My baby squirrel and feedings

[squirrely20]

Hello everyone! I am new here, just joined today. Last week I came home from work one day and let my dogs out, everything was fine. A couple more times of going out with the dogs and everything was fine (my dogs go out a lot, so time elapse would not have been more than 2 hours). The third or fourth time I let them out, they became very interested in something in the middle of the yard. I heard a sound and I have to tell you I thought it was my Beagle whining. After calling them several times, I could not get any of them to move from sniffing that spot. I went out and saw this little creature wiggling in the grass. Of course, I am not one to leave any "stray" where it lies. :-) It took me awhile to figure out what the animal was (a whole day)...the differing opinions went from mole, to opossum, to rat. I tended to believe rat until I really looked at him the next day. I looked in his little face and realized he was a little black squirrel. Some quick pics pulled up on the internet and there he was. So, I have to admit, having never had to nurse any baby animal and not knowing what he was at first, we did not get off to a great start. My mom told me to give him ecaporated milk. (don't worry, I did not give him much) By the next morning we were back on the right track with rehydrating, off the evap. milk and by the next night on puppy formula mixed with the cream. Here is where I have questions. From all of my research, I have him on his heating pad (under the box, and he is on a layer of shirt), I feed him with a syringe, although he refuses the one that I took the needle out of, he prefers the medicine syringe. (I hope that is okay) I believe I misjudged his age when I got him here. He was furry and I guessed him at close to 5 weeks then (last Monday). I know I overfed the first day, had the diarhea to show for that. He did well from then on with the formula. I am feeding every four hours. I noticed on Sunday night though that he was only taking the first few cc's and refusing the rest. I took a good look and he looked a little "plump" in the belly, so we re-evaluated and cut down the amount at a time I was feeding. Is this the correct thing to do? Also, he has learned how to suck the formula out of the syringe (am I even spelling that right) At first I thought it was cute (he is also a messy eater, I barely push the end, but he has his little paws going and milk on his chin) I point it up and am careful of aspiration. This morning though he gave me a scare. He sucked really hard and then seemed to start "sneezing". I turned him upside down and have been keeping a very close eye on him all day. He has no clicking and the sneezing has stopped (stopped within minutes), I check on him every 20 minutes or so. I am so attached (and paranoid and careful about everything), I don't want anything to happen to the little guy. Rocky, by the way. Anyway, other developmental aspects... he pees well, poos just fine at about every feeding.. sometimes pretty solid, never less than "paste". When I started him on the formula, I diluted the first few feedings. He seems to be very active when out of his home, and loves to crawl to my hair. Really fast...that is the fastest he moves as a matter of fact, trying to get up there. His eyes are still not open, so I know I didn't have his age right in the first place. And he is the most beautiful baby ever. Lol. so right now we are on 3 cc's every 4 hours, last feeding I gave 4. We'll see how the next feeding goes. I do not have a scale so I cannot weigh him, but looking at pictures, he is definitely growing. Any comments or suggestions?

[cr8zyanimalgirl]

So far I think you are figuring things out. It sounds like you are doing a great job. The sneezing did any milk come out of his nose?? Mine do the same thing when they suck too hard. And if he prefers the medicince dropper to the syringe use it. The most important thing is to keep him eating. I have 7 babies and only 1 has his eyes open. The others so according to my knowledge it means he is under 5 weeks.And I have to tell you it is the neatest thing when they open their eyes for the first time. Good luck and keep us informed.

[wheezer]

I agree, you are doing a great job:thumbsup Being concerned and finding answers is the best you can do:) Feeding as slow as possible is important and you seem to be doing this.
I saw the pic of your Rocky...he is beautiful:Love_Icon
Gald you found this site and the info is helping:tilt

[squirrely20]

Awww...thanks for saying such nice things! Made me feel a lot better! I get a little (okay a lot) paranoid about things, but I can't be too careful I don't think. :) Milk did not come out of his nose that time... I have noticed some since then, but he gets some on his nose when he is eating, too, and I keep making him take a break so I can clean it off so he doesn't get to breathing it in, so I am not sure if it is coming from drinking it too fast or being messy when he eats . He is getting so good at sucking on that syringe, it worries me. I actually have to fight him a bit to get him started eating (he really wishes my finger, my shirt, or somewhere in my hair would produce some milk for him.:D ) but once he gets going, I have to really watch him. I still am constantly listening to his little chest to make sure I don't hear anything. Considering I didn't think he would make it the first night, I guess all is okay. Thanks for the compliment on the picture too! :thankyou

[squirrely20]

Your little baby is PRECIOUS!!! :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon Black squirrels are GORGEOUS!! :grouphug :D

To prevent your little one from sucking so hard that it is pulling down the syringe, and getting too much formula, you can try 2 things...

1. Put your pointer finger and middle finger UNDER the push part of the syringe, and gently slide your fingers down to control how much formula wil come out. When you do this, YOU control the syringe, and can prevent it from going down at all, let alone too fast.

2. Only give the baby a tiny amount of formula, then pull the syringe out of its mouth. Give it a chance to swallow what is in its mouth, before you give any more, and keep repeating.

Good Luck! :thumbsup :D

Thanks so much for the great advice Gammas! :thankyou (hope you don't mind I put all of the first one in my reply, memory issues! :) ) Okay, I started the thing with trying to hold the plunger right after he learned to suck it so hard, it seems to work most of the time but I think part of the time I hold it too tight and he gets really mad at the syringe and goes hunting elsewhere again, then we have to re-introduce the syringe and work to get him to take it again. I thought he liked this syringe better than the others, but maybe he just doesn't like any of them? He really didn't like the nipple though, yes before I knew better I bought him a pet nurser bottle, lucky me he NEVER took that one. He will, if he dribbles on my hand, suckle it off really good, but I worry that if he sticks his nose in it he will suck it right up in there. I have also started to lay him across my tummy while I am reclining to feed him, so he is laying on his tummy. I had been holding him upright in my hand. It didn't help the sucking issue, but he seems more comfy. I am planning on raising to release, probably in the spring...I do not want him to have to go out in the cold. I am definitely getting one of those scales, I read that advice here the other night. I just need to put it on my list for WalMart tonight so I remember to grab one. I am curious as to his weight too, wish I had one when I first found him so I could see how much he has grown. Thanks again! This site has been soooo helpful. Just so I know, what should I be listening for if he aspirates. I know I see here "clicking", but will I hear that just holding him, or will I only hear it if I put him up to my ear? Would he do that with every breath or just an occasional rattle or something? Sorry if I seem overly paranoid, I just don't want anything to happen to him.:Love_Icon

[island rehabber]

squirrely20, some babies are just a pain to feed, LOL. I have one right now (Angel) who is constantly a moving target. Her head wags, bobs, she chews the syringe then squirms out of my hand and wanders off....it's enough to make you NUTS. But that's how they are and eventually as they got older they outgrow it. Try wrapping him in a piece of fleece with his head & arms out; it sometimes helps to get them to eat more calmly.

As for holding the syringe to prevent giant suck-ups by the squirrel baby, I use what I call the "Billiard Technique"....I hold my hand with two fingers pointing down, the way you would guide a pool cue on the table...then my thumb & ring finger can hold the plunger so it can't be drawn down too fast. I'm thinking of getting my NRBF to take a picture of my hand 'cause it's hard to explain, but it works really well for me. :)

[squirrely20]

Island Rehabber, you just described it exactly! A pain...wiggleing and bobbing around... moving his head from side to side to avoid the syringe...sucking on the side of the syringe... yep that and more... then he wanders off, up my shirt to my hair. Unfortunately, I have tried to wrap him... it didn't do anything but make him mad. He wiggled ferociously to get out of there. I will try your method for the syringe, if I am picturing it correctly, as it is hard to figure out a good way to hold it so I am holding the plunger just right.:thankyou :)

[squirrely20]

So, last night the feeding went pretty badly and I need to know exactly what I need to be on the lookout for now. He gave a really good suck and apparently I did not have as good a hold on the plunger as I thought. We had a good coughing and sneezing spell. Yes, milk did come out this time. I did everything I could think of, turned him over... "kissed" his nose... cried (pretty sure that didn't help a thing).. he seemed to quit after a bit. The sneezing went on for awhile, but eventually, no more milk. I spent quite the restless night with his little home right beside me. (well, that's where it is anyways) He seemed fine this morning, except he has diarhea again. (am I still feeding too much? He had gotten better when I cut him down to 3cc every 4 hours, 5 times a day... but I took him back up to a little over 4 yesterday every 4 hours 5 times a day because he acted like he was starving. He was playing me maybe? :) ) I have been listening to his little chest every time I check on him at work today, I can't hear anything strange...yet. How long till he would be showing signs of pneumonia? I switched back to the smaller syringe this morning and put only 1/2-1cc in it at a time. Hopefully that helps? He is acting pretty normal today, he was on top of his bedding this morning when we got up, as usual, and again just now when I checked on him...he must get warm in the middle? Thanks in advance for any help/advice. I do have access to human type antibiotics tomorrow when my hubby gets home if need be.

[cr8zyanimalgirl]

Yes back off the feedings again. They will act like it all the time. Mine do everytime i go in their room the run and start acting up but they eventually realize it is not time and go back to sleep. You want to get him feeding the right amounts to stop the diarhea before he is dehydrated and sometimes it is hard to rehydrate them when they have too far gone. And I am not sure about pnemonia. Why do you think he has that???

[squirrely20]

Thank you, I will back off the feedings again. I only gave hime 3 again this morning, I was so worried. I don't think he has pneumonia yet, I am worried he is aspirating his formula, like last night when he was sneezing it out his nose. I was wondering what I should watch for. So far, he seems to be okay, but it was a bad spell, I was really scared... and after it was over he didn't want to finish eating or anything, just cuddle up to me and go to sleep. I just worry about him so much! :Love_Icon

[Loopy Squirrel]

The good news is the squirrel is a little older and has the ability to sneeze the milk out. You are doing the right thing by turning him up side down and letting the milk flow back out the nose. Just wipe off the excess and give him time to sneeze out what is left. Once he's calm you can try to resume feeding. As far as pneumonia is concerned, not every squirrel that gets milk up the nose aspirates it into the lungs, although it is common. Watch out for any clicking, heavy breathing and/or difficulty breathing, lethargy, and suddenly not wanting to eat. The way I listen for the clicking is to hold the baby up to your ear and listen for reoccurant clicking noises. Now they are different from suckling noises. Sometimes it's easier to listen a little while after they have been fed so they can calm down and they usually won't make the suckle noises. It is a reoccurant noise everytime the baby breaths. If it is really bad sometimes you can hear wheezing. Watch him closely and if anything changes let us know.

[wheezer]

I agree with Loopy about his age, less likely to get milk in the lungs. Another thing I do and I think Loopy may have mentioned it, when it comes out the nose I use an absorbent material like toilet paper or Kleenex to dab the milk as it comes out so as not to have it go back in on the in-breath!
I feel you worry, you are doing a very good job:thumbsup

[squirrely20]

Thanks, you guys are awesome! :thankyou I am already on the kleenex thing, always have a stack handy when I am feeding to wipe up the milk and for pottying. :) He seems okay still, we pushed back the 9 a.m. feeding, just to see if we could clear the diarhea a bit and I lowered the feeding. He took it well then. No sneezing this time. I was wondering with that, yesterday I started taking the cream out of his formula, as I am unsure he needs it? could that change cause the diarhea as well?

[squirrely20]

Okay, an update and a question? Rocky seems to be doing very well. I went back and bought the RIGHT scale tonight, we are weighing in at 105 grams today, is that good? He seems to be a lot more active. I added the cream back and the diarhea disappeared completely and has not come back. I have him back up to about 5cc of formula every 4 hours, 5 times per day. My next question, I went and bought baby food bananas, cause I read somewhere they like that and it can be added to their formula. Then I read, before I fed it to him that bananas may not be good for him. So, I bought baby food applesause. Is this okay to put in and I want to start slowly, so I figured just a dab, then work up... but how far? Good news too, discovered today that if I just go to the pharmacy and ask, they give out all kinds of medicine syringes for free, so now we have a smaller one with the kind of end on it he likes. (gave me a few of them....also have a tiny one, too, in case it is ever needed again.. I should be well equipped for baby squirrels by the time I am done. :) ) Sooo, he is doing well with the different size syringe and hopefully we'll have no more milk snorting episodes from Rocky. Okay, any thoughts on the applesauce?

[squirrely20]

hmmmm...then perhaps what I should do is quit reading other sites and forget what I read there? :) Thanks Gammas!