Just out of curiousity

[EmmasMummy]

My squirrels are to young but just out of curiousity. When do you start to wean? How do you aproach it?

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Have Minnie and Spike opened their eyes? That is when I start to wean them. You can give them baby food for 1 feeding of baby food with 3 of milk at first (about 2-3 days after they open their eyes) then in a week increase to 2 feedings of baby food and 2 of milk for a week or two and then they should be good. All this time, give them large pieces of fruit (big enough that they can't swallow it and choke) and walnuts in the shell to chew on.

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Oh, I forgot. For the baby food feedings, I mix a Fruit baby food (I use Giant Eagle brand Plums and oats), a vegetable baby food (I use Giant Eagle Brand Summer Vegetables), and a mixed cereal or oatmeal baby food (this usually has lots of vitamins and minerals, that's why I use it). If they will eat the mush from a bowl you can also add ground up walnuts or roasted peanuts, just make sure they are mashed up into very fine pieces so the squirrels won't choke. If they don't eat it from the dish just mix it up and feed it through the syringe, they will suck it down like it is milk.

[Gabe]

In the wild mother squirrels bring chew toys to the nest before the babies open their eyes. Their teeth are in long before their eyes open.

A more natural way to wean is to leave rodent chow, zupreem, grapes cut in half, cheerios in their cage. They will start to investigate and teeth on the food. This also helps to cut back on genital suckling. Just one or two pieces at a time is plenty as they will mostly crawl over it. Replace it with fresh twice a day. As they get closer to opening their eyes they will go for this while they are waiting their turn to be fed. It will also give them something to keep their teeth well aligned and ground as they are coming in and prevent malocclusion as they get older.

I continue to hand feed as they mature and keep the finger foods coming. Many rehabbers use baby food, but I don't have the time to go back and clean them after they have bathed and walked through it as I have too many other animals to care for.

I don't add baby cereal to the formula that I am hand feeding as they tend to feel too full and reject the finger foods.

There are many different ways to wean, keep asking questions and then choose what will work best for you.

[LynninIN]

Everyone told me when Sammy was ready to stop formula he will let you know. He did by refusing the formula at some feedings
and eating more solid foods. The evening formula was the last to go.

When Sammy was ready to wean he would suck on the syringe hard enough that he moved plunger by himself. We spent more time
holding the plunger back than forward to dispense. The syringes that I had came with a cap so I would prefill a few and place them in
a coffee cup filled with warm water. Sammy started taking a syringe out and giving it to me. When he started refusing formula, he
would take the syringe and try to bury it.

[island rehabber]

Sammy started taking a syringe out and giving it to me. When he started refusing formula, he
would take the syringe and try to bury it.
That is AMAZING. I've never heard of a squirrel doing that, and none of mine ever did......Sammy is truly a Wonder Squirrel. That's why we love him. :D :Love_Icon
After my squirrels' eyes open I start mixing rodent block into their Esbilac -- I grind it up very very fine with a small hand food processor. At first I only put a small amount, then by the time the squirrels are 7-8 weeks old they are getting 1/3 rodent "dust" and 2/3 formula. It really helps with those ornery squirrel babies who refuse to eat rodent block, too -- at least they are getting some of the nutrients. I was really happy with the difference in how my squirrel babies developed once I started doing this: their muscle tone was excellent and their coats were so shiny compared to the squirrels of the previous year. Just my two cents!

[Buddy'sMom]

Sammy is SUCH a character -- a very lovable character!! :Love_Icon :grouphug

[MsSquirrelyGirl]

That is so funny about Sammy and the syringe!! (and him trying to bury it! LOL) My little Spot used to take the eyedropper out of the shot glass and try to drink by himself so I know what you mean about them doing that!! Wow, I never knew about rodent block. Spot's brother Buddy had head damage when they fell from the tree so he couldn't be released. He didn't know how to eat solid foods and we had to cut his teeth monthly. Boy I hated that! Mine told me when they didn't want milk anymore. They pushed away the eyedropper and Petey & Spot would eat their sunflower seeds (black oil) and cheerios. Buddy would eat cheerios and other stuff.

[Buddy'sMom]

Just a note on adding rodent block "dust" to the formula -- it must be very, very, VERY FINE powder. Or else it will clog the syringe, causing it to stick. At BEST this will result in lots of swearing and frustration. At worst, you will push a little and it will unstick all-of-a-sudden, giving your baby WAY too big of a mouthful.

I know this from very scary experience and one sleepless night spent by Buddy's side when I thought I had surely killed him with a shot of formula. Quite fortunately, he was big enough not to aspirate too much and was ok the next day, and didn't develop pneumonia. After that I put the powder through a fine seive THREE TIMES before using it in formula -- and little nuggets seived out each time. (Still, I think it's good nutritional support, especially for those squirrels who take a while getting interested in the right kinds of solid food.)

[MsSquirrelyGirl]

I sure wish I had known about rodent block years ago. As I said, my Buddy couldn't eat solid foods and he loved cream cheese and also avocado. But not until a couple of months ago did I read that avocado is VERY BAD for squirrels and I had been feeding him that for 2 yrs. I had even written various rehabbers and they never said anything about it. He was always congested and I took him to a vet every few months for a shot but alas nothing was said about it. :(

[Buddy'sMom]

There seems to be some disagreement on the avocado. "My" Buddy (:) ) also loved it! Many other folks here give their squirrels avocado and I don't recall that anyone here has reported bad things (thought there are some articles, I believe, that say that). It was suggested that the darker part by the peel is not so good and it's best to just give them the lighter part. The peel and the pit are poisonous.

[MsSquirrelyGirl]

There seems to be some disagreement on the avocado. "My" Buddy (:) ) also loved it! Many other folks here give their squirrels avocado and I don't recall that anyone here has reported bad things (thought there are some articles, I believe, that say that). It was suggested that the darker part by the peel is not so good and it's best to just give them the lighter part. The peel and the pit are poisonous.

Whew! We only gave him the fruit/pulp part but what I read a while back was that avocado (maybe just the skin) causes congestion, etc. Buddy always had colds and sniffles so I thought recently that maybe the avocado caused it. He also had seizures really bad but I think that was brought on by his fall from the tree. Thank you for letting me know.

:thankyou

[island rehabber]

Just a note on adding rodent block "dust" to the formula -- it must be very, very, VERY FINE powder. Or else it will clog the syringe, causing it to stick. At BEST this will result in lots of swearing and frustration. At worst, you will push a little and it will unstick all-of-a-sudden, giving your baby WAY too big of a mouthful.

That is absolutely true -- Be Careful! If you feel the syringe jam up, DON'T push down even harder. Remove it from the baby's mouth and pull the plunger UP. This will usually get things moving again. I use a little 8" high coffee grinder made by Salton -- it was less than 10 bucks years ago and still works great. You really need to push your hand down on that top and leave it there for about two minutes. The rodent chow will be so finely ground that it sticks to the plastic top of the grinder -- you can't even see individual grains. If you make a lot ahead of time, and mix it into a weeks' worth of the Esbilac powder, it's really no big deal.

[MsSquirrelyGirl]

So then the block is not just for teeth grinding but for nutrients, too?

[island rehabber]

So then the block is not just for teeth grinding but for nutrients, too?

Absolutely....the better rodent blocks (Zupreem or Mazuri brands) have almost all the nutrients a growing squirrel needs. I know rehabbers who ONLY feed their squirrels rodent block and swear by it -- they don't give them any nuts, fruits or veggies.

[MsSquirrelyGirl]

Absolutely....the better rodent blocks (Zupreem or Mazuri brands) have almost all the nutrients a growing squirrel needs. I know rehabbers who ONLY feed their squirrels rodent block and swear by it -- they don't give them any nuts, fruits or veggies.

Is it just for young squirrels/babies then? Or can I put it out for older squirrels, too? Who sells it? Thank you, Island!

:thankyou

[island rehabber]

Is it just for young squirrels/babies then? Or can I put it out for older squirrels, too? Who sells it? Thank you, Island!

:thankyou

You can order it from chris at www.squirrelsandmore.com -- or click on her ad on the top of this page. My guys always seem to prefer the Mazuri rodent block :dono. The sooner you get them interested in it, the better -- and they can eat it whenever, into adulthood. It's great stuff. But I would still offer some fruits and veggies too, and nuts as a treat. :)

[acorniv]

One of the things baby books and pediatricians make sure new parents know is to never put any sort of solid or semi solid food into a baby bottle, because of the possibility of choking. I should think feeding solids with a syringe would be even more dangerous :eek: Now, mine will sometimes lick formula from the syringe, much like they do water bottles , so perhaps they'd take it from a straw that way? Some anyway. It would be safer.

Also consider that nursing is important for proper developement of the jaw, which is one benefit of extended nursing, and it's often hard to get as much nutrition in solid foods as in formula. I assume this is as true in squirrel feeding as humans. Make sure they get plenty of calcium, especially. I personally like the concept of feeding forumla plus offering foods they can essentially teeth on, like rodent block and nuts.

When I got Miss Hickory, her eyes were open but she only had two teeth, :dono

My Mom gut says it's better to let them ask to wean. Miss Hickory is following the same pattern my kids did, only much sooner, of course :D . She is about 7 or 8 (?) weeks old, and wants one meal of solid food and will hide from me if she sees that syringe in the afternooon. Otherwise she wants her formula. If I leave a nut or squirrel cookie in her box and she finds it before I have the syringe, then she won't take formula until the next feeding. So far she does not like fruit or vegetables I've offered, but the rule wiht peopple is you keep offering and eventually they'll eat it. So far she has politely nibbled brocolli and sweet potato but not really eaten it. It's a start. She likes formula, all nuts and some squirrel cookies I bake that have lots of nutritious things in them. When I picked up the supplies at my local health food store, they asked if I was making vegetarian baby formula (for humans):dono . I haven't bought rodent block yet - I plan to next week. The way I get her to eat something new is to leave it in her box to find when she wakes up. She thinks Santa claus came and gets all excited :multi

I'm careful that anything she gets has plenty of calcium in it.

As for avocado, well, I started hearing this about 20 years ago in regards to parrots. I have a double Yellow Amazon I've had for 25 years, and for the first five I gve him avocado, though not often nor very much. I gave him everything. The avocado never made him sick, bu tthe nuts did. He nearly died from them 20 years ago and has not had nuts or seeds since. Anyway, I always try to find out what the deal is wiht avocado, and as near as I can discern, it is like the tomato scare - people used to not eat tomatos becasue they are member othe highly hallucenagenic belladonna family. Seriously -nobody would eat them or bananas, which are a member of the rubber tree, for fear of dying.

The bark and peel of the avocado tree may be poisonious, but that does not mean the fruit is. Lots and lots of foods are like that. Still, it's expensive, unnecessary for survival, so until it is known for sure, I just don't give it to my animals ( the truth is I love avocados and don;t like to share, but...)

Laurel

[LynninIN]

She likes formula, all nuts and some squirrel cookies I bake that have lots of nutritious things in them. When I picked up the supplies at my local health food store, they asked if I was making vegetarian baby formula (for humans):dono . Laurel
:wave123 Can I have the recipe please?

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

On the avocado thing, I have heard that a little bit is ok and they use it at the wildlife center to help wean the squirrels, because the squirrels love it soooooo much. I just give mine a little piece twice a day when they are young and it seems to get them interested in regular food.

[MsSquirrelyGirl]

Yes, I'd like the squirrel cookie recipe also. I'll try and bake some for the wild ones outside. I spoil them rotten anyway! LOL They may not like my baking though. teehee! I like the way you worded it, that Ms Hickory politely nibbles broccoli!! I can just picture that and it makes me smile!!

[acorniv]

I'll be happy to share the recipe, LynninIn but tonight I am dead tired, and I have a long day tomorrow (:yardsale ). I'll do it when I've had a chance to catch my breath. In the event I forget ( I am that tired!) please pm me and ask again? I got it from a webiste that recommended lots of things I discovered are not good for squirrels, but this recipe seems to be good, and Miss Hickory thinks it's the tastiest thing on the planet. My only concern about it is they need fluids with it, and mine is not yet using a water bottle.

[Buddy'sMom]

Some of them don't drink water until they wean; Buddy never touched the stuff (but now (outside) he LOVES big long drinks). The formula will be enough fluid. And you can try some of the juicier fruits -- grapes (peeled) or watermelon were big hits here.

Sometimes in the beginning, they nibble but don't actually eat that much. Buddy would go through apple or sweet potato like a buzzsaw -- pieces flying EVERYwhere -- but I don't think he actually swallowed very much! And yeah, keep trying. There's no telling what they may fancy on any given day.

[Gabe]

That's a good point Buddy's Mom about them shredding their food and not eating it. I've had new rehabbers think they were weaned when they saw that. But actually, they are like little babies, chewing and wearing their food, but not getting much in on their own.

[thundersquirrel]

this baby was still on full formula, but as you can see, she just LOVED to shred up every walnut we had.

[acorniv]

Okay, I got the recipe from ****************/~jbsum/squirrel.html I've since learned that several of the things on this site ( like feeding squirrels cows milk) are highly questionable (or worse), but this recipe is good. The inventor calls them Squirrel Nut Balls, so look for that on her website.

Here are the ingredients:

rice flakes
pecans
brewers yeast
lecithan
dolomite poweder
vitamin c
alfalfa tablets
iodized salt
cod liver oil
vitamin e
olive oil
apple sauce, fruit juice or fruits

Make sure you read all the instructions. There are foods you are nto supposed to feed wiht the cookies as they can block the calcium so it does not assimilate. I have a parrot that almost died 20 years ago from ths happening, so trust me - you don't want that to happen. With calcium, it is not just what you take but when and with what that matters. The woman who wrote teh site says her squirrels like them left a little chewy - mine likes them baked hard - yours will tell you which they like.

I spent $65.00 on the ingredients - ouch! But they will last a long time - the expensive elements will anyway. I'll buy mroe rice cereal, for example long before i need more Norwegian Cod Liver oil (it was 21.00, as I recall and I'm allergic to fish oils so can't even take it myself)

They look and smell quite tasty, and te alfalfa makes them the most interesting green color! Miss Hickory says they are the best! I did change one thing in the directions. I flattened the ball and baked it in the oven on 200 for a long time - over an hour. It was raining so I could not follow the directions of letting it bake in the sun. Besides, if I did that, when I went back for them, those that hadn't been eaten by my neighbor's cat would have been covered with insects.

Hope that helps!

Laurel

[acorniv]

Since this discussion began, Miss Hickory who we think is 7-8 weeks old, has decided to wean - cold turkey, if I'll let her. Today she was a real weaner, if you catch my drift :nono :argue :mad:

Several factors may have affected her decision:

#1: Yesterday we made her a playground. She uses it like my son used to use his hop skipper crapper - I mean Johnny Jumpup. She runs and jumps and poops and pees. Over and over and over. She pee'd out more than I feed her in a typical feeding - how does that work? Now she won't eat unless she has a good play first, because she wants to empty out. Fair enough, but honey, when you are frantic for food, it's hard not to offer it.

#2: Today was hot as blazes. All of you who live in Winterville eat your heart out. My dh and son came home from kayaking burned to a crisp. I had words with Mr. Eagle scout about this, and he told me it was still winter. Never mind that the son he took wiht him, and indeed, his only son's birthday is the FIRST DAY Of SPRING, and it's not like it was so many days ago that he'd forget. :shakehead Anyway, perhaps the heat has made a big impact on her. She's certainly feeling her oats!

#3: We had a garage sale, and I took her outside to feed her, because I didn't want to leave my 12 yo alone with who knows what lunatic that might happen by. First we tried having dd feed Miss Hickory, but MH said no way Jose. So we tried taking her outdoors. She hates the outdoors. She swears she was born in a condominium community - one of those concrete ones that has no outdoors. She lies like a dog. To be fair, every time she started to feed, another car owuld pull up and slam doors, or a kid would run up blasting our laser tag guns and betting his mom to buy them. Squirrels aren't really into laser tag. This one stops eating as easily as a silk worm ( which will stop eating and die if you drop a book in it's nursery) Silkworm workers remove their shoes so their walking does not distrub the worms.

#4: I have not perfected heating her formula and keeping the temperature consistent, so perhaps she no longer trusts me to make tasty fare. Let's face it that Esbilac tastes like a sawdust milkshake anyway.

So, she boycotted all her meals, to varying degrees. She averaged about 3 cc's at each meal, and each time needed some convincing. However, she got excited every time a solid was offered her. Last night I put a bottle of water in her box, so she'd have time to get used to it. This morning it obviously had been used. She ate walnuts and squirrel cookies, and this evening I bought her some Mizuri rodent rocks (Pet Smart had them) and Vitakraft premium Menu treats. The mazuri rodent rocks look, smell and no doubt taste like Texas dirt that some child ground his half eaten cookie and juice into. But mostly dirt. Miss Hickory - the same Miss Hickory who daintily nibbled her brocilli, snatched the Mazuri and ran and hid it in her fuzzy slipper cave, and popped back out again and asked to go play. Later she gnawed on it, much like a pregnant woman with pica might chew rocks. She also nibbled a little of the Menu stuff, bu tmostly used it to line her bed, because there is nothing so luxurious as rocks, sticks and crumbs in one's bed.

She was rude, and did not Play Well Wth Others. If she were my child, I'd have taken her by the hand and led her out of the playground. She dashed around like crazy, stopping only to squat and pee on her feet and then take off again. That was okay, but insted of stopping by my hand for occassional tickles and pets, she kept her distance and taunted me. Okay, I expect that eventually, but overnight? Instead of enticing me to play with her, she conned me into a game of keep away, and then did her best to dash up my arm, down the back of my chair and out the gap onto the floor. Never to be seen again, no doubt.

I've seen changes like this when other animals changed to an adult diet. Is this typical?

We're remodeling a baby crib for her benefit tomorrow. It has plexiglass viewing window in the head and foot, which strikes me as creepy for a human baby, but perfect for a squirrel. It will have enough room for some branches, which we'll initially keep low, and raise as she can handle the height. I went to Lowes to buy hardware cloth and they had common door screening and things that were much to large ( the smalelest was chicken wire, which she could get right through.) Is there a gauge or type that is recommended? We will be putting it on the rails of the crib.

I suppose I will keep offering her formula, both by syringe and in a hanging bottle for a while.

Comments or advice?

Laurel

[acorniv]

Thundersquirrel, that is one beauty you have there. What a sweetie!

I should add that Miss Hickory did chew up everything at first, but now eats most of it. The squirrel cookies are pretty easy to consume, The sesame seeds come out whole though. Sesame seeds - that should have been on the ingredient list.

I think it is possible Miss Hickory is as much as 9 weeks and was just severely malnourished at first (?). I hate that she might be waening early given that she was in kind of bad shape at first.

This is her the day we brought her home and about 5 days ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubbEkSySAA8


Laurel

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

She is looking pretty good. I would say she is about 7-8 weeks old from that second video. I would still offer her the formula in decreasing amounts and wean her over the next week or two. Keep an eye on her weight (do you have a scale?) and make sure she continues to gain weight, that is the important thing. You don't want to take her off milk suddenly and realize a week down the road that she still needed it and is all scrawny and everything. It is much better to wean slowely, at least I have found that that is the best way to go.

[Gabe]

Hi acorniv, I have been following your posts on Miss Hickory. You certainly have a job ahead of you raising her. You have taken on a huge responsibility in raising her. Keep up the good work. A scale would definately indicate to you if she is gaining or losing weight. They are relatively inexpensive at Walmart.

Remember above all that she is a wild animal with instincts that tell her when to be afraid and cautious. This is exactly what she was doing during the garage sale. Socializing her with strangers and friends will lead her to lose those instincts. It was entirely normal for her to feel stressed being outside among strangers and noise and not want to eat. Try to set the same time aside everyday and the same area for each feeding.

I would reccommend taking the water bottle filled with formula away from her. She may well overeat and get diarrhea or the formula can go bad in a few hours and she may become ill. It is easier to monitor her intake when you syringe feed her. Allowing formula to dribble out of her mouth is an indication that it is being pushed in too fast and she may well aspirate leading to pneumonia. If that much is coming out of your syringe at once I would suggest using a 3 cc syringe with a nipple that has a very small hole in it. The nipples wear out fairly quickly and need to be replaced frequently. It is possible that she fears it because it is coming out too fast, therefore is reluctant to suckle.

[TexanSquirrel]

Great vid!

[Momma Squirrel]

Loved the videos :thumbsup Her little paws on the syringe, what a hungry lil baby. Then her playing in that slipper, my goodness she is just full of herself :jump

[susanw]

The video's were just precious!:D

[acorniv]

The easiest response first. Glad you liked the videos. I took another today but it has not yet been posted. She LOVES that slipper - fun and security and it felt like mom when it was brand new and silky. Se likes to muzzle it when she misses Mom:Love_Icon

I have been looking for replacements and found two today. One is white fake fur ( not silky, but she seems okay with that) and the other is not warm, but a printed nylon thing made to look like a big frog. It has big plastic eyes. It is SO hot that I thought she might like some choice, so she will get both in her new cage when it is done. I gave her one and she liked it immediatly, so put the second one in and she had a ball going back and forth doing inspections. She decided the frog is the most fun for cave play ( a favorite thing ois to play lots of different games in which the cave is 'Safety") Plus the eye is fun too. It's too big to choke on.

If yoiu haven;t tried slippers, Miss Hickory highly recommends them!

Laurel

[Buddy'sMom]

Your descriptions are a riot! Miss Hickory is quite the entertainer!


.... The mazuri rodent rocks look, smell and no doubt taste like Texas dirt that some child ground his half eaten cookie and juice into. But mostly dirt. ....
I think this is a charitable description :D . I bought ALL the brands and Buddy wouldn't eat any of them. Personally, I think they smell really nasty and I couldn't blame him.


....hardware cloth and they had common door screening and things that were much to large ( the smalelest was chicken wire, which she could get right through.) Is there a gauge or type that is recommended? We will be putting it on the rails of the crib. ....
Home Depot had half inch hardware cloth in reasonably small rolls.

Also, do keep trying with the formula. She may reject it for a feeding or two or a day or two and then decide she really likes it after all. There were times when I thought Buddy was never going to touch it again, then the next day he was sucking down just as much as ever.

Please continue sharing your Miss Hickory stories! :grouphug

Laurel[/QUOTE]

[acorniv]

She is looking pretty good. I would say she is about 7-8 weeks old from that second video. I would still offer her the formula in decreasing amounts and wean her over the next week or two. Keep an eye on her weight (do you have a scale?) and make sure she continues to gain weight, that is the important thing. You don't want to take her off milk suddenly and realize a week down the road that she still needed it and is all scrawny and everything. It is much better to wean slowely, at least I have found that that is the best way to go.

Today she let me know the whys of yesterday, but by the time I wrote you about them, I'd pretty sell figured it out already ( writing does that for me!) She was simply to stressed to calm down and eat. She awoke ravenous and has eaten well today, as life is back to normal. I'm a little concerned about our people schedule though. Most of the week it is easy to stick to a schedule, but twice a week I drive a very long distance for my son's bagpipe lesson/practice and I must either take her along or find reliable arrangements.

I've fostered a blue jay chick and raised two children ( one of whom is super divergent and has sensory integration) so I don't view Miss Hickory is overwhelming work. The hard part is having no preparation time, and her timing was a little unfortunate, as I do have a big project that I put on hold to do this. But she's doing well, is gaining weight and is active and happy most of the time. I don't have a gram scale, so am using one that has ounces. She was 5 ounces yesterday, and looks good. Her energy has always been very good (as you can see from the videos) even when she was in very bad shape, like in the first video. She's a trooper!

I have not set up a bottle with formula - just read that suggestina nd was wonderin if I should? I read it should never stay up for over 15 minutes, which is about how long milk should be left out, so a nobrainer. The syringe works fine, and she has not dribbled any down her chin for over a week. She did that the first couple of days.

Today, I did add some Mazuri block that I ground up to her formula. I mixed up 6 Tablespoons formula but substituted one T of the dried formula for ground up block. She went crazy for that, whereas she has never liked the formula plain. I think this will make her a better eater. She also likes teething on the block, and eats some, but I just give it to her after her last feeding at night, in case she wakes up earlie than I do.

As for her being a wild animal who needs to keep her natural instincts intact, absolutely! I homeschool for this very reason! It's a big issue with me that schools teach against the grain (against work ethic, common sense, emotional stability and yes, SAFETY!) :soapbox . I get it with other species too. so I haven't been cavalier about potentially unsafe situations for her. In fact, I mention these incidents because I recognize that they are not optimal. I'm a squirrel mom on a learning curvve!

During the garage sale, I fed her in the back of the garage, not out in the midst of the people, but she stops eating at the slightest sound or movement. My dd has stopped wearing her favorite shoes, because they sound like arguing squirrels, and the whole family is now going the long way around to the kitchen, and opening the refrigerator door very slowly because these things bug her. This may be typical squirrlyness or she might have some sensory integration issues (I know all the symptoms, and Squirrels have many of them) We're all willing to cater to her needs, and working hard to understand them.

About the sensory thing - my outdoor wild born and raised greys are very skittish - always have been. Three from a litter 3 years ago virtually never leave my porch, and we love to watch them through the window but open the door, and they are gone. However, we have a friend with a great patio that extends out into a charming wooded yard that the squirrels love. She has greys that come very close and taunt her cats merceilessly. They let the cats get right up to them and then run. If the cats aren't interested, the squirrels go and get them. I understand why this is, because I understand the sensory system and how risk craving vs playing it safe are tied in with that. but I find it interesting how big the cultural divide is for squirrels living just 20 minutes apart. Miss Hickory will fit in well among my porch squirrels. They are very social but take no chances. They are brownish like her too. The taunting ones we know are very grey. I wonder if there is a correlation?

At any rate, thanks for your suggestions, and please continue to let me know if you think I've run afoul of the squirrel law.

:thankyou

Laurel

[acorniv]

[QUOTE=Buddy'sMom]Your descriptions are a riot! Miss Hickory is quite the entertainer!

We both thank you :)

I found hardware cloth at Ace Hardware - they never let me down.

We set up her indoor/sleeping cage - it's not completed but far enough that she can be in it with supervision until we finish it (likely tomorrow). I'm takling Island Rehabber's size concerns to heart, and will begin on the outdoor cage ASAP, but we needed something for her indoors, and this is truly the largest thing my house can accomodate, especially on such short notice. It went together really well. I bought 7 feet of 36" wide hardware cloth (it was 2.00 a foot, in case anyone needs to know) and ran it down the inside, slipped it through the gap at the bottom ( between the rail and the bottom where the mattress goes) across the underside of the mattress, and then slipped it into the gap on the other dside, and ran it up the inside of that rail. I then folded it over at the top of each side. The raw edges are completely out of her reach and will be bound in naugahyde. I lined the bottom with the same bright lime green heavy duty naugahyde and will use a piece of that to bind the sharp edge of the hardware cloth. Now the only gaps are 1" at the foot and head, because the harware cloth was too narrow. It will be no problem filling those spots in with wood. As soon as we cut a board for the top it will be very secure. I'm pleased that by wrapping it under the mattress area, there will be no corners that can be pryed up and escapes made. My dh cut a nice branch of apple, to fit inside it. Her new froggy slipper will look great inside it and be a fun place to play. She says the new thick, luxurious white is supper cozy, and it has a favorite feature - a lip around the heel area that is just perfect for rubbing one's squirrely little head on (the way dogs love to rub their faces on carpeting) and snuggling against as if it were a sibling.

As for the formula, Miss Hickory has always reminded me of my son - variety cravers! She ate very well today, and if she is like my ds, that means tomorrow she could care less. As long as she gains weight and feels good, I'm not worried.

Thanks!:squirrel1 :flash3

[Pam]

Acorniv you are doing a great job! I love the sense of humor that you have. I remember raising Roxy...there were times that I laughed to keep from crying. Four and a half years later... I am still doing the same thing. Oh by the way ...there have been many times that I laughed to keep from crying while raising my three sons over the last twenty one years. That's how I kept my sanity! Guess what? Squirrels are easier!

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I am still doing the same thing. Oh by the way ...there have been many times that I laughed to keep from crying while raising my three sons over the last twenty one years. That's how I kept my sanity! Guess what? Squirrels are easier!
:rotfl :flash3

[acorniv]

Acorniv you are doing a great job! I love the sense of humor that you have. I remember raising Roxy...there were times that I laughed to keep from crying. Four and a half years later... I am still doing the same thing. Oh by the way ...there have been many times that I laughed to keep from crying while raising my three sons over the last twenty one years. That's how I kept my sanity! Guess what? Squirrels are easier!

Oh yeah, humor is definately a survival skill:jump !

You get to release squirrels just about the age those people babies get really difficult, so there's no comparison, is there? My two just turned 12(dd) and 16(ds). You know my mantra with my 12 yo dd? "Okay, you see how ridiculous his behavior is now. Just remember when you are doing it at 16, it will be just as ridiculous!" They are great kids, but easy? NO!:shakehead And here is the weirdest thing. I never saw another baby with a temperament like my son's until Miss Hickory came along! She is just like him. Brings back happy memories - and memories of frustration too:tilt .

No matter what we're raising, we get what we put into the job - no pain, no gain, right? so I don't really mind the trials and tribulations, so long as it moves them forward.

I don't know what Miss Hickory is dreaming right now, but her tail is all fluffed up, so it must be good:rotfl

[island rehabber]

acorniv you're a good squirrel mamma -- keep it up! You asked a while back about different types of branches to give her, and I would say the maple and oak you have in your yard are excellent. They love to chew maple buds and branches and to strip the bark of the oak. Mine used to play with pieces of bark like toys, throwing them up in the air and pouncing on them. So yeah -- maple, oak, poplar, apple, pear.....it's all good. Supposedly they don't like cedar -- but that may just be a rumor. :)

See you guys later -- newyorker and I are off to the nature center to release a squirrel she rehabbed from one of the city parks. All better and free in the trees -- my favorite part of rehabbing! :wahoo

[acorniv]

Congratulations to newyorker on your release!:alright.gif :wave Go squirrel, go, and have a long happy life!

[QUOTE=island rehabber][COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Comic Sans MS]acorniv you're a good squirrel mamma -- keep it up!

Coming from you, my squirrel hero, that means a lot!:thankyou Don't hesitate to set me straight :poke if I get out of line. I've still got lots to learn.

Thanks for the tree recommendations. I know some things are posionous ( we also have an avocado :nono ), but sheesh, you'd think oak and maple would be safe, but one of those notorious websites I found early on said no :thinking

Miss Hickory is afraid of her crib/cage :hidechair I'm not pushing it, but let her inspect a little piece of the lime green liner alone so she can get used to that, and we're giving her short introductions to the crib so she can get accustomed. I think she wants us to get in it with her. Now there's a picture -- big ol' me in a crib:camera that is one photo op I would not want to see on the internet :rotfl

It seems about right for her current abilities, and even though she is growing fast, having enough space that she can fall concerns me - we lost a hamster that way with the crittertrails 2 cage, which was set up according to manufacturer's recommendations :-(. I'd rather make another cage as she grows than one that is unsafe now. She sure loves her new slipper though! Took to that with no hesitation. The positions she gets into in it are hysterical. It's stiffer than her other one and allows for some novel sleeping arrangements. The part that goes around the back of the foot is especially pleasing to her. She likes to sit in it like it is a little sports car (a bathtub Porsche or some such) and put her back feet up on the dash to sleep. Had I seen her do that early enough I'd never have bought that she was a boy:D . My dh swears that putting one's feet on the dashborad of a car when riding around is a female trait:rotfl .

Laurel

[island rehabber]

There's actually a website that says oak and maple branches aren't safe for squirrels? Good LORD. Must be the same people who say don't give chicken bones to cats because they might choke. You know, cats -- the animals who would normally live on robin bones, sparrow bones and teeny mouse bones if we didn't give them canned cat food?? ( Don't get me started......someday I'm gonna write a book called "The Infantilization of Domestic Animals in American Culture." ) :soapbox

Anywho..off that soapbox IR!....Miss Hickory needs to learn how to strip branches of their bark, how to find the delicious little nubby things between maple leaves, and how to chew on tender new branches for all her vitamins. When in doubt, just think evolution: if common trees were so deadly for squirrels, squirrels would not have survived as a species for all these milleniae. :)

[acorniv]

[QUOTE=island rehabber][COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Comic Sans MS]There's actually a website that says oak and maple branches aren't safe for squirrels? Good LORD. Must be the same people who say don't give chicken bones to cats because they might choke. You know, cats -- the animals who would normally live on robin bones, sparrow bones and teeny mouse bones if we didn't give them canned cat food?? ( Don't get me started......someday I'm gonna write a book called "The Infantilization of Domestic Animals in American Culture." ) :soapbox

Anywho..off that soapbox IR!....Miss Hickory needs to learn how to strip branches of their bark, how to find the delicious little nubby things between maple leaves, and how to chew on tender new branches for all her vitamins. When in doubt, just think evolution: if common trees were so deadly for squirrels, squirrels would not have survived as a species for all these milleniae. :)


Oh, so you're into common sense, eh? It made no sense to me, either, but just in case, I thought I'd ask, since I'd read not to. All I could think was maybe the babies are not supposed to.

When my first child was born, my pediatricains office had a nurse who met wiht all the new moms and got them started on a baby group. She had us go around the room and say where we planned tot get our advice from. Well, my mom died when I was very young and I mostly raised myself, which I did by observation. So, I said I planned to go to the zoo, because unless they are severely tampered with, animals are consistent and agree on how to raise young. Everybody laughed at me, and I thought - "well, we know there's nobody here I really want to get to know then", Because, it is TRUE. Humans overthink everything. I am a world class overthinker ( have you noticed that yet?) but at least I KNOW it and seek reality checks. My son knows so many really really messed up teens that he wants to go into psychology and occupational therapy. He's always got some cutter or suicidal kid who was horribly messed up calling him. Name any animal with those problems! Today I told him he should consider helping people on this list with their squirrel problems. At least our little problem children are emotionally intact and don't sabotage help! UGH! I despise parents that don't care enough to parent the kids they give birth to, but don't give them up for adoption either.:soapbox

MH loves stripping her apple twigs so I know she will be glad to learn all about tree stripping. We have plenty of trees so that will be easy.

Laurel