Suggestions Needed for malnourished reds

[C*ndy]

I am stumped and this is a sad case on my emotions. I recieved (about a week and a half ago), 2 juvenile red squirrels.(To top off for release....hmmmph!)about 12 weeks old. These had been "REHABBED" for a while and weaned too young I believe. Their only food source when I got them had been regular squirrel mix (corn and sunflower seeds).:shakehead No veggies or good stuff! They are scared to death too, hiding all the time in the nest box, and only wanting sunflower seeds. So I brought them inside and no hide out except a towel and shredded paper and offered Esbilac, with baby cereal and fruit...by syringe...Sigh! They would not drink that or very little water. One will take the formula by syringe, and pick the sunflower seeds out of the mix. Forget about veggies and fruit. I have tried everything I can think of, to get them to eat. It will be a biting fight to give something like nutri-cal, but that is my next move.. any suggestions????? One, I fear for her more! and I don't like the way they just hang on the cage like bats! and it is pitiful how their back bones stick up! These should not die!!!!! No injuries. Not good here people!! Help!
( thanks for your input MuffinSquirrel! :) ) Cindy

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

What I would suggest is:
Esbillac or Ensure for women warmed a little, put in in a bowl or how ever they are used to drinking. They should have rodent block from Chris's store. No sunflower seeds, (sunflower seeds are addictive) corn or peanuts. These types of food are ok after squirrels are living out of captivity but a big no-no in captivity.
Do you have a full spectrum light for them?
Also chickory, dandilion, kale, brocolli, are good veggies when they get to that point.
http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=416 Here is where you can get the rodent block you can grind it and add it to their formula if they wont chew it.

[TexanSquirrel]

I'm glad the little guys have someone who cares taking care of them now.

[Gabe]

That is so sad. I'm glad you have them. Offer them heat. Give them only food that you want them to eat. They will eat it. Stop the sunflower seeds. They love pine cones and mealworms. They need a little more protein than gray squirrels. Keep in touch. We'll all be jumping in with good ideas shortly.

[C*ndy]

Thank you much! I did try the greens you mentioned, I will continue to offer them. And I will take away the sunflower seeds. But besides the one that will take the formula(from syringe only just yet) the sunflower seeds are all they want. No, I do not have a broad spectrum light, but thanks that is a wonderful idea! On pretty days I do put them outside, but unfortunately it had been almost nothing but rain here for us..I am afraid of a veeeerrrry slow process, but as long as I can save them, I have all the time needed! It feels like starting from scratch sadly!Thanks for your kind suggestions!!! Cindy

[Mars]

C*ndy jion me in rehabbers chat room

Mars

[C*ndy]

Wonderful chat and suggestions! :thankyou Will post again on progress!

[squirrelfriend]

glad to hear that you are taking care of them. Yeah, I strongly suggest the full spectrum light. Get it from a pet shop that is very knowledgeable about reptiles. If they are very familiar with reptile care they will make sure you get the right kind of lamp. I got one once from a pet store, the sales guy there thought that he was giving me the right kind but despite his good intentions it wasn't. the squirrels suffered because of it. sunlight is VERY important. If they don't get it they will start having seizures and or metabolic bone desease among other ailments. I agree with above. Don't off the sunflower seeds, peanuts or corn. Offer leafy greens, no iceberg lettuce, veggies and fruit. and of course nuts. If they are too young or week to eat the regular nuts too well try a nut butter from your healthfood store. I got one that is made from almonds and hazelnuts. they have many other types as well such as cashew, and many other combination ones. They are approximately $5.00 a jar. I have a squirrel with virtually no lower teeth and he LOVES it. baby foods made with any of the suggested veggies and fruit are also good for beginners.

Good luck on these little guys. Post pics of them if you can so that we can see their progress. for your own purposes as well. you will be able too see more clearly how they are progressing. you see them every day so you might not notice their progress as clearly. Maybe I just want to see pictures of the cuties. we all like photos here.:D

[C*ndy]

Great Info. again!!! I will keep the right kind of light purchase on my mind! The local pet store here is somewhat generic. We do have a PetSmart in a neighboring town. I have a shopping list for Chris's too,:thumbsup I promise to post pics!!! Soon!

[GhosTS]

Another thing I do when they need something extra is, I crush Rodent block in to a fine dust and mix them with their Esbilac.Rodent block is nutritionally balaced so they will get all they need.Once the sunflower seeds are out, they will try some other stuff.:thumbsup

[island rehabber]

Another thing I do when they need something extra is, I crush Rodent block in to a fine dust and mix them with their Esbilac.Rodent block is nutritionally balaced so they will get all they need.Once the sunflower seeds are out, they will try some other stuff.:thumbsup

Yes -- Cindy I do that, too, and have found that my squirrels really thrive and look wonderful on it. You can use a very inexpensive little mini-coffee-grinder or food processor to grind up the rodent block so that it won't stick in the syringes. Rodent block plus Esbilac is almost everything your squirrels need until they are weaned off formula -- good luck!!

[C*ndy]

Hi ya'll!
Last night I went to went to work preparing goodies for them. There was a bit of interest in the yogurt mixture with the zupreem, esbilac etc. Don't have rodent blocks yet. The bigger girl did take formula from the syringe as I expected she would, the other poor baby, well she cowers in the corner. I cuddled them good before I went to bed, had lots of fussing and got peed on. Phew! strong urine big time! Anyway today, I went out and picked some wild clover flowers, and greens from the yard, a few oak branches, and pecans and put it in the cage. I did get a little action from that, very little and mostly from the larger girl, better than nothing. I am including some pics. ( I think)I expect you will think they aren't looking that bad, but their coats are rough and under that hair is a boney body! Pictures are decieving, but they are still cute. I appreciate all the support! If I didn't attach the oics like I think I did, I will try again!:thinking

[C*ndy]

OH MY GOD!!!! Sorry the pics are huge! OOOPS!!!! I'M SOOOOOOOO SORRY! REALLY HUGE!!!!!
:o :confused:
I promise to get it right next time! eeeeeeks!
Slap my hand for doing that!!!!

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Oh no thats fine cindy, are you sure these are Reds though? They look like Foxers?

[C*ndy]

They are fox, sorry, and they are red! coats are rough! Wish you could feel them, it is BAD!

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Well with all the good advice you get here, they will get straightened out, and with you caring for them all the better!

[Mars]

They are beautiful babies. They should do very well for you once they adjust to proper care TLC. If their urine is strong as you say it sounds to me they are a bit dehydrated. You can help this by replacing their water with hydration fliuds such as LR or petilyte. They should go for the apple flavored petilyte. Or you can make sweet water. I buy a can of juice concentrate from the juice isle (not the freezer section) Look for one that is all juice no sweeteners and place just a few drops in the water. The idea is to sweeten the water not to flavor it so a few drops do nicely. They will be atractted to the smell as much by the taste.

Keep us posted.:D

[C*ndy]

Thanks God i went and got them when I did.
You bet, I have some unsweetened apple juice from concentrate, but the only thing is I barely see any water missing from their dish so far, going to add the juice right now. Ya'll ! They ate all the wild greens from the yard, going for more!!!

[Mars]

ALRIGHT!:wahoo Try other water rich foods such as watermelon or honeydew, maybe cherry tomatoes or grapes. They can't resist your TLC forever.:rotfl

[C*ndy]

I have the biggest smile on my face here! and a warm and fuzzy feeling to go along with that! :Love_Icon These 2 girls just needed "More than me" to care about them,:grouphug ,oooooo Big girl is having a nibble of sweet tater! since I have been cuddling them and letting them pee on me, they seem to be warming up. You know had these babies been taken care of in the beginning, there really wouldn't be this great need to FORCE lovin'!!!
Hope they go for the water soon.
You "Northerners" will laugh at me now....... It is s'posed to be 30 tonight here,brrrr! That's Cold for us! But no snow Mars, send us some! it is pretty. Got all my furry friends snuggled in for the night. Play time coming with the flyers! YAAAAAAY! this "FaSo" AKA Peanut....

[C*ndy]

Please tell me how to cut these images down! Must be my camera adjustments! Right? And how do I put a cute LITTLE pic by my name?

[Mars]

Now there is a sweet heart!:)

[Mars]

Start here.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30

The first posts tells how to post pics the second has a download for a resizer. After that you are on your own, afraid, I haven't play with it yet. Good luck.

[C*ndy]

Got it! will have to take a better one of him to post! thank you AGAIN!