Advice needed : 10 week Grey

[Kikiboo]

Hi there.. a friend of mine has been raising an orphan grey named Earl.
He's been in his release cage getting used to the outdoors. Yesterday he was fine, she let him do some exploring - he was nibbling on everything - the painted wall, the deck and the plants in the garden.

This morning he is extremely lethargic, had to be coaxed from his nestbox and won't run around and jump from place to place as he usually does. :sanp3 His leg muscles seem fine, but he just won't eat or go anywhere - just sits in her hands... very unlike him.

Any ideas? They're giving him a bit of formula (or trying to) to get a bit of food into him and most importantly water...
I feel awful for them.. ideas anyone???

He's been REEEEEALLY healthy up till this morning:thumbsup

Thanks guys.. if anyone can help - YOU can!

Andrea xox
(Fuzzle-Bonnie and Fuzzle-Nissa's Mommy)

[CritterMom]

Lots of toxic things out there. Is the deck pressure treated lumber? If so, it has arsenic in it. There are plants that will make him ill as well. I would suggest that your friend push fluids down this baby's throat today with the intention of flushing any toxins out. And that doesn't mean just giving him a water bottle; it means syringe feeding him water all day long.

[Kikiboo]

Thanks hun:bowdown - that's sort of what we figured.. they tried him with milk but he doesn't want it.. but then he's been weaned too and off milk for a week or so... she's very worried.:dono

[deborah.k]

I am worried sick about him. So much time and energy (and LOVE) invested in feeding him around the clock since he was a pink squirmy thing. Yesterday was such a blast. He was so SQUIRRELLY. First time he was really just being a squirrel. He was having a blast. Digging in the pots. Running around the deck, banking off the walls, and climbing on the railing. I was grinning from ear to ear thinking "yes, this is why you rescue a squirrel so they can run free and be a squirrel."

I just want him to be okay. I want him to have at least one day free. :(

[Jackie in Tampa]

moniter him and keep posting what you are seeing...
if deck is old, probably all yuck has been leached out...I have a zillion chunks outta my deck and all ok...
I worry about plants, but most sqs do know not to eat bad stuff...
hpw old is he?

[Baby Squirrel Lover]

Have you been supplementing with calcium since weaning a week or so ago? I'm so sorry about your little guy!!! Is he throwing up at all?

[Rhapsody]

I worry about plants, but most sqs do know not to eat bad stuff...
how old is he?

The title states he is 10 weeks old - still learning at this age I would think.

[Jackie in Tampa]

The title states he is 10 weeks old - still learning at this age I would think.
hello, duh, ....:rotfl
I am old and blonde and and and....
:thumbsup thank you for the wake uptinfoil

Kikiboo, how is baby feeling now? yes hydrate

[Kikiboo]

Not sure hun... Earl is Deb K's little boy. She found me online on Kijiji and we've been 'working' together with him. I just asked her to come on to comment on progress...

[Kikiboo]

She sent me an inbox pm that states:

'I have been sleeping with the lil one and giving him pedialyte every 40 minutes to an hour. Not much visible improvement but not getting worse either. Fingers still crossed!'

so far so good.....

[deborah.k]

Hi everyone:

I found him on July 29th. I am guesing he was 3 days old at that time. So that must make him 12 weeks old now. He took a little longer than 10 weeks to wean so we did not get him outside to his cage until about 10 weeks. We were hoping to give him a little more time before setting him loose on his own.

The plants on the porch are: pepper plant, chives, portulaca...I think that is it.

The deck is fairly old but I am not sure how old because I have only been living here with my partner for less than 4 years. The deck was put on when this was still his grandmother's house so that has to be at least a decade ago.

I have not been supplementing him with calcium. What should I be giving him and how often? It was my understanding that offering him rodent block would take care of that. Is that a wrong impression?

I have been giving him pedialyte with an eyedropper every 40 minutes to an hour. He doesn't want it but if I wrap him up so he can't squirm away I can get a couple of millilitres down him at a time.

He has not thrown up.

He had looser stool than normal this morning but it was not diaherra (how does one spell THAT word?). He is peeing quite regularly.

At one point, he woke up enough to get curious and bound around a bit before sitting down completely spent. I retrieved him and he snuggled back to sleep in my sweater.

I offered him his favourite cantaloupe and he looked interested for a sec but ate none of it.

Daughter is with him now.

I appreciate any suggestions you might have.

Deborah

[virgo062]

they tried him with milk but he doesn't want it.. but then he's been weaned too and off milk for a week or so...

Like...Cow's milk?????

And just in my opinion 10 weeks is way to young for release and to be off formula. Did he wean himself?

[virgo062]

Oh sorry I'm having a Jackie moment...he is 12 weeks old and weaned at 10 weeks. But he did wean himself...right? he just seems like still such a baby. Usually I let them tell me when it's time to be released.

[Wonkawillie]

Could he just be exhausted? I know in the first few days of my soft releases, those babies are spent!!!! All the climbing and digging is way out of the norm for them and they often sleep the whole next day.
But this squirrel seems young to be off formula totally and if he did wean himself, then you must make sure he is eating the rodent block. providing it is one thing, but useless if they dont eat it. See if he would eat a TUMS. Mine would eat them as treats as an ocational boost to calcium.
How about crushing a TUMS in some applesause? to see if he would eat it?

[Kikiboo]

Exhaustion...that's what I was wondering... outdoors is such a big change from indoors.
To our senior members... one thing you have to realize is that we are in the North. Toronto is getting colder by the day... down to near freezing at night at this point.
Earl is from a late litter and if these squirrels are to be released (as there is no one to over-winter them locally, unfortunately) they must begin the weaning process when first possible - which is at approx. 10 weeks. With my girls (and to the best of my knowledge with Earl as well...) as soon as they began nibbling on fresh foods and nuts and seeds it was a quick transition to all solids. My girls would 'grind' food to a powder (lol.. I was thinking I could save money by putting my coffee beans in the cage, lol!) for about a week.. and then it was complete competency from there.

It is imperative that we have our squirrels out by this time. They have to be released by about November to enable them to cache some food and get their dreys in order (unless they choose the ones we provide).

I know that Deb has told me she will be winter-feeding as it is such a late release.. I do the same year round as my girls do not venture far from 'home' - they are here at least twice a day, every day for breakfast and dinner - usually for snacks in between too. (and about 20 odd other squirrels too ... that IS my entertainment budget blown!)

I just hope he perks up soon... I've come to love this little fuzzle-butt (my name for him) and I'd hate for him to lose the battle now.

Deb's done an amazing job for a loving 'first-timer'!!!
:wott :jump :wott

[deborah.k]

He did wean himself by mistake I think. He never adapted to a nipple and would only drink formula from an eye dropper which broke and he would not accept anything else. Tried getting a new one - nope. So we just followed his lead and pushed up his food intake.

I will definitely try tums in applesauce for calcium.

Apparently he was just nibbling some food upstairs. I will keep pushing the pedialyte.

[deborah.k]

How do you make them eat it? I have no idea how to make that happen.

I guess we could try him on formula again but I am not sure how helpful that will be to him with late fall setting in.

I hope he is just plum tuckered out!

[deborah.k]

He seems to be settled to sleep for the night. He had some more pedialyte and was sniffing about at food and moving around in his cage. My prediction is that he will be fine in the morning and eager to try tums in applesauce and some softened rodent block.

Thanks for all the interest and concern. I will update in the morning.mjs

[Kristal]

It is cold out at night now... :( That would wear me right out, personally. Hopefully that is all it is. Right now it is 3 C here or 37 F, almost freezing, brr. My kits start to shiver if I leave the door open for fresh air, and they are about the same age as yours. I don't think they would do well outside right now, even though though have each other for warmth. Does he have littermates, at least?

I'm sorry, but damn, the thought of them spending a night outside just makes ME shiver. We are expected to have a nasty winter this year, too.... I don't know if I am crazy or not, but I am planning to keep mine until spring.

[PDXErik]

My kid's about 14-15 (16??) weeks.

She spends all day outside now and comes home like the abusive husband. WORK WORK WORK, eat, drink go to bed. I have to coax her out with banana chips in order to have some US time. She sleeps as soon as her head hits the fleece. (we still get plenty of bonding time)

When you take her out next, take her on your shoulder, or in hand, whatever it takes, give her a dandelion leaf, a green pinecone, whatever that you KNOW is safe to eat. Teach her, this is what you eat. Momma squirrel would be doing the same thing. They don't know anything about nothing outside of their cage, they DEPEND on you.

Before you go out, or she goes out on her own (if she does) make sure she has plenty to eat before she does. A full stomach is better on poisons than an empty one.

First, learn what is edible around you and teach her that.

I wish I could help more, but it sounds like whatever is going on is bouncing back. IDK WTF my girl does out there doing squirrel stuff, but it's awfully tiring. I hope she's making friends and stuff. Not 'Special' friends. Not ready for that, yet.


I'm sorry, but damn, the thought of them spending a night outside just makes ME shiver. We are expected to have a nasty winter this year, too.... I don't know if I am crazy or not, but I am planning to keep mine until spring.

Yeah. mine did a while ago. In my post I claimed to have shed some man tears. That was kind of a lie.

[Jackie in Tampa]

37* omgosh!
we are 68* and still dark, sun will be up soon, so it is as cold as it was gonna get last night...but it is right around the corner...that ugly thing called winter...I hate cold....I dread it so bad....
some places are still warm...68 is still doable...

[deborah.k]

Good news! Earl is bright eyed and busy tailed this morning. He has been running laps around my body and hanging upside down from my sweater to have battle with my fingers. He is off of fruits and veggies still but has eaten a few almonds.

I will keep you all informed.:thankyou

[deborah.k]

No littermates here. I found her abandonned/orphaned in a dog park. We kept checking for several days but found no others. Who knows what happened. It just was not safe to leave him there and see if his mom returned.

He has been okay outside. He is warm and alert when I get him out in the morning for eating. Scares me too but apparently he was made to live outdoors. :)

[deborah.k]

That is great advice to fill her up before taking her outside. Do you recommend any websites to find out what local foods are good for her to eat? Any and all help is appreciated.

[Kristal]

No littermates here. I found her abandonned/orphaned in a dog park. We kept checking for several days but found no others. Who knows what happened. It just was not safe to leave him there and see if his mom returned.

He has been okay outside. He is warm and alert when I get him out in the morning for eating. Scares me too but apparently he was made to live outdoors. :)

The more I learn about these guys, the more I see how very social they are. I had no idea how much. They often share homes with other squirrels to whom they are not even related, and I expect that in colder climes, like ours, that this would pretty much be the norm. A solo usually has problems socialising, though. It takes them a while to learn to "speak squirrel". I look at my kits, who are 12 - 13 weeks old, and they are still just babies. All they want to do is play. They have no strong wild behaviours, and definitely not much of a winter coat.

I guess that since you are planning to release him out your backdoor and will do food support through the winter, he has more of a chance. But my local rehab center would not take my Rifa because she was too young to be released before October 1st, which is their last release date. And she is the oldest of the four I have. They won't release kits this late because their chances of survival are too low.

Perhaps it is serendipitous. I don't know. But I just read this thread, here

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25391

Or at least it would be serendipitous if not for the logistics. You two are probably not horribly far apart, though. From what I read and observe, releasing a solo grey is hard enough, let alone such youth and such cold coming up :(

[Runestonez]

Our 4 greys are...oh jeez...16 weeks now? Or there abouts...
We are in Southern Ontario and we are over wintering ours. They are calling for an La Nina winter...which means harsh cold temps and early cold too.

We are keeping ours in the carport so we had them outside about 4 weeks ago to acclimatize them. Since they have no mom to teach them how to stash food, build a nest or, if the weather gets really cold, to move back in with...we're stuck with them till spring! :)

My suggestion since you are in our general area...keep her with you till spring. She hasn't had the time to suss out food sources, a nest, build a store of food...a severe winter like they are calling for would be a death sentence for her.
Especially if she has no siblings.

It takes some adjustment...ours are driving me crazy now! lol (3 boys, 1 girl)
But it'll be worth it in the spring when she can head out on her own and you know she'll be fine! :D

[LittleFootsMama]

Ugh, how I wish we werent divided by 90% of the states, I'm looking for a playmate for Littlefoot and would gladly over winter your baby if I could

[virgo062]

WOW we are upper seventies heading into eighties...No wonder you guys overwinter...Shoot I can release up until late November here:wahoo

[Kristal]

Well... I mean observe from how my kits interact. They do not like to be alone at all. I have never raised a solo grey. These are my first kits. But to see them together I cannot imagine them in any other state than being with other squirrels or squirrel family.

[Kikiboo]

Just figured I'd pop in with an update.
Earl is fine now.. I suppose he had a tad too much excitement, but has recovered quite well!

He's back to his old self, happy and very healthy.

Too bad they can't talk...:D

Thanks for all the advice!!!

You guys are the BEST!

[Kikiboo]

Hi guys, :) UPDATE ON EARL FROM FALL.2010

Earl was released and was doing just fine. Then, he disappeared. I think it just about killed Deb (poor thing). That was last fall. No sign of him scampering about, not in the nestbox... gone.

Then, this spring... low and behold! Debs daughter ran into him... he remembered her and came right up. My guess al along was that he relocated. Being a 'lone wolf' I guess it made sense.

Deb still has her nestbox by the house. A mama moved in for a time with a litter... it made her heart shine. She has since moved them... but I think it was nice for her to see the pitter-patter of little feetsies around the house again.
At least her heart has been reassured that 'Earl the Squirrel' is still fine and being his Squirrely self, doing what he should do; he's being the 'wild' he was meant to be. :)

Deb's relationship with that little boy was pure love, not unlike the ones we have with our fuzzy little charges. It warms my heart to know that Deb and Earl are both at peace, in their own worlds- their own.:Love_Icon

Thank you all AGAIN, for helping out in a pinch... as you ALWAYS have. I can not get the support here - our sanctuaries seem to be very possessive about their knowledge, but yet they won't help. What good is that? TSB will go down as the most supportive, most useful site on the www for me and many of my fuzzle-lover friends.

I :Love_Icon all of you... :thankyou