Baby squirrel doing odd things ADVICE

[shadysheepie]

Hi Well i have had the squirrel a few days now and she is sure getting bigger

today though when i fed her (she keeps biting holes in the syringe) she is feeding then all of a sudden opens her mouth really wide with a type of yawning swalloing action no sneezing then goes back to feeding

is this normal she hasnt done it until today
after i fed her i put her back in the cage and she goes up to the shelve and lays on her tummy and scoots along the shelve back and forth really fast lots of times on her tummy!! she then started to scoot along the shelve on her bottom but only did this once

i havent seen her do this before either why is she doing it? does she need a dust bath or something?

she scoots along on her tummy like this for ages with all 4 legs out either side

Andrea xxxx

[island rehabber]

Your baby is probably a "gaper"....some baby squirrels do this, it's like they get into this sucking rhythm and can't stop, even if the syringe is not there! Some specialists have called it "feeding seizures", which to me is a way too scary term for something that is harmless. Here's a good thread on the subject for you to read:

http://www.thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6381&highlight=gaping

I have had many gapers over the years and they grew up exactly like everyone else. Eventually they stop doing it. :thumbsup

[TexanSquirrel]

Whew! Glad to hear it's okay, IR!

[smoknbunny]

As far as the scooting on the butt I don't know:thinking but I have a squirrel - Allie - who, when she is out running around, lies down on her belly and pulls herself along the carpet like she is swimming. It's like she is rubbing her belly. It looks really funny but at first I was really worried because it just looked weird. I think it just feels good.:)
She is the only one of all of them who I've seen do it but then she is also the only fully mobile squirrel I have who I let out to play. I have a video somewhere but it is probably pretty crappy quality.
Try giving her an armpit scratch. this is Allie last fall having her armpit scratched. Some of them LOVE it...

[shadysheepie]

she likes just under her chin rubbed and it makes her raise her front paws

I am also worried about her poo, in the cage its dark and hard but every time i feed her milk she poo,s on me and its a very pail brown colour not runny but a bit squishy

after this she rubs her bottom

I am begin to think she maybe older then first thought as she is grooming her self and burying food

she also moves her fleecey blanket around until its where she wants it

I got some abidec today how much do i add to her feed as i jave to wait for the Esbilac to come its on order Andrea

p.s should add she is eating almonds , pumpkin seeds, quarter walnuts all with ease gave her a bit of strawberry which she painted herself with LOL she hates grapes throws them back at you

[island rehabber]

Sounds as if that formula is not agreeing with her system at all -- I wouldn't give it to her. When you get the Esbilac you'll want to gradually introduce her to it by diluting it a lot (4 parts water to 1 part Esbilac) for one day, then 3/1 the next day and then 'full strength', which is 2/1 after that.

[FuzzyTail]

Hi Well i have had the squirrel a few days now and she is sure getting bigger

today though when i fed her (she keeps biting holes in the syringe) she is feeding then all of a sudden opens her mouth really wide with a type of yawning swalloing action no sneezing then goes back to feeding

is this normal she hasnt done it until today
after i fed her i put her back in the cage and she goes up to the shelve and lays on her tummy and scoots along the shelve back and forth really fast lots of times on her tummy!! she then started to scoot along the shelve on her bottom but only did this once

i havent seen her do this before either why is she doing it? does she need a dust bath or something?

she scoots along on her tummy like this for ages with all 4 legs out either side

Andrea xxxx

Gasping is what a few of mine do....and I pull the nipple out and rub thier head,,and they go back to normal feeding behavior.

The scooting could be a scent marking behavior..
Watch her head/face when she scoots..is she also rubbing her cheeks on the surface?
If so, then she is scent marking.

The hole biting..welcome to the group.. I go thru a new nipple every squirrel, every feeding it seems!!!
Good thing I buy a lot at one time!!!

All in all, she sounds like a normal growing baby squirrel!!!:Love_Icon :Love_Icon

Keep up the great work!!!:thumbsup