Update on the squirrels:

[trof]

You can read the original post here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=9775086&mesg_id=9775086

One disappeared yesterday.
It rained last night and we put an umbrella over the planter the remaining 4 homesteaded in.
It blew off sometime during the night.

Showers off and on today.
We were gone for a few hours and when we returned there were only 2 squirrels left.
They seem lethargic, almost comatose.
I don't think they'll make it.
:-(
Maybe the other 3 did.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I'm so sorry, my dear trof...

That is always hard to see, isn't it?

But this is Mother Nature's way of ensuring only the fittest survive to breed...

It still hurts...

:hug:

[trof]

4. Yeah, we debated about treatment.

Whether to 'take them to raise' and provide shelter and food, or whether to just put some food down and let them take off when they were able.
Didn't want to make pets out of them, although I guess I kind of did with the first one.

The weather is mild, although it rained last night.
Temps in the 60s. Intermittent showers for the next two days.
One of them showed up this morning on the back steps looking wet and miserable.

[LaurenG]

2. Maybe they went back to the nest .

I wonder if they are too little for regular squirrel food. I hope they're OK.

[trof]

3. We think they were possibly blown out of the nest during Irene.

[trof]

5. Update on the update:

2 disappeared yesterday, leaving 3.
Two of those appeared to be lethargic all day.
My daughter tried calling various animal rescue organizations to no avail.
EX: "We do birds, not mammals."

I tried feeding them milk soaked bread, as had been suggested here.
One kind of took to it; the other didn't care.
I put them in a ventilated shoe box (with a paper towel mattress and the bowl of milk bread) in the garage.
They didn't survive the night.

I saw Grunty, the original one and the one I 'befriended', yesterday evening.
He hopped on my shoe and I picked him up.
He purred again.
Haven't seen him since.

For the last two days he's been living under the siding of the house next to the back steps, but I don't think he's there any more.
I 'knocked' and nobody home.
Maybe he made it somewhere.

[LaurenG]

6. aw so sorry trof

that is sad news. :(

[lillypaddle]

7. Well, you tried your hardest

And I think you helped make their short lives better. So sad.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

8. poor little squirrels

you did your best, trof.

thanks for sharing the pics and the story.