Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Fox Squirrel

We received a big baby this week, a nearly 200-gram infant Eastern Fox Squirrel! This little one has quite a story to tell.

The people who found her saw her fall from the roof of a building while in the mouth of a snake. The fall must have startled the snake, because it quickly released her and slithered away.

She was left with an injured eye that needed treatment, but thankfully, our team determined the injury is treatable.

It is important to remember that predation, like a snake eating a squirrel, is a completely natural part of a healthy ecosystem. Every animal plays an important role, and predators like snakes help maintain balance by keeping populations of small mammals in check.

In almost all cases, we do not recommend interfering with these natural behaviors, as doing so can harm both predator and prey. In this case, the squirrel was only rescued because the snake dropped her accidentally during the fall.

Eastern Fox Squirrels are not considered rare, but we see far fewer of them than their smaller cousins, the Eastern Gray Squirrels.

Fox squirrels prefer more rural habitats, so they are less likely to be found by people when injured or orphaned. Because they live in more rural areas, they are also less likely to encounter cars, pets, or other human-related hazards that often injure gray squirrels.

They are also much larger. This five-week-old baby is nearly the same size and weight as an eight- to ten-week-old gray squirrel.

Our team will continue to monitor her progress, and once she is medically cleared, we will work with our state’s licensed rehabilitators to find her a companion to grow up with.

At this time of year, she will most likely overwinter with her new friend before being released back into the wild.

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