In the aftermath of a recent flood in Bloomington, Indiana, a baby beaver was found alone, scared, and barely clinging to life. Weighing just over a pound, the days-old kit had been separated from his family, likely swept away when high water destroyed his den.

Now named Dylan, the orphaned beaver is settling into his new life at The Pipsqueakery, a nonprofit sanctuary that rehabilitates wildlife in need.

According to PetHelpful, Dylan’s rescuers discovered him cold and alone—too young to fend for himself, yet physically strong enough to survive the ordeal. The Pipsqueakery shared that in the wild, baby beavers, or kits, stay with their family units for two full years. Because of this, Dylan’s journey with his human caretakers will be long and deeply bonded.

A newborn beaver was found alone after his den was destroyed by flooding.

A newborn beaver was found alone after his den was destroyed by flooding.

Born Wild, But Vulnerable

Beaver kits are born with their eyes open, a full coat of waterproof fur, and even their teeth—traits that make them uniquely well-developed for newborn mammals. As Animals.Mom.com reports, kits are sometimes able to swim on their very first day. But their early independence can be misleading. They still rely heavily on the warmth, grooming, and guidance of their parents and siblings.

That reliance becomes a serious concern in cases like Dylan’s. Beavers are monogamous and deeply familial. Without consistent emotional bonds, kits struggle to survive.

“Those emotional bonds are incredibly important to keeping them alive,” The Pipsqueakery shared in their update on Dylan’s condition, via PetHelpful. “Without that, beavers will die.”

The baby beaver, now named Dylan, weighed just over a pound.

In the wild, beaver families stay closely bonded for survival.

Not Every Kit Needs Rescuing

While Dylan clearly needed help, many other baby beavers found alone may not. The team at Wildlife Hotline cautions well-meaning humans to avoid removing kits unless it’s truly necessary. They encourage a careful inspection: Does the kit look healthy? Is it fighting when picked up? Are there any signs of injury or extreme fatigue?

In Dylan’s case, the signs pointed to urgent intervention. But Wildlife Hotline warns that not all kits who appear abandoned are orphaned. “One of the toughest parts of wildlife rehab is that our patients never tell us what happened to them,” the group explains. When possible, efforts should be made to reunite kits with their parents before assuming they need long-term care.

Dylan’s tiny hands and bottle feedings have melted hearts online.

Beaver rehab requires daily attention, social bonding, and environmental enrichment.

A Demanding but Rewarding Rehabilitation

Raising a kit is not for the faint of heart. Rehabbers must commit to two full years of round-the-clock care, mimicking the social and emotional environment a young beaver would receive in the wild.

“They also require an incredible daily time commitment,” The Pipsqueakery noted in their video update.

To ensure Dylan forms the emotional bonds necessary for survival, only two human caretakers—Jason and his partner at the sanctuary—will provide direct contact. It’s an intimate arrangement that’s essential for the beaver’s psychological and physical development.

Baby beavers use their large tails and webbed feet to survive.

Kits are born fully furred and ready to swim—but still fragile.

How to Help—And How Not To

If you ever come across a baby beaver, resist the urge to feed it or bathe it without proper knowledge. As Wildlife Hotline emphasizes, baby beavers must never be given milk or formula by untrained hands. Their nutrition requires specialized formulas, and improper feeding can lead to pneumonia and death.

If immediate transport to a rehabber isn't possible, keeping the kit warm and in a quiet, dark place is crucial. Even letting them swim in a shallow tub should be done with extreme caution, due to the risk of disease like Giardia—transmittable to humans and pets.

@thepipsqueakery

Meet baby Dylan. This little beaver was found today all alone likely washed away from his home from flooding. At only 516 grams he's maybe 5 days old and shouldn't have even been able to get out of the lodge because he's too buoyant to do anything but float. A baby beaver this young has a long way to go in rehab. In the wild beavers stay with their families for 2 full years before venturing off into the world to start their own families. Baby beavers in rehab also need to stay with their rehabbers for that full 2 year which is pretty unique. Beyond the length of time a beaver requires to raise they also require an incredible daily time commitment. Beavers live in very close family groups with monogamous parents, same age siblings, and older siblings. Those emotional bonds are incredibly important to keeping them alive and without that beavers will die. This means that in rehab a baby beaver needs to bond very closely with just one or two rehabbers to provide them the emotional closeness they would get from their parents. Unsurprisingly, that will be Jason and I. This is going to be a lot of work. There will undoubtedly be ups and downs. While I'm heartbroken that Dylan is no longer with his family I am happy that he is here and that his 2 year rehab journey will be shared with all of you. So who is ready to get to know Dylan? How to support what we do: ❤️ Venmo: @ThePipsqueakery (please make sure you confirm it is our account, last 4 digits of the phone number are 2235) ❤️ Credit card on our Website: [thepipsqueakery.org](http://thepipsqueakery.org/) ❤️ Zelle: 574-993-2235 ❤️ Cashapp: $ThePipsqueakery ❤️ Amazon Registry: https://www.amazon.com/baby-reg/babies-atthepipsqueakery-march-2025-bloomington/GD4VSX1O6Y3J ❤️ Paypal GivingFund: http://paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/1464955 ❤️ Patreon: [patreon.com/thepipsqueakery](http://patreon.com/thepipsqueakery) ❤️ Amazon Wishlist (if needed you can manually enter our address 8491 S Rockport rd Bloomington, IN 47403): http://a.co/fEKocKc ❤️ Chewy Wishlist: https://www.chewy.com/g/the-pipsqueakery-inc_b69832307 ❤️ Mail a check: 8491 S Rockport Rd Bloomington, IN 47403

♬ original sound - ThePipsqueakery

Dylan's Second Chance

Despite the odds, Dylan is thriving. Videos shared by The Pipsqueakery show the young kit eagerly accepting bottle feeds, waddling through his enclosure, and beginning to explore his new world. He’ll likely remain in human care until at least the age of two, when he will be evaluated for potential release.

Until then, the sanctuary plans to provide regular updates, and the public’s affection for Dylan is already overflowing. “NOT THA BABY!!! Why is he so cute???” one commenter swooned. Another simply wrote, “The little hands!”

Dylan’s journey is just beginning, but his story is already reminding many of the delicate balance between human compassion and wild resilience.