A press release about a man who was chased by a squirrel that wouldn't let go of him not only caused amusement, but also a lot of inquiries from us.
The message in full:
Karlsruhe (ots) - “Help, I'm being chased by a squirrel!” A man may have said these words to the Karlsruhe police emergency number on Thursday, around 8:00 a.m. The officers didn't hesitate for long and sent a patrol to Erzbergerstrasse to investigate the matter.
The police actually met the man there who was being chased by the stubborn little creature. While the officers from the Karlsruhe-Marktplatz police station got an idea of the situation on site, the squirrel apparently caused a lot of fun and enthusiasm. This is proven by an excerpt from the minutes: “Squirrel becomes the new mascot, was christened with the name: Karl-Friedrich.” Followed by the message: “The squirrel fell asleep because of the fright.”
“Karl-Friedrich” was taken to the police station in police custody. They immediately looked for accommodation for the little squirrel, which was apparently looking for a new home. The animal is now in a rescue center and is being well cared for.
Christina Krenz, press office
Karlsruhe Police Headquarters
Telephone: 0721 666 1111
Email: karlsruhe.pp.stab.oe@polizei.bwl.de
http://www.polizei-bw.de/(Source: https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/110972/4030738 )
Users wanted to know from us whether it could really be: a little squirrel pursuing a person so relentlessly? Exactly the right topic for Anke, our veterinarian on the team, who is particularly knowledgeable about this topic.
Our vet about squirrels
I can say from my own experience, yes, that’s true!
Squirrel children who have fallen out of the tree or need help often run after people and also like to climb up their trouser legs.
These animals always need help, and professional help, because squirrels are incredibly cute, but they are also very difficult to treat, so you should always turn to professionals !
Squirrel children are usually easy to pick up. That's completely fine, because the mothers accept them again afterwards.
Squirrels don't have rabies or other communicable diseases, and even the fleas stay loyal to the little rascals.
From where I know this?
In my practice, we have been raising small squirrels from such emergency situations for years.

For example, squirrels cannot yet urinate on their own. You have to help them with this, otherwise the bladder can become engorged, which can affect the animal's breathing and cause it to die.
Please do not give the animals milk, only liquid, as this can also be fatal.
Please don't just leave little squirrels lying there, but keep an eye on whether their mother or siblings are nearby.
If in doubt, call the squirrel emergency number (0700 – 200 200 12) and get help there.
Squirrels need our help and, as young animals, depend on it in such a situation, but they always remain wild animals and believe me: a little squirrel can expertly dismantle an entire apartment, which isn't always fun.
The young animals are then professionally raised in our practice and many other care stations and then released back into the wild.
The squirrel emergency call also contains the most important rules for first aid, which we have listed again here:
[spoiler title=“The 10 most important steps”]
The 10 most important steps
1. Touch – pick up – protect – save lives!
Contrary to popular belief, you can touch squirrel foundlings. That's why the mother doesn't reject it. Maybe it has already followed you or even climbed up your trouser leg. This animal urgently needs your help!
It is almost exclusively young animals that approach humans for help in this way. Baby squirrels are usually easy to pick up by hand.
They have no communicable diseases, in particular they do not have rabies!
If you have found a sick or injured adult squirrel, it is strongly advisable to wear suitable gloves or pick up the squirrel with a large towel.
Squirrels are “escape animals”. If they can no longer escape due to an injury or something similar, their only option is to instinctively defend themselves with their sharp teeth. So protect yourself from painful bite injuries.
2. Observe
Many young animals are brought back by their mother!
an attempt at repatriation makes sense and is often successful.
Please do not leave a seemingly orphaned squirrel lying unattended, the sentence: “nature will sort it out” is no longer relevant. Approximately 50% of the animals that are found were ultimately brought into this life-threatening situation by human action and not by “natural” events.
In order to correctly assess your individual situation, we will be happy to advise you on our emergency telephone. Watch the foundling and protect him from cats, dogs and corvids.
3. Look for sibling animals
Most squirrel foundlings get into trouble because, for example: B. her mother is no longer alive or the Kobel was destroyed. Often the entire litter (between 2 and 6 young) is affected and requires human help.
Please make sure that there are no other young animals at the location where the animal was found.
Since the animals can move within a larger radius depending on their age and mobility or hide out of fear, you should definitely take enough time and, if necessary, visit the location several times over 2 - 3 days.
4. Warming
All life-sustaining body functions depend on “normal” body temperature. Foundlings often die of hypothermia because they cannot yet maintain or regulate their own body temperature.
Even if the air temperature is warm in summer, weak or very small animals quickly become completely cold. In addition, mother animals do not retrieve hypothermic young animals and a possible return cannot therefore take place!
If it is necessary to take the young animal with you, a hot water bottle, grain pillow or a small electric heating pad (level 1) are very helpful. Alternatively, an empty PET bottle can be filled with lukewarm water. Please place all heat sources in such a way that the squirrel has the opportunity to move away if it gets too warm!
Use a towel or t-shirt to snuggle up in. Hay, straw, leaves or moss are just nice to look at, but have no use in primary care.
5. Hydrate
Found animals should always be given fluids first. This also applies to seemingly strong or healthy animals. The animals have usually been without care for hours/days and their vital functions are then only barely maintained due to dehydration or undersupply.
If such an animal is immediately fed milk or something similar, it will become even more weakened by the onset of digestion - this can lead to cramps and even circulatory collapse.
Add 2 teaspoons of glucose or honey and a small pinch of salt to 200 ml of boiled water or fennel tea. This mixture helps as the first hydration,
The animal must then continue to be cared for with full-fledged mother's milk substitute in competent hands.
Immediate milk replacement can lead to cramps or circulatory collapse, but continuous feeding with the tea solution means malnutrition!
After cooling, the liquid is fed to the animal using a syringe (without a cannula) or pipette; if necessary, a drinking straw cut in half can also be used, which is dipped into the liquid and sealed at the top with your finger.
- At the beginning, please carefully give the squirrel only a drop of this liquid into the cheek pocket or onto the lips
- if it drinks independently, as much as it wants
- It is important to ensure that you proceed slowly and patiently so that the animal does not choke or get fluid into the respiratory tract and cause pneumonia
- If he falls asleep again from exhaustion after every swallow, patience and empathy are required
- A guideline for emergency care in the first hour: 2-3 ml for a squirrel under 50 g body weight, 3-5 ml over 50 g body weight. Initially, small amounts every 15 minutes
- if he doesn't swallow, please go to the vet immediately and ask for subcutaneous fluids
If in doubt, always give us a call! A misjudgment of the situation could cost the baby squirrel its life!
6. Initial assessment
Even if the squirrel seems to want to sleep, curls up and just wants to hide, you need to take a close look at it!
Severely traumatized animals in shock “squeal” in fear. In this case, cover this animal's head or eyes with a towel.
What is the animal's general condition?
- agile or limp?
- well fed or very thin/half starved?
- are all 4 legs moving? Paralysis? Broken bones?
- are open injuries visible? If so, are they “fresh”?
- Are small white oblong eggs (fly eggs) visible on the body or in possible flesh wounds?
(more on this under parasite infestation - important! -) - Bleeding from your mouth and/or nose?
- broken teeth? Are they still in your mouth?
- Bruises, swelling?
- other abnormalities?
Call us – we will advise you on the phone!!
Or ask your veterinarian if he or she treats wildlife.
7. Urine stimulation
Baby squirrels are initially unable to urinate on their own (until the 7th week). If the stimulation, which in nature the mother provides through licking, is not provided, not only do the harmful urinary toxins remain in the body, but the animal can also have massive breathing problems due to the resulting bladder swelling and the resulting “lack of space” in the body. For this reason, it is of great importance that the animal's bladder is emptied through stimulation.
For stimulation, it is best to take a soft sheet of toilet paper or a Kleenex cloth, carefully turn the young animal onto its back in your hand and gently and without pressure gently rub the animal's genitals in regular movements. At best, this stimulation continues until no more urine is passed.
Since the young animal may initially resist the unfamiliar procedure, you should definitely take your time. As soon as urine is released, most animals usually remain still.
It is important to always use a soft cloth and work without pressure to avoid possible inflammation caused by rubbing. After stimulation, the animal should be cleaned with a slightly damp soft cloth so that the delicate and sensitive skin is not irritated by the urine.
The urine should be clear and light; if it is dark, it is likely that no urine has been passed for a long time. If the urine even smells like “fish”, this could be an indication of a kidney or bladder infection. If the animal is otherwise fit and active, more fluids should be administered over the next few hours to “flush” the kidneys and bladder. If there is no improvement, a veterinarian should be consulted, who may treat the animal with antibiotics.
8. Safe accommodation – peace – security
If you have found a squirrel, you can assume that the animal has already been through a lot. These animals are often severely traumatized and are under enormous stress, as well as pain from injuries and additional stress from the presence of humans, transport, noise, etc.
In general, it is important that foundlings have the opportunity to recover from all these hardships in a quiet place.
Once you have provided initial care, place it in an area of your home where it is quiet or carry it gently under your sweater so that physical contact gives it a feeling of comfort and security.
If you have children, please try to convey what the animal has probably already experienced, that it is not a toy and that it urgently needs rest. Squirrel children are very sensitive and too much stress can have a lasting impact on their health.
Please remember that secure accommodation also means protection against injuries. A weakened animal could have recovered sufficiently after a relatively short time that it suddenly becomes very active; if it tries to climb it could fall or become trapped.
9. When do you need to see a vet?
Squirrel foundlings can sustain a variety of injuries. The main reasons for this are injuries caused by falling out of the nest, attacks by cats/crows or generally the effects of prolonged underfeeding.
However, it should be taken into account here that not every veterinarian is familiar with the care of wild animals and, unfortunately, medications are sometimes administered that the animals cannot tolerate and can even lead to serious damage.
We would be happy to provide you with advice and assistance, tell you about local veterinarians we know or inform you about common medications that experience shows are well tolerated by the animals when taking the medication in question.
Please ask the respective veterinarian beforehand whether he or she has experience with wild animals or can name a colleague who is knowledgeable in this area.
Encourage your vet to call us!
Above all: Do not allow the animal to be treated with flea products! The usual spot-on preparations or other commercially available pet escape products can have fatal consequences for squirrels and even lead to death.
What other parasites squirrels can have besides fleas is described in more detail on our Parasite Infestation .
By the way: Since you as the finder are only the helper and not the owner of the squirrel, it is quite common for veterinarians to treat these wild animals free of charge (rarely against payment of the price of any medication used).
10. Call the squirrel emergency team
We (the Squirrel Emergency Call) are a competent team that is available to give you help and advice. If you are overwhelmed by the situation, have questions or problems, give us a call . We would be happy to provide you with advice or put you in touch with one of our rescue stations, which will take in the animal, raise it professionally and later release it back into the wild.
Wild animals in particular are very demanding and sensitive when it comes to rearing them. You can save a life with one call!
Source: http://eichhoernchen-notruf.com/erste-hilfe/die-10-leichtsten-tritte/
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Author: Anke M., Mimikama.at
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