Need help with my 4 week old baby squirrel

[Clgar22]

I saved a baby squirrel and have had him for a week and a half. H has been perfectly fine until today. He hasn't wanted to eat all day, he is making whimpering sounds, and now his belly seems bloated. He has been laying around all day and hasn't been active like he has been. What is wrong with him?

[jbillings]

:Welcome You've came to the right place for help! Firstly, thank you for saving this baby! Secondly, what are you feeding him?

[Clgar22]

I am feeding hi petlac kitten milk replacement. I'm giving him about 4cc's every 3-4 hours.... I'm really attached to him and really don't want anything to happen to him. I'm afaid he won't make it thru the night and really want to help him. I read online to give him some crushed up tums mixed with water so I also gave him that about 3 hours ago.

[sid'smommy]

Does he have a white line across the belly ? are you stimulating him to poop/pee ?

[sid'smommy]

when was the last time he went?

[SQUIRRELSAREME]

Hi and :Welcome if he is bloated please don't feed him any more. No food until the bloat goes way sometimes warm water soaks are a good way to get things moving. Someone with more experience will be along to help you more. Also we need to get the little one off the kitten replacement and on to a proper formula. FOX VALLEY is what we all use.

[Clgar22]

I have been simulating him everytime after he drinks. The last time he drank was at 3pm 11 hours ago! The last time I simulated him was about 3-4 hours ago. He went #1 and #2. He is also very cold I have a heating pad under his shoe box but he doesn't stay close to it. He crawls up to the top layer of the blankets away from the heat

[sid'smommy]

That is not the correct formula for a baby squirrel, and its not digesting well. We will address that later. Right now, we need to correct this problem. Stop feeding formula for the night, and give warm water with a pinch of sugar. Thier food must always be very warm, as well as thier body in order to eat and digest. Is the baby kept on a heating pad ?

[jbillings]

Please stop the kitten milk ASAP! It is not good for them. The best thing you can do for him is to get canned goat milk, heavy cream and plain yogurt. After that, go on line to Chris's squirrels and more and order Fox Valley formula which is specially formulated for squirrels. In the meantime for the bloating issue, you can give simethicone for babies. Put a tiny bit on a toothpick and let him lick it off. I'm gonna look for the forum with the mixing directions for the goat milk mixture. Be right back!

[sid'smommy]

Ok, I got answers before askin the questions :) Never never never feed the baby when hes cold... he may be going to the bathroom, but probably not enough. The rest is just sitting in there. You need to rub a bit of karo syrup on his gums, and warm him up so he will snap out of it. Time is not on your side right now.

[farrelli]

The kitten stuff is bad, ditch it. You'll need to get some goat's milk until you can order the Fox Valley. Here's a link to the recipe:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?29903-Do-NOT-USE-ESBILAC!-**TEMPORARY-Goat-s-Milk-Formula***

And here's a link to proper feeding technique - syringe pointed up, head pointed down, slow feeding:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?36777-PROPER-FEEDING-TECHNIQUE!!

If you ever hear clicking when breathing, we need to know immediately.

Is his belly hard and round? It should feel more like a partially filled water balloon. If hard and round, no more food, just keep hydrating. You should also soak hi lower half in warm water and gently massage his belly and sides. If he's bloated with gas, a couple drops of infant simethicone (Gas-X) are in order.

Is he pooping and peeing? When did he last poop? What color? I assume you're stimulating him.

The Tums is unnecessary.

Are you keeping him warm? His container half on a heating pad set on low?

[Clgar22]

Yes I have him in a shoe box and a heating pad under the box. I have two layers of baby blankets in there plus one on top, but he is still very cold and will not stay under the blanket. He crawls up to the top layer of the blankets away from the heat. I will place an order for the fox valley squirrel formula ASAP. I just want to help him make it thru the night right now. I'm so afraid he won't make it. So the warm water and sugar will help? What if he doesn't take it with ease should I force feed him? And I should wait till he warms up right?

[Clgar22]

I don't have any karo syrup... Will water and sugar help? He last pooped about 3hrs ago twice. It was a greenish/ yellowish color. Similar to how it has been looking and he has been peeing too.

[farrelli]

Do you have molasses? It's even better.

Is he dehydrated? Is his skin wrinkly? If you gently pinch the skin between the shoulders, does it tent or go right back down? If dehydrated, you might have to administer water drop by drop. If not, forcing it is unnecessary.

Are you going to answer about the conditions of his tummy? Are you going to do the water massaging? It will warm him up too. Can you go out and get infant simethicone?

[jbillings]

Cardboard dehydrates them. Do you have a small Rubbermaid container that you could put him in? Sugar water will be ok for now.

[farrelli]

You also might try a rice buddy and see if he'll cling to it and warm up. Put some rice or beans in a sock, tie it off, microwave it for a bit till warm, squish it around to avoid hot spots which burn, and place it next to him. You MUST make sure that he stays warm.

[sid'smommy]

Yes, warm him first... put dry rice in a sock, and tie the end tight. Microwave it until its warm, and squish it around in your hands to check for hot spots. Doing the sugar water now probably wont work, his belly hurts and he doesnt want anything in there. Karo absorbs sugar thru the gums and will stimulate his weak body. If nothing else, make sugar water very sweet, dissolve sugar completely. Rub on gums with a qtip or your finger. When he is ready to eat, and warm, feed sugar water that just has a pinch of sugar.

[sid'smommy]

HA! Farrelli beat me to it. jinx

[sid'smommy]

I must get a few hours sleep before work in the morning. I will check back then :)

[Clgar22]

Sorry I'm trying to answer everyone's questions. His belly is not very squishy at all. It is pretty hard. The skin on his back tents a little not to much, I think, he is very furry and I can't really tell. No all I have for right now is sugar and I can't really go anywhere at the moment. I'm gonna try the warm bath and the rice sock right now. Anything else i should do???

[Clgar22]

Im gonna try everything everyone has told me to do. I will keep everyone posted thank very much everyone :)

[sid'smommy]

dissolve a tsp of sugar with a tsp of water until its clear .. completely dissolved... no granules. Rub on gums right away.

[jbillings]

Just make sure you get him out of the cardboard box! Yes, please keep us posted! Good luck with your little guy tonight!

[farrelli]

Then he is bloated. Warm bath with massages is good. Afterwards, make sure he's dried completely and warmed. Get that infant simethicone ASAP.

[Clgar22]

I did the water and sugar on his gums. I put his bottom half in warm water and rubbed his belly, he doesn't seem quite as bloated as before. I dried him off really good and did the rice and sock thing and laid him down with it. He seems very snug with it at the moment. His is breathing very heavy is that normal???

[jbillings]

Dark, quiet, warm place! His little nerves are probably shaken from all the activity!

[farrelli]

How long did you soak/rub? The idea is to get the intestines moving again. Physical activity and massaging sides and belly can stimulate that activity.

[stepnstone]

I did the water and sugar on his gums. I put his bottom half in warm water and rubbed his belly, he doesn't seem quite as bloated as before. I dried him off really good and did the rice and sock thing and laid him down with it. He seems very snug with it at the moment. His is breathing very heavy is that normal???

No, it is not. Try massaging his belly in a clock wise circular motion and periodically try to stimulate him to move those bowels. He really needs to void and be able to relieve that pressure.

[Clgar22]

I soaked and massaged him for about 10 mins. He kept crawling up my hand to get out of the water so I took him out and dried him up. I put the sock filled rice in his bed but he keeps crawling away from it. Any reason why he is moving away from the heat? I have him in a dark quiet room right now but he is still breathing very hard.

[farrelli]

I don;t know why he'd want of the heat (assuming that it's not hot), but he must not get cold.

Has his breathing changed? Squirrels do breathe fast normally.

[Clgar22]

No it's not hot just warm. His breathing isn't really fast it's just really hard. Like u see his belly move hard. Diffrent then it has ever been.

[jbillings]

Could you possibly post a pic or even better, a video of him? That would really hep!

[farrelli]

My bet is that it's because of the bloat. He's probably having to work very hard to get his diaphragm to expand. You may want to continue the massaging outside of the water. Keep stimulating. Get the gas-x.

Btw, when stimulating, some people have more luck just stimulating the genitals. Some pucker up if you stimulate the anus. You've got to get more room in there so it's easier to breathe.

Btw, you don't hear any clicking when he breathes, right?

[Unikorngrrl]

This guys needs to be OUT of a cardboard container and into something plastic.
Heating pad on low under half the container.
Any kind of syrup. Maple, pancake, or human glucose. The sugar will help make him want to eat, but only feed the sugar water. The sugar will draw fluid to the intestine and get the bowels moving hopefully.
A tiny drop of oil might help too. Vegetable or canola will work. It isn't as harsh on the baby as letting them die from bloat. Float in the warm water as suggested, the lower half of the body.
Gently massage the belly. Keep massaging, it helps soften and move the hard stool.
Also, as suggested, try the rice buddy or keep this guys in your bra to keep him warm period!!! He has to stay warm!!

This is not an impossible situation but you must be diligent. You will have to stay with him until his belly is kind of squishie like a balloon. Then you will need to get the Goat's Milk recipe and feed that formula. DO NOT use anymore kitten formula!!!!! You will need Goat's Milk, Heavy whipping cream, and full fat vanilla yogurt.

[Clgar22]

I have no way of posting a picture or video tonight I will tomorrow when my daughter wakes up. It's 3:43am where I'm at. I just checked on him and the bloating is completely down his belly is back to normal :grin3 I do hear a little bit of a clicking sound every couple of breaths. Is that bad?
I keep having to put him back down towards the heat cause he keeps moving away from it. I don't understand why he keeps doing that.

[Unikorngrrl]

and you need the simethicone!! Get the oil and/or simethicone in him asap

[Unikorngrrl]

I have no way of posting a picture or video tonight I will tomorrow when my daughter wakes up. It's 3:43am where I'm at. I just checked on him and the bloating is completely down his belly is back to normal :grin3 I do hear a little bit of a clicking sound every couple of breaths. Is that bad?
I keep having to put him back down towards the heat cause he keeps moving away from it. I don't understand why he keeps doing that.

Is it clicking with every breath or is it only while he's hunting a nip/food?!?

[Unikorngrrl]

And keep working with his belly. Chances are that he's still got hard stool and gas in there even though it appears better...

[farrelli]

I think I may know why he avoids the heat now. I think he's got pneumonia and is running a fever. The clicking could very well be pneumonia. You will need antibiotics immediately. Do you have any? If not, you will need to call your friends. Cipro, Baytril, and SMZ are best. Sometiems pet stores will sell antibiotics for fish, birds, and reptiles. Sometimes it's called Fish Flox. When you get the ABs, you will need to tell us how much he weighs and exactly what you have so that we can dose.

Here's a video of clicking. Pneumonia can take them down very quickly.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?32290-Pneumonia-video

It usually results from improper feeding technique. Here's a video of proper technique:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?36777-PROPER-FEEDING-TECHNIQUE!!

Is his breathing as labored now?

I'm signing off very soon.

[Clgar22]

Is it clicking with every breath or is it only while he's hunting a nip/food?!?

Not every single breath but with every couple of breaths, and no not while eating. Right now he isn't eating he is only laying.
I will continue to simulate his belly periodically throughout the night!!

[jbillings]

Great thinking farrelli! That makes total sense! Poor guy!

[Clgar22]

I think I may know why he avoids the heat now. I think he's got pneumonia and is running a fever. The clicking could very well be pneumonia. You will need antibiotics immediately. Do you have any? If not, you will need to call your friends. Cipro, Baytril, and SMZ are best. Sometiems pet stores will sell antibiotics for fish, birds, and reptiles. Sometimes it's called Fish Flox. When you get the ABs, you will need to tell us how much he weighs and exactly what you have so that we can dose.

Here's a video of clicking. Pneumonia can take them down very quickly.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?32290-Pneumonia-video

It usually results from improper feeding technique. Here's a video of proper technique:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?36777-PROPER-FEEDING-TECHNIQUE!!

Is his breathing as labored now?

I'm signing off very soon.

Does it have to be animal antibiotic or will human ones work? I think I have amoxicillin. If not then I will go to the pet store first ting in the morning to find one of the ones u mentioned.. Breathing is still pretty much the same

[Unikorngrrl]

Not every single breath but with every couple of breaths, and no not while eating. Right now he isn't eating he is only laying.
I will continue to simulate his belly periodically throughout the night!!

Yes, do! And start hunting antibiotics ASAP. The most common farrelli mentioned already!! He's going to require a lot of attention and work over the next few days and you will NOT be able to waste any time! Many women (especially elderly) have UTI trouble and will have Cipro on hand. It's human Baytril. Try them, they may have 1 they can give you!

[stepnstone]

Not voiding, bloated, now clicking. :shakehead
Do we not have anyone close that can assist with this little one?

[farrelli]

I'm not sure if amoxicillin is OK. I know that it;s not ideal as most 'cillins aren't great for squirrels. I'll PM someone though. You should check the thread first thing in the morning.

[jbillings]

I'm 100 miles away! Wish I was closer!

[Unikorngrrl]

I know we have members in Lakeland, I just dont remember who they are or how to look them up :thinking

[farrelli]

Rhapsody is from there:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/member.php?2240-Rhapsody

I'll PM her and point her to the thread. Clgar22, you should contact her ASAP and have her look at your baby. She may also be able to share some ABs, weigh him, and dose for you.

[stepnstone]

Does it have to be animal antibiotic or will human ones work? I think I have amoxicillin. If not then I will go to the pet store first ting in the morning to find one of the ones u mentioned.. Breathing is still pretty much the same
FYI...
Although the preference is Baytril (animal form/ Cipro (human form) I know quite a few rehabilitators as well as veterinarians who do and have used Amoxicillin. It is also one of the medications mentioned for use in WMB.

What Amoxicillin is not to be used for or any from the"cillin" family is Lagomorphs or Beavers. Rabbits, hares, and pikas are lagomorphs. A squirrel although a mammal, is considered a rodent. It does not fall under the category of lagomorphs.

[Unikorngrrl]

It can be people antibotics. So who knows how to dose the Amoxi for her?!?

[Jackie in Tampa]

I am here... can help with dosing or can look at baby if you can travel him to me... I have supplies as well to share if needed..
Yes Rhapsody is in lakeland... I know she has cipro and amoxy:giftt and is experienced.

We will need a weight in grams or a pic so we can guess... before we can help dose any medication...
this does sound like aspiration pnuemonia... have you seen bubbles exiting the nose?
please see the stickey on proper feeding techniques...head up, tail down, never tilted back like a human baby...
no pet nurser bottles either, we advise to use a 1 cc needless syringe. Slow is key...
warmth is key...iof the baby gets cold, do not feed him, cold is an indication that the organs are shutting down, death is near...
if he does get cold, get him warm slowly... wrap him in microwaved heated soft fleece or tshirt...
make sure to squish the rice sock around , we don't want any hot spots that could burn him, it has happened before.

I have Rhapsodys number if she doesn't check in... I am in south south Tampa near AFBase..
please keep us in the loop, we are here to help!:grouphug

Welcome to TSB...and thank you for taking the little one in:Welcome

[Clgar22]

My heart is completely broken. I am very sad to say that my baby boy "peanut" passed away at 7am this morning. I tried everything I possibly could except for antibiotics (I didn't know what to use or dosage amount to use on him) I stayed up all night trying to make him as comfortable as possible. Thank you to everyone who tried to offer help to us.
R.i.p baby boy :Squirrel :Love_Icon

[Jackie in Tampa]

:grouphug:grouphug:grouphug:grouphug
Rest In Peace Baby Squirrel

thank you for all you did trying to help him.

[jbillings]

:sadGod speed little one! I'm so sorry you have to go thru the pain of losing one! Thank you for trying!

[Nancy in New York]

My heart is completely broken. I am very sad to say that my baby boy "peanut" passed away at 7am this morning. I tried everything I possibly could except for antibiotics (I didn't know what to use or dosage amount to use on him) I stayed up all night trying to make him as comfortable as possible. Thank you to everyone who tried to offer help to us.
R.i.p baby boy :Squirrel :Love_Icon

I am so very sorry for your loss.
Had you gotten the right dosage
for the ab you have, it would have been
too late anyway, as he was too far gone
for it to work.
I will gladly pm you information for
dosing if you tell me the abs you have.
This way, in the future you will be prepared,
when another little one comes into your life.

Thank you for loving him, and staying with him
through the night.

Rest in Peace
Precious Peanut212473

[sid'smommy]

Ugh... I was afraid of this. It happens so fast :( RIP peanut