Feeding Rocki

[chieffanz4life]

She is growing so fast. She is 5 1/2 weeks - 6 weeks. She goes crazy when I start feeding her formula and can't seem to get enough. I've given her the Henry's Healthy Blocks, but how much formula and how often do I need to feed her. When do I stop formula? What else should I be giving her?

[Rhapsody]

At this age she can be eating her formula every 4 to 6 hours (depending on her) and how much she is eating at each setting...... mine would take 10cc every 5 hours at this age.

You can start to offer her Cheerios, walnuts, chopped apples, mushrooms and sweet potatoes at this age. Dont forget to place a water bottle in her cage at this point so she can get some well needed added water.... you can place a crock in the cage when she is bigger so she can learn to lap up her water for when she is released.

She will let you know when she is ready to be weaned off the formula (14 / 16 wks) - but until then keep feeding it during the day, but she is old enough to go with out it during the night...... :thumbsup

[chieffanz4life]

Thank you! She is getting so big. I started reading up on releasing and I started crying cause she's like my baby. I just want to do it right. The last one we released was so easy, she came and went in her cage and box and one day, just never came back. My other question is, how to I make sure she knows how to build a nest?

[Rhapsody]

Just wait til she bites you the first time - you will see why you need to release her...... :poke :poke :osnap (we all have been there) :Love_Icon


:grouphug :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :grouphug

[Rhapsody]

My other question is, how to I make sure she knows how to build a nest?
Its instinct (built in her by Mother Nature) when she is older start to give her things she can build a nest with (fleece, cotton balls, leafs, small branches, etc) then step back and watch the miracle happen....

[chieffanz4life]

Oh, I know I have to release her. Our last one started biting at about 2 months. She went on her own earlier than I ever thought. I just have bonded with her and it makes me sad. But alas, she will be ok, and we have great land for her to live on, without dogs or cats ;-)

[MagnetFencing]

Its instinct (built in her by Mother Nature) when she is older start to give her things she can build a nest with (fleece, cotton balls, leafs, small branches, etc) then step back and watch the miracle happen....

When you say "fleece" do you mean pieces (and what size) or just a small piece of fleece (also what size?) cut a t-shirt into strips, but you know - I didn't really think much about that - I cut it in LONG strips and realized quickly that may not be safe, so then I cut those strips up into 2'x4" strips. Sounds so simple, but the devil is in the details.

[Rhapsody]

I would go more for small Squares than Strips - but that's because we are human and have them in our care so we are being over protective..... squirrels dont really care they will take about any thing in the wild to make their nest out of.

[Skul]

If you wish to make it easier, torn strips of paper towels work quite well.
Green twigs with new leaves/buds are a great treat.
Our Rocki, which we released five years ago, is now teaching her son to be a squirrel.
He's almost ten weeks old, and is already gathering nest material.

You can see them here.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10638&page=40