirrels.
A baby squirrel can be fed lactose-free powdered milk. Puppy milk is also lactose-free and can be fed to baby squirrels.
Try to avoid soy milk or yogurt brought from the store as the yogurt has sugar in it and can cause gastrointestinal problems.
Can You Feed The Same Milk As A Human?
Baby squirrels’ stomach is not fully developed so they cannot take the same milk as humans. We humans take milk that is rich in protein and does not have digestive enzymes which are needed by the squirrels.so if you feed the squirrels with natural milk which we humans take, it will disturb the stomach and can cause fatal diarrhea. And if the squirrel is not absorbing it properly it is all in vain.
Which Formula Milk Should Be Given To Baby Squirrel
The best formula milk for baby squirrels is esbilac or milk matric zoologic 33/40. Esbilac is available in almost all pet stores.it is a recommended source of food for orphaned squirrels as a replacement for mother feed. This formula ensures that it has all the basic ingredients which are needed for baby growth. Whenever you go to buy esbilac formula you must check that it has the following ingredients,
Whey protein concentrate
Vegetable oil
Casein
Cream and dried skim milk
For newborns, they are unable to take solids so you have to feed this formula after every 2 to 3 hours with syringes. Feeding the wrong formula can cause irreversible health problems such as metabolic bone disease.
How You Can Feed Baby Squirrel?
For the newborn baby squirrel, it is best to use an insulin syringe without a needle.it can hold 1 ml of milk and it is very easy to dispense milk from it than other conventional syringes. The syringes should be cleaned after every use and it is recommended to change the syringe after one day or daily. uncleaned syringes can cause health problems. use 2.5ml or 5ml syringes for young squirrels. Feeding time should be 2 to 3 hours apart. Start feeding 1ml to 2ml in 1 and 2nd week. Increase the amount of milk every week. E.g in the third week feeds 3ml after every three hours. When a baby is 6 weeks old, feed him 6 to 8 ml after every 4 to 6 hours. young squirrels are fed in an upward position so that the milk drop which is too large does not close the mouth and nose at the same time.it is also necessary to take a break while feeding young squirrels so that they can digest the food .otherwise the food can get into the lungs and cause so-called swallowing pneumonia.
If you are preparing formula for the next day it is ideal to mix it one night before. For the first time, let the formula sit for a few hours and then feed. Use warm water to mix the formula, after mixing put it in the refrigerator for some time.
When you have to feed, take some of the formulae in the syringe. if you feel it’s cold, rake some water in a mug and microwave it. Now dip the syringe in hot water. It will take almost60 seconds to heat the milk. Take out the syringe, tilt it and mix it well. Try to check the milk on your wrist. The milk should not be cold. If you find it cold, dunk it again in hot water to warm it.
Key Precaution While Feeding Milk To Squirrels:
If the milk is continuously causing diarrhea to the squirrel it means the milk you choose is not suitable for young squirrels and may even cause death. So it needs to be changed.
If you’re feeding high lactose milk to squirrels, it can cause constipation and flatulence, and severe stomach upset.
When you are feeding a squirrel, hold a syringe in one hand and a squirrel’s head and paws in another hand. don’t push the syringe at once, do it slowly with patience. The baby squirrel sleeps every time even when it is feeding time, he may be asleep. So when it is his feed time you have to wake him up.
The milk left after feeding should be kept in the refrigerator or thrown away. Don’t put it at room temperature and feed it again. it can be fatal to health.
For Extra Reading: Can Squirrel Eat Snake
What Should Be Fed To A Baby Who Has Fallen From A Tree?
If you find a baby who has fallen from the tree, try to find his nest and reunite it with his mother. If you find him orphaned then first check whether he is hydrated or not. If he is dehydrated, feed him Pedialyte. After that feed him with formula milk available in every pet store.
Can You Give Baby Formula To The Baby Squirrel?
Baby squirrels required milk with less protein and more fat. You can only feed goat milk or esbilac formula milk as a replacement for mother feed.
Frequently Ask Questions
Q1:Is Esbilac Good For A Baby Squirrel?
It is a recommended source of food for orphaned squirrels and also for some other wild animals such as rabbits, raccoons.
Q2:How Can You Feed Baby Squirrels?
You can feed baby squirrels with insulin syringes and young squirrels with conventional syringes of 2ml or 5ml. Make sure to feed them with a clean syringe. Always clean the syringes after every use. It is ideal to change the syringe daily or every other day.
Q3:Can You Feed Baby Squirrels With Almond Milk?
No, it is not recommended to feed baby squirrels with almond milk. It can cause serious gastrointestinal problems. You can only feed puppy milk.it carries all nutrition that is required for the growth of the baby.
Q4:Can Baby Squirrels Drink Cow Milk?
Simple answer is No. Cow Milk is not health for them as it is healthy for human instead of this you can give them goat milk.
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