When to take babies off formula/etc?

[babysquirrelchip]

The babies I have are around 8 weeks old and have been on Fox Valley Squirrel Formula only. They always try to drink it or water or eat anything in their reach, but I don't let them, of course!
I feed them 12 ccs of FV (as the packet says, 1/1.5 teaspoon per ounce) 4 times a day.

Should I add anything to their diet? When DO I add other foods to their diet? Help??
:dono

-I edited it. I meant 4 syringes of 3 ccs (12).. I feel awful for worrying you all!

[Rhapsody]

The rule of thumb is to feed a baby squirrel 5-7% of its body weight at each feeding. Then at 7 weeks of age we start to add a squirrel block (hhb) in the am when they are at their hungriest...... 2 blocks per day. Once you see they are eating the block on a regular basis you can start to add vegetables and wild plants to their daily diet and eventually fruits and nuts in their pm meal.

Healthy Diet:
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32218

Squirrel Block - HHB
http://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-diet/

[island rehabber]

The babies I have are around 8 weeks old and have been on Fox Valley Squirrel Formula only. They always try to drink it or water or eat anything in their reach, but I don't let them, of course!
I feed them 4 ccs of FV (as the packet says, 1/1.5 teaspoon per ounce) 4 times a day.

Should I add anything to their diet? When DO I add other foods to their diet? Help??
:dono
Honestly, babysquirrelchip you're not going to like my opinion but you are starving them. Dangerously. At EIGHT weeks old they should be taking twice that at each feeding, if not more. I have three undersized FIVE week olds who are up to 6cc's, 4 times a day. No wonder your babies are craving more. I suggest you start increasing their intake by 1cc at each feeding, today. Watch the poops. Should they become white and soft you are overfeeding.....but I would let them have as muchas they want unless they get to that point. My guesstimate is that your guys will take 9-10cc within a couple of days.

As soon as their eyes opened they were ready for solid foods, and you want to start them on a high-quality rodent block as recommended in the links Rhapsody posted. It is very important to get them used to eating block so they get ALL the nutrients they need -- which is very hard to approximate after they are weaned off formula.

We'd love to see pix of your kids!

[Jackie in Tampa]

IR and Rhapsody gave perfect advise!
WEANING.....don't think about that...
give them formula as long as they will take it.
Plus solids...:thumbsup

[Nancy in New York]

Do you have weights on the babies? I didn't read the entire thread, I remember you from the board. Do you have Fox Valley? Did I sent you supplies, heating pad, syringes I honestly forget what I send to people.
You HAVE to get these little ones up to the proper weight....and diet. I agree with IR they are starving.
PLEASE start getting them on the right track.
We need pictures to help you and them too.
Tell us what you need so we can help these little squirrels.

OK I saw the pictures in your other thread from yesterday.....They are small....but they don't look too skinny, fur could be hiding that though. I am very worried
they just are NOT eating enough....Stay here and let us help.
I also saw that you have a weight on one of them at 200 grams.

They should be eating 14 cc's of formula at ONE feeding, 5 times a day.
So that would be 70 cc's of formula per day....And you are feeding 16 cc's per day?

Let's get them back on track, ok?
We are here to help....:grouphug

[babysquirrelchip]

Honestly, babysquirrelchip you're not going to like my opinion but you are starving them. Dangerously. At EIGHT weeks old they should be taking twice that at each feeding, if not more. I have three undersized FIVE week olds who are up to 6cc's, 4 times a day. No wonder your babies are craving more. I suggest you start increasing their intake by 1cc at each feeding, today. Watch the poops. Should they become white and soft you are overfeeding.....but I would let them have as muchas they want unless they get to that point. My guesstimate is that your guys will take 9-10cc within a couple of days.

As soon as their eyes opened they were ready for solid foods, and you want to start them on a high-quality rodent block as recommended in the links Rhapsody posted. It is very important to get them used to eating block so they get ALL the nutrients they need -- which is very hard to approximate after they are weaned off formula.

We'd love to see pix of your kids!


My god.. I completely mistyped!!! Now I seem like an awful squirrel parent ):

I meant as in FOUR syringes, which is 12 ccs per feeding (I do NOT feed them 4 ccs per feeding..). I am SO sorry for the mistake. They are not starving, I promise! I ordered HHB, it should get here in a few days. :thankyou

Chip is 200 grams while Dale is 150. They're chubby little guys xD

Here's a post with multiple pictures of them :)

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33595

Poop looks 100% normal, they seem to be very very very healthy. They run and jump around so much, they love to play!

[island rehabber]

My god.. I completely mistyped!!! Now I seem like an awful squirrel parent ):

I meant as in FOUR syringes, which is 12 ccs per feeding (I do NOT feed them 4 ccs per feeding..). I am SO sorry for the mistake. They are not starving, I promise! I ordered HHB, it should get here in a few days. :thankyou

Chip is 200 grams while Dale is 150. They're chubby little guys xD

Here's a post with multiple pictures of them :)

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33595

Poop looks 100% normal, they seem to be very very very healthy. They run and jump around so much, they love to play!

:jump:jump:jump
Love typos that make my day!!! :thumbsup