baby weights and ages

[virginia_arce2280]

Hi guys!
I had a thread in the emergency section and now we're doing good. I didn't want to keep adding to that one. This question has to do with weight. Those who have been reading the thread, "found an injured adult male" will know that on Friday, April 27, we got a jouvenile male squirrel with head trauma from being hit by a car. We thought he was an adult at first because he seemed so big. Turns out that "bigness" was mostly fluffly fur, and he only weighed 165 grams.
We got through the weekend and he's doing wonderfully!
I did have a question on age though. He has gained 35 grams in 4 days and now weighs 200 grams and he's drinking his fox valley like a champ (considering all the setbacks we had over the weekend) He's up to 16 mls every 2.5 hours, and almost to full strength. The next batch I make today will be full strength and I am going to lengthen the time between feedings out too, to about every 3 hours, because he is still weak and not eating much solid foods. He's had a monkey biscuit and homemade rodent block in his carrier for the past 3 days, but doesn't seem strong enough yet to really chew on it. He did eat a piece of peach today and cucumber yesterday, and gets exhausted after eating and just goes back to rest again. (the first picture shows him in his rest position after eating.)
I have also put a moss covered branch in his carrier and he rubs on it sometimes and chews just a little bit on it sometimes.

I have 2 other squirrels about 12.5 weeks old and the female weighs 320 g and the male weighs 265 g.

So now after that long explanation, would it be safe to say that our new squirrel that weighs 200 g is about 10-11 weeks old? I'm including a picture from yesterday.

[stosh2010]

I don't have the answer...but he's a real CUTIE.

[iwonka]

He is very cute! :Love_Icon

I have a 7 weeks old baby squirrel and he weighs 200g .

[virginia_arce2280]

He is very cute! :Love_Icon

I have a 7 weeks old baby squirrel and he weighs 200g .

Would you mind posting a picture of him?

[lilidukes]

Fl squees are much smaller in general than the big northern squees. iwonka has a very large baby :D

Your little one is some where in the 10-12 week area by the look of his tail. Going by weights doesn't work too good as these kids vary in size as to different regions. Here in SC our squees are a little bigger than you as a rule but still much smaller than their northern cousins.mjs

[skarabrae]

One of my 5.5-6 week old babies weighs 208 grams... but she's abnormally large.

I don't think your squirrel looks significantly older than the two of mine whose tails are bushy (the other two are the same age but their tails haven't bushed out yet). Maybe a couple weeks, but I don't know if he's 10 weeks yet :dono

I think once they get to a certain size, it's hard to tell by pictures. Is your little guy sitting on his hind legs steadily and grasping food well? Is he jumping and climbing with ease? If he's still weak, he might not have gained his full strength.

Since we're supposed to feed by weight, a 200 gram squirrel should take around 10-15cc every feed, and a healthy little one at that age can easily go four or five hours between feedings, 4 or 5 feedings a day. I think you could start ramping up the spacing between the feedings gradually over the next few days and then you'll probably notice he'll start eating more solids in between.

BTW, he's absolutely adorable!! :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[lilidukes]

One of my 5.5-6 week old babies weighs 208 grams... but she's abnormally large.

I don't think your squirrel looks significantly older than the two of mine whose tails are bushy (the other two are the same age but their tails haven't bushed out yet). Maybe a couple weeks, but I don't know if he's 10 weeks yet :dono

I think once they get to a certain size, it's hard to tell by pictures. Is your little guy sitting on his hind legs steadily and grasping food well? Is he jumping and climbing with ease? If he's still weak, he might not have gained his full strength.

Since we're supposed to feed by weight, a 200 gram squirrel should take around 10-15cc every feed, and a healthy little one at that age can easily go four or five hours between feedings, 4 or 5 feedings a day. I think you could start ramping up the spacing between the feedings gradually over the next few days and then you'll probably notice he'll start eating more solids in between.

BTW, he's absolutely adorable!! :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon


Guess I must bow :bowdown to you greater wisdom and experience.

See I learn something new here on TSB every day.:rotfl

[virginia_arce2280]

One of my 5.5-6 week old babies weighs 208 grams... but she's abnormally large.

I don't think your squirrel looks significantly older than the two of mine whose tails are bushy (the other two are the same age but their tails haven't bushed out yet). Maybe a couple weeks, but I don't know if he's 10 weeks yet :dono

I think once they get to a certain size, it's hard to tell by pictures. Is your little guy sitting on his hind legs steadily and grasping food well? Is he jumping and climbing with ease? If he's still weak, he might not have gained his full strength.

Since we're supposed to feed by weight, a 200 gram squirrel should take around 10-15cc every feed, and a healthy little one at that age can easily go four or five hours between feedings, 4 or 5 feedings a day. I think you could start ramping up the spacing between the feedings gradually over the next few days and then you'll probably notice he'll start eating more solids in between.

BTW, he's absolutely adorable!! :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

It's hard to tell, because since I got him with head trauma, I don't know what he could do before. When I first got him, I had to support him up, and now he sits by himself. He measures about 14 inches from head to tail tip. He does seem to have more energy today. So, I guess because I received him hurt and the possibility that he may have had to relearn a few things, it's hard to know. I was just hoping that by weight and size we could get a better idea.
Thanks you guys for your help and anymore input, I welcome!:thankyou

[skarabrae]

"Greater wisdom and experience." Uh that's got to be total sarcasm! LOL! :jump

I'm just pulling info out of my ass and hoping it's right... I just started learning about this stuff very recently... you could totally be right, they could be 10-12 weeks. I could just have some extremely advanced squammies.

I think in the end though, age probably isn't as much of a factor as weight, am I right?

ETA: I do have a TON of experience with human babies though - and you'd be totally surprised how much that knowledge has come in handy! :D

[skarabrae]

OK, I just measured my big girl (black Betty :Love_Icon) and she is 15" from nose to the tip of her tail...

Like I said, they're VERY big for their age. Northern squirrels have this condition of largeness apparently. :P

But I still have a sneaking suspicion your little guy isn't more than a few weeks older than my babies.

[virginia_arce2280]

Yes, it does seem that the Florida Squirrels are smaller. My 8 month old eastern grey is 20 inches and weighs 400 grams, and my 12.5 week old eastern gray is 15 inches and weighs 320 grams, so I was just trying to compare with some of the others out there. And this new one was found within a 30 mile radius as the others.
Maybe age isn't a very important factor, but I like to put everything on the calendar, and it's just nice to know.
:tilt

[skarabrae]

In that case, I think *I* would place his age at 10 weeks and you know his actual age is very likely within a week, give or take.

[iwonka]

Would you mind posting a picture of him?

This is my baby :Love_Icon

170728

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[virginia_arce2280]

How precious!:wave123

[cuteascnb]

hmmm...was recapping Shiloh and Ranger....my opinion just from their cute furry tails I would say maybe 10 weeks....and FL squirrels are MUCH smaller then northern squirrels almost 1/2 the size and weight!

I'll go back and look to see what my boys's weight was around that age...they look good though!

I didnt get a chance to read this whole thread....so if I missed something I apologize...LOL!

Look on Shiloh and Rangers thread...link below....pages 20-25 I have pictures posted and weights of the boys maybe this will help you!

[iwonka]

He is very cute! :Love_Icon

I have a 7 weeks old baby squirrel and he weighs 200g .

Oups!.. actually, he is 250g :crazy

[virginia_arce2280]

Oups!.. actually, he is 250g :crazy

Wow! What a difference! It's amazing how much difference there is in the ones from the South and the North.
:thankyou for sharing