Re: Meet Maxwell
Originally Posted by
DeeRawlings
I finally got my first squirrel!! I got Maxwell yesterday afternoon.(5/7) I'm thinking 5-6 weeks? would appreciate other's thoughts! He was found in a yard. He came up to the finder and tried to crawl on her leg. There was a sibling dead at the base of the tree. I thought Maxwell was dehydrated when I did the pinch test. I warmed him up for a couple hours and then started homemade pedialyte. He weighed 135 gms yesterday. I continued with rehydration fluids yesterday evening . He took from 4.5 to 6 ccs each time. This morning I started Esbilac formula at a 50% formula, 50% water ratio. He's been taking 6 to 6.6 cc every 4 hours, and rehydration in between formula. He has only peed a couple drops when stimulated so far. I've not seen any wet spots in his bin. He also has not pooped yet. Should I be worried or be patient and continue with what I'm doing? Would this be expected if he was pretty dehydrated? The finder gave him a little cow's milk even after I asked her not to feed him anything. any advice appreciated! PS he weighed 145 gms this am
I would suggest mixing formula at the normal ratio and not dilute it, he needs the nutrition. If you feel he still needs hydration continue as your doing hydrating in between formula feedings.
Be patent, as long as your not seeing bloat or an inability to pass urine at all I would give it some more time for his
body to adjust. I would definitely hold formula feeds at 5% of his body weight which now at 145 gms would come
to 7.2 cc's.
Step-N-Stone
State Licensed
Wildlife Master Rehabilitator