Distracted eater

[MagnetFencing]

For 2 days we settled in a routine. The last two feedings (11pm and 6am) she has not been very interested, taking half or less of what she normally has been eating. She is a grey, (North Louisiana) 5 weeks-ish (eyes opened 4 days ago), 123 gm, stool & urine at every meal - sometimes before AND after.

I'm using FV 32/40, mixing 1:3. 1cc syringes w nipples.

For the last 2 full days, she has taken 5-7 ccs, usually 6 at least. Last nigth, she started with her usual gusto but about 2 ccs into it, she just wants to crawl around or sit in my hands. Same thing this morning. She seems distracted. Is this a normal phase they go through now and again, or should I be concerned.

[Rhapsody]

It is normal for a squirrel to take in less formula through out the day as the eat and at 5 weeks old your little one may be getting bored with formula all the time - he/she could be wanting solid food..... try introducing some chopped up peeled apples and sweet potato with a little walnut from time to time (and) dry Cheerios make a wonderful treat at this age.

BTW - at 5 weeks old your little guy is ready for the other stage of Fox Valley (20/50) feed at 1:2

[CritterMom]

For 2 days we settled in a routine. The last two feedings (11pm and 6am) she has not been very interested, taking half or less of what she normally has been eating. She is a grey, (North Louisiana) 5 weeks-ish (eyes opened 4 days ago), 123 gm, stool & urine at every meal - sometimes before AND after.

I'm using FV 32/40, mixing 1:3. 1cc syringes w nipples.

For the last 2 full days, she has taken 5-7 ccs, usually 6 at least. Last nigth, she started with her usual gusto but about 2 ccs into it, she just wants to crawl around or sit in my hands. Same thing this morning. She seems distracted. Is this a normal phase they go through now and again, or should I be concerned.

Go to the 2:1 on the formula and try warming it just a little more, It is now going to taste richer and may perk some interest. How often are you feeding and how much per feeding?

[MagnetFencing]

Go to the 2:1 on the formula and try warming it just a little more, It is now going to taste richer and may perk some interest. How often are you feeding and how much per feeding?

For the last 3 days, it's been 5x a day spread out between 6am - 11pm. typically 6:00, 10:30, 3:00, 7:00, 11:00 and she was taking 5-7 cc each time. Last night at 11, she only took 3.5 cc, then this morning about 2, and then at 10:30 she didn't take but about 1. Right up until 11 last night, she GLOMS it down. I have to be careful not to let go of the plunger or she'll suck it down. She has been very aggressive towards the FV formula (also the temp formula of the goats milk/yogurt/cream I used between Esbilac & FV) The way I set it up is a turn on the extra heating pad next to the cage (on the table) and I go mix the food up, then I fill 4 syringes and put them in a paper towel inside the folded heating pad (medium) then I stim for potty (she usually does both) then I go wash my hands (put her back in cage) then I come back & get her out and she is raring to go with the food. As I finish each syringe, I fill it back up and put it at the back of the stack in the heating pad. I keep track of the times I refill -usually 3. They are nice & warm.

She's not coordinated enough to hold her cheerio and stand on her back feet, but she likes to smell them and she has nibbled a few times with me holding it, but she's not really really thrilled with the Cheerio either (never really has been - I introduced that 2 days ago also.)

She seems to rather want to snoop around on the table that her cage is on or climb on me.

[MagnetFencing]

Ok, I don't have any 20/50 and it will be at least 3-5 days before it can be here, so I mixed what I have 1:2 plus I put in a little yogurt. She took a little more this time - 4g. But she is weighing 130 g! So I cut a little piece of sweet potato and a little piece of apple and a piece of walnut. She did not like the apple at all - kept turning away. The sweet potato interested her and she chipped at it. (I'm afraid of her choking!) Then when I let her smell the walnut, I swear it was like a pinball machine went double bonus! She tried really hard to get a piece of that. She crumbled a tiny bit of it and got some. Then she was ready to take one more cc of formula + yogurt. But 5g was all she got total.

Now I am wondering about water. Does she need water now also? Do I leave food in her cage? I'm afraid she'll choke!

I posted my schedule on google docs - link is:
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B8AqlZTRp2WwM2E5NTZjNzQtODlmZi00NjFjLTkzNzc tMmQ4Nzk0OTc2Y2Qz&hl=en

[Nancy in New York]

Ok, I don't have any 20/50 and it will be at least 3-5 days before it can be here, so I mixed what I have 1:2 plus I put in a little yogurt. She took a little more this time - 4g. But she is weighing 130 g! So I cut a little piece of sweet potato and a little piece of apple and a piece of walnut. She did not like the apple at all - kept turning away. The sweet potato interested her and she chipped at it. (I'm afraid of her choking!) Then when I let her smell the walnut, I swear it was like a pinball machine went double bonus! She tried really hard to get a piece of that. She crumbled a tiny bit of it and got some. Then she was ready to take one more cc of formula + yogurt. But 5g was all she got total.

Now I am wondering about water. Does she need water now also? Do I leave food in her cage? I'm afraid she'll choke!

I posted my schedule on google docs - link is:
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B8AqlZTRp2WwM2E5NTZjNzQtODlmZi00NjFjLTkzNzc tMmQ4Nzk0OTc2Y2Qz&hl=en

No need to worry about water, plus you don't want her getting full on water and not eat her formula. You are fine with the FV that you have her on now....she can easily stay on that for a few more weeks...some people never even change off of the 32/40, personally I think it's a good idea to switch, but you are definitely fine for a while.
If you are afraid of her not eating enough, what I have done in the past with some of mine is, if they don't eat what they should all at once, I offer them more in an hour or so. Most likely she is getting enough, since she is gaining weight, and remember the FV is more filling than the esbilac. If she stops gaining weight, that is time to worry...I think you are doing terrific!:thumbsup :Love_Icon
I don't put mine on solids immediately, I want them to stay on the formula as long as possible. You never have to worry about MBD if they take enough formula.....:tilt You could give her a couple of branches to chew on too for her teeth. I too sit with all of mine while they are first experimenting with solids of any kind, branches included....:)

[CritterMom]

Remember, mama squirrel doesn't let these babies start even peeking out of the nest until they are 10+ weeks old. That means no other water supply and no solid food until then! We give our babies a look at the big world a lot earlier than mama, but you don't want to push too hard.

When you introduce solid food, do both of you an enormous favor and don;t start with nuts. Start with the rodent blocks he is going to eat; you can even pour a little formula over them at first. He will stumble over them and chew on them and pee on them and eventually eat them. Get him eating blocks before you introduce nuts or you will have a terrible time getting him to eat healthily.

[MagnetFencing]

Thought you guys might like to see what Pat's up to these days! https://picasaweb.google.com/108030956179322247167/PAT32111#5592546824939902850
She's doing very well, transferred to a bigger cage (slowly) and now hangs out in her little hammock and climbing on tree branches.

Likes broccoli, Henry's Healthy blocks and drinks 12-15 ml of formula per feeding (4x a day)

[MagnetFencing]

Hmm.. my pics never show up right… We'll try this:
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B8AqlZTRp2WwYjI3YTk0YWItZTgyNy00YjYzLTk5M DgtZmNmNTIzOWM4ZjQ2&hl=en&authkey=CPOwk5EJ