Animal Stories from All-Creatures.org

Solo the Squirrel: a small miracle

From Zipora Schulz, The PAUW Project (Post Animal Use World)
September 2024

Often when I see a squirrel I wonder if it could be Solo. Finding him was actually a small miracle. It was a moment of true connection I will never forget. Here’s to all the Solos out there who need our help. May they find it.

Our son had been mowing the neighbor’s lawn earlier in the day and happened to mention nonchalantly that he had noticed a small, unidentifiable creature by a tree. Luckily he hadn't run over the animal with his lawnmower. He showed us a video he took of it and we realized it was a baby squirrel with no fur on its tail. We went over with a small box with some bedding in it, ready for a rescue mission. We gently picked the squirrel up with gardening gloves. The squirrel was laying quietly, curled up on the ground at the foot of a tall tree. We quickly called the local wildlife clinic, which unfortunately was about to close. They gave us advice about how to care for the baby squirrel until we could transport him to the clinic early the next morning.

We were told to get a tiny syringe and baby electrolyte formula to hydrate and keep him alive. Every two hours we trooped down to the basement where our baby squirrel lay in his box so we could administer pedialyte.

Have you ever seen the miniscule pink fingers and nails of a baby squirrel up close? They look so similar to a human baby's fingers. With them he clung to a terry-cloth towel we had wrapped around a soda bottle filled with warm water that would simulate his mother's warmth.

To witness such delicacy of a small, sleeping face with wisps of fur on this small, breathing body felt like a privilege. We were in awe of this tiny creature who survived a fall from such a height. Each time we returned to our post throughout the night we prayed that the little squirrel was still holding on and alive.

Finally dawn came. We breathed a sigh of relief as we drove Solo to the clinic. Yes, we named him! When we arrived at the clinic, the wildlife rehabilitator unceremoniously scooped Solo out of his box and said he was going to bring him to the back room with 50 or so other baby squirrels who had been separated from their families. Sadly, we weren't given a chance to say goodbye, but we were so happy that he was in good hands. We were told he would be released once his eyes opened and was strong enough to enter the woods. He was given a file number and we kept tabs on him over the following weeks, after which we were told he had been released. This little being had been at nature’s mercy and we were honored to help him survive.

Often when I see a squirrel I wonder if it could be Solo. Finding him was actually a small miracle. It was a moment of true connection I will never forget. Here’s to all the Solos out there who need our help. May they find it.

Posted on All-Creatures.org: September 6, 2024
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