PDA

View Full Version : More questions for Tony and Lizzy



TonyandLizzy
09-16-2011, 07:15 PM
It has been a while since I have been on SB. Tony and Lizzy seem to be doing ok, I have some questions that have been piling up over the last month but havent had time to get on here for everyone's expert advice.

I have attached some recent pictures

Anybody who wants more info going back to 3 days old can look up a thread titled (baby red squirrel not gaining weight) back then I thought they were red squirrels but seem like we have come to the conclusion they are foxers.

They are now 16 weeks old and Tony weighs 560 grams and Lizzy 440 grams, is that about normal weight for their age?

We stopped weighing them for a long time because we only had a balance scale and once they got real active it was impossble to use. We got a different scale a few weeks back and have been weighing them every day since and their weight had not changed in two or maybe even three weeks.

Are they full grown?

I looked at some of the foxer pictures on SB and they look huge compaired to Tony and Lizzy, Most of the wild squirrels around my house seem only slightly bigger than Tony and Lizzy.

We still try to give them FV 3 times a day, sometimes they will not want any sometimes they seem desperate to get it but still rarely take more than 10 cc.
Tony definately drinks more FV than Lizzy.

They get as much henry's blocks as they will eat but it is maybe 2 or 3 blocks a day total for both. I have tried lots of different veggies but I throw away most of what I put in there each day. They like branches from the apple tree and walnuts picked up in the yard and also pine cones from the yard. I limit there walnuts to one small one in the shell each day.

As a treat each night after they eat the FV if they want it, I give them a 1/4 piece of shelled walnut each and a few pieces of apple. They eat both of those like they are starving.

Lizzy drinks a lot of water I never see Tony drink a all. In one of the pictures you can see my daughter holding the water bottle with Lizzy drinking. One time when the water bottle did not get filled Lizzy was so thirsty when I put the bottle in she drank seriously half of that bottle. I got worried she was drinking so much so I took it away for 5 minutes when I put it back she went right back to drinking did not stop until bottle was half empty. It is not like she had been with out water for days, could not have been more than half a day if that. I don't know where she put it all.

What do you think does this sound normal?

What changes should I make?

I have questions about releasing but I will save that for another time.

Thanks for your help

Rhapsody
09-16-2011, 08:17 PM
Squirrels will continue to grow until they are between 6 and 9 months old -- your squirrels seem to be right on schedule for their weight and age.... :thumbsup

If your squirrels will still drink FV then I would continue to feed it to them until they wean themselves from it..... this usually takes place around three months old (some sooner some later) --the longer they will drink their FV the better.

..... 10 cc 2x a day sound about right at 4 mouths old - :thumbsup

As far as the water goes - it sounds ok --some Squirrels will always drink more than others while some will seem to drink barely any at all..... just make sure that the one that is drinking excessively is not doing so due to diabetes (this one doesnt eat to much fruit does it?).

Changes --Place 1 block of HHB and 2 or 3 diff Vegetables out for them to eat in the morning and do NOT place any thing else out for them to eat until they have finished their plate...... or until next feeding time (this will help them eat their veggies).

You can Read more INFO on Releasing on My Website..... Link under My Name.

TonyandLizzy
09-19-2011, 01:51 AM
Thanks Rhapsody for the response it is always reassuring to hear from an experienced rehabber.

Lizzy just eats a few pieces of apple each day. How would I know if her water drinking was related to diabetes.

Thanks again

TonyandLizzy
09-27-2011, 02:53 PM
Just wondering if this is normal?

From 14 weeks old to 18 weeks old no weight gain or loss at all?

also

They have had a nest box in their cage for over two weeks now but don't seem at all interested in going into it. I put some of their blankets inside so it would smell like home but still not interested. I was hopeing they would take to it right away because I wanted to move their cage to a better location where they would get some sunlight and fresh air but when I move them there I can not keep the cats away from the cage so I wanted them to have a place to hide out if the cats were intimidateing them. Any tricks to get them interested in the nest box?

Thanks for the help

astra
09-27-2011, 07:20 PM
don't know about the weight gain absence, although, no weight loss is a good thing.
Some experienced ppl will be able to suggest re: no weight gain and the nest box.

The only thing I wanted to mention is the cat. Are they going to be released?... If so, they should not be in contact with/get used to the cat (and if the cat is going to be around more or less permanently, they will get used to its presence), nor should they see you interact with the cat safely.
Having a cat around will make them grow accustomed to its presence and might weaken their natural fear of cats.
If they see you (others) interact with the cat, they will pick up on those cues from you since you are their mom and, as all squirrel babies, they mimic everything their mom does.

So, it will be best for their long-term future not to be exposed to the cat at all.

EDIT: there have always been cases when a cat/dog/another pet hurt them through the cage bars (squirrels climb cage bars and the cat can bite their paws or grab a tail etc etc etc). So again - they need to be completely separated.
:grouphug