The answer to this question is a definite no! Cows milk and other types of milk geared for humans do not give baby squirrels (and other wildlife species) the nutrition they need and it can be detrimental to their health.
If you find a baby squirrel, it’s always good to contact a local wildlife rehabilitation centre for advice as every situation can be a little bit different. However, the information below will helpfully provide you with some guidance!
If the baby squirrel is injured, covered in fleas or fly eggs, is thin or is following people around – these are signs that the squirrel needs help. If this is your situation, the best thing you can do is keep the squirrel warm. If the squirrel isn’t active a small shallow box will do, you can also use a pet carrier. Place some towels on the bottom of the box/carrier. Fill a hot water bottle with hot water and wrap that up in a towel and place in your box. You can now place the squirrel on top of the wrapped water bottle and place a flannel or small blanket on top of the squirrel – they like to be warm and can’t yet regulate their own body temperature! Place the box in a warm and quiet location and don’t give it any food, water or milk. Now it’s time to find a local wildlife rehabilitation centre who can properly care for this young animal. If you’re not sure who to call, do a quick internet search to see if there are any rehabilitation centres near you. You can also call your local vet, municipal animal control or your Department of Natural Resources as they might have a contact for you.
If the squirrel isn’t injured, covered in fleas, thin or following people around but is on the ground, it could be that the squirrel you found isn’t on its own. Perhaps the mother squirrel is still around and the two can be reunited. That would be the best scenario! Sometimes the young fall out of their nests or the mother may be in the middle of moving them from one location to another. Place the squirrel in a shallow box with a heat source and place it where the squirrel was found. The box should be big enough to contain the squirrel but not so large that it hinders the mother from finding and getting her young. And now you wait! If there’s still no sign of the mother by the end of the day, chances are the squirrel needs help. Bring the box with the squirrel inside, make sure its heat source is still warm, and place the box in a warm quiet spot, again don’t give it any food, milk or water, and call a local wildlife rehabilitation centre.
If you don’t have a hot water bottle you can also use a plastic bottle filled with hot water (make sure it’s wrapped in a towel and secured in the box so it doesn’t roll around) or a sock filled with uncooked rice that’s been microwaved for approximately one minute. Keep an eye on your heat source as it will need to be re-warmed as it cools. It shouldn’t be so hot that you can’t touch it.
Some people think that if they touched the baby squirrel, the mother will reject it. This is not true, human scent will not deter a squirrel from looking after her young. It’s also important to note that in most cases it is illegal to care for wildlife. While it may be tempting to raise this baby squirrel yourself, it requires very specialized care in terms of diet and socialization – care that can only be provided by a licensed wildlife rehabilitation centre.
