Care for/feeding found squirrel 5-7 weeks

[hapyschizo]

My dogs brought me a present the other day, actually just had it cornered, but its a squirrel about 5-7 weeks old. This was yesterday morning. I put him in a kennel with a fleece blanket and a heating pad.
He seems perfectly healthy, no sickness or injuries of any kind. Now all of yesterday i could not get him to drink any water or pedialyte, nor would he eat the Esbilac i got him (i do not have access to Fox Valley yet, looking to make an order but that may take a few days) and i figured Esbilac was best until i could acquire the FV. I was worried about him not eating/drinking.
However, this morning after i got up he seemed much less frightened and has begun to drink his water/pedialyte and is also eating the warm Esbilac from the syringe (i got all these products from Petco) so things are looking up. He is even more active than he was yesterday.
So basically im looking for advice on care: Do i continue using Esbilac until i can acquire FV? Should i get different drinking apparatus as opposed to the bigger syringe? Maybe a water bottle used for gerbils?
How much should i feed him per day or at a time? He cant consume too mcuh water or pedialyte right?
Any and all information will be appreciated.
Ill try to attach the photo ive taken as well

[stepnstone]

:wave123 and :Welcome
You've come to the right place, other's will be along shortly that can help you with your questions...

[CritterMom]

First, if you post the area of TX you live in, we have MANY TX members here - you may have someone down the street who can help you right away.

If he has been without food and water for several day, he needs to be rehydrated. If you have aready started him on esbilac, alternate feedings of that with the pedialyte (you can make your own, BTW - 1 teaspoon salt, 3 Tablespoons sugar, 1 quart water - he may like it better). Also, heat the pedialyte up like the formula.

I must say that many of us don't think much of esbilac. If you can buy goats milk, heavy cream and full fat vanilla yogurt in your area (like a Trader Joes or Whole oods would have the goats milk) we can tell you how to make a homemade formula to use in the meantime until you get the FV that does not have the diarrhea risk that esbilac has.

Get the FV just as soon as you can. That is why I suggested you post your area - someone may be able to get it to you quickly.

I know it is counterintuitive, but use a SMALL syringe to feed - 1cc is best, 3cc is the max size you should ever use. The smaller the syringe, the more control you have of it and the less chance baby aspirates on the formula. Feed REALLY slow.

[hapyschizo]

Im in houston, tx.
Im off to whole foods to buy the goats milk, heavy cream, and full fat vanilla yogurt as i live near the whole foods on woodway. Then ill run by a pharmacy and grab the little syringes as opposed to the big one im using now

[hapyschizo]

I went ahead and made a mixture out of 1 cup of goats milk, 1/3 cup of heavy cream, and 1/3 cup of of decently high goats milk plain yogurt. After using my new little syringe (3 cc was as small as i could find) the little guy seemed to love it.
If this mix is wrong in any way please let me know.
And if anyone knows of a place here in Houston or in Austin i could acquire some FV that would be great, though i have some on order and should arrive in a couple of days
Thx all

[Rescue04]

when i first get a baby like that...i usually have them on pedilyte for at least 12 hrs and then slowly wean them off of it by mixing it with the formula. i never use water bottles for my release ones. they wont find water bottles in the wild. so just use a heavy cermic bowl....with one that little you can always add some marble rocks {like ones in a fish bowl} and just add some water. that prevents the baby from inhaling the water by accident. at least til he is older. the heating pad is a good idea. sounds like you are doing everything you can. he is a cutie!!

[Best Life]

:Welcome Hi there! I'm impressed - you're really on the ball here with that little guy(?)! ALL stages of baby squirrel life are adorable, but this age is my absolute favorite. Glad you are here on TSB. Probably won't take long for someone from your local area to say howdy. They're everywhere! (thank goodness, these people are fabulous!)

I'm re-sizing the pic so I can see him/her a little better. OMIGOSH!! Tip to Tail Cuteness!!

133791

[CritterMom]

OK, so we are loving you!

Here you go:

Jackie (Jackie in Tampa) has graciously offered her temporary replacement formula recipe.
Jackie's Goat Milk Recipe
1 cup goats milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup dannon all natural vanilla yogurt

Don't worry about yogurt brands - it is in there for the probiotics. Stoneyfield makes some called Yobaby that is made with whole, not skim milk and is just great, but as this is temp, use what you got.

When you get the V, transition slowly. Mix up both the FV and the goats milk and blend them together, starting with mostly goats milk formula and a small amount of FV, and each feeding increase the ratio of FV to the old stuff until you are feeding just the FV. BTW, it seems to stick with them longer - this adorable little foxer probably won't get hungry quite as fast.

It is great to work with folks who go right to it!!

[mpetys]

when i first get a baby like that...i usually have them on pedilyte for at least 12 hrs and then slowly wean them off of it by mixing it with the formula. i never use water bottles for my release ones. they wont find water bottles in the wild. so just use a heavy cermic bowl....with one that little you can always add some marble rocks {like ones in a fish bowl} and just add some water. that prevents the baby from inhaling the water by accident. at least til he is older. the heating pad is a good idea. sounds like you are doing everything you can. he is a cutie!!

I was always told not to mix pedialyte with formula. Can any of the experienced rehabbers chime in on this? I'm confused.

[spykitten01]

Correct mpeteys! NEVER mix formula and rehydration fluid!!! :nono Thank you for posting, you are absolutely right.

Also - make sure you are ONLY heating up what you need for each feeding and dumping the leftovers. Mixed formula is only ever good for about 24hrs MAX - if you can mix only the amount needed and maybe a little extra (just in case) that would be IDEAL. Also, this baby should be eating solids. You'll want to order some Henry's Healthy Blocks (HHBs) from henryspets.com as soon as possible. This needs to be the staple of her "solid" diet - along with a good variety of FRESH fruits and vegetables. Don't feed too many nuts, or that will be all this baby will want to eat, as many of us have learned the hard way. In-shell nuts are best - NO peanuts please =) Walnuts, almonds, cashews, etc are all good. Take a look at the "Squirrel Nutrition" portion of the squirrel board for some tips on foods that are good for them, as well as what to avoid feeding them. Make sure you never put towels in the cage - you're using fleece so far, it sounds like, and thats perfect! Make sure the heating pad is UNDER the kennel where the baby can't get access to it, and under no more than half. What kind of kennel are you using/how big is it? This baby is at the age where it will be needing more space and exercise rather quickly. They really want to start exploring at this point. Are you planning on raising this baby until release time, or handing the little one off to a rehabber who already has all the supplies needed to get them through to release?

Thank you for taking care of this little one! Also - PLEASE keep any of YOUR pets far far away from this little one - don't want the squirrel used to any contact with cats or dogs, or they could end up getting in big trouble once they are released, thinking that ANY dog or cat are okay to socialize with. Youre doing a GREAT job so far! So glad you joined :wott Welcome to the Squirrel Board!!!

[spykitten01]

Also, don't use rehydration fluid, homemade or otherwise for longer than 24hrs - too much sodium is very bad for these babies. As soon as the skin no longer "tents" with a pinch test, take them off the rehydration fluid and start with diluted formula. 4 parts water to one part formula for a few feedings (4:1), then 3:1, then 2:1, etc - Hope all this is helpful to you!

[Scooterzmom]

You are getting great advice here and it sounds like you are doing a great job with this little one. Have you thought of a name yet? He is just soooooo adorable!

Re. the nuts, I seem to recall that cashews are not ok - for being much too high in fats - but the other nuts mentioned are. One trick is to not feed them during the day, just to make sure he eats all his good food. I usually save them as a kind of treat - or dessert if you wish - which I give to him in the evening IF he has eaten all his veggies and fruit. I give him 1 or 2 in the middle of the evening and one around midnite or before I go to bed. Never more than 3 total in a day. That way I'm sure he'll still be hungry in the morning for his blocks and by lunch time and dinner time for his veggies and fruit :) If they take a liking to the nuts too much they'll wager a war of wills on you for them and will refuse to eat anything else - I had one little black one who did that to me :)

[spykitten01]

Pecans! Pecans = squirrel crack!

Not sure about the thing on cashews, scooterzmom - you could be right - anyone else know?

[spykitten01]

Also - when heating formula - DONT microwave! Get a microwave-safe bowl or mug, fill it 3/4 full with water and heat THAT in the microwave. Then put the formula in a glass (shot glasses work great!) and set that in the hot water and heat the formula that way. Putting the formula directly in the microwave breaks down the nutrients. :)

[CritterMom]

Pecans! Pecans = squirrel crack!

Not sure about the thing on cashews, scooterzmom - you could be right - anyone else know?


Go here: http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15397

The two charts on this post are the squirrel feeding bible! If ideal is a 2:1 ratio of calcium:phosphorus, you can easily decide best vs. not so good. The "least bad" nuts as far as calcium:phosphorus ratio goes are almonfs, hazelnuts (filberts) and acorns (which have their own issues with storage). Brazil nuts and cashews are NOT good as you can see and if I remember correctly, IR once mentioned an almost addictive behavior with pistachios (which I totally get, BTW, LOVE those, but not for MY boy!).

Mister P gets those three nuts, with little fragments of pecan for bribes and he also gets a hickory nut every night which he adores. They are about 85% shell! I have never even given him any of the bad nuts...

[hapyschizo]

Wow getting lots of great advice, thanks all!
The little guy is starting to figure out the eating from syringe thing and getting better each time.
So far all i have given him is goats milk mix posted above, as well as pedialyte.
So time for a few more questions, if yall could help me out:
- When i feed him, do i just the milk formula or that as well as some pedialyte?
- How much should i feed him at a time, how often, and what should the total be per day? Im assuming it is possible to overfeed him, right?
- Water - i have been randomly giving him a couple of cc's of water just to make sure he gets some. Is this correct? Can i overdo it on water? Should i just place a little bowl of water in his kennel for him to have at his convenience?
- Solid food - Is it ok to start giving him some fresh little chunkc of apples (fruits/vegetables) or do you think its too soon?
- After he eats, ive been wiping his underside with a warm paper towel as i read that on an different post. Is this still necessary at his age?

Ill keep the questions coming as i think about them, thanks for all the help!

[CritterMom]

If you are giving pedialyte, you want to alternate it with the formula rather than giving it WITH the formula...however in the pic you posted je does not look dehydrated. To see, pinch a bot of his skin between the shoulder blades and pull it up then let go. If it remains "tented" for a couple moments before going back to shape, he needs further hydration, If it snaps back, you can begin just giving him formula feedings.

Can you weigh him? A rule of thumb is 5% to 7% of body weight in grams - a 100 gram squirrel would take 5 to 7cc's per feeding. It may take a bit to get him to that amount. His tummy should be visibly round but soft and squishy, not drum tight when he's full and should be allowed to flatten before the next feeding. You want to fill and empty, fill and empty, not keep him topped off!

You can give him a water bottle (like for hamsters) or a small crock of water. Fill it with clean stones or marbles and pour the water on the top so it is just a little above the marbles (weights the dish and prevents him from sticking his snoot in and aspirating himself). He gets water from the formula, too. His mama would not allow him out of the nest until he is 10 or so weeks old and that would be his first introduction to solid food and water in the wild, so don't be concerned if he doesn't drink right away.

Your best bet is to get some rodent block, which will be what he transitions to, to be his first solid food. Harlan Teklad lab blocks are available from www.thecraftyrat.com. Pet stores sell Mazuri rodent block and some sell Oxbow Regar Rat. Sunsweet Critter Cubes. One of our members makes homemade blocks that most of them like a lot - www.henryspets.com. He will play with them at first and pee on them and hide them and finally, accidently, EAT them!

Normally they begin to pee and poop on their own after their eyes open, but I would do what you are doing until you observe him peeing and pooping on his own.

You are doing just great! I'm gonna point some eyes to your thread regarding the FV, but rest assured, many, many baby squirrels were raised on that goats milk formula. I would be concerned with waiting if it was esbilac, but the lightening speed at which you switched means he is fine! If you bought the esbilac powder (it is pretty pricey!) you can always donate it to the local animal shelter - that's what I did with the kitten formula I bought at first!

[lookmomchickens]

I'm in Katy, TX... I'm available if something comes up. I don't have a lot of access to computers right now so I'll PM you my number!

That baby sure is cute :) you're getting great advice here on TSB, glad you found us!

[Nancy in New York]

I was always told not to mix pedialyte with formula. Can any of the experienced rehabbers chime in on this? I'm confused.

Correct...never mix pedialyte with formula. :nono :nono :nono
Also...I would continue with the formula (Fox Valley when you get it) for as long as possible and NOT add a water bottle yet nor a bowl. Formula is the best all around food for these babies and it encompasses everything they need. If they are on formula, they are lacking NOTHING...once they are off is where we do the balancing act. I think feeding him every 4 hours is a good guess, and I am also going to hazard a guess that his weight may be a little over 100 grams. This would mean that every feeding he can get between 5 to 7 cc's of formula...just watch that his little tummy doesn't bloat, and if it does do not feed again until it goes down...But let us know if he bloats and we will talk you through that...:D

[hapyschizo]

Just weighed him, he is 107 grams (great guess, btw).
As of now, i will do the 7-9 cc's of formual every four-ish hours

[UDoWhat]

You can give him a water bottle (like for hamsters) or a small crock of water. Fill it with clean stones or marbles and pour the water on the top so it is just a little above the marbles (weights the dish and prevents him from sticking his snoot in and aspirating himself). He gets water from the formula, too. His mama would not allow him out of the nest until he is 10 or so weeks old and that would be his first introduction to solid food and water in the wild, so don't be concerned if he doesn't drink right away.

Excellent advice about the water( entire post excellent advice for that matter.) Just wanted to let you know that squirrels smell water so no worry about them finding water in the wild if it is intoduced to them in a water bottle. Sometimes they make a mess with that water bowl business. So I agree with CritterMom, either/or bottle/bowl can be used with baby squirrels. They will recognize both forms through smell.

Marty, Licensed Maryland Master Wlidlife Rehabilitator

[Nancy in New York]

Just weighed him, he is 107 grams (great guess, btw).
As of now, i will do the 7-9 cc's of formual every four-ish hours


If he starts turning away, don't force it. And you don't have to get up through the night at this age. Try feeding him around 11:00 or 12:00 and then you can let him go for 7 or 8 hours....Just make sure he gets his feedings in through the day...::thumbsup He came to you at a great age, they are so adorable...:Love_Icon You are doing wonderful by the way....:thumbsup
Oh we love pictures pictures pictures....so don't be stingy with him...:rotfl :grouphug

[jennifer57]

Hi! I'm in SE Houston. I have a baby just a tad older than what you have that was given to me by friends who found him a week ago. I'll have my FV on Tuesday - if you need some and yours is going to take longer and we're not too far apart, I'd be happy to share!

~Jenn

[Mrs Skul]

:wave123 Hi hapyschizo
I am sending you my phone. Call and let me know where you are.
I have FV. I also have nipples and syringes if needed. :thumbsup3
Christal

[Mrs Skul]

Any one hear anything yet???
I have been waiting by the phone most of the day today for a call. :D
Do you still need the FOX VALLY, Syringe and Nipples??? :dono
I sent a PM this morning with phone number. :thinking

[spykitten01]

I would STOP any pedialyte or rehydration fluids at this point - 24hrs is about the max you want to be using either of those - excess sodium isnt good, and he doesnt look dehydrated. Just be using the goats milk mixture at a 4:1 or 3:1 ratio and work up the concentration slowly from there. If you have any oaks around, try to get a few small branches to put in with him so he can give his teeth something to work on as well. But yes - this guy is at an age when he needs rodent block (HHBs are the best) to begin to be a part of his diet, as well as fresh fruits and veggies.

Thanks for clarifying on the nuts CM :thumbsup My girls only ever got walnuts, acorns, hazelnuts, almonds and pecans - but very good to know. Thank you for sharing =)