sleep position question

[treetopmom]

I don`t mean to sound stupid here, but Bushy, my 6wk old just started doing something that is "strange" for him. At least he`s never done it before now. After eating a good supper, 8.5 cc to be exact, and doing his bathroom business, he of course went to sleep. At first he curled up in a little ball beside his stuffed animal. But now he is laying on flat on his back, all sprawled out. He woke at me touching him, etc, but seemed kinda groggy. I got him up, and he walked around just fine, but as soon as he was back in his nest, he went right back to the flat on the back, sprawled position. Is this normal? Up until now, he`s either curled up on his side, slept in a ball, or pancaked on his belly. I don`t mean to be over reacting, but his brother, Lucky, who had injuries from his fall from the nest, just passed away yesterday morning, so I`m a little on edge I guess. He started eating cheerios yesterday, well kinda eating, mostly mouthing. Poop is normal, so is urine. Just the flat on the back thing, and groggy upon waking up. None of which is normal for him. Any thoughts?

[treetopmom]

Anyone? Any thoughts?

[keetz1205]

As long as he seems fine in all other regards, I'm sure he's fine. I have a non-releaseable who likes to lay on my lap at night, under a blanket. When I lift the blanket to peek at her or pet her, most times she's on her back with her feet in the air, totally knocked out. She looks like one of those cartoon animals - playing dead.

I would think your baby is just fine. :D Here's a pic of my fatty doing what she does best!

[treetopmom]

Well......that`s what it looks like alright, just a smaller version. Didn`t mean to sound stupid or anything, it was just new to him. He had always liked the "balled up, head between legs" position. Plus he seemed so groggy when I woke him. Course, I guess that`s kinda how I look and act at 6am getting my kids up for school, after a 3am feeding! Thank you for your input. now I can quite worrying.

[keetz1205]

Trust me, Treetop...you did not sound stupid. The first time I found Chicklet sleeping like that, I thought she was dead. I scooped her up so fast to check for breathing that I actually scared the poop right out of her and took one heck of a nasty bite on the finger. I think I'll just poke her in the future, if I have any doubt. (Just kidding).:D

[treetopmom]

Well what scared me so bad was that he has hit that, "everything is a booger trying to get me" stage. No matter how slowly and gentle I go to wake him up, he jumps and smacks at me before he realizes it`s me! Then of course it`s the "where`s the milk, Mom" attitude. But tonight, he just seemed really out of it when he first woke up. Thanks for the reassurance that he`s fine, and for not thinking me silly or stupid. Figured if I didn`t know, I could ask, and surely SOMEONE on TSB would know what I was talking about.

By the way, your baby looks very happy, all sprawled out on Mamas` lap! I bet the outdoor squirrels look thru the window and wonder what they are doing wrong, and how to get such a "cushy" lifestyle. Be careful, they`ll be throwing themselves out of trees, just so you`ll take care of them!:rotfl

[2skwurlz]

My boys, Crockett and Tubbs, are doing the same thing, have for a few days. :)

[treetopmom]

If it weren`t for Chicklet, I swear it was a "boy" thing. You know showing off, or airing the "goods"! My son used to do the same thing when he was a baby. I`d put him down for nap fully diapered. But at some point, he`d yank the diaper off, sprawl out on his back and sleep. Of course after nap, I always had wet/dirty sheets to change!

[Skul]

That's the "scare-the-crap-out-of-the-hoomins" position.
They do it on purpose.

[mugzeezma]

Actually the weirder they sleep the less worried I am. Mugzi once fell asleep hanging one leg off the shelf upside down lying on his back. When he rolled over he fell off of the shelf!
I worry more when they lie flat on their sides stretched out.

[treetopmom]

So does this mean the whole, "now that I can see you, unless you have milk, I`m terrified" thing is normal too? You know, the whole cussing you out, in squirrel-warning chattering, and slapping you with paws thing. Not just when you wake them up, but if you`re standing, an sit down, or vise- versa, if you happen to sneeze, turn your head, have a random thought! He only started doing that a few days ago, about 3-4 days after his eyes and ears opened. I`m going out on a limb here(no pun intended) and guessing he`s just getting used to "seeing and hearing" things? Would still like to know if it`s normal. Middle of the night and early morning feedings, I can understand(I frighten myself in the mirror), but during the day? Of course, as soon as he does it, then he starts looking for milk, and suddenly, "I was only foolin, Mama!"

[mugzeezma]

So does this mean the whole, "now that I can see you, unless you have milk, I`m terrified" thing is normal too? You know, the whole cussing you out, in squirrel-warning chattering, and slapping you with paws thing. Not just when you wake them up, but if you`re standing, an sit down, or vise- versa, if you happen to sneeze, turn your head, have a random thought! He only started doing that a few days ago, about 3-4 days after his eyes and ears opened. I`m going out on a limb here(no pun intended) and guessing he`s just getting used to "seeing and hearing" things? Would still like to know if it`s normal. Middle of the night and early morning feedings, I can understand(I frighten myself in the mirror), but during the day? Of course, as soon as he does it, then he starts looking for milk, and suddenly, "I was only foolin, Mama!"
Yup, all normal.
Squirrels are wired to be hyper alert. It's what keeps them alive in the wild. They are pretty intelligent and quickly figure out what not to freak out over.
I'll never forget the first time I took Mugzi outside. He was on my shoulder when a plane, very high up I might add, went over. He barked and cussed and lashed his tail back and forth! All the time running back and forth across my shoulders! Tough guy!:rotfl

[treetopmom]

Ok. Thanks for the reassurance. I`ve got experience with alot of different animals, some smaller than baby squirrels, all the way up to horses. Every species has their on norms, etc. Just trying to educate myself on these little guys. As far as the "learning what not to freak out over", it kinda reminds me of REALLY nervous horses I used to train. The ones that freaked out over EVERYTHING, we would simply tie empty milk jugs in their stalls, put umbrellas outside their windows, oh, and of course put a chicken in their stall too. After about an hour or so, they calmed down. Horses can`t be that nervous all the time, so it didn`t take them long to figure out these things weren`t going to hurt them. Guess it`s similar to when these little guys first start seeing/hearing things. Just takes some getting used to the big, bad world, outside the Rubbermaid tub.

[Skul]

He was on my shoulder when a plane, very high up I might add, went over. He barked and cussed and lashed his tail back and forth! All the time running back and forth across my shoulders! Tough guy!:rotfl
Probably would have kicked it's butt if it flew low enough.
Well, slow enough too.

[mugzeezma]

Probably would have kicked it's butt if it flew low enough.
Well, slow enough too.
:D HE thought so!!! He could be a real bad a** mansquirrel, but he loved his peeps :Love_Icon

[mugzeezma]

Ok. Thanks for the reassurance. I`ve got experience with alot of different animals, some smaller than baby squirrels, all the way up to horses. Every species has their on norms, etc. Just trying to educate myself on these little guys. As far as the "learning what not to freak out over", it kinda reminds me of REALLY nervous horses I used to train. The ones that freaked out over EVERYTHING, we would simply tie empty milk jugs in their stalls, put umbrellas outside their windows, oh, and of course put a chicken in their stall too. After about an hour or so, they calmed down. Horses can`t be that nervous all the time, so it didn`t take them long to figure out these things weren`t going to hurt them. Guess it`s similar to when these little guys first start seeing/hearing things. Just takes some getting used to the big, bad world, outside the Rubbermaid tub.
We called it 'sacking' with horses...can't do that to a squirrel. They are rather combative as opposed to horses.
Every new thing is approached with caution.
They can be used to an entire room and if ONE THING is out of place they will assume the SWAT team stance and skirt the intruder sideways with bushy tail! tttttfhak;.u <<----Ani on the keyboard.
The Dynamic duo is trashing my bedroom as I type this. Finnagin the bold climbing the window screen after approaching the chair with guns ready. His tail is puffed out so fully it is bigger than the entire squirrel!!!!
Ani is grunting and chirping away.
I make a loud kissy noise and they both JUMP and spin towards me, ears like satellite arrays.
Finnagin is smelling squirrels past on the chair and doing a little foot stomping. then dribbles pee on it:shakehead so his mark is there too. BOYS!!!
Ani is purring at herself in the mirror...who's the fairest in the land!
SO
You have a lot of very cool things to observe yet. These are highly intelligent sensory animals...never a dull moment

[LittleFootsMama]

As long as he seems fine in all other regards, I'm sure he's fine. I have a non-releaseable who likes to lay on my lap at night, under a blanket. When I lift the blanket to peek at her or pet her, most times she's on her back with her feet in the air, totally knocked out. She looks like one of those cartoon animals - playing dead.

I would think your baby is just fine. :D Here's a pic of my fatty doing what she does best!

Its the seldom seen super rare species of pancake squirrel!! Lol that pic made my night