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thundersquirrel
08-06-2008, 04:02 AM
hey there folks. been a while. :)

we got a baby flyer in tonight. his eyes are just starting to open. we aren't very experienced with flyers. i know that you're supposed to treat them like other squirrels, except for the nocturnal element, but is there anything i can do to make him comfortable? he's crying for mom- doesn't really make noise, more like a high frequency call. he's hungry but doesn't like esbilac yet. and basic info would really help!

FallensMommie
08-06-2008, 05:04 AM
If you treat them just like all squirrels then here you go. It's IR's sticky post:



This thread will assist you in dealing with the first few hours of finding an injured or orphaned baby squirrel. In most cases we would urge you to find a qualified wildlife rehabilitator ASAP, but please follow these guidelines to stabilize and keep the squirrel safe:

Emergency Care for Baby Squirrels

Don’ts
Don’t try to feed the squirrel.
Don’t handle him more than you have to.
No loud voices, TV, music, or bright lights.
No children or pets in the same room!

1. Warm the Baby (never feed a cold squirrel!)
Quick Methods:
-Cup the baby in your hands or under your shirt next to your skin.
-Fill a plastic bottle with very warm water. Wrap in a cloth, place next to baby, and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.
-“Rice Buddy”: Fill a sock with 1 cup of rice or dried beans and microwave for 30 seconds. Place next to baby and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.

2. Find a Box or Container[b]
A shoebox will do for small babies. A baby that can walk will need a larger box with a lid (with holes). Put a clean baby blanket, flannel shirt, or piece of fleece in the bottom of the box. No towels or terrycloth. Squirrels can get tangled in the loops. Place baby on the material and cover him with one flap. If you have a heating pad, turn it on low and place it under half of the box (not IN the box!) so baby can move away if he gets too warm. You can use the plastic bottle or rice buddy described above, but these are only temporary methods until you get a heating pad, since they must be reheated every 2 hours and won't keep baby warm all night.
NOTE: Monitor his temperature so he doesn’t chill or overheat. His feet should feel warm to the touch.

Note: If the baby is injured, is having trouble breathing, has fly eggs on his fur, or is very skinny or dehydrated, he needs emergency care by an experienced rehabber or vet.

3. Rehydrate the Baby

Most babies are dehydrated when you find them and must be rehydrated before you can feed them. Never feed formula or food of any kind to a dehydrated baby!

How to Check for Dehydration
Pinch the skin on the back of his neck. If it doesn’t spring back immediately, the baby is dehydrated. If the pinched skin stays up like a tent for more than a second, the baby is badly dehydrated. Other signs of dehydration: pale grayish gums, dry mouth, sunken eyes, whites around eyes showing, rough spiky fur, dry scaly skin.
NOTE: If baby is badly dehydrated, he will need subcutaneous fluids, which can only be given by a rehabber or vet.

[b] Supplies You Will Need: [b]
--Pedialyte (any flavor)*
--Plastic syringes (1 cc size; no needles. Ask the pharmacist to get these for you) An eyedropper can also work.
These are available at most drugstores.

*If you can’t find Pedialyte at the store, here is a recipe for homemade Pedialyte:

1 tsp salt (teaspoon)
3 Tbsp sugar (tablespoon)
1 quart warm water
Mix all ingredients in warm water. Store in refrigerator.

How to Prepare the Pedialyte
Use a plastic syringe (with or without a nipple). Never use pet nursers or doll bottles. They will choke the baby. Fill a coffee mug with hot water. Fill the syringe with Pedialyte and place it in the mug for a couple of minutes. Squirt a drop on the inside of your wrist to make sure the liquid isn’t too hot. It should feel barely warm on your skin.

Proper Position
A tiny baby should be held upright in your hand. A baby with fur can lie on a flat surface on his stomach. A baby that can walk can be held upright or he can drink sitting up. Hold the syringe so the tip points UP to the baby’s mouth and the handle is down. Don’t let the baby get cold. Keep him wrapped up while he eats.

How to Feed Fluids
Place the syringe tip on the baby’s lips (from the side) and squeeze out one drop for him to taste. Don’t squirt a steady stream. Let him swallow one drop before squeezing more. GO SLOW! It sometimes takes a feeding or two for them to catch on. Hairless babies are fed drop by drop. With older babies (once they catch on) you can squeeze slowly for one second, wait for him to swallow, then squeeze more.

If fluids dribble out his mouth or come out his nose, you are going too fast. Stop and tilt the baby’s head down so the fluid drains out (support his head and neck like you would a human baby). Then wipe his nose and mouth with a tissue. Start over, slower. NOTE: There is now a chance your baby will develop aspiration pneumonia from inhaling fluid in his lungs. This is fatal. Please contact a rehabber or vet, or the people at The Squirrel Board, for assistance.
__________________



[B]PINKY SQUIRRELS: THE FOUR MAGIC WORDS

WARMTH: a heating pad on low, under half their container (not under THEM) is best. Plastic tubs or terrariums are good because the environment is more humid and their skin doesn't dry out. When feeding a pinky, if your hands are warm you can use tissue paper to wrap and hold him...if your hands are cold, WARM a cloth or glove before picking up the pinky or you will chill him instantly.

HYDRATION: pinkies need hydration in the form of formula -- or Pedialyte in the beginning -- at least every 2.5 hrs. This means getting up at least once during the night. I get up twice, and it still means they will go 3.5 hrs sometimes without food but it's usually ok. If they look flat and skinny when you get up to feed them, you are not feeding OFTEN enough. Sorry kids, it's a rough gig those first 2 weeks.

CONSISTENCY: consistent heat.....consistent feedings....if your schedule is going to make you sporadic or unpredictable in caring for these teeny-weenies, give them to someone who has the time to care for them properly. If you don't have a heating pad, GET ONE, without an auto shut-off. Microwave disks are too unpredictable for pinkies and may cook them. Hot water bottles don't last nearly long enough for these fragile babies.

PATIENCE: Feed pinkies slo-o-o--owly. Very slowly. Teeny drop by teeny drop, preferably with a 0.5 (1/2) cc syringe or a 1cc at the LARGEST. Use a nipple attachment for best results. Go very, very slowly. If it takes you 15 minutes to get half a cc of formula into a pinky, yer doin' it perfectly. This is how we avoid aspiration, the #1 cause of death in pinkies and the reason why "some say" there is only a 50% success rate in saving them.

squirrelsrule&bunniestoo
08-06-2008, 06:35 AM
:wahoo A flyer! I have my first ever flyer too. Mine is only about 2 weeks old though. He makes a little noise too. It is pretty cute. Maybe that is just a flyer thing. The mammal babies book says they get dehydrated easilly and can get constipated and dehydrated if fed regular food too early. Other than that, it seemed about the same as other squirrels. Good luck with your little tyke.

LynninIN
08-06-2008, 08:05 AM
:wave123 TS, It has been too long. Have you contacted muffinsquirrel? Here is the link to the flyer board http://www.nfsa.us/phpBB2/index.php.

BTW: thundersquirrel is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in Michigan.

thundersquirrel
08-06-2008, 09:17 AM
thank you for that link, lynn! i'll poke around their board and see what's up.

the poor little guy was crying again this morning. he still doesn't really want to eat. how much would he improve if we did everything in the dark? he really doesn't seem to enjoy light right now. oi vay. maybe i should get an infrared light.....

FallensMommie
08-06-2008, 09:20 AM
thank you for that link, lynn! i'll poke around their board and see what's up.

the poor little guy was crying again this morning. he still doesn't really want to eat. how much would he improve if we did everything in the dark? he really doesn't seem to enjoy light right now. oi vay. maybe i should get an infrared light.....


Awww poor sweet baby....how about the rice buddy?
Copied and pasted: -“Rice Buddy”: Fill a sock with 1 cup of rice or dried beans and microwave for 30 seconds. Place next to baby and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.

thundersquirrel
08-06-2008, 09:26 AM
well, we gave him a rice buddy, but i think he's annoyed that he can't find a nipple on it. it's heartbreakingly sweet, though, when he clings to my thumb like there's no tomorrow.

i think i'll try taking him somewhere dark.....

muffinsquirrel
08-06-2008, 02:26 PM
Hi TS. Lucky you - a baby flyer! The light/darkness shouldn't make any difference at this age - flyer pups don't have their nocturnal timetable turned on yet. Just keep trying with the Esbilac and he should eventually accept it. I imagine he is still scared and lonesome. Stick him down your shirt and just keep him on you all day - bras make wonderful squirrel carriers! (I know one gal that kept her rescue flyer on her 24/7. She slept sitting in a recliner so the baby wouldn't be disturbed! This went on for several weeks!)

Have you tried him on pedialyte? Some like the taste, and it helps get them used to feeding from the syringe. You can also try putting a very tiny smear of karo syrup on the end of the nipple. Flyers have a notorious sweet tooth, and that might encourage him.

Your problems will begin when it is time to release him. First of all, you will have spoiled him rotten by catering to his every whim. Second, he will have suckered you in with those big eyes and soft fur! :D Third, flyers don't usually ever hit that 'I want to be free' stage that tree squirrels do. All they want to do is play on you (and, of course, pee on you!), and couldn't care less about what else there is out there in the big wide world. Flyers are nothing more than little 2 ounce 'people traps'!!!!

Good luck with him, and enjoy having him around - he may be there longer than you have planned!

muffinsquirrel