Squirrel....

own leisure. If the transfer is going to take longer than 5-10 minutes, the 2 cages can be clipped together and stabilized. Another method of transfer is to wait until the squirrels are asleep in their boxes at night or during nap. The hole of the box should be covered with a blanket and your hand, and the whole box of squirrels should be moved to the other cage. The primary goal of gentle catching or transferring is to cause the least amount of stress to the animals.

House for your squirrel:
Blanket material should be warm and soft. Cotton flannel, receiving blankets, old sweats, and tee shirts is satisfactory. DO NOT use towels, wash cloths or other stringy material, Toenails can get caught or threads can get wrapped around fingers, toes, legs or necks. It is best to steer clear of all fabric softeners completely because of contained chemicals that are harmful to the skin.
  
It is wise not to give a baby squirrel too much space too soon. Cages that are too large for them can result in injury and death of a baby because of a fall even from a height of only 2 feet.
  
Avoid all plastic feeding dishes or water containers inside cages. Ceramic is best. Water bottles should be hung on outside of cages.

Note: Squirrels should not be allowed to run inside the house for the fear that they will get into poison chemicals, chew on electrical wires and furniture, fall into toilets and drown. They should be kept in a cage for their own safety and security and also as protection from domestic animals. The best size wire to use is 1 inch square for small babies and 1x2 grid for older. The smaller grid used for flooring on commercial cages is dangerous, so cover floor with cardboard, newspapers or blankets.

Other tips: 

1. Never cut their toenails. quick's are too long and you will make them bleed. Do not have them "de-clawed"-- they will be ruined for life. Their sharp toenails are vitally necessary for survival and for protection, as well as for tree climbing.

2. Do not pull their teeth.The squirrel will hemorrhage and die. Sticks to chew on are VERY necessary to keep teeth worn down, as are nuts to crack as babies get older. A squirrel's teeth grow constantly and if not allowed something to chew on, they will grow into the jaw. This leads to their inability to eat, infection and death.

3. Squirrels need to be raised with other squirrels as companions to grow up with, relate to, and learn how to be with a squirrel.

First aid:
Ant bites: If your squirrel has ant bite, wash off with warm water and put salve on. Give Vitamin C (25 mg.--4 times a day) before each feeding for several days.
 
If babies need to be washed, spot clean with warm water on a cotton ball and dry with tissue. Squirrels do not like water: please do not dunk them unless they are covered with maggots or fly eggs and a dip in warm soapy water is absolutely necessary.
 
On suspecting fly eggs or maggots, remove those immediately before they hatch into maggots. Use a flea comb, dry toothbrush or fingernails to remove eggs. Bathing these areas in warm water may inactivate any missed eggs. Soaking clumps of fly eggs in baby oil for a few seconds helps with flea-comb removal. Remove maggots with tweezers (if only a few). If there are larger areas, use Adam's Flea Mist on cotton ball and press onto area to kill maggots. Wash wound with warm water on cotton ball and apply antibiotic to area 2 or 3 times a day until wound has healed.
  

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