Some conditions are species-specific, and other conditions can affect more than one species, constipation is one of them.
If you realize that your baby squirrel is constipated, then figuring out why this is happening, and how to help your squirrel, will be to your pet’s benefit
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Baby squirrel constipated
A person is considered to be constipated if they pass less than three bowel movements in a week. In addition, the stool of a constipated person may be difficult to pass.
The signs that confirm that your baby squirrel is constipated are not the same as the signs that confirm that a human being is constipated
How to tell that a baby squirrel is constipated:
No response to stimulation:
Baby squirrels cannot poop or urinate on their own, they are only able to do this on their own at around 5-6 weeks old.
The baby squirrel’s mother helps with this in the wild. As the caretaker, you’d need to do this using a q tip, dipped in warm water, or a piece of Kleenex, dipped in warm water.
Baby squirrels need to be stimulated before or after every feeding, sometimes before and after every feeding.
They aren’t always able to poop or urinate when stimulated, but they should still be able to do this several times a day.
If you’re stimulating the baby to poop, and it isn’t responding, then the baby is likely constipated.
Their poop looks different:
Formula-fed baby squirrels will produce poop that is a mustard yellow, to golden brown color. It should be well-formed and should be on the firmer side.
If your baby squirrel’s poop is dark and hard, not firm, then you can assume that the baby squirrel is constipated.
What causes constipation in baby squirrels:
Constipation in baby squirrels is usually caused by dehydration. Baby squirrels in the wild get the water they need from their mother’s milk, squirrels in captivity get the water they need from the formula they eat.
If they don’t get enough water from these sources, then they will become constipated.
You can test how dehydrated a baby squirrel is by pinching the skin on the back of the baby’s neck or pinching the skin on the baby’s stomach.
If the skin goes back after 1-2 seconds then the animal is likely moderately dehydrated.
If the skin goes back after more than 4 seconds, then the animal is likely very dehydrated and needs to be seen by a vet, or a wildlife rehabilitator, as soon as possible.
What to do if your baby squirrel is constipated?
If your baby’s constipation is caused by dehydration, then you’d need to rehydrate the baby squirrel with either an apple juice and water solution, an apple juice and prune juice solution, a homemade rehydration solution, or Pedialyte.
You can make the homemade rehydration solution by mixing 1 qt warm water, 3 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt.
Feed the baby any of the above fluids using a feeding syringe until the animal is rehydrated.
Note: Ensure that the baby is warm before you serve any of these fluids to it. Feeding baby squirrels, or giving them fluids, when they are chilled can kill them.
Avoid feeding the baby squirrel any formula or milk while it is still constipated, this will only make the animal’s constipation worse. Rather replace a few feedings with whatever you choose to rehydrate the squirrel with.
You can also massage the baby’s stomach and anus to help it poop, use warm water and a damp cloth to do this
If there is no improvement in the squirrel after you’ve tried the home remedies mentioned above, then you’d need to get the animal to a wildlife rehabilitation center or to a vet, taking the animal to an exotic vet would be best.
These professionals will know exactly how to take care of the animal, they have had special training on how to do so.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Baby Squirrel Twitching In Sleep, Baby Squirrel Bloated Stomach, How To Tell If A Baby Squirrel Is Dehydrated, How To Stop Diarrhea In Baby Squirrels,