Intro

[Brimborium]

Hey everyone.

Not too good at this so I'll just lay everything out.

I've joined the forum as I felt it was relevent to me as a squirrel owner. I've been taking care of mine for 3 weeks and it's been great. My cat brought him back and he was cut up a bit. He didn't seem terribly wounded so I cleaned the cuts with some witch hazel and we left him outside for 2 hours but he never left, nor his mother show up. Feeling faint hearted I've been caring for him since. His age at the time I've estimated 6 weeks and I keep him in a bird cage in my room. His diet mainly consists of what you'd expect in bird feeders (nuts, fruit) and I've been giving him whole milk in a syringe. He has been more active since I had him and he has grown alot more. He has never bitten me or anyone else. Now for my main question.

-Unless it's hostility but I doubt it because he eats solid foods well, do squirrels play fight? He likes to jump on my hand and nibble on my arm.

:multi

[SammysMom]

Playing and nibbling is totally normal! His diet could use some work for the long haul and his health. If you go to http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28009 you will find loads of information to help get him on track. The milk is not a good idea. There is a recipe for goat's milk formula (see below) and you can order Fox Valley formula for squirrels. Glad you could help this guy! They are really sweet creatures.
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

[Skul]

:wave123 Brim.
If a cat has injured the squirrel, please consider using some antobiotics as soon as possible.
Cat bites can or will be fatal.
Crap, can't remember.
Bytril comes to mind.
Quickly please.

[SammysMom]

Do they need AB's even after 3 weeks? I want to be sure I have correct info. I would have said that, but thought three weeks was long enough for him to be okay.

[CritterMom]

I think Skul might have missed the three week thing. Normally you want to get them on abs just as soon as you possibly can.

This play fighting is completely normal. Buy a couple stuffed animals - look for floppy ones about his size or larger and watch the fun. They love to beat up their stuffies!

You MUST make some changes to his diet, he is well on the road to disaster now. I don't want to come on too strong but actually, yes, I do.

Whole cows milk is really only good for calves, and does not have nearly what your baby squirrel needs. Please either buy the ingredients for the goats milk formula earlier in this thread, or buy some Fox Valley 20/50 at www.foxvalleynutrition.com or www.henryspets.com.

No more seeds and stuff from feeders. Cows milk + this diet = Metabolic Bone Disease which is a terrible, PREVENTABLE thing. He will need to wean off the goats milk formula or the Fox Valley to a rodent block of some kind. Henryspets (link above) sells a homemade block. Many pet stores carry Kaytee Forti Diet for rats. There are many others - you can find lots of into on the nutrition forum.

The diet he is on does not have the vitamins, minerals and especially calcium he needs, so his body is leaching calcium from his bones to compensate. Please. Proper formula plus rodent block to wean and then and only then he gets treats like nuts and only in moderation.

I hope I didn't blow you off the board here! But if you see the disaster looming and don't say anything, in my book you are responsible...

The nutrition forum is a really great tool.

[UDoWhat]

I think Skul might have missed the three week thing. Normally you want to get them on abs just as soon as you possibly can.

This play fighting is completely normal. Buy a couple stuffed animals - look for floppy ones about his size or larger and watch the fun. They love to beat up their stuffies!

You MUST make some changes to his diet, he is well on the road to disaster now. I don't want to come on too strong but actually, yes, I do.

Whole cows milk is really only good for calves, and does not have nearly what your baby squirrel needs. Please either buy the ingredients for the goats milk formula earlier in this thread, or buy some Fox Valley 20/50 at www.foxvalleynutrition.com or www.henryspets.com.

No more seeds and stuff from feeders. Cows milk + this diet = Metabolic Bone Disease which is a terrible, PREVENTABLE thing. He will need to wean off the goats milk formula or the Fox Valley to a rodent block of some kind. Henryspets (link above) sells a homemade block. Many pet stores carry Kaytee Forti Diet for rats. There are many others - you can find lots of into on the nutrition forum.

The diet he is on does not have the vitamins, minerals and especially calcium he needs, so his body is leaching calcium from his bones to compensate. Please. Proper formula plus rodent block to wean and then and only then he gets treats like nuts and only in moderation.

I hope I didn't blow you off the board here! But if you see the disaster looming and don't say anything, in my book you are responsible...

The nutrition forum is a really great tool.
Hi and welcome,
The above advice is the best advice you will get at TSB. The lack of a proper diet is a true killer. Everything may look and seem fine but your baby could be in serious trouble if the diet is not corrected. Please consider our advice. We see this so often. It can be corrected and turned around but you must start now.

Marty, Licensed Maryland Master Rehabilitator

[asweetdiversion]

My squirrel babies ( and one said bad girl JEWEL ) beats their stuffies up so bad I think we should have an " All Stuffies Go To Heaven " section... OH IR????

[Brimborium]

Thanks for the advice. I'll definatly look at the nutrition forum. Here's a list of all the food he has had.

Peanuts, sunflower seeds, apples, carrots, and grapes.

Is puppy milk suitable for them?

[SammysMom]

Peanuts and sunflower seeds are not good at all. The fruit is okay, but more as a snack than as a meal. The best purchased formula is definitely Fox Valley, but the goat's milk recipe is great too. Puppy formula doesn't really meet the needs of squirrels.
Truly the most important place on this site is the nutrition forum. Without proper nutrition everything else is unimportant. I thought I was doing great with my Sammy and then he weaned and I learned that I was NOT meeting his needs when he started to show MBD symptoms. Save your baby and yourself a whole lot of trouble and follow the information from the wonderful experts here. They have saved 1000's of squirrels from people like us who just didn't know any better. Remember that they look very healthy right up until they are VERY sick. No warning from them so you have to take the warning from TSB. :grouphug

[CritterMom]

It is really frustrating, because the things that one would automatically feed a squirrel - nuts, seeds, corn, peanuts - are really NOT GOOD AT ALL! Oh, they like them - they LOVE them - like a kid with sweets, but if you JUST fed a kid sweets, well... So we take all of your long held beliefs about their diet and throw it out the window!