Please call our wildlife hospital hotline (541-441-7193) if you have found an injured or orphaned small mammal. 

Understanding Small Mammals: When to Help

Southern Oregon is home to a variety of small mammals such as tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, woodrats, mice, and more! Each species plays a unique and helpful role in maintaining healthy ecosystems in southern Oregon. Many small mammals assist with seed dispersal and spreading mycorrhizal fungi networks, which help trees better absorb nutrients. These mammals are also a keystone prey species, meaning that they are incredibly important food sources for predators such as hawks, owls, eagles, foxes, bobcats, snakes, and many other animals. 

Found a baby small mammal?

If you find a baby small mammal, it’s important to act quickly. Reuniting the animal with its parents as soon as possible is crucial for its survival. If the parents are nearby, safely try to return the young animal to its nest or den. A baby’s best chance of survival is out in the wild with its parents. Please see our reuniting instructions below tailored for different species. If you are unable to identify the species yourself, please give us a text or call during our business hours so we can help you. 

Re-nesting and Reuniting Tree Squirrels (Western Gray Squirrel, Douglas Squirrel)

If you find an orphaned baby tree squirrel, try to reunite it with its parents as soon as possible unless it is visibly injured or was caught by a cat. Follow these steps:

1. Prepare a Container:
   • Use a container (e.g., a shoebox or similar depth box, small wicker basket) that the baby squirrel cannot climb out of, but that the parents can easily climb into.
   • If it is below 80 degrees outside, add a heat source such as a heating pad set to low underneath half of the box, a warm water bottle, or warmed bag of rice, or hand warmers (nothing should be hot to the touch! If it hurts you, it will hurt the baby). If the baby does not have a heat source, it may die.

1. Position the Container:
   • Strap the container to the nearest tree where the squirrel was found, ensuring it is at least 4 feet off the ground to help avoid predators.
   • Avoid direct sunlight to prevent the baby from overheating.
   • Choose a quiet, low-traffic area nearby where the squirrel was found to increase the chance of a successful reuniting.

1. Leave the Baby for 4 Hours:
   • Leave the baby squirrel in the container for at least 4 hours without disturbing it. Avoid going outdoors in the area during this time, otherwise the reuniting process may not work because the mother squirrel may not feel safe retrieving her baby.

1. Check After 4 Hours:
   • After 4 hours, check the container. If the baby is still there, contact the Wildlife Hospital hotline for further assistance.

1. If Baby was Found at Night:
   • If the baby is found at night, place it in a quiet, dark, and warm area to temporarily house it overnight.
   • In the morning, follow the above instructions and return the baby squirrel outside for at least 4 hours before checking to see if the mother retrieved her baby.

If reuniting does not work or is not an option, please call the Wildlife Hospital hotline at 541-441-7193 for further instructions.

Re-nesting and Reuniting Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, or Small Rodents

If you find an orphaned baby ground squirrel, chipmunk, or small rodent, try to reunite it with its parents by following these steps:

1. Prepare a Container:
   • Use a non-airtight container (such as a plastic strawberry container) and place it upside down over the baby.
   • If it is below 80 degrees outdoors, add a heat source such as a heating pad set to low underneath half of the box, a warm water bottle, or bag of rice (nothing should be hot to the touch! If it hurts you, it will hurt the baby). If the baby does not have a heat source, it may die.
   • Place a weight (like a small rock) on top of the container. The weight should be heavy enough so the baby cannot lift it, but light enough for the parent to move it and retrieve the baby.

1. Position the Container:
   • Place the container and weight on the ground, as close to the den as possible.
   • If you do not know where the den is located, place the setup in a safe area near where you found the baby.

1. Leave the Baby for 4 Hours:
   • Leave the baby under the container for at least 4 hours without disturbing it.

1. Check After 4 Hours:
   • After 4 hours, check the container. If the baby is still there, please contact our Wildlife Hospital at (541) 441-7193 for further assistance.

1. If Found at Night:
   • If you find the baby at night, place it in a quiet, dark, and warm place to temporarily house it overnight.
   • The next morning, as early as possible, follow the above steps to return the baby outside and leave it undisturbed for at least 4 hours before checking again.

If reuniting does not work or is not an option, please call the Wildlife Hospital hotline at 541-441-7193 for further instructions.

Injured Small Mammals

If you come across an injured small mammal (e.g., bleeding, unable to move, or visibly hurt, or acting unusual), it will need immediate attention.

When to Intervene

• Obvious wounds, actively bleeding/swelling/bruising
• Respiratory distress (barely breathing or labored open-mouth breathing)
• Neurological symptoms (head ticking back and forth, falling over, stargazing, etc.)
• Shivering or trembling
• The mother is deceased and baby is too young to live alone
• Mother was trapped and relocated
• Entangled in barbed wire/fencing/netting
• Hit by car
• Caught by a cat or dog
• Reuniting strategies have been tried and failed

Carefully contain the animal in a secure and ventilated box and bring it to Wildlife Images for medical care and rehabilitation during our patient intake hours, 9am-4:30pm 7 days a week. We prefer if you call ahead so we can prepare for the animal’s arrival, and to ensure that our clinic is able to provide rehabilitation services.

***Do NOT offer food or water to an injured, sick, or orphaned animal unless instructed to do so by clinic staff. Many species require a specialized diet or formula, and young animals and birds can be easily aspirated without proper training and equipment.***