First time taking care of baby squirrel, help please!!!

[LuckyPinkham]

Hello, my husband and I found a baby squirrel while out driving a week ago. He first noticed a crow and the crow was banging his head against something on the ground, we got out of our car and noticed this baby squirrel. The baby looks to be four weeks old, his eyes are still closed. I have been feeding him 3cc's of esbalic formula every 4 hours since we found him. I use one part formula to two parts water. I noticed yesterday he had diahrrea and today it seems to have gotten worse. It is thin and yellow brown. I do stimulate him to make him urinate, but it doesn't make him poop all the time. I don't know what to do now, can anybody please help?

[PBluejay2]

Hello, my husband and I found a baby squirrel while out driving a week ago. He first noticed a crow and the crow was banging his head against something on the ground, we got out of our car and noticed this baby squirrel. The baby looks to be four weeks old, his eyes are still closed. I have been feeding him 3cc's of esbalic formula every 4 hours since we found him. I use one part formula to two parts water. I noticed yesterday he had diahrrea and today it seems to have gotten worse. It is thin and yellow brown. I do stimulate him to make him urinate, but it doesn't make him poop all the time. I don't know what to do now, can anybody please help?


Your feeding amount and schedule sounds about right, depending on his weight. I don't know how many times a day you feed it, however. You should probably limit it to four times. If that doesn't work, you may need to stop formula and flush him out with Pedialyte for several feedings (diarrhea can cause dehydration. Parasites can also cause diarrhea, but you'd have to get a fecal test done to determine what kind and how to treat. I'd guess 75% of the babies I've taken in this year have had coccidia.

[Peaches]

Hello and welcome:wave123
I'm sorry to hear your baby isnt feeling well. Diahrrea is usually caused by over feeding however the amount and fequency of your feedings does sound about right for a baby this age. Can you get a weight on him? There has been talk on the board about the new Esbilac being concentrated stronger and alot of people have had diahrrea with the little ones. Maybe try mixing 1 part esbilac to 3 parts water, the extra water would be good for him with the diahrrea anyway. Also make sure the formula is warmed and the baby is warm, they cannot digest properly if they are cold.

[LuckyPinkham]

Thank you both for your quick responses. I will try 1 part formula 3 parts water with one less feeding. I am working on getting a scale that will weigh him. I do believe he may be getting dehydrated again, so should I stop the formula for now and start back with the pedialite? If so how much and how often should I give it to him. He has been fussy today, whining a lot and he screamed a couple of times which he hasn't done the whole time we have had him.

[PBluejay2]

Thank you both for your quick responses. I will try 1 part formula 3 parts water with one less feeding. I am working on getting a scale that will weigh him. I do believe he may be getting dehydrated again, so should I stop the formula for now and start back with the pedialite? If so how much and how often should I give it to him. He has been fussy today, whining a lot and he screamed a couple of times which he hasn't done the whole time we have had him.


Do the pinch test: pinch some skin up on his back or flanks. If it takes more than a second or two to go back to normal, he may be dehydrated. Unless he's very dehydrated, you might just alternate feeding Pedialyte and formula for the next few feedings.

[LuckyPinkham]

OK, he is dehydrated. How many feedings and how often should I do the pedialyte? When should I start formula again? Should I just give him plain warm water?

[Nancy in New York]

Excellent suggestions so far, do you need a rehabber? Also some people have switched to Goats Milk Esbilac with great results...:thumbsup You can purchase that at www.squirrelsandmore.com I buy the cans and Chris will ususally ship that out so that you get it overnight, if not overnight then the folllowing day. If you continue on the puppy esbilac, remember to add more water to the powder as suggested. You are using the powdered, right?
:grouphug

[LuckyPinkham]

The one around my area hasn't had a great reputation so we are trying ourselves. He seems to be doing good other than the diahrrea. He is on powdered esbalic. I was told absolutely no goats milk, cows milk, kittens milk, none of that.

[Nancy in New York]

The one around my area hasn't had a great reputation so we are trying ourselves. He seems to be doing good other than the diahrrea. He is on powdered esbalic. I was told absolutely no goats milk, cows milk, kittens milk, none of that.


If you have the time you can go into this thread, I believe that now Mandie agrees that goats milk is fine, it helped her babies...:grouphug

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18575&page=5 I will put up a few quotes from that in case you don't have the time...

[Nancy in New York]

Re: Nutters Legacy

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good news after 24 hours on first 3/1 GME and then 2 1/2 to 1 GME my babies all have solid poops. They seem to have plump bellies and they are peeing WAY more. They were just doing a couple drips..now its a like peeing bunnies. (ok maybe not that peeful)

they have no Wrinkles AT ALL!

I was so happy to see Matties whole poopies it means he is recieving the nutrients to make him strong enough to fight this sickness.

i will post pics later, their bodies look so different. I had tears in my eyes as I gave their last feeding 5 min ago. Fight lil ones fight!

Mandie

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I think your problem is the esbilac. I have been mixing mine 3:1 and no diarrhea and everyone is gaining weight. I would try that and keep the number of feedings the same.

[PBluejay2]

OK, he is dehydrated. How many feedings and how often should I do the pedialyte? When should I start formula again? Should I just give him plain warm water?

If he's deyhdrated, give him Pedialyte for the next three feedings or so, then start over introducing the formula (4 to one water to powder). If the problem is the Esbilac as others have suggested, then follow their advice and go no stronget than 3:1. As far as the goat's miulk, the GME (Goat's milk Esbilac) uses the milk protein from goat's milk, just like regular Esbilac uses cow's milk protein. It's not the same as feeding them straight goat's or cow's milk.

[Nancy in New York]

If he's deyhdrated, give him Pedialyte for the next three feedings or so, then start over introducing the formula (4 to one water to powder). If the problem is the Esbilac as others have suggested, then follow their advice and go no stronget than 3:1. As far as the goat's miulk, the GME (Goat's milk Esbilac) uses the milk protein from goat's milk, just like regular Esbilac uses cow's milk protein. It's not the same as feeding them straight goat's or cow's milk.

Thanks PBluejay2 for the explanation...:)

[LuckyPinkham]

Thanks everybody. I will try the pedialyte then the formula 4 to 1 and keep everyone posted.

[Nancy in New York]

Sounds like a plan...please keep us posted, and good luck with the little one...:grouphug