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sandycane
04-02-2010, 10:34 AM
Hi All,
I found a baby squirrel late Tuesday afternoon - actually, my dog found him first!
'Munchkin' is doing well and I have contacted a rehabber.

I did a lot of research on Wednesday and have been following the instructions to the T.

I estimate him to be about 5-6 weeks old.

The first day (Wednesday), I gave him the Pedialyte. Yesterday I started the Esbilac at the recommended diluted rate with 1/4 part heavy cream added to the mix. Last night I gave it undiluted.
I've been feeding him 3cc at a time but, this morning he seemed like he wanted more so, I gave him 4-5cc and he was satisfied with that.

He has gotten used to me cleaning his face with a moist cotton ball and seems to like it.
Last night he peed on the cotton ball for me and this morning he pooped. :jump

His house is a medium sized cardboard box with newspaper on one half and his bedding on the other. Last night, while I was working in his room, I heard him wake up and rustle around. When I looked in on him, he was going peepee on the paper. :wahoo
I also have a heating pad on low under half of the box.

Glad to be here and thank you all for the information I've gathered about caring for this baby.

P.S. I also have a talking European Starling, Sweet Pea, about 9 months old.:thumbsup

island rehabber
04-02-2010, 10:50 AM
What a beautiful baby squirrel!
Sounds as if you've got the routine down well. What are you using to feed him with, may I ask? We strongly recommend a 1cc syringe with nipple attachment until squirrels are at least 7-8 weeks old, to avoid aspiration. Then you can switch to a 3cc; many of us never use anything larger than 3cc.
Keep those cute pix coming.....I'd love to see one of the starling, too! (I didn't know they talked! :thinking:tilt)

Ultra Peepi
04-02-2010, 10:54 AM
hi!:Welcome
aw, that is a sweet little baby!!! i'm sure there will be tons of regular members popping on to say hi and offer their valuable advice to you soon, but seems like you've got a good start going for this little one. :thumbsup :)
just a thought.... fleece is a good cozy fabric that doesn't shred and might be something good to get, as towels can catch on claws and such- just my 2 cents eh. :)
good luck with the rehabber!

virgo062
04-02-2010, 11:08 AM
Welcome SandyCane sounds like you are a good squirrel mommie. Good to hear from some more Tennesseans

sandycane
04-02-2010, 11:25 AM
What a beautiful baby squirrel!
Sounds as if you've got the routine down well. What are you using to feed him with, may I ask? We strongly recommend a 1cc syringe with nipple attachment until squirrels are at least 7-8 weeks old, to avoid aspiration. Then you can switch to a 3cc; many of us never use anything larger than 3cc.
Keep those cute pix coming.....I'd love to see one of the starling, too! (I didn't know they talked! :thinking:tilt)


I picked up two eye droppers from the vets office, one is 1cc (maybe 1/2cc?)
I used that the first day but had to refill too many times and he became frustrated with me. So, I switched to a 3cc syringe. I can handle it well and he hasn't gotten any up his nose at all. No nipple on the end. He does well sucking from the end while I gently depress the plunger. When he takes a break, so do I.

You didn't know Starlings could talk!!!???:rofl4

I didn't either until I had one.

I met member Mindy on the Starling Talk forum last year she has several Starlings, too.
YES, they talk! They are just like tape recorders. Sweet Pea sounds just like me.

He can say:
Hi Honey,
Whatch doin?
Where's the Kitty?
Where's Jack?
Jacks a good boy
Here Kitty kitty kitty
'meow'
Hey! Get off a the door!
Bad cat!
(that's what I say to the cat who likes to get on top of the open door in front of the birds room. I have double doors there- a solid and a screen.)
Ow!
Look at all the stars!
Look at all the sunshine!
...and much more.:banana
He also imitates my laugh and a cough. :tilt

(I love the smiley collection on this forum!!)

Here is a YouTube video of Sweet Pea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NZBF4K6_NQ
(I have 8 videos there)

While you're looking at the video, I was wondering if there was any reason why I couldn't use a flight cage like this for the squirrel?
I'm not handy with carpentry and thought this might work instead of having to make one out of hardware cloth.
What do you think?

Kelly Brady
04-02-2010, 12:46 PM
Welcome Sandycane !!!!!!!!

Oh that baby is so adorable. It sounds like you are doing fantastic with squirrelly duties. So good he went pee pee on his own. Have fun with your baby boy !!!

The vidio of Sweet Pea is so cool. I have my squirrel in a cage just like that BTW. Not sure if anyone has any input otherwise but I love that kind of cage.

Welcome to The Squirrell Board. It is a wonderful place:Welcome

sandycane
04-02-2010, 01:20 PM
Welcome Sandycane !!!!!!!!

Oh that baby is so adorable. It sounds like you are doing fantastic with squirrelly duties. So good he went pee pee on his own. Have fun with your baby boy !!!

The vidio of Sweet Pea is so cool. I have my squirrel in a cage just like that BTW. Not sure if anyone has any input otherwise but I love that kind of cage.

Welcome to The Squirrell Board. It is a wonderful place:Welcome
Thank you Kelly, and everyone else for the warm welcome!:grouphug

Preacher
04-02-2010, 02:09 PM
Hey,
Welcoms...heh....glad to meet anyone that will take in a fuzzbutt!
What part of Tenn? I lived in Nashville, well actually Antioch, for years...mom still does. I graduated from Glencliff if ya know it...but thay was a long time ago.
Got family down in Lawerenceburg too....lots of family that I haven't seem in years.

sandycane
04-02-2010, 02:58 PM
Hey,
Welcoms...heh....glad to meet anyone that will take in a fuzzbutt!
What part of Tenn? I lived in Nashville, well actually Antioch, for years...mom still does. I graduated from Glencliff if ya know it...but thay was a long time ago.
Got family down in Lawerenceburg too....lots of family that I haven't seem in years.
I'm in south-middle TN. (don't want the Squirrel Police to know where I live tinfoil )

I always have lots of furry and feathered critters in the yard but, this Spring seems to be more than I've seen in a long time.
Must have been the good nut crop last fall combined with the extra cold winter?

Preacher
04-02-2010, 03:04 PM
Oky Doke...didn't know it wa illegal there too..heh...as BH used to say, wees jus a bunchys uf crimanimals....

If ya want to send me a pm...it's safe there...ya got my curiosity up now...if your concerned just ask anyone here...I'm well known..and sometimes loved...:rotfl :rotfl

crazysquirrels
04-02-2010, 03:28 PM
Sweet pea speaks better english than most people around here. Very nice.

Momma Squirrel
04-02-2010, 06:33 PM
:Welcome to TSB, sounds like you are being a great mommie already :thumbsup

Love the name, that is what I call my Great Niece, she is 5 years old.

Munchkin is beautiful and very lucky to have you to take care of him.

Will you be releasing Munchkin?

sandycane
04-04-2010, 10:45 AM
I will be delivering Munchkin to the rehabber this evening.
He's not gaining weight like I think he should and since I feel he would be happier in a group of other baby squirrels, I've decided to let him go now.
We both feel it is the Esbilac that is causing the problem and I don't see any sense in buying the FV or Zoologic since she already has it.
Besides, she made it perfectly clear to me that I was breaking the law by keeping him.:shakehead :bash :the_wife

Happy Easter everyone! :bunny

Ultra Peepi
04-04-2010, 11:57 AM
he is so adorable! it's hard to let little munchkin go, i know all too well, but he will be happier with other little buddies i think too. at least it's easier to let him go early on rather than later... :shakehead my boyfriend and i raised a little red guy for about a year and a half and then he wilded up and wanted free; we were so attached by then, it was really hard (still is for me now) to do. best of luck giving him to the rehabber tonight and don't let them make you feel too bad eh... you were/are helping the little guy after all:thumbsup !

sandycane
04-05-2010, 08:24 AM
he is so adorable! it's hard to let little munchkin go, i know all too well, but he will be happier with other little buddies i think too. at least it's easier to let him go early on rather than later... :shakehead my boyfriend and i raised a little red guy for about a year and a half and then he wilded up and wanted free; we were so attached by then, it was really hard (still is for me now) to do. best of luck giving him to the rehabber tonight and don't let them make you feel too bad eh... you were/are helping the little guy after all:thumbsup !

Yeah, from what I've read, unless there is a reason a squirrel can not be released it's best not to keep them any longer than necessary.

The meet didn't happen last night...
This afternoon I'm going to meet a vet technician halfway and she will take him to the rehabber tonight.
I miss him already!x_cry

wheezer
04-05-2010, 09:13 AM
:Welcome Bless you for saving Munchkin and doing the right thing by giving him to a rehabber for later release:bowdown :grouphug

I LOVE Sweet Pea! Amazing! When I worked at a large rehab center, the wildlife authorities had a "law" that we had to euthanize the starlings when we got them because they are non-native. I knew how smart they are and that they love being with humans. I often thought of promoting them as "companion birds" like parakeets instead of euthanizing them:D
(we usually just released them instead of killing them. We knew the few we got wouldn't make the species go away if they were killed!!)

sandycane
04-06-2010, 08:32 AM
Sad news...Munchkin expired yesterday.

I was so sad and upset about it and then the rehabber made me feel even worse by implying it was my fault he died and actually saying, 'That is the reason there are laws...to prevent people who don't know how to care for animals from having them'.
What a you-know-what.

:rock1

When I said at least he had a week longer than he would have because I rescued him from the dog, she made a 'pffft' sound like that was nothing.

I don't know, some people seem to just be in the wrong profession.
People need a little compassion at times like this, too...she apparently doesn't know this.

Anyway, nice to be here, short as it was. I'll be back should I find another baby squirrel. Thanks, again, for the warm welcome. :grouphug

virgo062
04-06-2010, 08:51 AM
I am so sorry about Munchkin :( Sometimes our best intentions are not enough. Do you have any idea what happened? Was Munchkin showing any signs of distress?

TinyPaws
04-06-2010, 09:19 AM
Hi...sorry for the late welcome...

Thank you for taking this squirrel in and caring for him...

There could have been a problem with the espilac...They changed the ingredients and due to this it has been fatal to young and sick squirrels...

Even though Munchkins has passed, I hope you decide to stay around...

RIP Munchkins......:grouphug

sandycane
04-06-2010, 09:20 AM
I am so sorry about Munchkin :( Sometimes our best intentions are not enough. Do you have any idea what happened? Was Munchkin showing any signs of distress?

The rehabber said he had an absess on the inside from the nick he got from the dog. When she picked the scab off, I expected to see oozing but, there wasn't any. I've seen abscesses before.

What I don't understand is that yesterday's 7am and 11am feeding he was just fine but, when I went home to get him ready for the trip at 2:30, I noticed right away that his temp had dropped and he was lethargic. I have seen that look before and I knew he probably would not make it.

What makes me mad is that this rehabber knew as much about his condition as I did and the details of the dog attack and she should have told me how important it was to immediately get him on antibiotics.
It is a 3 hour round trip drive to her place and she didn't even offer to meet me half way - in fact, she wouldn't even drive 15 minutes to meet my daughter when she offered to take him Easter Sunday...because she had house guests.:dono

He was eating and peeing and pooping and spunky when I picked him up...then all of a sudden he went downhill. I guess the infection was working on him.

As I told her, if I should find another critter under similar circumstances in the future, I will immediately take it to a vet and not waste time pussy-footing around with the rehabbers trying to coordinate pick-up and delivery.

sandycane
04-06-2010, 09:25 AM
Hi...sorry for the late welcome...

Thank you for taking this squirrel in and caring for him...

There could have been a problem with the espilac...They changed the ingredients and due to this it has been fatal to young and sick squirrels...

Even though Munchkins has passed, I hope you decide to stay around...

RIP Munchkins......:grouphug
Thank you for the sympathy and the warm welcome.

Yeah, one day I read on several professional web sites that Esbilac is the only formula to feed squirrels so I go and buy a $16 can of the stuff and then the next day I find out about the controversy.
I read the report and mixed according to the new instructions: mix with extra hot water, dilute a bit more than the instructions say to and let it sit over night in the frige.
He seemed to like it better this way and like I said, he appeared to be doing well. I even detected a slight weight gain the last two days and his tail was getting bushier.

virgo062
04-06-2010, 09:39 AM
From my experience rehabbers in this area are not very caring. I can go and get a license tomorrow but that does not make me a experienced rehabber. I don't know a lot about raising baby wildlife but one thing I can give is love and compassion and I know where to go for help...HERE. You did the right thing looking for a rehabber but if you find another baby please come back to TSB and you will find all the help you need. Again I am very sorry about Munchkin and sorry that you had such a bad experience with the rehabber but don't give up....This may be your calling :)

sandycane
04-06-2010, 10:32 AM
From my experience rehabbers in this area are not very caring. I can go and get a license tomorrow but that does not make me a experienced rehabber. I don't know a lot about raising baby wildlife but one thing I can give is love and compassion and I know where to go for help...HERE. You did the right thing looking for a rehabber but if you find another baby please come back to TSB and you will find all the help you need. Again I am very sorry about Munchkin and sorry that you had such a bad experience with the rehabber but don't give up....This may be your calling :)

Thank you. :grouphug
:rotfl Yes, this is my calling - I've always loved caring for animals. I've successfully raised (and released) squirrels, skunks and birds before. This is the first (and last) time I attempted to do it 'legally' by contacting a rehabber and the results have been disastrous.
Never again!

I have found that animal forum folks are the most knowledgeable, helpful and compassionate people around.
And this is where I want to be!

The more I read up on the rules and regulations on being a 'legal' rehabber, the less I want to be one.
:soapbox

I will stick around and read up on caring for squirrels because I KNOW it won't be long before I find another.:jumpmjs

virgo062
04-06-2010, 11:14 AM
Yep Tennessee is a tough State for WLR license....Good luck and see you soon :)

sandycane
04-06-2010, 01:20 PM
Yep Tennessee is a tough State for WLR license....Good luck and see you soon :)

I was told that the director of TWRA decides who will and will not get a license...and he WILL NOT give one to anyone who has a domestic animal on their property.
That leaves me out.

Stupid rule...tell that to the hundreds of bunnies, birds, squirrels and other critters already living on my property!:dono

virgo062
04-06-2010, 01:46 PM
That is crazy:skwredup

Ultra Peepi
04-10-2010, 04:23 PM
I am so sorry about Munchkins, that is heart breaking.:grouphug
Definitely come back to TSB 1st if ever you need help, everyone is caring , wonderful and so fast to respond. I'm sorry the rehabber was cold and cruel when you were seeking help. :shakehead