Meet Peanut...

Peanut is the 5 week old squirrel that happened to land on my 4 year old's head Saturday morning  during my workout routine.  I was on the ground on my belly doing "supermans"  I am told that these are a good alternative to back extensions...anyhoo, getting one with the earth I hear my son say, "Mom LOOK a squirrel!!!"  "Cool bud" *not even looking up*  "LOOOOOK mom, it's a squirrel."  "That's awesome Ash" *more sarcasm this time, because I'm getting a teeny bit annoyed*  Then at last, "MOM!  LOOK!  A SQUIRREL!!!!!!"  And I finally look up to see these bulging eyes staring at my face.  I first gasped...because I am known to do that.  Then I said, and imagine this in the slow motion sound, "Puuuuuuuuut iiiit dooooowwwwwn..."  

Ashton gently set the rodent down  and I noticed, this was not an adult squirrel, this was a baby squirrel.  It was so helpless.  It just layed there making these horrible grunting noises because it was threatened.  I am one to first let nature do it's thing, and then if nothing happens, then intervene.  So my boys and I went about 20 yards away, maybe it was more, and just watched and looked around for mamma squirrel.....nothing.....still nothing....after almost an hour, nothing.  I went home, and no, I didn't finish out my routine...I went home and called a vet technician that I knew for advice.  I looked up a rehab place for Great Falls and there isn't any.  She told me that if the Humane Society or the F&W folks gotta hold of it, they would probably just have it put down.  She said if, the mom had not come back after a couple of hours then, I would just have to feed it and let it go when it got bigger.  So, I did just that,  I waited till it was a little over two hours.  Went back with the kids and he was still there.  I gently encouraged him into the carrier and went immediately to the pet store for the formula.  Yes, internet, I know that Peanut is in a towel for the pictures and that I'm not supposed to have him in a towel because his claws might get stuck.  That has been remedied.  I was just grabbing anything I could for warmth...

Being the animal saver I am...I have done this since a child.  I have taken care of a puppy that was hit by a car, a dove that had broken its' leg, several fowl that have had numerous injuries...so a baby squirrel would be different.  I have read everything I can look up on the care of a baby squirrel.  

I know he's about 5 weeks because he still doesn't have his top incisors yet and they get those at 6 weeks.  I found images of baby boy parts and girl parts for a squirrel and I'm pretty sure Peanut is a boy.  At 5 weeks they open their eyes.  They are still nursing, so I purchased some kitten starter formula...cows milk will kill them so I'm glad I went with my instinct on that one.  I am feeding Peanut every four hours...he will eat anywhere from 5 ccs to 7 ccs of formula and then contently go back in his little ball.  He is on a small blanket...with a heating pad under half of the kitty carrier.  If he gets too hot, he just goes to the side that the heating pad isn't on.  When he gets three weeks older, we are going to build him a cool place outside that's sheltered with lots of branches and things he can climb/play on.   At 12 weeks or when he's able to figure out how to open a nut up by himself, we will let him go.  Worst case scenario is that we will have Peanut visit us to say "thanks" every once in awhile.  

He had his first poopy for me today which is what I've been waiting for...this means he is digesting the formula well.  I will keep ya updated on how Peanut is doing.  He is doing well so far.  I hope there are no internal injuries...that's my only concern.  The kids named him Peanut...I think it fits him well...