A squirrel that is dying will usually show one or more unmistakable signs: extreme lethargy, labored or gurgling breathing, visible injuries, loss of balance, or a complete lack of fear toward humans. A healthy squirrel is fast, alert, and nearly impossible to catch. If you can walk right up to one or even pick it up without resistance, something is seriously wrong.
Physical Signs of a Dying Squirrel
The most reliable physical indicators that a squirrel is in critical condition include difficulty breathing (gasping, wheezing, or gurgling sounds), a body that feels cold to the touch, and severe lethargy where the animal barely moves or responds to your presence. A squirrel lying on its side, unable to right itself, is in immediate distress.
Visible injuries like open wounds, exposed bone, or a limb dragging at an unnatural angle point to trauma, often from a fall, vehicle strike, or predator attack. Look closely at the animal’s eyes and face. Crusty, swollen, or sealed-shut eyes can indicate a serious viral infection. Lesions, scabs, or oozing sores around the eyes, mouth, feet, or genitalia are hallmarks of squirrelpox, a viral disease that causes severe skin ulceration and is almost always fatal in affected animals.
Dehydration is another sign that a squirrel’s condition is deteriorating. You can check for it the same way veterinarians assess small animals: gently pinch and lift the skin on the squirrel’s back. In a well-hydrated animal, the skin snaps back into place immediately. If it stays “tented” (holds its shape for a moment before slowly flattening), the squirrel is severely dehydrated.
Neurological and Behavioral Warning Signs
Some of the most alarming signs involve the squirrel’s behavior rather than its body. Circling in tight loops, a persistent head tilt, stumbling, falling over repeatedly, or sudden flopping episodes often point to neurological damage. One common cause is a brain parasite called raccoon roundworm. Infected squirrels may appear completely normal for stretches of time, then suddenly tilt, collapse, or circle before returning to seemingly normal behavior. This cycle repeats and worsens over time. Sadly, squirrels with this parasite do not recover.
Seizures are another red flag. A squirrel experiencing a seizure may stiffen, twitch uncontrollably, or paddle its legs while lying on its side. Seizures can result from head trauma, poisoning, or advanced infection.
Signs of Poisoning
Squirrels can accidentally consume rodenticides left out for rats or mice, and the symptoms depend on the type of poison. Anticoagulant poisons (the most common kind found in consumer bait stations) cause internal and external bleeding. You might notice blood in the squirrel’s stool or urine, widespread bruising under the skin, or bleeding from the nose or mouth. If the bleeding is sudden and severe, the animal can go into shock and die quickly.
Other types of rodenticides attack the nervous system instead. These cause rapid-onset seizures, severe muscle tremors, hind-limb weakness, loss of coordination, and eventually respiratory failure. Some poisons produce gastrointestinal symptoms first: refusal to eat, vomiting (sometimes with blood), diarrhea, and extreme lethargy. A squirrel showing a combination of neurological symptoms and digestive distress may have ingested poison within the past few hours.
Baby Squirrels Need Different Assessment
A baby squirrel on the ground is not necessarily dying. Babies fall from nests regularly, and a healthy mother will often retrieve them. If the baby is warm, plump, and wiggling, it may just need time for its mother to return. Place it at the base of the nearest tree in a small open box and monitor from a distance for a few hours.
A baby squirrel that is truly in trouble will feel cold, appear thin or bony, have dry or pale gums, or show visible injuries like cuts or puncture wounds. Fly eggs (tiny white or yellow specks) on the fur are a sign the baby has been on the ground too long. A cold, limp baby squirrel that doesn’t respond when gently touched needs immediate help from a wildlife rehabilitator.
What to Do (and Not Do)
If you find a squirrel showing any of these signs, resist the urge to feed it, give it water, or attempt treatment yourself. Well-meaning interventions like force-feeding water can cause a weak animal to aspirate fluid into its lungs, making things worse. The most helpful thing you can do is contain the animal safely and contact a professional.
To contain a sick or injured squirrel, place a towel or cloth over it gently, then scoop it into a ventilated box or carrier. Keep the box in a warm, quiet, dark place away from pets and children. Do not attempt to handle the animal with bare hands. Even a dying squirrel can bite when frightened, and while squirrels very rarely carry rabies, they can transmit other diseases. Flying squirrels, for example, are the only known animal reservoir (besides humans) for the bacterium that causes epidemic typhus, a serious illness. Leptospirosis and tularemia are also possible risks from contact with sick wildlife.
To find help, search for a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in your area. Most state fish and wildlife departments maintain online directories of permitted facilities. You can also call your local animal control office, which can typically connect you with a rehabber. When you call, be ready to describe the animal’s size, symptoms, and exactly where you found it.
When a Squirrel Cannot Be Saved
Some conditions are survivable with professional care, particularly dehydration, minor injuries, and some infections. Others carry a much grimmer outlook. A squirrel with raccoon roundworm brain damage, advanced squirrelpox, or significant anticoagulant poisoning is unlikely to recover. Severe head trauma, spinal injuries, and widespread internal bleeding are also typically fatal. A wildlife rehabilitator can assess the animal quickly and determine whether treatment or humane euthanasia is the kindest option. If you cannot reach a rehabber and the squirrel is clearly suffering, your local animal control or emergency veterinary clinic can help.