What to do if you find a baby squirrel
The short version: in most cases, the baby is not abandoned, and the best thing you can do is give the mother a chance to come back. Here's how to tell when that applies — and when to act quickly.
If the baby is visibly injured, cold to the touch, bleeding, or has been in a cat's mouth:
Skip the rest of this guide and contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately. These are emergencies. Keep the baby warm and quiet while you make calls — a small cardboard box with a soft cloth works. Do not offer food or water.
Step 1 — Is the baby actually in trouble?
Mother squirrels frequently move their babies between nests. A single baby on the ground isn't automatically an emergency. Before anything else, look honestly at the situation:
Fully furred, eyes open, larger than a smartphone
Probably a juvenile learning to climb. Watch from a distance.
No visible injuries, blood, or flies
Good sign. Gives you time to assess.
Not actively being approached by a cat, dog, or predator
The baby is safe enough to leave momentarily.
Weather is mild and dry
Hypothermia isn't an immediate concern yet.
If all four apply, continue to Step 2. If any don't, skip to Step 5 — Call a rehabber.
Step 2 — Give the mother a chance to return
The most common wildlife rescue mistake is taking a healthy baby away from its mother. Mothers actively search for displaced babies. Your job is to make it possible for her to find this one.
- 1
Gently place the baby in a shallow, open container — a small box, an upturned flower pot saucer, anything low-sided. Line it with a soft cloth or unscented tissue.
- 2
Put the container in a safe spot near where the baby was found, ideally at the base of the tree the nest is likely in. Keep it out of direct sun.
- 3
If the baby is cold, place a plastic bottle filled with warm (not hot) water, wrapped in a thin cloth, inside the container. Cold babies don't cry effectively and the mother may not find them.
- 4
Leave the area completely. Go inside. The mother will not approach if you're visible, and she can hear her baby from a long way off.
- 5
Wait two to four hours, weather permitting. Check from a window if you have to.
Step 3 — What success looks like
If you come back and the container is empty, the mother has her baby back. That's the goal. This is what you wanted.
If you can watch discreetly, you may see her make multiple trips, carrying the baby in her mouth like a cat carries a kitten. She may look agitated. She may chatter at you if you're too close. This is all normal and good — it's a healthy mother doing her job.
Step 4 — If the mother doesn't come
After about four hours in mild weather (less if it's cold or raining), if the baby is still in the container and the mother hasn't come, it's time to get help. This doesn't mean the mother has abandoned the baby — she may be injured herself, or no longer alive. Either way, the baby now needs human intervention.
When the clock matters:
- • Pinky (hairless, eyes closed) babies cool down quickly. One hour, maximum.
- • Temperatures below 65°F / 18°C shorten the safe wait window.
- • Rain or wet fur means hypothermia is already beginning.
Step 5 — Call a wildlife rehabber
Do not try to raise a baby squirrel yourself. It's illegal in most US states without a license, and even with the best intentions, hand-reared squirrels almost always develop fatal nutritional deficiencies, behavioral problems that prevent release, or die in the first week from aspiration pneumonia from improper feeding.
Licensed wildlife rehabbers know what they're doing. They have the formula, the equipment, the veterinary relationships, and usually a network of foster volunteers. They want this call.
How to find one:
- • In the US, your state's fish-and-wildlife department maintains a rehabber directory. Search for "[your state] wildlife rehabber directory."
- • Call a local wildlife-capable veterinarian. Even if they don't take the case, they usually have rehabber contacts.
- • Animal Help Now (ahnow.org) is a free nationwide locator tool.
- • If you can't reach anyone immediately, keep the baby warm and quiet. Don't feed. Don't give water. Don't handle more than necessary.
Our rehabber directory → (currently under construction — Phase 2)
What not to do
Don't feed the baby anything. Not cow's milk. Not kitten formula. Not water dripped from a syringe. Not sugar water. Not any YouTube recipe. Wrong food or water in the lungs kills baby squirrels fast.
Don't handle more than necessary. A brief, gentle move to the container is fine. Cuddling, petting, or playing with the baby stresses it and increases infection risk.
Don't keep it as a pet. It's illegal, it's bad for the animal, and adult squirrels raised by humans become dangerous around other people.
Don't take it to a regular shelter or animal control. They're not equipped for wildlife and in many jurisdictions their only option is euthanasia.
One more thing
If you've done everything in this guide and the baby is safely with its mother, or in the hands of a rehabber — thank you. Wildlife rescue is genuinely mostly about people who are willing to pay attention and make a few phone calls. It's not glamorous, but it matters enormously for each animal it touches.
If this Tree Puppy happens to live at a Scurry in our network, we'd love to hear about it. Email hello@treepuppies.com.
A note on this guide
This guide is written for people who live in the United States and Canada, and is based on standard practice among licensed wildlife rehabilitators. Laws and best practices may vary by region. When in doubt, a local rehabber is always your best resource. This guide does not substitute for professional wildlife rehabilitation — we're offering context to help you make better decisions in the first hour.