How to deal with dehydration in squirrels
The topic of pet and wildlife care has been trending on social media recently, with “dehydrated squirrels” becoming a hot topic. Many netizens shared their experiences of dehydration in their squirrels and sought solutions. This article will combine the hot discussions on the Internet in the past 10 days to provide you with structured data and analysis to help you correctly handle the problem of squirrel dehydration.
1. Common causes of dehydration in squirrels

According to feedback from netizens and expert advice, the main causes of dehydration in squirrels are as follows:
| Reason | Proportion | Typical symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| High temperature environment | 35% | Shortness of breath, lethargy |
| Not enough water | 28% | Poor skin elasticity and sunken eye sockets |
| disease caused | 22% | Diarrhea, vomiting |
| stress response | 15% | Refusal to eat, trembling |
2. Emergency steps
According to animal rescue groups, here are the steps you should take if you find a dehydrated squirrel:
1.Hydrate immediately: Use a syringe or dropper to slowly feed electrolyte water (1:10 salt to sugar water ratio).
2.Environmental cooling: Move the squirrel to a shady area out of direct sunlight.
3.Skin test: Gently pinch the skin on the back and observe the rebound speed (more than 2 seconds means severe dehydration).
4.Professional help: Contact a wildlife rescue station or veterinarian.
| degree of dehydration | Treatment measures | Frequency of hydration |
|---|---|---|
| Mild (skin rebounds for 1-2 seconds) | oral rehydration solution | 2-3ml per hour |
| Moderate (sunken eye sockets) | subcutaneous rehydration | Requires professional operation |
| Severe (coma) | intravenous infusion | Send to hospital immediately |
3. Preventive measures
Tips for preventing dehydration drawn from popular content:
• Guaranteed 24-hour clean drinking water in summer
• The cage temperature is maintained at 20-25°C
• Provide water-rich fruits and vegetables (e.g. cucumber, watermelon)
• Avoid outdoor activities during midday hours
4. Sharing of real cases from netizens
| area | Symptom description | Processing method | recovery time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guangdong | Refusal to eat for 2 days, dry skin | Electrolyte water + apple puree | 36 hours |
| Jiangsu | Diarrhea with dehydration | Montmorillonite powder + rehydration salt | 48 hours |
| Sichuan | Heat stroke coma | Ice compress + veterinary infusion | 72 hours |
5. Special reminder from experts
1. It is forbidden to forcefully pour water to avoid choking into the lungs
2. The mortality rate of dehydration in young rats is as high as 60%, which requires special attention.
3. Wild squirrels should be released into the wild after rescue
4. Long-term dehydration may cause kidney failure
Analysis of recent hot spots on the Internet shows that as the high temperatures continue in summer, the problem of dehydration of small animals has received increasing attention. Knowing the correct treatment method can not only save the life of squirrels, but is also an important practice in wildlife conservation. It is recommended that owners learn first aid knowledge in advance and prepare emergency supplies such as electrolyte powder for pets.
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