Smallest successful rehabbed squirrel you've ever done?

[sabelson]

Hi, I'm interested in hearing what the smallest squirrel people have successfully rehabbed.

I received a 12 grams pinkie a couple weeks ago and had no idea they were even born that small. It was so tiny! Despite keeping it alive for over 24 hrs it was eventually euthanized as my wildlife vet said they are almost impossible to raise from a size so small. I tried feeding it a couple times and there was no sucking reflex. It was a little over an inch big and umbilical cord remnants were still visible. I'm guessing it was a couple days old. Before that the smallest I rehabbed started at 45 grams.

Just wondering if anyone has had any luck with the pinkies only days old or if they really can't be saved?

Thanks,
Sharon

[stepnstone]

Hi, I'm interested in hearing what the smallest squirrel people have successfully rehabbed.

I received a 12 grams pinkie a couple weeks ago and had no idea they were even born that small. It was so tiny! Despite keeping it alive for over 24 hrs it was eventually euthanized as my wildlife vet said they are almost impossible to raise from a size so small. I tried feeding it a couple times and there was no sucking reflex. It was a little over an inch big and umbilical cord remnants were still visible. I'm guessing it was a couple days old. Before that the smallest I rehabbed started at 45 grams.

Just wondering if anyone has had any luck with the pinkies only days old or if they really can't be saved?

Thanks,
Sharon

Your "wildlife vet" is wrong! Many tiny pinkies are saved every year by our members, not saying it's easy, it's time consuming but can be and is successfully managed in many cases.

[Kelly Brady]

Hello Sabelson,

Indeed your vet is terribly wrong. What a shame he put yours down. I have attached a link found is this catagory about caring for pinkies. Many of us enjoy pinkies, but the greatest source of info for raising a pinky is the author of the sticky posted below, our Island Rehabber and owner of TSB. It was her that taught me to remain calm and raise that tiny thing.
It takes a lot of time and patience but is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Next time you get one. You will be ready and we will be here to help:thumbsup



http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?33124-IR-s-Handout-Neonatal-Care-of-PINKIES

[island rehabber]

Thank you, Kelly :tilt. Yes sabelson I'm afraid your vet is terribly wrong about newborn baby squirrels A pinky squirrel at even 10-11 grams has the life force of a wolverine, and it WANTS to live. Keeping a few simple techniques and methods in mind is all you need to tap into that will to live and raise the little one to release age. It is hard work (I'm so sleep-deprived right now, with 6 pinkies eating every 3.5 hrs, that I lost my coffee twice this morning somewhere in the apartment :rotfl ) but they are SO worth it.

[sabelson]

Thank you guys! You are right about staying calm - when I saw that tiny thing I panicked. In the 3 years I've been a rehabber I had never seen a 12 gr. pinkie. I've dealt with larger pinkies but this one was so tiny. I'm so glad to know they can make it and will read the article mentioned. I did successfully raise 3 larger pinkies this spring who are happily living in my yard. You are right about time consuming. I was feeding almost hourly as they would only take a few drops at a time for the first week. They all made it though but they were in the 40 gram range when I got them.

I knew you guys would be helpful! Thanks so much for the information.

By the way, my vet is associated with a large wildlife rehab. center so it is probably not worth their limited time and limited money to try to save the tiniest of pinkies. They don't have round the clock care available so I'm guessing their prior experience is that they all die which is why they put the small ones down right away. I understand from that standpoint - when you are caring for thousands of animals you have to put your limited resources to the ones most likely to make it. :( Now that I know their policy and that they can in deed be saved, I won't turn them over to them. Thanks again!!:thankyou

[pappy1264]

My Rose was 12 grams when I got her. I had to use a small rodent tip to feed her, and go very slowly, but she did great, never had one issue. She was actually at least 3 days old when I got her too (from the day she was found until I got her it was three days). So, yes it can be done. I will find her thread and add the link here.

Here is her thread: http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?34336-Baby-Rose/page2&highlight=Rose

[Unikorngrrl]

sabelson, I'm raising a THREE gram baby ??something?? right now. We think it's a rat! No life is too small for our effort, ever!! What is the name of your facility if you don't mind my asking. We trying to keep and 'yes, they are great and help' list and a 'no, don't ever take a squirrel there' list. We would certainly not want to take anything to that facility. If you're uncomfortable announcing that information here, I wish you would at least PM an answer to Island Rehabber, our owner, so that we can have it for future reference and it would keep your name out of it. IR is very discreet!! :thankyou and I'm sorry they put your baby down... :sad

[sabelson]

OMG I can't even imagine how tiny a 3 gram baby is! I thought 12 was small. How do you even feed one so small?

As for the rehab center they do a good job generally but now I know the policy is to put ones down if they are below 43 grams. I would still recommend them and once I get experience with the tiny ones I will talk to them about letting me take the smaller ones. Right now they call me when they have ones that need more than 3 feedings per day and I pick them up to rehab at home. If I can successfully rehab the tinier ones then perhaps they could change their policy. I'll work on that now that I know that it can be done. I really appreciate everyone chiming in and letting me know those tiny ones can be saved.

Sharon

[sabelson]

My Rose was 12 grams when I got her. I had to use a small rodent tip to feed her, and go very slowly, but she did great, never had one issue. She was actually at least 3 days old when I got her too (from the day she was found until I got her it was three days). So, yes it can be done. I will find her thread and add the link here.

Here is her thread: http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?34336-Baby-Rose/page2&highlight=Rose

Just read through Rose's thread. Thank you for sending me the link. It was really helpful and amazing to see her grow so well. Boy she was a cutie! She was the same size as the one I had. I tried a number of syringe tips to feed mine and obviously the silicone mother tips were too large and so where the other 2 types I have. What is the rodent tip you mentioned and where do you get them? I wonder if they are the same as the opossum tips?

Thanks again for sending me Rose's thread. It is so helpful to see and hear what works. I even took notes about the gm/FV issues so I remember to get the gm. Normally I just use FV. I didn't realize it was a problem in pinkies.
:thankyou

[Rhapsody]

I have gotten pinkies in as tiny as 12 & 10 grams and while they are time consuming (24/7) and delicate to say the least, I have been able to see many of them to adulthood and set free as healthy wild SQUIRRELS!! The first 4 weeks of a pinkies life takes a lot of time from the person rehabbing them , therefore, you will not always find a lot of centers willing to take in babies under 3 weeks of age...... due the the constant care they require and their possible survival rate.

Here is Henry --only a few days old
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e116/Rhapsody_1/Henry/Henry001.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/Rhapsody_1/media/Henry/Henry001.jpg.html)

[sabelson]

Yes, that is why the Rehab Center couldn't take care of her and euthanized her. They told me only 4% survive under 43 grams. I have to assume that is in their large facility. With such a poor survival rate I can see why they don't want to use their resources. The other piece of information to consider is at the Rehab Center, volunteers, students and interns all feed the babies. I've been helping in the nursery for 3 years now and I can tell you the range of skills levels is very large. You've got beginners to licensed rehabbers to vet staff and everything in between. I've had to train many beginners and some are great right away and some aren't. If they had pinkies in the nursery, each feeding would be by a different volunteer/student/intern with a different level of skill. No wonder they didn't survive. I suspect most aspirated.

For those of you out there who have rehabbed lots of pinkies, any guesses as to what the survival rates are (to release age)?

Thanks,
Sharon

[island rehabber]

I wonder if they are the same as the opossum tips?

Yes they are the same as the opossum tips. In fact the ones I use come from the OSA. :tilt


]Thanks again for sending me Rose's thread. It is so helpful to see and hear what works. I even took notes about the gm/FV issues so I remember to get the gm. Normally I just use FV. I didn't realize it was a problem in pinkies.
:thankyou
[/QUOTE]
For what it's worth, I have no problem whatsoever with the combination of FV 32/40 and Ultra Boost in even the youngest newborns. I add the Ultra Boost until their eyes open, then switch to the 20/50 which has more fat, anyway. Goat's milk and full fat yogurt are difficult to get in my area and the sell-by dates are always, like, tomorrow :shakehead-- so I've stuck with the Ultra Boost and it is awesome.

[pappy1264]

This is what I used, from Chris' Squirrels and More: http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/rehab-supplies/nipples-and-feeding-bottles/mini-nipple-set.html

I buy the goat milk powder and keep in the freezer, so no caught without it!! I get mine at The Vitamin Shoppe.
You're welcome. They can be a bit more time consuming, but certainly can survive and do quite well! Actually she had LESS issues then some older ones I got.

[sabelson]

This is what I used, from Chris' Squirrels and More: http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/rehab-supplies/nipples-and-feeding-bottles/mini-nipple-set.html

I buy the goat milk powder and keep in the freezer, so no caught without it!! I get mine at The Vitamin Shoppe.
You're welcome.

Perfect - I'm ordering the mini-nipples today so I don't get caught without them again. The gm powder is a great idea too. Thank you again.


Sharon

[lilidukes]

Reyza was around 9 grams and injured

[sabelson]

Reyza was around 9 grams and injured

Wow! I guess they are tougher than they appear. They look so fragile.