Newborn squirrel3/21/2023 Squirrels that are around 8 to 9 weeks may be able to survive if they fall from their nest, as the parents may locate the baby and continue to care for it. This can make it difficult to determine when to release the squirrel, as well as whether it needs extra care at all. If a squirrel is effectively staying away from you, they are likely older than 12 weeks and able to take care of themselves.ĭetermining a squirrel’s age after 6 weeks is difficult, as they don’t change quite as much from week to week. They are completely self-sufficient at this point. They are different from baby birds in this regard.īy 12 weeks, the squirrel will be difficult to tell apart from an adult. For this reason, they still require extensive care at this point. However, squirrels are not weaned until they are 10 to 12 weeks. You can sometimes use this to determine their age.Īt 6 weeks, squirrels often look like small adult squirrels, standing upright and taking part in many adult activities. Level of Care Needed Image Credit: Pixabayīased on the squirrel’s age, the level of care that they need will differ. Therefore, it is significantly more difficult to determine their age past this point.ģ. After this, their fur doesn’t develop more. You can use the measurement of their fur to determine their age pretty accurately until they turn 6 weeks. Their underside should be covered by fur by the time they’re 6 weeks old. The white fur on their tail will reach about 2 mm long by the time they’re 4 weeks old. By their 3rd week, it should be about 1 mm long. Their hair doesn’t start growing until around 2 weeks of age. If they have no teeth, they’re less than 3 weeks.Ī squirrel is born completely hairless. For instance, if they have their lower incisors and not their upper incisors, then they are between 3 and 4 ½ weeks. You can use this information to accurately determine a squirrel’s age if they are between 3 and 5 weeks. The upper incisors don’t come in until about 4 ½ weeks. If your squirrel doesn’t have any teeth, they are not yet 3 weeks. Their lower front incisors don’t appear until they are about 3 weeks old. Squirrels are born without teeth, like most mammals. This can be a simple starting place, as this is easy to check for. If they are open, they are older than a month. If a squirrel’s ears are not yet open, they are likely younger than a month. EarsĪ squirrel’s ears do not open until they are between 3-4 weeks old. The squirrel’s development slows down, which makes it difficult to get an accurate determination of the animal’s age. It can be much more difficult to determine the age of your squirrel after this 6-week period. This will give you a somewhat accurate idea of your squirrel’s age, as they age quickly and go through many milestones in only 6 weeks. You can use these stages to determine how old the squirrel is. Like every other animal, squirrels meet certain developmental stages at different times. Physical Development Image Credit: Pixabay You shouldn’t find helpless squirrels that are older than 3 months.Ģ. Squirrels generally become self-sufficient around 10-12 weeks, though they may not look full-grown at this point. Based on this information, you can count backward to determine the age of your squirrel to the nearest month. In most areas, squirrels are born between March and July. For this reason, you can determine the age of a squirrel based on when the squirrel was born. Most squirrels are born about the same time each year. How to Tell the Age of a Baby Squirrel 1. Use multiple methods for the most accuracy. Luckily, there are alternative options, though they often provide a slightly less accurate age. Such methods aren’t helpful for us, though, as these require extensive equipment or dissection. There are other ways that vets can determine their age accurately, such as weighing their eye lens. For instance, X-rays can determine the current level of bone growth and fusion, which can help determine the age of the squirrel. Many of these are not appropriate for most ordinary people to do. There are many methods used by scientists and vets for determining the age of squirrels. Age is important for determining what to feed your squirrel, when to release it, and whether it actually needs any care. Depending on the squirrel, it will need different care or perhaps no care at all. If you find a baby squirrel, it is essential to determine its age accurately in order to plan your next steps.
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