some questions about Kibbles

[Chickenlegs]

OK--So Kibbles is somewhere around three and a half weeks old and is growing like a weed. I have some questions--now that it looks like my girl's going to beat the odds. When I first got Kibbles she was a pink worm and got fed every 30 minutes to an hour--maybe every hour at night. Now that she's a "big girl" she's going longer and longer between feedings--even as much as 7 hours at night. She's hard asleep when I check on her and so far I leave her alone. Is that too long between feedings for a tiny baby? Also she is still not wild about the syringe and squirms all over. Is it normal for her to eat in dribs and drabs? She's absolutely frantic to eat when she starts--so much so she gets in her own way and thrashes about, desperate for FOOOOOD--but she doesn't want much before she yuks the syringe out and starts rooting. Little girl grabs my hand in her arm and hangs on for dear life. Looks like she wants to nurse--but I just don't have the tits for it--and the syringe is certainly not satisfying that urge. She seems happiest when I dribble Esbelac on a finger and she sucks it off. While she eats I've been petting her all over with a tissue or my finger and that seems to settle her down and of course she gets stimulated to help her with her functions. When she's had enough she still roots but for a place to curl up--should I introduce a nest box? Right now she's in her original shoe box on a heating pad--tho we don't keep our house cold so she's OK where ever she is--usually beside me. Her tiny nails seem to be growing the fastest but I'm scared to death to trim them--don't want to quick her. I reckon I should get out the postage scale and weigh her but she does seem to be growing well--from three to five+ inches in three weeks. When I'm out she comes with me. There are times I feed her on the run. Her formula is room temperature. Is that OK or should I make an extra attempt to warm it up--also--wonder if I'm warming her food enough. Anybody with tips?--even stuff I haven't asked about cause I'm sure there's lots I forgot to mention.

[Anne]

At 3 1/2 weeks old she should be fine with being fed every 3 hours, with no feedings at night. WE get to sleep after the first two weeks :D She doesn't need more than 3 or 4 ccs a feeding. In that precious picture of the two of you that you posted, her tummy looked a bit too full. You want her tummy nice and firm but not drum tight. Diarrhea or lose poos are a sign or over feeding. I use a quick soft tapping stroke to sooth my babies. Kind of like Mommy's tongue licking her. Puts almost everyone right to sleep or makes them feel secure. Her normal temperature will be about 99 to 102 degrees F when she is grown so formula heated to that will be fine, Just the same temperature you'd heat a human baby's bottle. The start and stop intake of formula is a not really abnormal. If you are using a syringe over 1cc/ml it probably is coming a little too quick for her, you differently DO NOT want to let her get milk into her lungs, she'll get pneumonia if she does and need medical help to keep her from dying. "Clicking" from the chest is a VERY bad sign. I am not a fast typist:rotfl
Don't know where you live or if any rehabbers are near you that could help with nipples and syringes. Most of us get our stuff from Chris' squirrels and more-or from the Squirrel store, both are on the internet and delivery is super fast. Hope this helps you somewhat. Keep asking those questions and posting those pictures:grouphug :grouphug :grouphug :jump :jump :jump

[Chickenlegs]

Thanks. I have a i cc syringe and wot with all the formula that gets on me and my clothes it takes about 4 of those (not full) to settle her down. Her poos were kinda soft but not runny when she first came but are starting to tighten up. Should her poos be yellow? I'll weigh her tonight and be more careful about the amount I give her. It's hard to know just how much she gets. She's messy.

[Chickenlegs]

Oh--what kind of nipples? I checked out Chris's. The squirrel nipples look really long but what do I know!

[PBluejay2]

OK--So Kibbles is somewhere around three and a half weeks old and is growing like a weed.

So she should weigh somewhere between 30-50 grams (maybe more, maybe less, depending on if she's a "runt" or just "big-boned." 2 to 3 ccs should be enough to feed.

I have some questions--now that it looks like my girl's going to beat the odds. When I first got Kibbles she was a pink worm and got fed every 30 minutes to an hour--maybe every hour at night. Now that she's a "big girl" she's going longer and longer between feedings--even as much as 7 hours at night. She's hard asleep when I check on her and so far I leave her alone. Is that too long between feedings for a tiny baby?

As Anne said, she can go through the night without feeding. You're worrying too much, Momma! :D But that's a good thing!

Also she is still not wild about the syringe and squirms all over. Is it normal for her to eat in dribs and drabs? She's absolutely frantic to eat when she starts--so much so she gets in her own way and thrashes about, desperate for FOOOOOD--but she doesn't want much before she yuks the syringe out and starts rooting. Little girl grabs my hand in her arm and hangs on for dear life. Looks like she wants to nurse--but I just don't have the tits for it

Ha! I won't go there!

--and the syringe is certainly not satisfying that urge. She seems happiest when I dribble Esbelac on a finger and she sucks it off.

Of course, you need to be careful. You don't want to aspirate her, but there's a possibility you're not giving her enough (pushing hard enough on the syringe), and she's getting disinterested because she's not getting what she needs/wants and starts looking for a "new nipple." By her age, she should be able to suck the formula out of the nipple itself. Don't try to keep up with her, but if she does so, pull the nipple out, refill, and let her suck it out again. Eventually you'll both get your "rhythm."

While she eats I've been petting her all over with a tissue or my finger and that seems to settle her down and of course she gets stimulated to help her with her functions. When she's had enough she still roots but for a place to curl up--should I introduce a nest box? Right now she's in her original shoe box on a heating pad--tho we don't keep our house cold so she's OK where ever she is--usually beside me.

I wouldn't worry about a nest box until her eyes open and she gets more active, wanting to explore. Cardboard, however, tends to dry their skin out. I use plastic boxes (holes drilled in them, of course), the kind with locking lids. They make very good incubators.

Her tiny nails seem to be growing the fastest but I'm scared to death to trim them--don't want to quick her.

There is ABSOLUTELY NO reason to trim her nails!

I reckon I should get out the postage scale and weigh her but she does seem to be growing well--from three to five+ inches in three weeks. When I'm out she comes with me.

You really need to get a gram scale (I can't emphasize that enough) so you can get an accurate weight and feed her the right amount.

There are times I feed her on the run. Her formula is room temperature. Is that OK or should I make an extra attempt to warm it up--also--wonder if I'm warming her food enough. Anybody with tips?--even stuff I haven't asked about cause I'm sure there's lots I forgot to mention.

Like Anne said, it should be much warmer than room temperature. I hold the jar to my lips to check. It should feel pretty warm but not uncomfortably hot. Cool formula (room temp) might be at least part of the reason she's not nursing well.


You're such a good mommy!

[Chickenlegs]

thanks for the encouragement. I guess I ned to get some proper nipples--maybe that'll help and be more satisfying for the little girl

[Chickenlegs]

hahahahahaha! Kibbles has a sock mommy--a sock filled with rice that warms up in the microwave or stays warm on the heating pad. She likes her sock mommy and durned if she didn't eat without wasting most of her formula--which I DID warm up extra and maybe that helped too. Ray Kibbles! Ray sock-mommy! Oh--her box is lined so she never touches cardboard--well--almost never. I've found her scooted under her blanket to get as close as possible to the heating pad. But now she crawls onto her sock mommy and sleeps like the sweet baby she is!