Couple questions

[jesse1535]

Hi! I joined the board today in hopes I can become a better owner for my Grey, Max. I don't plan to release him because I am terrified about what might happen. We have lots of cats and hawks around here, and Max is being raised by himself. I have some questions to make sure I am doing ok in rasing him so far.
I just weaned him off milk last monday and now I am clueless as to what I am supposed to be feeding him. I have been giving him this: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754059&lmdn=Small+Pet and he has half of a cod of these: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2750470&lmdn=Pet+Type to help wear down his teeth. I read some posts on this site and they said to give them rodent blocks, but I could not find it. At PetSmart I bought this wild squirrel block thing and I've been breaking off a little bit and mixing it with the rat food. I've also been giving him a little bit of unsalted peanuts, and yesterday and today I gave him a little bit of strawberry. Is there anything I should change or add in his diet? And where can I buy the rodent block?
Also, Max has been biting me ever since I weaned him off the milk. He hasn't bitten hard enough to make me bleed, and he hasn't even broken the skin. But when he gets bigger, I know it will break the skin and bleed. Is there a reason why he might be biting me? I also noticed he only bites me when I stick my hand in his cage. Is he just being terratorial?
About how big should Max's cage be? He will be an indoor squirrel, and since I am in High School, he might be in it for a while. I was thinking maybe a three story cage?
One last question. I live in Florida so it is legal to keep squirrels as pets here. Is there a list of vets that treat squirrels? My mom is going to call the vet at PetSmart today and see if they do, but I thought it would handy to have a list, in case of an emergency.

[Mrs. Byrd]

Hi! I joined the board today in hopes I can become a better owner for my Grey, Max. I don't plan to release him because I am terrified about what might happen. We have lots of cats and hawks around here, and Max is being raised by himself. I have some questions to make sure I am doing ok in rasing him so far.
I just weaned him off milk last monday and now I am clueless as to what I am supposed to be feeding him. I have been giving him this: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754059&lmdn=Small+Pet and he has half of a cod of these: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2750470&lmdn=Pet+Type to help wear down his teeth. I read some posts on this site and they said to give them rodent blocks, but I could not find it. At PetSmart I bought this wild squirrel block thing and I've been breaking off a little bit and mixing it with the rat food. I've also been giving him a little bit of unsalted peanuts, and yesterday and today I gave him a little bit of strawberry. Is there anything I should change or add in his diet? And where can I buy the rodent block?
Also, Max has been biting me ever since I weaned him off the milk. He hasn't bitten hard enough to make me bleed, and he hasn't even broken the skin. But when he gets bigger, I know it will break the skin and bleed. Is there a reason why he might be biting me? I also noticed he only bites me when I stick my hand in his cage. Is he just being terratorial?
About how big should Max's cage be? He will be an indoor squirrel, and since I am in High School, he might be in it for a while. I was thinking maybe a three story cage?
One last question. I live in Florida so it is legal to keep squirrels as pets here. Is there a list of vets that treat squirrels? My mom is going to call the vet at PetSmart today and see if they do, but I thought it would handy to have a list, in case of an emergency.

first off never actually WEAN them off the formula, give them the formula until they absolutely refuse to take it anymore. if he's refusing it then you'll need to get him started on a healthy diet:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17557
that's a basic outline

and here's a link to some healthy and safe foods:
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15397

[jesse1535]

first off never actually WEAN them off the formula, give them the formula until they absolutely refuse to take it anymore. if he's refusing it then you'll need to get him started on a healthy diet:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17557
that's a basic outline

and here's a link to some healthy and safe foods:
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15397

I raise rabbits, so I assumed that you would also wean the Squirrel off of the milk :shakehead I kinda got worried when one day he just refused the milk, and kept refusing it. I thought I did something wrong lol
Thanks for the links! They are printing out now, and I'm gonna go raid the fridge and see if we have any of the food mentioned.
But on the chart, it said dry corn was really bad for them. I know with rabbits, corn is also bad for them because it is considered "hot feed" and it overheats them. So does this mean I should take out the wild squirrel food? Cuz its pretty much all corn and some sort of seeds. And should I take the corn cob thing out too? I'll take them out for now until someone responds, just to be safe.

[Mrs. Byrd]

i'm not an expert or anything but i would definably take them out, order you some healthy henry blocks from http://www.henryspets.com/ highly recommended here on TSB! :thumbsup

i think the corn should be more of an occasional snack if anything

[jesse1535]

i'm not an expert or anything but i would definably take them out, order you some healthy henry blocks from http://www.henryspets.com/ highly recommended here on TSB! :thumbsup
i think the corn should be more of an occasional snack if anything

I think I'll just put the squirrel block outside and let the wild ones munch on it. Maybe they'll start coming regularly, and I'll find another baby :D And I'll just give Max the cobs every once and a while. Thanks so much for the link! Now I know where I can buy his food! Thank you so much Mrs. Byrd, you've been a really good help! And I'm sure Max says thanks too ^^

[FallensMommie]

Okay now on to the vet part of it. Not sure where you live but those of us in Florida have some good vets. I live in the Daytona Beach area and have a FANTASTIC vet that a couple of us use.

There is a great vet in the Jax area too and Tampa area. If you are in one of these areas or surrounding areas just let us know....we don't need your exact city....if you are in one of these areas, or close to we can give you a name for a vet. :thumbsup

As for keeping....your little one will determine that. If it chooses to wild up there is nothing you can do about it but do a soft release or maybe find somebody to release for you. Once wild it would be inhumane to keep them caged to protect them. Once they wild up you wouldn't even be able to interact as they will bite you to the bone. Only time will tell what your little one will choose over time. Thanks for taking care of your little buddy :grouphug

[virgo062]

:wave123 Jesse welcome to TSB....Can you tell us how old your Grey is? I have a grey too his name is Knothead he is 9 months old the reason I have him is because he is non releaseable meaning he could not survive in the wild. he is blind in one eye and has neuro problems. Your Grey is probably just the cutest thing ever...Right? Except for the biting but they all bite and sometimes they bite HARD we all have scars to prove it. he is a cutie now but he won't stay that way for long. Grey's do not make good pets.:nono They will "wild up" and you will have no choice but to release him. Trust us we have been there...I doubt one person who has ever rehabbed a Grey Squirrel will tell you different. So I would plan at this point on getting him as healthy as possible for future release and if you do it right you won't have to worry to much about the preditors. Squirrels are very smart and learn the rope fast outside. First we need to know his age....That is so important in helping you through this. His diet is OMG wrong :nono LOL but I am sure you will read all about the good and bad food for him. So much can go wrong SO FAST with a young squirrel and if you really love him and want to help you will read everything you can on this Board. There are some excellent rehabbers in Florida that can help you. You should read all about Jackie's Rowdy group I think she has 750 squirrels:rotfl Happy, FAT Squirrels. if you have a question...ASK.. people are here for one reason and that is to help the Squirrels...and a mouse or bird along the way. Thank you fro helping this baby....:thankyou

[lilbitsquirrely]

:Welcome Someone already sent you the healthy food link,so all I can say is good for you you found a good place to get all the help you need,and read as much as you can,and then you can make the right decision.:grouphug God Bless you,for what you have already done for this little guy.:alright.gif

[Momma Squirrel]

:Welcome Jesse and Max, you are in very good hands here, and being in FL is a plus as far as vet and help.

We would love to see more pics of Max, we like to oohhhh and aaahhh over them :D

[jesse1535]

Okay now on to the vet part of it. Not sure where you live but those of us in Florida have some good vets. I live in the Daytona Beach area and have a FANTASTIC vet that a couple of us use.

There is a great vet in the Jax area too and Tampa area. If you are in one of these areas or surrounding areas just let us know....we don't need your exact city....if you are in one of these areas, or close to we can give you a name for a vet. :thumbsup

As for keeping....your little one will determine that. If it chooses to wild up there is nothing you can do about it but do a soft release or maybe find somebody to release for you. Once wild it would be inhumane to keep them caged to protect them. Once they wild up you wouldn't even be able to interact as they will bite you to the bone. Only time will tell what your little one will choose over time. Thanks for taking care of your little buddy :grouphug

Do you mind if I message you and tell you the city where I live? Maybe you might know of a vet near me ^^

I know that one day he might wild up, and I'm hoping he doesn't. We have lots of hawks and cats where I live, and I'm really worried about that. But I told myself from the begining that if he gets too wild, then I will release him. I know it is inhumane to keep a wild animal caged, and I know that it is for the best to release him if he gets too wild. But I really hope I'm able to keep him.

[jesse1535]

:wave123 Jesse welcome to TSB....Can you tell us how old your Grey is? I have a grey too his name is Knothead he is 9 months old the reason I have him is because he is non releaseable meaning he could not survive in the wild. he is blind in one eye and has neuro problems. Your Grey is probably just the cutest thing ever...Right? Except for the biting but they all bite and sometimes they bite HARD we all have scars to prove it. he is a cutie now but he won't stay that way for long. Grey's do not make good pets.:nono They will "wild up" and you will have no choice but to release him. Trust us we have been there...I doubt one person who has ever rehabbed a Grey Squirrel will tell you different. So I would plan at this point on getting him as healthy as possible for future release and if you do it right you won't have to worry to much about the preditors. Squirrels are very smart and learn the rope fast outside. First we need to know his age....That is so important in helping you through this. His diet is OMG wrong :nono LOL but I am sure you will read all about the good and bad food for him. So much can go wrong SO FAST with a young squirrel and if you really love him and want to help you will read everything you can on this Board. There are some excellent rehabbers in Florida that can help you. You should read all about Jackie's Rowdy group I think she has 750 squirrels:rotfl Happy, FAT Squirrels. if you have a question...ASK.. people are here for one reason and that is to help the Squirrels...and a mouse or bird along the way. Thank you fro helping this baby....:thankyou

I have no clue how old Max is DX I don't know if this helps, but I've had him for maybe a month now, and he stopped drinking milk last monday. I found him with his eyes and ears open and then about two weeks later he started refusing the milk.
I have saw "neuro problems" a lot on this board. What are "nuero problems"?
The biting isn't all that bad, I had a couple hamsters, and I have lots of rabbits, so I'm kind of used to the biting/scratching thing lol
I've heard a lot that Greys don't make good pets, and its really saddening.
Would a rehab center prepare him for release? Because I'm really scared about doing something wrong, and I don't want my mistake to affect him in the wild. My dad also had a Grey and he just released her one day. She lived in a tree in his yard and would just waltz right into the house, dad would play with her and sit with her. Then one day my dad's girlfriend gave her a red pepper and the squirrel ran away and never came back...
After reading the boards, I kinda figured out that his diet was all wrong DX I found HenrysPets.com and I am going to order his food next week when my mom gets paid.
I have been reading the boards for hours lol I have learned A LOT from reading, and I am glad I found this site lol
I'm going to continue reading and I'll look up Jackie's Rowdie Group.
Thank you so much for all of the info ^^

[virgo062]

Neurological...Problems with his brain. They don't "act" like regular squirrels. If you can get a picture posted we can age him for you. We LOVE:Love_Icon pictures..Oh and the biting yes it's bad:poke It's a LOT worse than a Hamster. They can bite to the bone. I have heard [crack] a couple of times then the finger swells...It's bad when they want it to be:rotfl I'm not sure about rehab places in Florida but I'm sure someone will be able to tell you more...Squirrels are a lot of trouble your life will change completely. They are territorial, they don't like change and they don't tolerate strangers very well. So I would not let your friends handle Max. If you don't think you are up for the challenge there are many rehabbers that would love to take care of Max for you...In Florida.

[jesse1535]

:Welcome Jesse and Max, you are in very good hands here, and being in FL is a plus as far as vet and help.

We would love to see more pics of Max, we like to oohhhh and aaahhh over them :D

Thanks for the welcome ^^ For once, I auctually like Florida lol I heard its on;y one out of two states that allow squirrels to be kept as pets. I'll try and upload the pics now for you guys.

[jesse1535]

Neurological...Problems with his brain. They don't "act" like regular squirrels. If you can get a picture posted we can age him for you. We LOVE:Love_Icon pictures..Oh and the biting yes it's bad:poke It's a LOT worse than a Hamster. They can bite to the bone. I have heard [crack] a couple of times then the finger swells...It's bad when they want it to be:rotfl I'm not sure about rehab places in Florida but I'm sure someone will be able to tell you more...Squirrels are a lot of trouble your life will change completely. They are territorial, they don't like change and they don't tolerate strangers very well. So I would not let your friends handle Max. If you don't think you are up for the challenge there are many rehabbers that would love to take care of Max for you...In Florida.

Oh ok! I don't think Max has neuro problems lol I'll try and figure out how to post a pic. I have a couple on my computer that I could post for you guys.
Yea, I thought the biting would be worse than a hamster's, but the thing about biting to the bone really worries me. I know if Max bit me to the bone, mom would have a fit and take me to the hospital, then Max would have to be put down...
Everyone is usually kinda scared of Max because of "rabies" lol So I don't think we'll have any problems about others handleing him.
I think when he gets a little older I'll take him to a rehab center. Like I said before, the biting really scares me because if mom makes me go to the doctors, he will probably get put down.

[FallensMommie]

Do you mind if I message you and tell you the city where I live? Maybe you might know of a vet near me ^^

I know that one day he might wild up, and I'm hoping he doesn't. We have lots of hawks and cats where I live, and I'm really worried about that. But I told myself from the begining that if he gets too wild, then I will release him. I know it is inhumane to keep a wild animal caged, and I know that it is for the best to release him if he gets too wild. But I really hope I'm able to keep him.



You are more than welcome too. Anything to help with your little buddy!

I actually released my little one, but he had a accident so he is with us :D He turned two in March. I'll share a pic in a pm with you!

[jesse1535]

Ok here are some pics. I hope they come out!
Note: The ones where he is sleeping with the bunnies, on the ladybug and the one where he is on the purple thing is about a week after we found him. All the others were taken last week ^^

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs502.ash1/29725_120573891298399_100000373668088_175178_34776 80_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs502.ash1/29725_120573911298397_100000373668088_175179_68314 15_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs542.snc3/29725_120573944631727_100000373668088_175181_33590 17_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs522.snc3/29725_120573957965059_100000373668088_175182_75211 76_n.jpg

I love this pic lol
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs542.snc3/29725_120575651298223_100000373668088_175185_36527 68_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs542.snc3/29725_120575661298222_100000373668088_175186_48972 19_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs542.snc3/29725_120575681298220_100000373668088_175187_51776 3_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs542.snc3/29725_120575711298217_100000373668088_175188_82731 8_n.jpg

[virgo062]

Everyone is usually kinda scared of Max because of "rabies" lol So I don't think we'll have any problems about others handleing him.
I think when he gets a little older I'll take him to a rehab center. Like I said before, the biting really scares me because if mom makes me go to the doctors, he will probably get put down.

Rest assured...Squirrels don't carry Rabies:multi the only problem you may have is a very sore finger, toe, lip, arm...:rotfl

[FallensMommie]

From the looks...I'm no rehabber...he looks like he should still be getting formula. What puppy formula were you giving him?

[virgo062]

OMG He is CUTE:Love_Icon But fallensMommie is right he should still be on formula...We got to get some meat on his bones....

[virgo062]

Jackie has her hands full with...Surgery..I have pm IR to take a look at him. There is no wat this baby should be off formula...What kind of formula was he on? How much? How often and what size syringe? We really want to help you with this little Max he is waaayyy to cute for anything to happen :)

[FallensMommie]

Jackie has her hands full with...Surgery..I have pm IR to take a look at him. There is no wat this baby should be off formula...What kind of formula was he on? How much? How often and what size syringe? We really want to help you with this little Max he is waaayyy to cute for anything to happen :)


He is a cutie pie :D


Jesse, we want to make sure he gets the best nutrients for a growing squirrel. :grouphug

[Jackie in Tampa]

surgery will have to wait...'til morning I guess..

but I'm here if I can help with anything...I just saw my name:sanp3
I haven't read this thread...call if you need me now...
ok, will read now!:thumbsup

[island rehabber]

He looks like he could use a few more weeks of formula, preferably Fox Valley 20/50. He also needs more fresh veggies in his diet, especially the dark green leafy ones like kale, escarole, chickory, etc. You've been reading up on nutrition :thumbsup so I know I don't have to go into the whole diet thing -- just remember with squirrels, diet is Priority Number One, Two, Three, etc. DIET is everything, because squirrels become very sick very easily when they are kept with humans and not fed the right foods. I hope you can get him back on formula because it's your best insurance for a healthy squirrel. :)

[Jackie in Tampa]

If you are near me...come for a visit...I also know a few vets.
YES YES YES, he should be on formula! For a couple more months at the very least!
He's a beauty though...adorable!
:Welcome :wave123 Welcome, glad you found TSB!

[jesse1535]

So far every one has been telling me to get him back on the formula. I stopped giving it to him because he just starting refusing it for a couple days. The milk ran out already, so I'll go get some later on today when mom gets off of work.
I have been giving him Harts Puppy Formula, and I never fed him with a syringe...My dad tried it and Max just never took to it so we tried a bottle that we had used for some rabbits I had to foster, (we boiled it first) and it worked great. I still have some syringes in my barn though if those are better to use.
I would feed him every morning at 6am, then I would go to school and nurse him when I get home at at around 3pm. Then after 3pm, I would feed him whenever he woke up, or I would wake him up if he had been asleep for a couple hours without eating. His last feeding would be at 10pm, which was when I go to sleep. I would make sure he drank at least an ounce every morning, after school, and before I went to bed. Throughout the day, I would make sure he drank at least half an ounce.
And then he just refused it one day, and he was never interested in it after that, so I dumped the bottle and the milk had just run out too.

[virgo062]

Hi Jesse...He should be eating at least 5-6 cc of formula. If you can't get Fox Valley, Esbiliac will work. The syringe is best because you can control the formula. They have a tendency to "gulp" which could lead to pneumonia if they are aspiirated. Looks like you have done a terrific job so far he is just a little skinny for his age....But I love that picture of him standing by his house :) He is still a baby and really needs that calcium right now. Try mixing some plain vanilla yogurt or heavy whipping cream in with his formula and make sure it's heated to just room temperature....Do you live close to Tampa?
If he is stuffing himself on nuts then he may refuse the formula but mine always took the formula for at least 3-4 months. You are lucky to live in Florida because you are surrounded by several rehabbers that can help you in out with anything you need.

[jesse1535]

Hi Jesse...He should be eating at least 5-6 cc of formula. If you can't get Fox Valley, Esbiliac will work. The syringe is best because you can control the formula. They have a tendency to "gulp" which could lead to pneumonia if they are aspiirated. Looks like you have done a terrific job so far he is just a little skinny for his age....But I love that picture of him standing by his house :) He is still a baby and really needs that calcium right now. Try mixing some plain vanilla yogurt or heavy whipping cream in with his formula and make sure it's heated to just room temperature....Do you live close to Tampa?
If he is stuffing himself on nuts then he may refuse the formula but mine always took the formula for at least 3-4 months. You are lucky to live in Florida because you are surrounded by several rehabbers that can help you in out with anything you need.
Erm, what is 5-6cc DX Dad just told me that an ounce would be fine as long as I am feeding him constantly.
What is Esbiliac? Is that that thing that is in GatorRaid? I forgot to mention that I would mix an ounce of GatorRaid in with three ounces of milk...
And what do you mean by they have a tendency to "gulp"? Because when he was drinking from the bottle, he would suckle really fast and hard for the first two weeks. Then after that he started to...I don't know how to explain it but he wouldn't suckle on it. He would sorta like lick the nipple and I would have to squeeze the bottle a little so that the milk was dribbling and he would lick the milk and not the nipple. Does that make any sense? XD
Hmm, I live about two hours away from Tampa I think.
I haven't really been giving him a lot of nuts. I gave him a lot in the first couple weeks I had him since I didn't know what else to give him. But now I just give him like one or two throughout the day.
How old do you think Max is now?
That is about the only thing I like about Florida lol I hate it except for the fact that I can keep Max.
When I get milk later on today, I'll get some yogurt or whip cream. Thanks for the suggestion ^^
And I'm sorry for all the stupid questions DX I didn't know taking care of Max would be so complicated lol My friend (who also had a Grey) and my dad just told me to put him on milk for a couple weeks and give him some rat food and peanuts. But I'm enjoying it and its fun meeting new people ^^

[jesse1535]

Just thought I should let ya'll know: I had about an ounce of milk left and I made it quickly and he is eating it ^^ Thank you guys so much! I'm going to get more milk in about an hour. I'm so happy I found this site:D :thankyou

[virgo062]

By Milk do you mean...Cow's Milk? Please say no....he needs formula If you can't get Fox Valley then you can use Esbilac Formula (dry) you can get it at any Pet Store or Tractor Supply...Mix the Esbilac 1 part (dry) to 2.5 parts water mix a tiny amount of yogurt or heavy whipping cream this will fatten him up and keep him satisfied between feedings...warm it not hot just warm...The formulas must stay warm during the feeding so I set my glass with the formula in it in a bowl of very hot water. Take the nuts from him they have zero nutritional value and he will become a junk food eater. he can knibble on leafy green veggies between feedings. he really should be fed every 4-5 hours. Also I guess he poops and pees on his own by now. How does his poop look?

Raising a baby squirrel is VERY expensive and VERY hard. Their survival is from hour to hour....When something goes wrong you have to get him care immediately...

[jesse1535]

By Milk do you mean...Cow's Milk? Please say no....he needs formula If you can't get Fox Valley then you can use Esbilac Formula (dry) you can get it at any Pet Store or Tractor Supply...Mix the Esbilac 1 part (dry) to 2.5 parts water mix a tiny amount of yogurt or heavy whipping cream this will fatten him up and keep him satisfied between feedings...warm it not hot just warm...The formulas must stay warm during the feeding so I set my glass with the formula in it in a bowl of very hot water. Take the nuts from him they have zero nutritional value and he will become a junk food eater. he can knibble on leafy green veggies between feedings. he really should be fed every 4-5 hours. Also I guess he poops and pees on his own by now. How does his poop look?

Raising a baby squirrel is VERY expensive and VERY hard. Their survival is from hour to hour....When something goes wrong you have to get him care immediately...
No no no, it is Hartz Puppy Milk I have been giving him. I know not to give him regular milk, so no worries ^^ Is Esbilac better than puppy formula? Because if so, I can go to Tractor supply and grab some tonight. I found some whipped cream in the fridge too. :wahoo
Now that I am going to start nursing him again, the longest time he will go without milk is when I am at school. But he gets fed every morning right before school, as soon as I get home from school, and before I go to bed at 10pm. I feed him about once or twice more after I get home, and before I go to bed.
Yup, he poops and pees all by his self. His poop is a kinda dark green and its kinda long but kinda round. Its not that big either. When I first got him his poop was a bright green and small and rounded.

[jesse1535]

No no no, it is Hartz Puppy Milk I have been giving him. I know not to give him regular milk, so no worries ^^ Is Esbilac better than puppy formula? Because if so, I can go to Tractor supply and grab some tonight. I found some whipped cream in the fridge too. :wahoo
Now that I am going to start nursing him again, the longest time he will go without milk is when I am at school. But he gets fed every morning right before school, as soon as I get home from school, and before I go to bed at 10pm. I feed him about once or twice more after I get home, and before I go to bed.
Yup, he poops and pees all by his self. His poop is a kinda dark green and its kinda long but kinda round. Its not that big either. When I first got him his poop was a bright green and small and rounded.
Auctually, its not long...He just pooped and its a dark greenish black. Its round also, not long. Sorry for the mix up.

[FallensMommie]

No no no, it is Hartz Puppy Milk I have been giving him. I know not to give him regular milk, so no worries ^^ Is Esbilac better than puppy formula? Because if so, I can go to Tractor supply and grab some tonight. I found some whipped cream in the fridge too. :wahoo



On the whipping cream....please note we are not talking prepackaged whipped cream with sugar added, but heavy whipping cream that you get in the dairy section of the grocery store :thumbsup

[virgo062]

It comes in a small milk like container...heavy whipping cream. Your mom will know what it is....BTW the poop sounds like it 's good poop:alright.gif

[jesse1535]

It comes in a small milk like container...heavy whipping cream. Your mom will know what it is....BTW the poop sounds like it 's good poop:alright.gif
Thank God I came to check how much whip cream to put because I was about to put a table spoon of the regular whip cream, not the heavy one in the milk. I'll try and get some tomorrow afternoon, because I'll be at the beach in the morning.
Thats good that his poop looks good. I'll try and post some pics of him tomorrow because its 10:30pm, just finished feeding Max, and I'm ready to go to bed. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow morning. Thanks so much for your help so far :D

[jesse1535]

Ok I got some heavy whipping cream. I'm gonna go feed him now :D

[virgo062]

Good Luck Jesse...remenber feed him slowly....If he gets choked let us know because that could turn into a serious problem. How is he liking the formula with thw whipping cream/ I bet he is loving it :)

[mpetys]

Hi jesse1535,

Your Max is adorable. I have been following your story and was happy to see pictures. He looks good. You are getting good advice here on this board.

I just wanted to ask a question about the white stuff in the pictures with him. Is that some kind of batting? It seems like I recently read a warning about not using it with the squirrels. It seems like someone used it and it got all twisted around their squirrels paw or something. Could be very dangerous, especially if it were to get wound around his neck. Will someone else take a look at the photos and see if you think it is dangerous. I wish I could remember where I read that. If I can find that post, I will come back and link it here.

Michele in Tampa

[FallensMommie]

Hi jesse1535,

Your Max is adorable. I have been following your story and was happy to see pictures. He looks good. You are getting good advice here on this board.

I just wanted to ask a question about the white stuff in the pictures with him. Is that some kind of batting? It seems like I recently read a warning about not using it with the squirrels. It seems like someone used it and it got all twisted around their squirrels paw or something. Could be very dangerous, especially if it were to get wound around his neck. Will someone else take a look at the photos and see if you think it is dangerous. I wish I could remember where I read that. If I can find that post, I will come back and link it here.

Michele in Tampa


Hi Michelle...yes it does look like batting. I haven't read the danger of it...can't keep up on this board. If you find the post...please direct us to it for my own future references. Seems like maybe there should be a section on TSB somewhere for known NO NO's when somebody reports a issue with a toy or other caging materials that can pose a threat.

Jesse...I only use fleece with my boy. I only use strips of fleece for the nesting box for safety reasons too.

[virgo062]

I bought some Quilting batting for my boys when they were younger....I read where it's good for outside bedding for their nest because it repels water. Of course they never used their nest box once they were released. But in the house they made a nest with it. I never had any problems

[mpetys]

Hi Michelle...yes it does look like batting. I haven't read the danger of it...can't keep up on this board. If you find the post...please direct us to it for my own future references. Seems like maybe there should be a section on TSB somewhere for known NO NO's when somebody reports a issue with a toy or other caging materials that can pose a threat.

Jesse...I only use fleece with my boy. I only use strips of fleece for the nesting box for safety reasons too.

Man, I have been doing all kind of searches trying to find where I read that caution about the polyester fiberfill batting. I think this is the link:

http://www.thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12352&highlight=quilt+batting

Post #6 from muffinsquirrel. Muffinsquirrel stated, "I don't use the pillow polyfil because it is synthetic and is harder for them to get off if it wraps around a leg or something. But I do use cotton balls - only the 100% cotton ones. They are fairly cheap at WalMart and similar places. And they are small and easy for the squirrels to handle. They also make cotton for bandages, but it can be more expensive unless you catch it on sale. And I suppose the 100% cotton quilt batting would do well, although I've never tried it.

I use a lot of kleenex type tissues, toilet tissue, and paper towels. Just make sure they are non scented, no lotion, and no dyes. And for the paper towels, the very best are Viva - they are sooo soft! In my large cages I will take a roll of toilet tissue, run a branch or something through it so they can't get it off, and let them unroll what they think they need......it's amazing how creative a squirrel can get with a roll of toilet paper!!?

Okay, I guess I remembered it incorrectly. The warning was given not that it had happened but that she worried that it might. It seems to me that it could be something to be concerned about, especially if you had two or more squirrels together that rolled around and played. I think the reason why this made such an impression on me is that one time two of my dogs (big 'ol rottweilers) were laying on the floor facing each other and playing. Pawing at each other and "talking". One of them had a chain collar on and the other had a cloth collar on. All of a sudden I heard one dog crying and the other one making suffocating noises. The one with the cloth collar had got her paw under the chain collar of the other dog. In playing, they rolled around and what happened was that the chain twisted and tightened around the paw of the other dog. The dog that had the chain collar on, couldn't breath. That was the most frightening thing I have ever seen or heard. Thankfully, my husband hadn't gone to work yet. I was yelling at him to get some bolt cutters! He said we didn't have time and told me to hold the dog that was choking while he rotated the other dog. I got nipped by the dog I was trying to hold. She was terrified. They both were. Finally got them apart. The sad thing was each dog was in pain and held the other one responsible. We had to separate them for two weeks and slowly re-introduce them to build up trust again with each other.

Anyhow, I guess this is something that everyone will decide for themselves if they think it is a possible danger or not!

Michele in Tampa

[jesse1535]

The white stuff in the photos is cotton and I only put it in there because I didn't have any other thing he could use as a bed. He seems to really like it though because I took it out and put a hammock in there instead. But somehow he has been getting cotton and making a nest out of it. I took it out but he keeps getting it from somewhere. Here are some pics that I took yesterday ^^

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs617.snc3/32475_123063971049391_100000373668088_182933_70434 29_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs657.snc3/32475_123063977716057_100000373668088_182934_40502 0_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs617.snc3/32475_123063984382723_100000373668088_182936_74316 51_n.jpg
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs657.snc3/32475_123063987716056_100000373668088_182937_45090 56_n.jpg
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs657.snc3/32475_123064024382719_100000373668088_182941_49363 3_n.jpg

[virgo062]

Oh he is darling:Love_Icon but I was thinking he was ready to be released...Not quite yet:wave123

[jesse1535]

This morning when I was feeding Max, he seemed more interested in jumping around than eating. He was also snuffling around my legs like he was trying to find something and when he crawled to my sock, I guess he was smelling the Aloe I had put on my foot before I fed him XD He was trying to take off my sock and everything lol So I got him away from there and he suckled a little bit more before he jumped on my shoulder and he put his paws on my head. He stood there for a few seconds before he screamed and he ran down my back and to my waist. He just stood there shaking and he let me pet him and rub his arm pit before he took a little more milk. I was feeding him in front of one of my Bearded Dragons (who is about a foot long). He was eyeing him curiously, so I'm thinking maybe he got scared? It really scared me...It kinda sounded like that one episode of SpongeBob where SpongeBob and Patrick were cussing and instead of cussing they beeped it out with this animal cry DX I don't really know how else to describe it. But he is fine now I think. He drank an ounce and is now curled up in his hammock sleeping. Animals really are mysterious little things :dono

[virgo062]

Well if I was a squirrel I would be afraid of a dragon too..Knothead shakes a lot I think it's just a squirrel thing

[jesse1535]

Well if I was a squirrel I would be afraid of a dragon too..Knothead shakes a lot I think it's just a squirrel thing

But the suprising thing is that the Dragon, Banana, wasn't interested in eating him...Banana was really intrested in hamster and my chicks, but he was just watching me feed Max. He wasn't trying to get to him or anything...He wasn't even mad which really suprised me since he is always mad when I give someone else attention and not him. And Max never shakes, that was the first time I've ever heard him scream and shake so badly. :dono

[jesse1535]

What is up with squirrels and their arm pits O.o Max loves to be rubbed there, I'll be rubbing his cheek or something then he'll lift up his arm and moves so that I'm rubbing his arm pit instead of his cheeks lol XD

[tyrose]

Quick question... is that a corn cob in that bowl in the last pic posted? My eyes... they ain't so good anymore , but if it is ... I know you've been reading a ton here about proper nutrition and corn is a no-no. :nono
I also had a grey named Max and your pics are making my heart ache! He was release months ago.... can I snuggle with your Max?:Love_Icon

[jesse1535]

Quick question... is that a corn cob in that bowl in the last pic posted? My eyes... they ain't so good anymore , but if it is ... I know you've been reading a ton here about proper nutrition and corn is a no-no. :nono
I also had a grey named Max and your pics are making my heart ache! He was release months ago.... can I snuggle with your Max?:Love_Icon

Yea that is a corn cob in the pics. Someone told me that they were really bad for squirrels, so I took it out a couple days ago, no worries :D
Aww, well at least your Max is happy in the wild ^^ Max loves to snuggle with people. I once fell asleep while nursing him (not a good idea, I know lol) and when I woke up I started freaking out because I couldn't find him. Then I saw a bushy tail hanging out from my shirt and when I lifted it, he was curled up on my chest X3

[la dame à l'écureuil]

Rest assured...Squirrels don't carry Rabies:multi the only problem you may have is a very sore finger, toe, lip, arm...:rotfl
Actually squirrels can carry rabies. All mammals are susceptible to it. The reason squirrels and other rodents are not considered to pose a risk for spreading rabies is that their salivary glands are far back in their mouths and so their teeth generally do not have saliva on them, which is where the rabies virus is found. As far as I know, no one has been documented as having contracted rabies from a squirrel and doctor's do not give people rabies shots if they have been bitten by a squirrel.

Those photos of Max and the bunnies are adorable, Jesse! I hope your Max becomes releasable and you find a safe spot for him if you don't think your neighborhood is a safe place. It's so hard to say goodbye to them but outdoors in the trees is where they really want to be.