A new friend and advice?

[P3pp3r]

Hello,

First off let me thank everyone on this board for their knowledge. then my friends found this little guy with no mother and dehydrated they contacted me as they were leaving town for two weeks. If it wasn't for this board and others who have generously shared their knowledge I wouldn't have known what to do.

I really respect those who want to be a rehabbers, but this little guy stole my heart and I would like to keep him and after reading "THINKING OF RAISING THAT BABY YOURSELF?" by Island rehabber, I easily answered Yes and have already done many of the things listed there.

http://himearts.com/squirrel.jpg


I did 24 hours of pedialtye. Then moved to gradual introducing the formula into his system (which also has a bit of heavy cream in it, that the website Squirrel tales suggested)

My mistake was I wasn't able to find a proper nipple till today, I had ordered one online on friday morning after reading up the best ones to get but it still hasn't arrived. I had gotten a 1 cc from the drug store, but the little guy prefered the eye dropper which i did try to be as careful as I could knowing that wasn't the best method for him.

I feed him every 3 hours, he eats approx 3 ccs, he pees and poops pretty much everytime (somtimes he poops every 2nd feeding). He is very strong, eyes aren't open, he is approx 60g in weight, his ears have started to poke out from the side of his head.. I think he is between 3-4 weeks?

Also I purchased Esbilac, which after reading on the website isn't good for them, I quickly purchased Fox Valley saturday night, but the ordered didn't get confirmed till yesterday morning and that should arrive tomorrow. I have been feeding him Esbilac till it arrives.

I did confirm that my Esbliac isn't from the tainted lot numbers. I've been very careful to watch this stomach/poop. His poop is usually a dark mustard color and comes out like seeds, there aren't mushy at all. Here is the new nipple I have..

http://himearts.com/nipple.jpg

So to those on the board, I do want to ask, I'm overly cautious as always, this morning I noticed a very faint clicking. I was prepared to immediately take him to the vet, but the sound was on and off, and he doesn't do it when he is awake at all . He is still very warm and VERY energetic today (more then all the days previous). He is sleeping right now and I haven't heard it. Is there something else that can cause them to make a very soft sucking/clicking sound while they sleep on occasion?

I watched the video of other clicking squirrels, and he is no where near as loud and frequent. I have to literally have my ear right up to him to hear anything and often I think he is just sucking on his tongue, I think his upper tooth is starting to come in, as he was teething on my hand as I was in the car with my husband to get the new nipple.

If I bring him to the vet, they will take him away. I want whats best for him of course, but I don't want to take him unless I know he is sick. I feel like one of those moms that when their baby sneezes its a trip to the hospital.

Sorry if this post is all over the place, I’m just worried. I’m heartbroken if I have to give him up, but I’m more crushed to know that I might have hurt him.

Thank you in advance.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

:wave123 Hi
We have others that live in Georgia that can tell you were to go for help.
If he has pneumonia you will need AB IMMEDIATELY.
At any time when you were feeding him did you see bubbles come out of his nose??

[P3pp3r]

Thank you for the quick response.

I can't say that I have seen a bubble out of his nose, I've gotten the formula on his nose when he was moving around but I am quick to wipe it off and afterwards my husband and I wipe him down with warm water (so doesn't get stuck on his fur) on a cotton ball after he goes to the washroom. He has coughed a few time from feeding but whenever that happens I would hold him face down to drain anything out.

Is there something else that may have caused the noise? Overheating from the heating pad?

I haven't heard him make it in the last hour he has been asleep. And even before that I would listen and think I heard something, and other times there is nothing.

If any Rehabbers in the ATL area, I would love to be able to talk to them. Or if I brought him too you, could you tell if he is ill?

I'm surprised what an impact this little guy has made on me and my husband in the few short days he has been with us.

[Nancy in New York]

Thank you for the quick response.

I can't say that I have seen a bubble out of his nose, I've gotten the formula on his nose when he was moving around but I am quick to wipe it off and afterwards my husband and I wipe him down with warm water (so doesn't get stuck on his fur) on a cotton ball after he goes to the washroom. He has coughed a few time from feeding but whenever that happens I would hold him face down to drain anything out.

Is there something else that may have caused the noise? Overheating from the heating pad?

I haven't heard him make it in the last hour he has been asleep. And even before that I would listen and think I heard something, and other times there is nothing.

If any Rehabbers in the ATL area, I would love to be able to talk to them. Or if I brought him too you, could you tell if he is ill?

I'm surprised what an impact this little guy has made on me and my husband in the few short days he has been with us.

Welcome, so glad that you found us, and that your little one found you!

We do have a member on this board from atlanta, her user name is
atlantasquirrelgirl, I will send her a pm and direct her to this thread. :grouphug

[island rehabber]

:Welcome and good job so far! Bless you for READING my cautionary thread and then actually GOING OUT AND DOING all those necessary things to save this baby. Too many people feel "one formula is as good as another"....."my house is warm, they don't need a heating pad"...."I'll order the good formula next month when I get my tax refund..." :shakehead:shakehead:shakehead

Personally, I have confidence so far that you will do this the right way and we will help you. As for the clicking: if you hold the baby up to your ear and hear clicking or 'popping' sounds with EACH intake and exhale of breath, you need to worry and you need to get antibiotics QUICK. If you just hear the occasional "pfft!" sound, or cute little mouthy noises, it's your baby squirrel being a squirrel. :D

I happen to love the type of nipple attachment you got. Its bulb shape gives the baby something to put his little paws around and they love that. I would not use those with pinkies (newborns to 2 wks old) but your little one is old enough. :thumbsup

[P3pp3r]

Just had his 4pm feeding, and he does not like hte new nipple. We ended up putting in in our hands so he ate a lot less then normal. About 2 CCs. And now that he is done I hear the faint clicking coming back..

Simons Mommy: my husband did say he recalled seeing a bubble approx 2 days ago. He put him upside down when it happened.

Hope Atlsquirrelgirl can get back to me soon.
Thank you for getting back in touch with her.

[P3pp3r]

Hello Island! Your post was incredible helpful!

Where can I get the antibiotics for him? I'm so worried.
I know you said they aren't over the counter in your post, but I haven't read anywhere else someone can get them unless they go to the vet.

Sorry to post so much, the clicking sound was with each breath but now has completely stopped and he is sound asleep.

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Sending a private message with my number.

EDIT - Apparently I cannot send you a private message or email because it is blocked.

[astra]

Sending a private message with my number.

EDIT - Apparently I cannot send you a private message or email because it is blocked.
she may not have full privileges and functions because she just joined.

Usually, people end up posting their email address for communication until all functions are available.

[P3pp3r]

Sending a private message with my number.

EDIT - Apparently I cannot send you a private message or email because it is blocked.



I just took your email address off of the board...hope you don't mind, I couldn't send you a pm letting you know....:D

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Just sent you my phone number.

[P3pp3r]

I want to thank AtlantaSquirrel girl for taking time this evening to answer all my questions, and everyone else for being so helpful! I hope to post photos of his progress as time goes on!

[Nancy in New York]

I want to thank AtlantaSquirrel girl for taking time this evening to answer all my questions, and everyone else for being so helpful! I hope to post photos of his progress as time goes on!
:grouphug She is one fantastic girl isn't she....:thumbsup :grouphug

[P3pp3r]

Hello again!
Wanted to give a quick update. On the one I had posted about a few weeks ago.
Lemon is doing well! last time I weighted her she was 140grams. She is incredible friendly and healthy little girl. She eats like a champ, and now is moving onto veggies and other solids. She is a excellent wrestler and climber. Loves to sleep on her back, and in your arms if possible.


Last week, Atlantasquirrelgirl put me in contact with someone who had found another little one, I Named Her pepper. Her eyes were open but she had little ant bites and covered in fleas. Once she was all cleaned, a few days later developed something which is causing her to drag her leg, quickly took her to the vet and got it Xrayed (nothing broken), and wrapped up in a little cast to come off in a week. Pepper is a surly little girl, that doesn't let anything get her down and loves to sleep on you if she can find the right spot.

Here are a few pictures.

Lemon and her first carrot
http://www.himearts.com/carrot

Lemon likes to stay in my hoodie.

http://www.himearts.com/greenbean.jpg


This was pepper at the vet, she wasn't happy. I don't think she is a Morning squirrel :)
http://himearts.com/vet.jpg

[stepnstone]

Cute! Cute! Cute! Love the Pepper pic, that expression is priceless! :D

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

They certainly are in the right hands!!
Good job!:thumbsup

[Skul]

Just wondering if you're using the FV straight, or do you mix in some yogurt and/or heavy cream?

How's that leg doing?

[P3pp3r]

I use a 50/50 on FV and Esbilac with Heavy Cream.
The cast comes off friday but she never seems to let her bother her, I only hope the doctor was right and it'll help her leg.

[Raestb82]

Where in GA are you? I'm north of downtown about 30 min. It would be nice to have some squirrel buddies near me :)
-Rae

[P3pp3r]

I'm right by Fort mcpherson, like 10 minutes from downtown towards the airport. :)

[Rescue04]

lol...that last pic of her is classic....she does NOT look happy. i just had to laugh.

[P3pp3r]

Small update, Lemon is doing great but poor little pepper is having a rough time.
When we got her covered in fleas, with ant bites, and extremely dehydrated. Then her hind leg started having problems, so I took her to a vet which put a cast on it. Cast came off and leg looked worse then ever. Within a two days I knew it wasn't getting better, so I Got a second opinion and they said the leg was dead and needed removal.

So now pepper has 3 legs, extremely fast crawler and a great climber if she can take her time. Since she is so young we are hoping for the best!

[stepnstone]

Small update, Lemon is doing great but poor little pepper is having a rough time.
When we got her covered in fleas, with ant bites, and extremely dehydrated. Then her hind leg started having problems, so I took her to a vet which put a cast on it. Cast came off and leg looked worse then ever. Within a two days I knew it wasn't getting better, so I Got a second opinion and they said the leg was dead and needed removal.
So now pepper has 3 legs, extremely fast crawler and a great climber if she can take her time. Since she is so young we are hoping for the best!
Has the leg already been removed? :thinking How much of the leg, was it the total leg from hip down?

[P3pp3r]

Has the leg already been removed? :thinking How much of the leg, was it the total leg from hip down?

The Leg has been removed.
It only a few days after the cast was removed black spots were showing up and hair was falling out (on the leg). In those couple days would massage her leg hoping blood circulation would make it less jerky feelings.

Also a few other rehabbers looked at the leg prior to the cast being removed and the leg being removed and didn't have much hope that the leg would survive but we all wanted to wait till I saw the vet. We still aren't quite sure what caused the problem, could be various things (cast being too tight, wrapped in a usual position, damage before we found her, etc) but in the end the 2nd opinion vet, who handles squirrels, said there was nothing we could do and the sooner the leg was removed the sooner she can begin to adapt without it.

Long story short, its the total leg, he felt anything extra would become irritated when she crawled.