Squirrels are quite active animals. These little animals can usually be seen scurrying around going up and down trees chasing each other, looking for food, or avoiding predators.
If you notice a squirrel not moving, but still breathing, you may be worried about what’s going on. This article looks into it.
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Squirrel not moving but breathing:
A squirrel not moving but breathing will certainly be concerning for any squirrel lover. If you see this happening, possible reasons why include:
It is in shock:
Just as with humans, if a squirrel is in shock, it will freeze and will not move. Thankfully, the animal will still be breathing even if it’s in shock, the breathing will assure you that it is still alive.
A squirrel can go into shock if it is chased or traumatized by something but don’t worry, it simply needs time to relax and calm down before going back to normal.
Don’t be worried if the squirrel stays frozen, doesn’t blink, and doesn’t move for a long while, this is also normal shocked squirrel behavior.
What to do:
You don’t have to do anything in this case, if the animal is uninjured and is not in harm’s way, then you can simply let the animal be.
However, if you realize that the squirrel is in harm’s way then you can gently nudge its rump using a long stick, or a garden cane. This should help it get out of its shocked state and get it moving again.
If the animal does not get out of its shocked state, after you gently nudge it, then you may need to move it in order to get it out of harm’s way.
Before touching the squirrel, make sure that you wear thick protective gloves, in addition, hold the animal using a thick towel in case it tries to bite you.
Place the animal in a box to keep it safe while it’s still in shock. For comfort, line the box with something soft like a towel or an old T-shirt
Place a warm, rice-filled sock in the box with the squirrel or place a hot water bottle, wrapped in a towel, into the box with the squirrel.
Keep the animal safe by placing the box somewhere sheltered and away from predators. The animal should be ready to leave the box after snapping out of its shocked state
Some squirrels will not come out of their shocked state, even after being in the box for a while. If this is the case with your squirrel. then you may need to contact your local wildlife rehabilitation center to examine the animal.
It is injured:
Squirrels are known to frequently climb trees, unfortunately, they aren’t always too successful at climbing trees.
If a squirrel climbs a tree, and falls, then it may have the wind knocked out of it and it may need to freeze to assess the damage and calm down after the fall
What to do:
If the animal is not injured then it will likely not need any assistance. Let the squirrel calm down and assess the damage in its own time. It will get out of its frozen state once it has calmed down.
The squirrel may only come out of its frozen state when it gets dark outside, it will get up and try to find somewhere else to shelter.
If the animal isn’t able to get out of its shocked state, and if it hasn’t moved locations by the time it gets dark outside, this isn’t a good sign.
You may need to keep it in a box as instructed above and bring it inside to keep predators from getting to it.
Contact your local wildlife rehabilitation center if the squirrel isn’t able to get out of its frozen state.
It is pregnant:
Any animal is more vulnerable when it’s pregnant. Squirrels exhibit unusual behavior when they are pregnant like going on eating binges, then going without food or water for 2-3 weeks while waiting to give birth.
She will also be very still and confide herself until she gives birth
What to do:
If a squirrel is not moving then you may just be seeing a pregnant squirrel about to give birth.
You don’t have to do anything if this is the case, in fact, it would be best to leave her alone and let her give birth in peace if you see this happening.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other squirrel related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Is It Illegal To Run Over A Squirrel?, Can A Squirrel Survive With A Broken Leg?, Squirrel Dragging Its Back Legs, Squirrel In Shock Symptoms, How To Save A Squirrel From Dying
