Lacks rooting and sucking reflexes

[kurmugn]

Three days ago, I took in a 23-gram, 4-day old Western Gray Squirrel which had been found at the base of a tree. It was cold and dehydrated. After oral hydration with warm RLS and placing on a heat pad, I began to feed with a 4:1 formula. Right off, the baby would turn away from the nipple; and, with jaws clenched, it was a battle to get even 0.7cc of formula into her. I have force-fed her every two and a half hours through the days and nights, with no change in her lack of rooting or sucking reflexes. After three days, she has lost 1-gram, has diarrhea, and continues to resist the nipple. In the past, I have encountered mammals that initially resist the nipple; but, they always come around to eagerly accept the nipple. Does this one have neural damage due to the fall from the nest? Do some newbies act this way? I continue to hope for her survival, but this is not promising.

[astra]

Welcome :Welcome and thank you for caring.

It's normal for some babies.
Very often there would be babies who are very stubborn and do not take syringe eagerly. Patient persistence is the way to go.
Also, sometimes, it helps to dip the tip of the nipple in something sweet just to entice.

Other important questions:

1. What kind of formula are you using?
KMR has always been bad for them, Esbilac - has become bad (yes, it was used for some time, but once the mfg changed the recipe, the formula is no longer suitable for wildlife).
Fox Valley is the formula manufactured specifically for squirrels.
Has to be ordered either at www.foxvalleynutrition.com or www.henryspets.com
(and it's cheaper than Esbilac, too).

2. Is the formula warm?
The formula should be very, very warm. Not burning hot so that the baby does not get burned, but very, very warm.
A mother squirrel's body temp is about 104' F, so the formula temp needs to be somewhere near that to mimic a mother squirrel's milk.
Especially fussy babies won't eat unless it is very, very warm.

3. Was the baby itself warm by the time you started feeding it?
Cold babies won't eat.
Dehydrated babies won't eat.
I see you mentioned a heating pad, but just would like to make sure that the baby actually warmed up by the feeding time.

4. Some babies just don't like the nipple and need some time to get used to it.
Also, some nipples seem to be easier than others.
Silicone mother nipples seem to be working well for fussy babies.

5. When/after everything is checked (e.g., warmth, formula temp, hydration etc etc), it's a baby after all ;).
Some rehabbers coo and softly purr/sing to some of the more difficult babies.
Others carry them in their bra/etc so that the baby can feel the heartbeat and the warmth of a living body. It is very reassuring to them.

6. Yes, babies can have neuro damage from falls, but refusing a nipple is not considered to be a symptom of a neuro damage, usually.
If there is some neuro damage, it will be seen better when the baby is older, but at 4-days of age it is hardly noticeable (unless it is VERY severe).

7. Did the baby have any wounds by any chance?

Sorry if i mentioned stuff that you already know - just wanted to cover all basics, just in case.

If all of the above is accounted for, then, maybe TSB experts' experienced and more detailed suggestions will be more helpful.
Please keep checking here often.:grouphug

[astra]

sorry, forgot to add about diarrhea.

Is it just mushy, or runny, specific color? smell? - more details, please.

For now, stop the formula and just give the baby pedialyte for a few feedings.
Often, that helps to stop diarrhea.
Also, knowing what formula you are feeding will help very much to take care of the diarrhea.

If it does not stop, then, you might need ABs.

If you do not have FV yet, you can use home made Goat's Milk formula.
Will post a recipe in a few minutes.

[astra]

***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.
__________________

[kurmugn]

I'm using Fox Valley for squirrels under 4-weeks, at a mixture of 3-parts water, one part FV powder (which is kept in the freezer). I make up one-day's formula, keep it in the fridge, and dispense what I need for a given feeding. Perhaps the mixture could be a little hotter; next feeding, I will get it to 104°F. I think the important observation here is the lack of a rooting reflex. This reflex is independent of formula, temperature, nipple style, etc. The turning of the head towards the stimulis should be automatic every time something touches the cheek of the squirrel. The sucking reflex, on the other hand, can be affected by nipple style, temperature, etc., but not by formulation.
I will be persistant, and will heat the formula to 104°F.
The diarrhea coming out seems to be of the same consistency as the formula going in; it's as if there is a straight tube from mouth to anus! Water in = water out. Thick formula in = thick diarrhea out. It's weird.

[pappy1264]

What kind of nipple are you using? At 23 grams, you may need to go to a small rodent nipple. Can you take a pic of what you are using?

Many very young squirrels have issues with fv for whaever reason. I would urge you to try going with the goats milk (hold off on the heavy cream, just do the gm with yourt and start him on that.) After he has been on it for 4-5 days and had time to adjust, slowly start adding in fv, at 75/25 gm recipe to fv for a few feedings and see how he does. When you are at 50/50 mg/fv, stay there until his eyes open. When you are doing that you should be feeding every three hours. Weigh every day to make sure he is gaining and so you can adjust amount fed, as he should be getting 5-7% of his weight per feeding. I like to stick with the 5% when they are smaller but start moving up the percentage as they get a bit bigger, as long as they can handle it. But remember, the more he eats, the longer between feedings, as well.

Diarrhea is many times because of an inability to digest the formula. The gm is much easier digested, and when you are doing 50/50, it is easier to digest, but they also get the nutrients in the fv as well.

[sandy-squirrel]

When we started trying to feed Sandy she wanted nothing to do with it. I would slowly put it drop by drop in her mouth. Now she will suck voraciously and get excited to feed. IT took at least a full week before she was even remotely sucking on the nipple.
For reference she was about 2.5 weeks at the time.

[pappy1264]

That is pretty normal, they don't usually suckle much when they are that small, it is more of you put it in their mouth and they swallow it.