Few questions and pics!

[clearbells]

Hello all! I'm currently rearing a litter of five little fox squirrelings who's nest was in a roof that's getting redone and was utterly destroyed. They're just going on five weeks old and starting to open their eyes. They're peeing and pooping on their own but I still stimulate just to be sure. I've reared and rehabilitated rabbits, horses, rats, kittens, puppies and dogs but never squirrels - so I gotta couple questions for you guys.

- How should a babies belly look when full? At five weeks old will they stop eating when hungry or is there the risk of overeating? After 3cc's of formula the babies look pretty dang plump but will grunt and grumble at me when I take the syringe away.

- They seem to be at the 'shaky' stage, I see this all the time with ratties. Right around the time the eyes open they're still kind of wobbly then ALL OF A SUDDEN they're zipping to and fro without a wiggle or a wobble in sight.

- I'm feeding them every four hours as seems to be recommended, should I be feeding every three instead?



I've always wanted to raise a squirrel and I'm loving every minute of it - even the getting up in the middle of the night to feed. Priscilla, the fussiest of the five, scared the DEVIL out of me the other day! She's the loudest when it comes to grumbling about something and I nearly had a heart attack thinking she had gotten pneumonia. Nope, lungs are clear she was just being fussy about not getting to her food fast enough.


How are the babies looking? Please forgive the spot of poop on the one picture - I've been changing their nest every time I see something but sometimes it's like I just can't keep up with them.

For warmth I'm using heavy glass jars filled with hot water and wrapped before being nestled down beside the babies, changed every 2-3 hours. I don't really trust the heat pads not to make them too warm or fail or something terrible - it seems pretty old fashioned and I only get naps instead of sleep but rather be safe than sorry.

Little baby girl going back to sleep after dinner
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/556409_3550445009886_1968333169_n.jpg
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/546022_3550444209866_2006327926_n.jpg

Before feeding right about the time I got them.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/486730_3543164667882_1411536981_n.jpg

Do they always sleep in these ridiculous positions?
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/423605_3543162307823_1513122601_n.jpg

[Rhapsody]

They are looking good...... :thumbsup
The rule of thumb when it comes to feeding is to feed 5-7% of their body weight at each feeding every 4 hours --when they turn six weeks old you can go every 6 hours in between feeding and skip their night feeding. ---------> What are you feeding them? --we recommend Fox Valley.

We all use heating pads with out an auto shut off on it to warm our babies --just make sure you place a fleece blanket over the heating pad before placing your babies on it. Around eight weeks old you can remove the heating pad and they will regulate their own heat.

Heating Pad:
http://www.henryspets.com/sunbeam-no-auto-shutoff-heating-pad/

At seven weeks old you should introduce them HHB squirrel block and keep up their formula until they are ready to wean themselves from it.

HHB squirrel block:
http://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-blocks-growth-formula/

Fox Valley: (for older babies)
http://www.henryspets.com/fox-valley-day-one-formula-20-50/

[astra]

adorable, and yes, they do sleep in such "ridiculous" positions ;-)

To avoid heating pad dangers, do not put the pad inside their container.
The pad should go UNDER HALF of their container set on LOW: this way they can move off it into the unheated half if they start feeling too warm.
And you can put a couple of rice buddies with them for extra warmth