Squirrel Rehabilitation - What Do Rehabbers Do With Injured or Baby Squirrels?

People often wonder about the job of a squirrel rehabber. What to they do? What type of responsibilities are involved? Being a squirrel rehabber requires a lot more than just throwing some food in a cage and returning the squirrel to the wild. There are some tedious and arduous tasks involved but most rehabbers find them very rewarding. Squirrel rehabbers do their part to help injured and abandoned wildlife while making the world a better place.


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Squirrel Rehabbers Duties
Official squirrel rehabbers typically need some sort of permit or license. Sometimes this involves a few hours of education, a test or both. They must also be very well versed in state and local ordinaces surrounding the issue. Most squirrel rehabbers work under a volunteer status and feel very fulfilled by their efforts. When they first take on a new baby squirrel, they must check it thoroughly for injuries and communicable disease. It can be necessary to take the squirrel to the vet to ensure the safety of all parties involved. Many times, medical treatment is necessary before rehabilitation can begin.

Squirrel rehabbers work hard to ensure they squirrel's temporary home is much like its natural environment. This helps prepare the squirrel for release back into the wild. The squirrel must have plenty of room to move about and climb without injury. It also needs plenty of things to chew on and nuts to crack. Younger squirrels must be kept at the right temperature. They require some type of heating pad or warming device to keep their body temperature above ninety-nine degrees.

The rehabber will also take great care to ensure the little critter does not get dehydrated and learns to drink on its own. They will take notes about the animal's habits, feeding schedule and medication. There is a lot of work involved with this job. They do all these things without handling the creature too much. Squirrel rehabbers understand that the animal shouldn't get too comfortable with humans because it can jeopardize their chances of survival in the wild.

The Reward
When the time is right, a squirrel rehabber will ultimately return the creature to the wild. They are released in a safe wooded area away from civilization and in compliance with local ordinances. Squirrel rehabbers also keep records of the animals they rehabilitate as well as when and where they are released. Not only do they volunteer their time but many of them purchase their own food and supplies for the care of these animals. Now that is dedication.

The answer to the question "what do wildlife removal experts do with squirrels?" will vary massively depending on the kind of company you use and also where you live. The law in each individual state will say whether or not it is allowed to trap and release the animals, or whether or not they would need to be euthanized and then disposed of on site. The best thing to do to ensure your rogue squirrel isn't going to come to any harm is to ask the company or expert you're using to remove the squirrel.

With just two choices - euthanasia or relocation, your wild animal removal expert will take into account both the law and what is best for the animal to come up with a solution that works for everyone involved. That's what a good one will do anyway. There are advantages and disadvantages to both outcomes, but the majority of homeowners do have some consideration towards the animal they are trying to evict, and will almost always want to get rid of the animal in the kindest, safest way possible.

Where possible, the animal will be relocated somewhere safe and appropriate for the animal. For example, a squirrel would be released with her babies at the bottom of a tree first thing in the morning to give her the best start at starting a brand new life for herself. There are times where this may not be possible and these will include very young animals that have been captured, or those that are very old too. In cases such as these, releasing them into the wild is likely to kill them, so the most humane thing to do is to euthanize them quickly and without any pain - this is something your wildlife rehabilitator will do with your pesky squirrel.

In cases where the animal will need to be killed to destroyed, it will be done so in the quickest way. This will usually be at a registered wildlife rehabilitates who will use CO2 chambers to make the animal get a little dizzy, fall asleep, and not wake up. There is no pain involved and the animal isn't aware of what is happening. They simple all asleep. This is, by far, kinder than using traps, shooting the squirrel, and definitely using poison.

Where possible, a decent wildlife rehabilitation will give you the option (where possible) for you to make your choice. If this isn't possible, the animal will be taken care of in the most appropriate way, although you can be told the outcome if you ask for it.

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