Squirrel and deer potty training<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I don't know whether this is gross or sublime.\u00a0 Actually, I think it is both gross and sublime.\u00a0 Mostly sublime: Baby squirrels must be taught to\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2012\/04\/squirrel-and-deer-potty-training\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Squirrel and deer potty training\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I don't know whether this is gross or sublime.\u00a0 Actually, I think it is both gross and sublime.\u00a0 Mostly sublime: Baby squirrels must be taught to\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2012\/04\/squirrel-and-deer-potty-training\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Cranach\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cranachblog\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-04-17T09:30:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Gene Veith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Gene Veith\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2012\/04\/squirrel-and-deer-potty-training\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2012\/04\/squirrel-and-deer-potty-training\/\",\"name\":\"Squirrel and deer potty training\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2012-04-17T09:30:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2012-04-17T09:30:21+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#\/schema\/person\/f9ca8670bcc51908a78994c0484dbfa1\"},\"description\":\"I don't know whether this is gross or sublime.\u00a0 Actually, I think it is both gross and sublime.\u00a0 Mostly sublime: Baby squirrels must be taught to\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2012\/04\/squirrel-and-deer-potty-training\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2012\/04\/squirrel-and-deer-potty-training\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2012\/04\/squirrel-and-deer-potty-training\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Squirrel and deer potty training\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/\",\"name\":\"Cranach\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#\/schema\/person\/f9ca8670bcc51908a78994c0484dbfa1\",\"name\":\"Gene Veith\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/054d79faea5d476edd8f99e5f14fb17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/054d79faea5d476edd8f99e5f14fb17f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Gene Veith\"},\"description\":\"Gene Edward Veith, Jr. is a writer and retired literature professor, serving as Provost Emeritus at Patrick Henry College. 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Baby squirrels must be taught to defecate. This fascinating bit of information came from Don Moore , associate director of animal care sciences at the National Zoo. Earlier in his career, Don worked in Syracuse, N.Y., rehabilitating baby squirrels.<\/p>\n

Squirrels are among species \u2014 deer are another \u2014 where the mother uses her mouth to carry her offspring\u2019s poo and pee away from the nest. This is to protect her litter from predators.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvolutionarily, that\u2019s a great strategy,\u201d Don said. \u201cThe mother\u2019s removing the only thing that can give [the baby] a scent: the pee and poo.\u201d With no scent to follow, predators can\u2019t find the defenseless baby.<\/p>\n

The mother\u2019s selfless act is so hard-wired in a squirrel\u2019s very being that babies can urinate and defecate only after being stimulated by the mother licking around .\u2009.\u2009. down there.<\/p>\n

\nOrphaned squirrels raised by humans risk becoming constipated and bloated. \u201cThe gut stops moving,\u201d Don said. \u201cYou don\u2019t want that to happen, so you stimulate them. In fact, you have to start stimulating them just to get them to feed.\u201d\n

Squirrel moms provide stimulation with their tongues. \u201cWe don\u2019t recommend that,\u201d Don said. \u201cWe would use a warm, damp washcloth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baby squirrels must have their nether regions stimulated at every feeding from birth to about five weeks of age, when their eyes are open and their fur is coming in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a wonderful day when they start doing it themselves,\u201d Don said.<\/p>\n

via Answer Man gives the scoop on squirrel poop, other readers\u2019 questions \u2013 The Washington Post<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/blockquote><\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"