Newborn help

[chateauromani]

I have no idea how to get them to eat. I'm afraid of choking them. Please someone give me extremely detailed explanation??

My brother's friend's brother (yeah) found two baby squirrels probably around 2-3 weeks old on monday and HASN'T FED THEM. i'm shocked theyre still alive.

both seem to be doing all right and crawling around... but none are interested in eating. i feel like i'm drowning them when i try.

just help.
please.
thanks.

[Rhapsody]

First off you need to warm them before any feeding is done and then you need to rehydrate them with some pedialyte for 8-12 hours
depending on their condition...... then you need to get them to eating some goats milk recipe (every 4 hrs) until you can order some Fox Valley.

Squirrels eat 5-7% of their weight so we will need for you to find out how much they weigh. You will need a 1cc syringe to fed them with, you can
get a syringe from CVS pharmacist if you do not have one...... they will probably give you a 3cc syringe --just make sure you go slow with the feeding.

Do you have a container you can place the baby squirrels in? - with a heating pad on one side of the container with a blanket over it.

Homemade Pedialyte
1 cup warm water
1/4 tsp salt (teaspoon)
1 Tbsp sugar (tablespoon)

*Homemade Recipe - until FV arrives
1 cup Goats Milk * (in can - dilute)
1/3 cup Full Fat Vanilla Yogurt
1/3 cup Heavy Cream (frig section)

(lasts 72 hours in frig)


Fox Valley
http://www.henryspets.com/

[island rehabber]

First, the basics. Pinkies WANT TO LIVE, and they MUST EAT. I am surprised these poor creatures are still alive, as well, but you must face the fact that starvation may have already done its damage. Try to save them as best you can, but know that unfortunately your brother's friend's brother waited WAY too long to act....and it will not be your fault if they don't survive.

I love pinkies. I specialize in rehabbing pinkies. You can do this, chateauromani!!

PINKY SQUIRRELS: THE FOUR MAGIC WORDS

WARMTH: a heating pad on low, under half their container (not under THEM) is best. Plastic tubs or terrariums are good because the environment is more humid and their skin doesn't dry out. When feeding a pinky, if your hands are warm you can use tissue paper to wrap and hold him...if your hands are cold, WARM a cloth or glove before picking up the pinky or you will chill him instantly.

HYDRATION: pinkies need hydration in the form of formula -- or Pedialyte in the beginning -- at least every 2.5 hrs. This means getting up at least once during the night. I get up twice, and it still means they will go 3.5 hrs sometimes without food but it's usually ok. If they look flat and skinny when you get up to feed them, you are not feeding OFTEN enough. Sorry kids, it's a rough gig those first 2 weeks.

CONSISTENCY: consistent heat.....consistent feedings....if your schedule is going to make you sporadic or unpredictable in caring for these teeny-weenies, give them to someone who has the time to care for them properly. If you don't have a heating pad, GET ONE, without an auto shut-off. Microwave disks are too unpredictable for pinkies and may cook them. Hot water bottles don't last nearly long enough for these fragile babies.

PATIENCE: Feed pinkies slo-o-o--owly. Very slowly. Teeny drop by teeny drop, preferably with a 0.5 (1/2) cc syringe or a 1cc at the LARGEST. Use a nipple attachment for best results. Go very, very slowly. If it takes you 5 minutes to get half a cc of formula into a pinky, yer doin' it perfectly. This is how we avoid aspiration, the #1 cause of death in pinkies and the reason why "some say" there is only a 50% success rate in saving them.

If you go drop by drop, and watch their little throats as they swallow, you WILL NOT 'drown them'. You will save them. A little trick to getting them to eat: hold them to your throat and hum, or purr for a minute or so. They perceive this as "mamma's near!" and will start moving their mouths like they want to suck. Get the syringe and seize the moment. :D

Remember: VERY warm formula! Very warm pinkies! Patience, and go slow. You can do this. :thumbsup

[Jackie in Tampa]

can you drive them to a rehabber please if we help you find one?
Pinkies are very tricky...they need alot of care and are delicate.
There is also expense with rehabbing...
Please let us know.

[sandy-squirrel]

From looking at your posts it looks like you have done this before. Just go really slowly and good luck!