greep poo and gasping

[kristen]

Since my last post my 3 - 4 week old has pooed twice, after 2 days on full formula. But they are still bright green. I also make sure I feed her slowly, pushing drops out of the syring as she finishes the last drops, but not so that she is drinking air. She stops and pushes the syring away and stretches out her front paws and grasps her hands together and makes these gasping movements with her mouth. I stroke her nose to get her to calm down but it is getting worse, lasting longer, up to a minute the last time. I have never gotten any formula on her nose and haven't seen any bubbles on her nose. She doesn't make clicking noises either. What should I do?

[island rehabber]

Since my last post my 3 - 4 week old has pooed twice, after 2 days on full formula. But they are still bright green. I also make sure I feed her slowly, pushing drops out of the syring as she finishes the last drops, but not so that she is drinking air. She stops and pushes the syring away and stretches out her front paws and grasps her hands together and makes these gasping movements with her mouth. I stroke her nose to get her to calm down but it is getting worse, lasting longer, up to a minute the last time. I have never gotten any formula on her nose and haven't seen any bubbles on her nose. She doesn't make clicking noises either. What should I do?

it's normal. some call it a feeding seizure but that's a scary term for something normal. She is getting into the groove of suckling and she goes into a trance. Many squirrel babies do this.

[dustinn91]

are you testing the temperature of the formula before you give it to her?

[kristen]

That's exactly what she does. Is that normal?
I do test the temperature first too. I drop it on my wrist and make sure it is slightly warm

[kristen]

Sorry, I didn't read the second post before I put up my last post. The bright green poo is really worrying me though. Especially since she has only pooed twice in 3 days.

[TinyPaws]

We give babies pasifiers to satisfy the need to suckle...can't you give a squirrel on too? or let them suck on your pinky?

[kristen]

Ouch! Sharp little teeth on my pinkie?

[FallensMommie]

Fallen had green poos from mother's milk for a few days until it finally turned yellow from the formula. As for the mouth gaping...Fallen did this a few days after I had him (I think it is due to not properly latching on to nipple like they do in nature) and he only got worse until I finally got a nipple that he could latch on to. I tried a few nipples and altering them until I felt he had the right one without gagging him and one that didn't allow to much of a flow to aspirate. Even once I got him on the nipple he continued to mouth gap just not as much, then a few days later he stopped.

[kristen]

Thank you all so much. I can stop panicking now!

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Gently tap baby on the top of the head when it starts gaping. That usually gets them to focus on eating again.