When to wean

[Rebecca817]

I know this is a silly question, but when is a good time to start weaning? I've read in multiple places that is about 5-6 weeks and that they should be introduced to squirrel blocks. (The last time I weaned my boy Diddy, I fed him mashed bananas, and then mixed it with ground Henry blocks to get him used to it.) So last night I tried feeding my girl mashed bananas and she wanted nothing to do with it. I wonder if I'm being too impatient.

Here's my little girl:

[CritterMom]

Never! You want to start introducing blocks - and only blocks - at 6 weeks or so but continue feeding formula until THEY reject it. The longer the better - it is packed with nutrition and they WILL stop on their own - when it is time.

[Rebecca817]

Okay, I'll keep trying until she's interested.

[Nancy in New York]

CritterMom is right. Keep them on formula for as long as possible.
It's complete and the best insurance against MBD.
What kind of formula are you feeding, and how much at each feeding
and how many times daily. Sorry for so many questions.
Remember if he was still with Mama this would be his ONLY source of food.

[Rebecca817]

CritterMom is right. Keep them on formula for as long as possible.
It's complete and the best insurance against MBD.
What kind of formula are you feeding, and how much at each feeding
and how many times daily. Sorry for so many questions.
Remember if he was still with Mama this would be his ONLY source of food.

I'm feeding her Fox Valley. Sometimes she eats approximately 1/2 ml, sometimes, less. She fights a lot with the syringe so most of it gets all over the feeding towel. I try not to force her, and let her eat until she's no longer interested. I"m trying to feed her every 3-4 hours.

I have the Henry blocks, but do you just give them the whole block at that age? The last time I weened Diddy (I had him a year ago - he was about 5 weeks when I started weening him), I mixed ground up Henry block with a tiny bit of {100%} pecan butter until he was able to hold and eat an entire block.

[Nancy in New York]

I'm feeding her Fox Valley. Sometimes she eats approximately 1/2 ml, sometimes, less. She fights a lot with the syringe so most of it gets all over the feeding towel. I try not to force her, and let her eat until she's no longer interested. I"m trying to feed her every 3-4 hours.

I have the Henry blocks, but do you just give them the whole block at that age? The last time I weened Diddy (I had him a year ago - he was about 5 weeks when I started weening him), I mixed ground up Henry block with a tiny bit of {100%} pecan butter until he was able to hold and eat an entire block.

A 1/2 ml is .5, that can't be correct.
Do you mean you feed her a half of a syringe?
If so what size syringe are you using.

I typically take one of the block and cut them into quarters and
give 2 quarters at a time.

How much does she weigh?

[Rebecca817]

A 1/2 ml is .5, that can't be correct.
Do you mean you feed her a half of a syringe?
If so what size syringe are you using.

I typically take one of the block and cut them into quarters and
give 2 quarters at a time.

How much does she weigh?

You're right, that is wrong. I just looked at the syringe again. It's a 6 mL syringe. And yes, half a syringe is about right. And again, it's average, because she's like a little monkey when I'm feeding her and gets it all over the place.

I haven't weighed her yet. I'll have to do that tonight.

[Nancy in New York]

How long have you had this little one?
3 mls is NOT NEARLY enough for an eyes opened fox squirrel.
She needs 5-7% of her body weight at every feeding.

Please get a scale so we can determine the correct amount of
formula that she should be getting.

She sure is a cutie.

[Rebecca817]

I got her (no name yet) last Friday and she opened her eyes on Saturday. I'll get her on the scale tonight and report her specs. I have noticed she doesn't eat as much as the last squirrel I rescued (and released). She also like to like the milk from the tip of the nipple, which is probably why she gets milk all over the place.

She's super adorable, but she's just like a little monkey.

[Rebecca817]

Little girl is 3.1 oz, so 87 grams?

[Nancy in New York]

Little girl is 3.1 oz, so 87 grams?

OK she should be eating between 4.5 and 6.3 mls at every feeding.
Are you using a nipple? Just wonder if she would take more with a nipple.
I don't understand why she eats so little? Does she act hungry when
she eats? If she gets antsy, try stimulating her before feeding, or during.
I know that sometimes, they stop eating when they have to potty.
Once you do that, they start eating again.
Wonder if that's her problem?
Also some of them like their formula almost HOT, try that....or try it cooler.
We got to get this girl to take more formula.

Try those suggestions first, and then if nothing improves,
try mixing just a touch of honey in the formula.
See if she will take it that way.

See if she will take honey water between feedings as well.
Again, just a touch of honey for flavor in the water.


Can you feel her ribs?
Does she look skinny to you?
She does look petite, but this is really light
for a little foxer.
Two years ago, I had 4 little greys that were
all over 200 grams and they were still eyes closed.

So she takes 3 mls each feeding and she is eating roughly 5 times daily, right?
That only amounts to 15 mls daily.
She needs to get a lot more than that.

We'll try to figure this little one out and get her on the right track. Hang in there.

[stepnstone]

I just looked at the syringe again. It's a 6 mL syringe.

That may be convenient for you but it can be dangerous for her with the risk of aspirating formula.
You would also have better control of the flow using a smaller syringe.

[Rebecca817]

She's been eating great for the past couple of days. This morning she took about 5ml. I tried the nipple and she fought with that too. It's not like she's not trying, she's just so fidgety. She doesn't like the whole tip of the syringe in her mouth so I keep the syringe in the front of her mouth and carefully drip the formula. There was a few times she snorted the formula in her nose which scared the piss outta me. Even bath-rooming her is a fight with her hind legs. She does got potty though, but she likes to do it on her own. She's active and she's figured out how to climb out of her box so I will be moving her into a cage within the next day or so. She does have a very slim body, but I've never had a girl before. My last rescue was a boy and he was just a little oinkster who loved to eat and he was very good during feeding time.

[Rebecca817]

BTW, thank you for all your suggestions and concern for her. It's a bit frustrating for me as she's different than my last one, and I did great with him.