Need some advice for Puddles

[Puddles]

I went to get my bearded crickets last night and I got out of the car, a little grey squirrel came bounding up to me and stuck himself to my leg, I took him off, he ran into a puddle, then came bounding back to cling to me again. I assume (from pictures) he is about 8 weeks old, and a male. I got him off my leg, and held him, he feels a little thin. Took him into the reptile shop and the lady behind the counter has a squirrel that she raised from being orphaned, so she was alot of help with some stuff. But I'm stuck. I cannot for the life of me get him to eat, and he only drank a few drops of pedilyte last night. I have called a local re-habber only to be told to put him back and leave him for dead and that she had no room for him. I, being the animal lover I am, cannot do this. He growls, but doesn't bite, and comes right over to me when I open the door to his cage. He even did a bra dive earlier, only half of him made it in, but he was content.

Any advice on what might get him to start eating/drinking?

[Rhapsody]

You can go the grocery store and buy some Goats Milk, Heavy Cream, Full Fat Vanilla Yogurt to make up some temporary formula for him
until you can order some Fox Valley for him and it arrives...... feed with a 3cc syringe.

GM Recipe:

1 cup Goats Milk (dilute if can)
1/3 cup Heavy Cream
1/3 cup Full Fat Vanilla Yogurt


Fox Valley: 20/50
http://www.henryspets.com/

[CritterMom]

First, try a home made pedialyte - they seem to like it a lot better:

1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 quart water.

Feed this heated to 102-107 degrees F, preferably with a small 1 to 3cc syringe, or if not, a small eyedropper (get syringes - ask your pharmacist - tell him you need them for a kitten).

If the pet store sold you Esbilac milk replacer, don't pen it - so you can return it and get your money back.

For the time being, you can make a good temporary formula until the Fox Valley you get from www.henryspets.com or www.foxvalleynutrition.com comes in:

3 parts goats milk (Health food stores, Trader Joes, Whole Foods)
1 part heavy whipping cream (the little cartons by the 1/2&1/2) and 1 part vanilla yogurt (recommend StoneyfielD Yobaby).

Warm him up first - heating pad under his container is best. THEN use the hydration formula and hydrate for a while before trying to feed.

You were chosen!

[Puddles]

Thanks so much for the quick help. The woman I talked to at the reptile shop said he should be eating soley solid foods, but he hasn't so much as sniffed them.

I'll make up the homemade pedilyte, and run to the store as soon as I remove him from my shirt and get some fluids in him.

I've raised orphans before, bunnies and a sugar glider who was rejected by momma, but never a squirrel! I'm officially in love :Love_Icon

How much of the formula should he eat at a sitting, and how many times a day? Night time feedings too?

[Rhapsody]

We base our feedings on weight / 5-7 % of body weight

Do you have a scale where you can weigh him in grams? - then we can help you.
.... but at eight weeks of age I would say he can take in at least 10cc per feeding (given that he is not under weight).
feeding every 6 hours - no night feedings.

[Puddles]

Ok, I'll try to find my scale (lol)

He seemed to like the homemade pedialyte, he drank about 2ccs of it :) but of course went right back to my shirt when he had enough, so I'm going to fight him out of there and get to the store, hopefully before they close.

Thanks again! I'll update later.

[Nancy in New York]

:shakehead Can you post a picture of him? That would give us some idea of his weight.
A rehabber told you to leave him for dead? WOW....

[astra]

Thanks so much for the quick help. The woman I talked to at the reptile shop said he should be eating soley solid foods, but he hasn't so much as sniffed them.

no, he should still be mostly on formula. Solids do start getting introduced, but still, his main food should still be formula.
I cannot believe some rehabbers:shakehead

[Mrs Skul]

:wave123 Hi Puddles
Hear is a few cites you can order the FoxVally Formula Nipples and Syringes, and a scale. There is also other supply's you might need. The FoxVally Formula that you need is 32/40, and the Nipples are called Silicone Mothering Nipples.
The Goats milk is a temporary feeding formula.
http://henryspets.com
http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/
http://foxvalleynutrition.com/main/prod.asp
Thank You so much for Saving this little life. :thumbsup3 You are a Angel.
If you get a chance to post some pictures. That will help us help you. OH! AND we are all about shearing Pictures.:D Love to see the Babies. :Love_Icon

[Puddles]

He likes the temporary formula, I had to wrap him for the first try, but then he just sat and drank it from the syringe. Ordered the Fox Valley. He pee'd today :wahoo but hasn't defecated as of yet (that I've noticed)

And here is the picture of the little man..

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/ScootersPet/Puddles.jpg

[gs1]

:Love_Icon i'm wondering if he's cold ... if thats why he tries to go inside your clothes... or he's lonely etc...

they won't eat if they're cold or if the formula is cold.... they actually can't digest it ....

i can't imagine how you'll get a heating pad in there.... though....

maybe a rice buddy .....

from this thread.....

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21626

1. Warm the Baby (never feed a cold squirrel!)
Quick Methods:
-Cup the baby in your hands or under your shirt next to your skin.
-Fill a plastic bottle with very warm water. Wrap in a cloth, place next to baby, and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.
-“Rice Buddy”: Fill a sock with 1 cup of rice or dried beans and microwave for 30 seconds. Place next to baby and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.


but be very careful not to burn him... massage the rice so the warmth is well distributed....

here's the warning on them.....

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29387

quote nature's gift [when you heat rice buddies they may feel ok to you! but they can have hotter patches. massage the rice bag evenly spread the warmth. And same as you do for formula test the warmth on your wrist!!! ]end quote....


and this helps too...


Oh no! Poor little baby. :grouphug I hope he heals very, very quickly and the damage is not permanent. Thank goodness you got him when you did!

This is an excellent subject to be addressing, and if it hasn't already been done, maybe the current written instructions could be revised with even more detail as well.

For most of us, making and using a rice buddy is a common sense issue. For someone who is dealing with their first baby (or their first living thing EVER), these little details about heat time and heat distribution are SO IMPORTANT. Personally, my microwave heats extremely fast, and it took some time to get used to.

Also, massaging (or as I call it, squishing around) the rice buddy not only distributes the heat more evenly, it will give the caregiver a better chance to get a feel for how hot it really is before sharing it with a baby.

Thank you for posting this, Mandie, and to Michele for bringing up the wattage issue. First the poor, chilled bat, and now this!

[Nancy in New York]

How much are you feeding the little one? Does he have anything like a cube or hammock with tons of fleece in the cage? I know that my squirrels love lots of fleece and sherpa to get all snuggy in. They love burrowing down and staying warm.
Also, I give my single ones little stuffed animals.
Just watch for removeable eyes and such that little squirrels can take off.
He's adorable.
Here's a great site, and the prices are wonderful. They ship fast too!
http://www.ferret.com/sleepers-and-hideouts/hammocks/207/

[Puddles]

He is 170g. I've been giving him 9cc's per feeding, he acts like he wants more but I don't want to overfeed him. He has a big cardboard tube with towels and fleece blankies. I have Gliders so I make all of their bedding, I'll make him a cube as soon as I get enough fleece.

He stays warm, the tube is always nice and toasty when I pull him out for feedings, the first night I did the hot water bottle wrapped in a towel with fleece next to it, but he slept on the other side of the cage.

[CritterMom]

Using the 5-7% of body weight guidline, you could let him have another cc or 2 if he wants it. What a sweetie.

[Puddles]

Thanks! He gets full at right around 11cc's and decides its time to play and explore.

I'm assuming yes, but is it normal for them to chew the tip of the syringe while drinking?

I want to thank everyone for their help and kind words, If I hadn't found this site I would be very lost right now. You are all wonderful people doing wonderful things to help protect our wildlife :grouphug

[Scooterzmom]

I had 2 of my fuzzers do that. Cost me a fortune in syringes :)

[Puddles]

Yeah, he has gnawed 2 down already.

I'm assuming he is feeling better as he keeps lunging and chattering his teeth at me today. He smacks me, and got me with teeth once( no punctures, just a little grab). It's making it hard to feed him though.

I've been wondering what the reccomended housing is for a sqrl at his age? As of now he is in a small rabbit cage, about 2 ft high 1ft deep and 18 inches high. As it looks with the weather, ill be wintering him over and I know what he is in now won't be sufficient. I do have a " Fiesty Ferret" cage that I used to house my rats in that he could use. What age do I move him into something bigger? Will a bigger home make him more "aggressive"?

[Puddles]

Just thought I would throw some more pictures of Puddles, I know how much you all hate pictures :crazy

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/ScootersPet/Puddles%20The%20Skwerl/DSCN5132.jpg

Cheese!!
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/ScootersPet/Puddles%20The%20Skwerl/DSCN5136.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/ScootersPet/Puddles%20The%20Skwerl/DSCN5146.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/ScootersPet/Puddles%20The%20Skwerl/DSCN5153.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/ScootersPet/Puddles%20The%20Skwerl/DSCN5158.jpg

[astra]

Just thought I would throw some more pictures of Puddles, I know how much you all hate pictures :crazy

omGosh he is so-o-o cute! :Love_Icon this innocent squirrel baby face! and those little teethies (i am sure, when they bite they feel much more than just "teethies" :) )

[Nancy in New York]

Yeah, he has gnawed 2 down already.

I'm assuming he is feeling better as he keeps lunging and chattering his teeth at me today. He smacks me, and got me with teeth once( no punctures, just a little grab). It's making it hard to feed him though.

I've been wondering what the reccomended housing is for a sqrl at his age? As of now he is in a small rabbit cage, about 2 ft high 1ft deep and 18 inches high. As it looks with the weather, ill be wintering him over and I know what he is in now won't be sufficient. I do have a " Fiesty Ferret" cage that I used to house my rats in that he could use. What age do I move him into something bigger? Will a bigger home make him more "aggressive"?

Great new pictures, awe...and you KNOW we love pictures!
Can you post a photo of your Ferret cage?
Ideally the cage should have the proper bar spacing of 1/2 inch....but we have all made exceptions. It shoud be tall so he has room to run. Do you ever let him out? Do you have other animals. Where is his cage now.
When you overwinter, and again, I'm saying ideally....they should be let out of their cage minimum of an hour a day for excercise and to build muscle, and for their overall mental health, JMO.
A larger cage will not make him aggressive.
Do you handle him at all, talk to him, hold him? This will keep him friendly enough so that overwintering won't be stressful for you and for him.
You will need to put things in his cage for entertainment too. They love stuffies, tunnels, boas, anything other than just a bare cage. We want to keep their minds stimulated.
Can you also take a picture of what he is currently in. How old is he and when did his eyes open? From what you describe, I think what he is in now will be ok for another week or two.
Some people have found wonderful cages on craigs list, and ebay.

When you make the next step, we will help you out with what to put in it, Water bottle, cube, nesting box (depending on the door opening) etc.
Give that little puddles a kiss for me....:Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[Puddles]

Thanks, he is a cutie.

The ferret cage is 31"L x 20"W x 41 1/2"H and has 7/8 inch spacing, floor grate is 1/2inch spacing. Its supposed to be a two level cage, but the grate in the middle comes out to make it one space. I have a bunch of critters..lol He is in my bedroom, only critter in there is a bearded dragon. As of now I open his cage and let him out, but he really only runs around on top/sides of his cage. I let him out twice a day after feedings for about 45 minutes each time.

I found him on the 28th, and assume he is around the 8-9 week mark from what I have read and pictures I have looked at. I held him a lot up until 2 days ago when he really started going "wild" he loved to sleep in my shirt and was fine with me just reaching in and picking him up, but he is getting grumpier and lunges at me when I open the cage. I still hold him, but use gloves now. I talk to him a lot almost constantly while I am feeding him, and I find myself going and talking to him several times in between feedings just to sit and watch him/talk to him. Gliders respond really well to being spoken to and just sat with, I'm hoping it is somewhat the same with sqrls?

He goes crazy in his cage now, running and jumping all over the place, this is the main reason I was asking about switching to a larger enclosure. There isn't really much room to put things in the cage he is in now. I do have a little "jungle gym" thing that I had when I was hand-raising a glider, a manzanita perch for him to play/chew on, some thick baby links, a cardboard tube for him to hide in, a ball and a stuffed bear.

Anyway, here are the pictures (sorry, the only picture I have of the feisty ferret cage is when I had the rats in it)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/ScootersPet/Rats%20in%20the%20new%20cage/006.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/ScootersPet/Puddles%20The%20Skwerl/DSCN5161.jpg

[Nancy in New York]

Some squirrels go through a phase where they show how "tough" they can be. They will do the lunging, growling, etc....pretty darned cute that they act so tough sometimes. I always talk to mine when they do that kind of reassure them that I am their friend. Sometimes I will encourage them to play with a blankie. I drag a piece of fleece in front of them...and tell them to get that blankie....Are you overwintering? We will help you through that if you are...:Love_Icon

[Puddles]

I'm pretty sure I'll be overwintering him. He is about 8 weeks, and its been getting down into the 40's already, and its only October, so I figure by the time he is to be released it'll be way too cold for him.

Yeah, when he is being a macho boy I talk to him very softly, and I leave my hand where it is to make him realize he isn't going to scare me off that easily.

Quick question. I know he will be needing "blocks" introduced in a little while. I have Harlan Teklad 18% and 14% rodent blocks (from my rats) are they acceptable for him to eat? I read that people use Harlan Teklad rodent blocks and was just curious (I have like 30lbs in my freezer), can't hurt to ask ;)

[Nancy in New York]

I'm pretty sure I'll be overwintering him. He is about 8 weeks, and its been getting down into the 40's already, and its only October, so I figure by the time he is to be released it'll be way too cold for him.

Yeah, when he is being a macho boy I talk to him very softly, and I leave my hand where it is to make him realize he isn't going to scare me off that easily.

Quick question. I know he will be needing "blocks" introduced in a little while. I have Harlan Teklad 18% and 14% rodent blocks (from my rats) are they acceptable for him to eat? I read that people use Harlan Teklad rodent blocks and was just curious (I have like 30lbs in my freezer), can't hurt to ask ;)

Here is a link to something that was just posted about the Harlan Teklad rodent blocks:
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30322
He should be getting these already, or some other kind of block. Here's a link to HHB's that are made by our own member 4skwerlz...http://henryspets.com/
And here's a link to all of the foods that he should be eating...stay away from the treat foods too often, once they get the "good stuff" it's hard to have them eat healthy.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28009
Glad that you are overwintering...up here the trees are starting to lose their leaves really fast. This is so early compared to what it usually is....:Love_Icon And tonight we are getting frost....Brrrrrrr.
If you have any other questions...please ask, that's how we all learn...:Love_Icon

[Puddles]

Thanks Nancy ")

I introduced the blocks and he loves them! Almost as much as the boo balls lol. He still gets up in the morning waiting for his formula, I slept in this morning and he woke me up jumping all over his cage ( ratteling the bars) and pulling on my curtains. He was a little upset with me for being late for breakfast but got excited when I sat on the floor in front of his cage with the syringe and bottle of formula..he even hopped out on my knee while I was refilling the syringe. He gets it 4 times a day, does that sound good or should I offer it more often?
I put some peas in his bowl today and he inhaled them, guess I need to go squirrel grocery shopping. Should I introduce veggies and fruits one at a time (I know for bunnies
you are supposed to intro new foods slowly, but again..my first sqrl)

Today's adventure was climbing my curtains and perching ontop of my curtain rod. When I found him his nails were really worn down and rounded off, I guess from running around on the sidewalk. But now that they are sharp he is learning the wonderful world of climbing, very cute to watch him figure out what is climbable and what isn't. I have some more pictures to post, I'lll do that tomorrow afternoon.

[Puddles]

Thought I would update. Its been about 4 months since finding little Puddles, he is doing fantastic. Hyper (seemingly) happy sqrl teenager now. Eats like a piggy, lab blocks and fresh veggies, he love fresh dandilion leaves. He has grown alot, and no longer lets me touch him at all, good for him bad for me ( all i wanna do is cuddle his cute little face lol). He looks like a full grown squirrel, except his tail isn't as bushy as the wild guys. He's been outside in his cage a few times on the warm days and was too scared to leave his cube...reinforces the need for a soft release cage. Release weather is creeping up and it breaks my heart knowing that ill have to let him go, but its for the best. Ill put up some pictures of the turd a little later, may even try a video of him playing on his hanging tennisball toy i made him.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

just saw this, update pictures are a must!!!

[Nancy in New York]

Thought I would update. Its been about 4 months since finding little Puddles, he is doing fantastic. Hyper (seemingly) happy sqrl teenager now. Eats like a piggy, lab blocks and fresh veggies, he love fresh dandilion leaves. He has grown alot, and no longer lets me touch him at all, good for him bad for me ( all i wanna do is cuddle his cute little face lol). He looks like a full grown squirrel, except his tail isn't as bushy as the wild guys. He's been outside in his cage a few times on the warm days and was too scared to leave his cube...reinforces the need for a soft release cage. Release weather is creeping up and it breaks my heart knowing that ill have to let him go, but its for the best. Ill put up some pictures of the turd a little later, may even try a video of him playing on his hanging tennisball toy i made him.

Wonderful update...yup, release weather is coming....:shakehead
Always a bitter/sweet time of the year....who am I kidding, this makes me so sad all of the time....:Cry As many releases as I have done over the years, I find it only gets harder....but the little peanuts are counting down the days...:tilt