TWC’s trained staff and volunteers provide more than 43,000 individual hand feedings annually – and that’s just for squirrels!
The helpless infants nurse from their mothers often and by five weeks of age are well furred with their eyes and ears open.
By week eight, little squirrels start exploring outside their nests (with mom’s protection) and start to nibble solid foods like buds, seeds, fruits and nuts. Some of their favourites are maple buds, apples and acorns.
At TWC, we duplicate the mother’s care as best we can, providing a constant heat source, soft blankets and hand feeding orphaned squirrels all day long. Like all babies, wild babies need proper nutrition for development of healthy brains, bones, fur and more. So the formula used for baby squirrels is very specific and special-ordered from international suppliers.
An orphaned squirrel is always housed with other orphaned squirrels for companionship and to ensure normal social development as they socialize and play with each other.
The last of this year’s orphaned squirrels are almost fully weaned; they are eating nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables and are moving to large outdoor enclosures to exercise and get used to weather. Some may spend the whole winter being cared for outdoors until their release in the early spring.