Baby only pooping in bed

[Thumper33]

Background: I found the baby squirrel on the 22nd and my best guess from research is that it was born around the 12th. That makes it about 3 weeks old right now. Everything has been going great thanks to info I've found on the internet and this board. Baby Pees at every feeding like clockwork, but over the last 3-4 days hasn't been pooping as regularly. In fact, she only seems to poop when she's sleeping even though I do my darndest to stimulate after each meal. I've tried several different techniques and nothing seems to work. I'm afraid that she might be getting constipated. The last two nights she has really made a mess when I come to get her, which at least she's going, but I'm concerned that she won't go when I want, and then sleeps in it for hours.

I'm feeding 1 part esbilac to 2 parts water with 1/4 part cream. Right now she eats about 3-4 CCs which seems really normal. I can see the milk band come and go and everything still seems very normal as far as her personality. Anyone have any thoughts? Maybe I'm just being paranoid, I just want the best for her. I know ideally I should be feeding FV but I bought $25 worth of esbilac before I knew any different. I'll be ordering some FV on Monday.

Mike

[Kelly Brady]

Hi Mike,

Welcome to TSB and thanks for helping this baby:D

What do you mean while she sleeps she makes a mess?

Would that be runny poo?

I am so glad you ordered FV because many here have had nothing but trouble with esbilac. Including me. I will never give it again, caused a lot of runny poops and that can be deadly for a tiny one.

If it is runny poops she is doing while she is sleeping there will be no poo to come out while stimulating. If it is runny poo I would switch to the Goats milk formula listed here in the baby section until FV arrives. We can help you to make the switch if that is the case.

Let us know. We are all crazy about babies here and would love to see pictures.:D

[Thumper33]

I guess I don't know if it's runny or not because it's all dried and caked on by the time I find it. It's definitely the right color, just caked all over her legs and such.

Something I just thought of which I didn't really relate to anything, but thought I'd bring it up... I've found feces in her mouth a couple of times, and not necessarilly the same times that I've found her butt a mess with poop. I'm trying to keep her box really clean, so... *shrug*

It's time to feed now so crossing my fingers... we'll see what this session brings.

Thanks for the reply. I'm sure we'll get it figured out.

Mike

[Thumper33]

Yup, same thing again. I haven't seen any poop at all since the 4am feeding 17 hours ago. Hopefully I'm stressing about nothing but any thoughts? She still seems to act just fine.

[pappy1264]

Are you stimulation before or after feeding? Try keeping her out for a while after you finish feeding her, let her wiggle around on some fleece and see if she goes at all. Then try and stimulate her again a short while after she eats. What are you using to stimulate? I like cotton balls, soaked in pretty warm water and flick really fast, barely touching her privates. Also gently but firmly rubbing down her belly as well.

[Thumper33]

Midnight feeding:

she had about 3/16ths of an inch of poo hanging out and a little dried up when I went to feed her. Cleaned her up, fed her, still won't poo for me.

Should I try stimulating for poop 1/2 way between feedings?

Mike

[Thumper33]

Are you stimulation before or after feeding? Try keeping her out for a while after you finish feeding her, let her wiggle around on some fleece and see if she goes at all. Then try and stimulate her again a short while after she eats. What are you using to stimulate? I like cotton balls, soaked in pretty warm water and flick really fast, barely touching her privates. Also gently but firmly rubbing down her belly as well.

Didn't see this until after I posted above.

I'm feeding, and then stimulating using a warm wet q-tip. I try rubbing the belly as well.

I'll try as suggested above. In fact I JUST fed her so I'll go grab her and let her wiggle around on some fleece now.... maybe do a little more tummy rubbing.

[Thumper33]

Sorry for so many posts in a row...

I think I figured out that she's dehydrated, which makes sense. It just didn't occur to me that she could be since she's been eating pretty well. I did a Tugor test and the skin doesn't snap back very quickly at all. I'll do some searching on here on what to do. Any direct advice is appreciated too though.

I don't have any pedialite but I think I'm going to just run and grab some. That's probably best. She's not skinny at all, so I'm probably not hurting anything waking her up when I get back for some liquids.

[pappy1264]

Give her some straight water feedings in between her regular feedings to help with dehydration until you can get pedialyte and you can continue to do the plain water after the 24 hours on pedialyte, as after 24 hours, pedialyte becomes counter productive, it will actually dehydrate her then (too much salt/sodium).

[Thumper33]

Just to clarify, as I have pedialite now...

Normal feeding 2 parts water - 1 part esbilac - 1/4 part heavy whipping creme 3 hours apart

In the middle of each feeding give her as much pedialite as she'll take for 24 hours.

After 24 hours switch to plain water between feedings (as much as she'll take)

Is there any gain in going to 3 parts water in her normal feeding? I don't know that during the week I can give her attention every 1.5 hours.

How long do I keep up the water?

FYI, I have FV on order so that should be here in a couple of days.

Thanks!

Mike

[CritterMom]

Not in the middle of the feeding. In BETWEEN the feedings. If you feed at 2:00 and 5:00, give the pedialyte at about 3:30.:thumbsup

[Kelly Brady]

I guess I don't know if it's runny or not because it's all dried and caked on by the time I find it. It's definitely the right color, just caked all over her legs and such.

Something I just thought of which I didn't really relate to anything, but thought I'd bring it up... I've found feces in her mouth a couple of times, and not necessarilly the same times that I've found her butt a mess with poop. I'm trying to keep her box really clean, so... *shrug*

It's time to feed now so crossing my fingers... we'll see what this session brings.

Thanks for the reply. I'm sure we'll get it figured out.

Mike

Hi Mike,

From what I have read the poop all over her leg sounds like it is very loose. I am glad you ordered the FV.
Normally her feces should be firm little balls that fall out upon stimulation so she is losing hydration through her feces by it being runny.
As Pappy said you should only give pedialyte in between feedings and ONLY for 24 hours then you should just use plain water.
If she continues to have messy poo's, you really may want to look at Jackies goat milk formula instead of Esbilac. I just had such a problem with diahrea and Esbilac. It brings back bad memories. If you change to goats milk recipe you can easily add the FV to the goat milk when it arrives and transition easily.
I wish I knew how to copy the Goats milk recipe to the thread here but it can be found here on TSB easily under what to do with that baby. It is under squirrel nutrition and called temporary goats milk formula.

Was away from the computer today but looking forward to hearing how things are going. Great job. You are a great Squirrel Daddy:alright.gif

[Uno's Mom]

Here is a copy of the sticky...

TEMPORARY Goat's Milk Formula***
***While waiting for the Fox Valley to arrive...

Temporary Formula for Infant Squirrels – The Goat’s Milk Formula

Because of recent manufacturing issues, Esbilac and other puppy formulas are no longer being recommended for squirrels or other wildlife. The formula that TSB recommends, Fox Valley Day One, is currently available online at www.foxvalleynutrition.com and www.henryspets.com. But those require shipping and this baby squirrel needs food NOW.

One of our senior members who posts as Jackie in Tampa uses an excellent temporary substitute, and it can be assembled from locally purchased ingredients:

3 parts goat’s milk
1 part heavy whipping cream*
1 part vanilla yogurt

Formula will last 48 hours in refrigerator.

Goat’s Milk
This can be purchased at natural food stores such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, and at most health food stores that sell groceries. It is a product for humans. Do not substitute commercial formula made for baby goats or other livestock sold at feed stores.

Goat’s milk is available fresh in a carton; evaporated in a can; and as a powdered milk. If you purchase either the evaporated or powdered versions, please blend them with water according to the package directions before using to make the formula.

Heavy Whipping Cream
This is found in small cartons in the grocery store near the coffee creamers and half and half. Regular heavy cream may be substituted if it is unavailable, but the heavy whipping cream has the highest fat content, and is preferred.

Yogurt
Yogurt has beneficial bacteria in it that soothes and settles digestion. Full fat yogurt is best, and a good choice that is very widely available is Stoneyfield Yobaby yogurt. However if it is unavailable, a low fat vanilla yogurt may be substituted. Avoid those that have artificial sweeteners in them. Vanilla and banana are both popular flavors, and the sweet taste of the yogurt helps to convince the baby to accept it.

It has been recently discovered that very small pinky squirrels may do better digestively if, instead of being given Fox Valley formula straight, mix the Fox Valley 50/50 with the Goat’s Milk Formula assembled WITHOUT the heavy whipping cream.

*It is recommended that when just starting to feed a new baby that the first feedings be made without the heavy whipping cream. This will give their digestive systems a chance to acclimate from mama’s milk to our substitute without the harder-to-digest whipping cream. Once they accept the formula and are eliminating properly, the whipping cream can be gradually added in.

When your Fox Valley formula arrives, please transition your babies to the new formula slowly, by blending the Goat’s Milk Formula with the blended and liquefied Fox Valley formula, increasing the ratio of Fox Valley with each feeding until you are no longer using the goat’s milk.

[Thumper33]

Thanks everyone for their help.

I definitely got a goey poo at this feeding. That kinda scared me. I'm running out to gather the ingredients for the goat milk mix now.

Will keep progress updated on this thread.

Thanks again,

Mike

[Kelly Brady]

hi Mike,

Just checking in on you and your baby girl. How are things going?

[Thumper33]

Things are going well. She's about 80% back to normal now, and the fox valley formula will be here today. I do have a question about that.

Do I just start giving that to her, or ween her onto it? I called Fox Valley and they said just start giving it to her. I was surprised by that answer, although I'm not the expert.

[CritterMom]

Things are going well. She's about 80% back to normal now, and the fox valley formula will be here today. I do have a question about that.

Do I just start giving that to her, or ween her onto it? I called Fox Valley and they said just start giving it to her. I was surprised by that answer, although I'm not the expert.


I would follow your first idea. Mix them both up per normal directions and combine the two liquids together in order to transition slowly.