2 new "kids" [Archive] - The Squirrel Board

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Nodo

04-02-2009, 03:10 PM

Hello all,

First may I say this board is a wealth of information I was looking all over the internet, IT'S ALL RIGHT HERE! Thanks!

Last Saturday I was working in my garden when I heard a rather noisy squeak coming from the my palm trees. I walked over and there are two little squirrels up in the palm tree, both were screeching at the top of their lungs and subsequently one fell out of the tree and I was able to catch him. The other soon followed.

I know there is/was an squirrel nest in a pine tree next to my palms. I saw no sign of momma. I got a box and put them at the bottom of the tree hoping momma would hear them and come down and pick them up.

There are several outside cats in our neighborhood (including my own) so I didn't want them becoming a snack. :(

After a few hours, I gave up brought them in and put them in with a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel. They conked out immediately asleep.

I called my local squirrel rescue woman, who was very helpful and knowledgeable. She offered to take them in, but I said let me give it a shot.

So here they are the day I "rescued" them:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01664.jpg

How old do you think they are? The rescue woman said they were about 5-6 weeks old.

Here is the first "feeding":

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01673.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01675.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01678.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01671.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01679.jpg

I did get the puppy formula and they seem to enjoy it. One is male, the other is a female and a little smaller. The male eats with gusto, the girl; not so much.

My questions are endless but here are a few.

How old are these guys? Is 5-6 weeks correct?

How often should I be feeding them puppy formula at this age??? They are always hungry and grunting and wrestling over the food. It's quite funny.

I have been feeding them walnuts, red grapes, apple slices, some mixed greens, I did purchased something called "critter feed" that has deer corn and sunflower seeds, they seem to just play with that stuff and it's probably due to the fact that it's a bit mature for them yet. I cannot tell if they actually eat the walnuts or just crunch them up and make a big mess...Any other suggestions?

Thank you in advance for any help or advice.

lookmomchickens

04-02-2009, 03:22 PM

:Welcome to TSB!

First thing you need to do is get a syringe with NO needle to feed these sweet babies with... the bottle can cause aspiration leading to pneumonia. Also, remove the nuts, seeds, grapes, corn, etc from the cage.. they only need formula at this age. I'm assuming around 6 weeks.

Gammas Baby will be here shortly to fill in the rest of the info. You can also check out the Baby Squirrel forum and there is TONS of information there.

Once again, :Welcome

Momma Squirrel

04-02-2009, 03:47 PM

:Welcome thanks for taking the time to save these little ones, they are precious. More experienced members will be on shortly but one more suggestion, I would replace those towels with fleece or a tee shirt, something that their little nails can't get hung in.

So glad you found us, look forward to watching you and your little ones grow together.

Nodo

04-02-2009, 07:34 PM

Thanks all! Really good advice. I went out and bought a couple of small syringes today. I am not sure it's because they have gotten used to the bottle or I am doing something wrong, but they had no interest in it.

Also, how long should they feed? It seems they drink for about 2 mins and then they are done with no interest left in them, the two of them drank an ounce each tonight.

Also what the heck it a rat/squirrel block?

:thankyou

Nodo

04-03-2009, 12:46 AM

Very cute little babys. You definately do not need those gloves. They will not bite you. And without the gloves they will start to feel more secure with you. Also at this age they still like to be warm. Since this is your first time you have alot of reading to do to get up to speed. I will be praying for your success with these little ones.

I have since stopped wearing the gloves, I was just worried that the mother would come back and not take them back since my scent was on them. I have since read and figured out otherwise. Thanks for the info!

gs1

04-03-2009, 12:59 AM

:goodpost (all of them)

hello.:Welcome

my most minor 2 cents worth is to go very, very slowly when feeding. It's amazing how quickly they can aspirate- inhale the formula - it goes into their lungs and out their noses - at that point it's extremely serious and without vet help they could die.

that's my awful, dire prediction other wise!!! they're beautiful!!!

oh and they have to be warm before being fed.

all the best.:D

TinyPaws

04-03-2009, 01:19 AM

Hi :Welcome to TSB..so glad you were able to find us...Thanks for saving these 2 sweet babies....We love pictures on here so keep-em comin....Also, you will need to give them names....Wishing you all the best....

Nodo

04-03-2009, 11:14 AM

Thanks all for the valued advice. I am much more confident now.

Since they like to tussle and pounce on each other we named them Ike & Tina. ;)

Legomom

04-03-2009, 11:25 AM

:Welcome & :thankyou for saving these sweet babies! You are getting great advice. Keep following it & you'll have some gorgeous youngsters soon enough!

BTW - LOVE the names!! :Love_Icon

Sarabi

04-03-2009, 12:17 PM

AWWW God bless them:Love_Icon And you for taking them in, to be loved by a squirrel is to be blessed:grouphug

Nodo

04-03-2009, 03:38 PM

Thanks all!

Here is the new syringe method, Tina, who has been fussy, drank down 10ml of formula, her best to date! Woot!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01682.jpg

Nodo

04-04-2009, 12:10 AM

Very well done on the feeding pic. :thumbsup I noticed all your pics are outside. Are you leaving them outside at night? Or just feeding them outside? At some point they are going to want to explore like all kids, so it won't be safe for them to get away from you outside at that point. They have no experience with evading or recognizing preditors.

Nay, I am taking them to the garage around 5pm when it starts to get cool. I am in NC, my garage is plenty warm year round, I just take them outside so they won't be freaked out about noises, and where they eventually need to go... :)

Nodo

04-06-2009, 11:31 AM

No, I appreciate all the advice here. I am watching them closely when outside, the male is the adventurous one, the girl wants nothing to do with leaving the cage. They wont get far, believe me. We have an acre lot and there are no trees until the fence line.

BTW, they are up to 15-20ml a feeding now! :thankyou

Anne

04-07-2009, 06:55 AM

The harness really works well. It is for their safety, plus your peace of mind.:thumbsup

Nodo

04-10-2009, 11:58 AM

I will check into a leash.

They are sucking down the puppy milk 10-20ml a time, I feed them until they don't want anymore.

Here they are today: Getting bigger.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01712.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01711.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01710.jpg

I think they are ready to move onto something larger than a pet taxi. Any suggestions on a cage/container?

island rehabber

04-12-2009, 01:53 PM

They're gorgeous! :thumbsup
What I use as a first cage is what's usually sold as a rabbit cage: about 30"L x 12"W and maybe a foot high or slightly higher. These are great because the babies can climb but not fall from any great distance, and the deep tray that the cage sits in keeps all their crumbs and poopies off your floor. :D

ella

04-12-2009, 06:13 PM

They sure are cutie pies...Pam

Nodo

04-13-2009, 12:10 AM

Ok, you guys are killing me. :) I bought a leash, which I only use in the backyard while feeding and a bit of walking around: which is chase "Daddy" until I can grasp his leg and run up his jeans pants legs... I look like a total fool, but it's damn funny.

Also, I look like a "cutter" with all the scabs on my arms and legs with them crawling around on me. Is this normal? My God, I look like I was in a fight.

I bought them a new cage this weekend. I hate to think the total budget of what this is, but how big they have gotten since I "rescued" them, I think it's quite worth it. :thankyou

Pics tomorrow.

Nancy in New York

04-13-2009, 04:21 AM

Anxious to see the new pictures...they grow so fast don't they????

Nodo

04-13-2009, 12:57 PM

The kids new house:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01716.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01717.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01718.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01719.jpg

Nodo

04-16-2009, 12:50 PM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/Videos/th_CLIP0078.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/Videos/?action=view&current=CLIP0078.flv)

Here they are right after the morning feeding. Tina isn't much about the puppy formula past the morning feeding, I am lucky if she will eat 5 ml. You can see she is quite bigger than Ike, I think she now prefers solid food. Ike usually drinks 10-15ml and he is still smaller, I am thinking perhaps he is the "runt" or is just developing at a slower pace. Thoughts?

Nodo

04-18-2009, 11:55 AM

Coming this summer, The Pocket Squirrel!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01720.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01721.jpg

Anne

04-18-2009, 03:36 PM

Adorable picture of the "Ronzone Pocket Squirrel" :jump
As for the Claw marks-Yep-sorry comes courtesy of being owned! Just stay away from large groups of psychiatrists and psychologists and things should be okay. Otherwise you could find yourself in a hug jacket surrounded by white coats:D All us squirrel huggers look like we are dangerous to our selves and possible others.
Sorry to tell you this but---you are going to need a really large cage soon:rotfl
Both your guys look healthy, and yes the girls are usually just a little bigger and well padded than to boys! Have fun---

Nodo

04-20-2009, 03:05 PM

Tina is becoming quite irritable at feedings, it's like she doesn't want any more formula and wants nothing to do with being handled. She ripped me up this morning.

This is about week 8-9, is this self-weaning normal? Ike is still chowing down about 5ml a feeding now.

Anne

04-20-2009, 05:15 PM

Most squirrels will self wean. If she is past 6 weeks old she may be weaning herself, if younger she may be ill. Mommy squirrel will usually wean by 8 weeks. Like our babies, some like the extra comfort of being close to Mommy. Hope this helps you----:)

4skwerlz

04-20-2009, 05:32 PM

Actually, in the wild the babies continue to nurse until 12-14 weeks. Early self-weaning is fairly common with rehabbed babies though. It does sound like Tina could turn out to be an early self-weaner and also like she is "wilding up" a bit. You might limit the solid foods so they're hungry for their formula. The solid foods really don't have the balanced nutrition they need; the formula does.

It's not too early to start thinking about the next step, i.e., releasing. Of course, the earliest they can be released is about 4 months old, and many rehabbers recommend not releasing before 6 months. If you're going to try to release them yourself, you'll need a series of bigger cages, and you'll also need to help them wild up by gradually reducing the amount of contact you have with them.

If this doesn't sound like something you want to do, another option is to hand them over to a rehabber who can handle the long release process.

They are absolutely precious, and you've done a great job with them.:thumbsup

I_Luv_Lots_o_Animalz

04-25-2009, 03:55 PM

island rehabber

04-25-2009, 04:02 PM

i am not sure how 2 post a new thread so ill ask here.
i read anout all these people getting and raising squirrels
i was wondering where i could get one u c me n my frend r trying 2 help r community n we were goin 2 do alot of stuf one of which is get some squirrels n put them ina tree were goin 2 plant. where can i get a baby gray sqrl in waukegan IL?

I_Luv, :Welcome to The Squirrel Board. Unfortunately it is illegal for you to possess a grey squirrel in Illinois, state law. But, it's great that you are planting trees in your community!:thumbsup Besides, you really don't have to put grey squirrels in any trees -- they will find them all by themselves because they love trees and that's where they live. If you want squirrels to come live in them, you should plant oak trees, or maples. That would be the best way to attract our little furry friends. :)

Nodo

05-04-2009, 11:50 AM

Greetings All!

Just a quick note, that Ike and Tina are doing very well. Both are self-weaned off of formula for a week. We are at 11-12 weeks!!! WAHOO!!

Here are some shots of Ike:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/IMG_0170.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/IMG_0172.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/IMG_0173.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/IMG_0185.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/IMG_0188.jpg

So the past few nights they have remained outside inside their "birdcage", hung from a hook on the wall on the outside of the house. The nights are warm enough now and I want them used to day and night sounds.

I did have a tree rat jail break last Friday, the cage somehow cracked open and when I returned Ike was sitting on top of the cage and Tina was sitting on a windowsill. Talk about panic. Both are now back in custody. ;)

So I am thinking of a new release phase by building them and enclosure next to the tree where their old nest was. I have a fenced in back yard. I have seen / searched at the enclosures posted here. I am thinking a 2' X 4' enclosure where they will reside until release.

Any other tips on this "phase" of release?

Pointy Tale

05-04-2009, 12:35 PM

Sorry, no tips, I'll leave that to the experts, but they are so cute.!! :)

Twistedsiren

05-04-2009, 05:04 PM

Nodo

05-04-2009, 06:32 PM

Thanks!

I do not claim to be a carpenter, nor is there a single right angle on this new cage, but I built it my damn self and they seem to like it!

Ike & Tina's new digs:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/DSC01780.jpg

tatcat

05-04-2009, 07:24 PM

:wave123 hi nodo!! :Welcome to our tsb family!! ike and tina seem very happy with you. the cage is awesome!!!

Reddliz

05-05-2009, 08:59 AM

VERY nice cage, beautiful babies. :wave123

I have to say, please don't take this the wrong way.....in a few weeks those babies are going to be able to wiggle out of that leash in a half of a second....right now they are scared but that won't last forever........I've seen a video of a hawk swooping down and taking a pet hamster right off a cage with the owner standing right next to it....they stalk their prey and know their movements. They will be gone so fast up a tree or eaten by a hawk you need to get them on a harness.......this one here is a board fav.....easy on and easy off.

I'm not trying to be bossy my heart just sank when I saw that leash......please, get them these, they are super cheap.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=10570&cmpid=sc

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/reddliz/harnessforsquirrels.jpg

Nodo

05-06-2009, 01:02 PM

Thanks for all the kind comments and concerns.

This morning when I was going to make coffee, I saw a squirel hanging out on the deck next to the cage, my heart jumped thinking one had escaped. I then saw my two in the cage while the other squirrel was very interested in them and the cage, I opened the door and he ran off.

I do not plan to put them on the leash past this phase. I plan to have less contact with them and move them back to the corner of the yard underneath their birth nest, I am giving them a few days on the porch and then in the back of the yard, fenced off with the same wire that is on the cage, to keep my dogs away from them.

I just plan to feed them nuts and "critter food" and keep their water supply fresh.

How many weeks should I do this before creating an opening in the cage and let them walk about and eventually return to the wild?

Nodo

05-22-2009, 04:03 PM

Here is Ike hanging out on his favorite branch inside his "critter condo"

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/IMG_0751.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/nodonovan/sup.jpg

Things are going well, I have been feeding them and refilling their water bottle, but not having much contact with them. Today Ike started chattering his teeth and grunting and flicking his tail when I got too close I guess. Is this some territorial thing? Or is he just finally "wilding" up?

Nodo

07-01-2009, 05:28 PM

Hey all!

Just an update. On Memorial Day we had a release of Ike & Tina. Ike survived barely a week of freedom. Tina I have seen in the trees and running along the fence.

About a week after moving their cage to the back of the yard under the nest we released them and they ran up the tree to their old nest, and we were done. I kept putting peanuts and sunflower seeds on top of their old cage and saw them pop out of the trees and eat.

One night my wife was picking up outside and heard a large thump and a whole lotta squirrel wracket coming from the cage. I tore back there with a flashlight and saw Ike laying flat on his back on the ground and bleeding from the mouth, and taking some panicked breaths. I scooped him up and helped him calm down.

Near as I can tell there was nick on his eye and a cut on the side of his mouth. He was acting weird and looked like he has suffered a concusion because he kept laying his head down every few seconds.

We went into full recovery mode then, feeding him puppy milk because we think he was having trouble chewing, after about a week he seemed himself again but then we noticed one of his eyes turned an opaque color and he wasn't seeing out of that eye. Needless to say, I now own a squirell.

That was about a month ago now, and he is back in the cage by himself, he seems to be making a full recovery minus one eye.

One thing I have noticed lately is that his teeth are REALLY long, almost to the point that it looks like eating a peanut is becoming a challege to get past his mouth. I have sticks and other things in the cage for him to gnaw on, but he just sits in his hammock all day or hangs out at the bottom of the cage. It is 95 degrees and I just figured he is hot or lazy.

Is there anything I should do about his teeth? How long is too long, the fronts cross over the bottom kinda side by side. Any advice on the teeth?

Thanks in advance.

Anne

07-01-2009, 10:41 PM

Ike's teeth need to be trimmed. Rodent teeth (and rabbits) grow all the time. Their diet usually provides bark and nut shells that wear the teeth down, this isn't working for Ike. He will need to see a vet to have his teeth looked at and cut down. Your vet should be able to show you how to do this yourself in the future. There was a thread here on the board about squirrel teeth. I'm not up on all the links and stuff. Do a search of the board, search in located on the top of the forum. Ike may have injured his jaw as well as his eye in his fall.
Good luck, Ike is a very handsome squirrel!