i am a bit worried.....

[ljhpsauce]

hi, i've had our little orphan squirrel "Flower"nearly 3 weeks now,(boy time sure does fly!) she is about 5to6 weeks old now ,her eyes are open and her tail is becoming bushy and all is going well,i hope.You see she is putting on weight properly and i am feeing her all the right stuff that you suggest and i thought id try her on a bit of bread dipped in milk as was suggested which she loved then over the last few days i have slowly also tried a tiny bit of ground oatmeal mixed with her own special milk,and also on a tiny bit of apple and banana puree (warmed)and she seems to be doing really well.However just now she inhaled an amount of milk because i had put too big a hole in her "new" teat/nipple (as as the old one was wearing out -she was fine with this one no probs) i imeadiatley turned her upside down, she was sneezing it out anyway too,but now i am worring in case she gets pneumonia....,what should i do to stop the chances of this ,what should i look out for now???i know im probs overreacting but we have come so far with her i dont want to ruin it for her now...please help...:shakehead :Love_Icon :shakehead :dono :Love_Icon

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I would recommend taking her to a wildlife center or rehabber if you think there is any chance she may have pneumonia. She will loose her appetite and then start to make a clicking sound. You really want to get it taken care of before the clicking starts, because sometimes it is too late at that point. She will be able to have other squirrels her own age to play with at a wildlife center as well, which is so very important for them to grow up healthy and wild.

[island rehabber]

hi, i've had our little orphan squirrel "Flower"nearly 3 weeks now,(boy time sure does fly!) she is about 5to6 weeks old now ,her eyes are open and her tail is becoming bushy and all is going well,i hope.You see she is putting on weight properly and i am feeing her all the right stuff that you suggest and i thought id try her on a bit of bread dipped in milk as was suggested which she loved then over the last few days i have slowly also tried a tiny bit of ground oatmeal mixed with her own special milk,and also on a tiny bit of apple and banana puree (warmed)and she seems to be doing really well.However just now she inhaled an amount of milk because i had put too big a hole in her "new" teat/nipple (as as the old one was wearing out -she was fine with this one no probs) i imeadiatley turned her upside down, she was sneezing it out anyway too,but now i am worring in case she gets pneumonia....,what should i do to stop the chances of this ,what should i look out for now???i know im probs overreacting but we have come so far with her i dont want to ruin it for her now...please help...:shakehead :Love_Icon :shakehead :dono :Love_Icon

hi there...dont panic, just be vigilant over the next day or so. Sneezing or inhaling a bit, especially with a squirrel who is not a newborn (pinky) isn't always instant pneumonia. Listen to her breathing over the next 12 hours or so, and if you don't hear any clicking or wheezing, she is fine. Some squirrels will do that from time to time nomatter how careful we are, so just go slowly and watch those holes in the nipple. :)

[ljhpsauce]

well i do actually work at a vets - nursing,and we have tried to get animal wildlife care to take her but they said they are far to full at this time of year, and that being as what profession i am with that i had a choice to have her put to sleep :sad :shakehead or try hand rearing her myself,as i say we have come a long way,and as my husband said she is thriving and has a built-up immunity now compaired to when we first had her when she was a little helpless vunerable scrap. i do have access to antibiotics etc as well if i need to give her any asap.:thankyou

[ljhpsauce]

hi there...dont panic, just be vigilant over the next day or so. Sneezing or inhaling a bit, especially with a squirrel who is not a newborn (pinky) isn't always instant pneumonia. Listen to her breathing over the next 12 hours or so, and if you don't hear any clicking or wheezing, she is fine. Some squirrels will do that from time to time nomatter how careful we are, so just go slowly and watch those holes in the nipple. :)
:thumbsup Oh thank you sooooo much for re-assurring me,i will do all you suggest,you know what they say when you have kids you never stop worrying!!!........we are eventually when she is 12 weeks old , going to set her free at a local country park which already has squirrels that are quite semi/Tame with the visitors and staff who work there,we have asked their permission to do this of course though.:Love_Icon :thankyou

[susanw]

I hope you got rid of that nipple! It does happen sometimes no matter how slow you try and control the milk, one of the things we use when it happens is one of those baby suction bulbs for the nose. Let me warn you though, they don't like it.

[ljhpsauce]

I hope you got rid of that nipple! It does happen sometimes no matter how slow you try and control the milk, one of the things we use when it happens is one of those baby suction bulbs for the nose. Let me warn you though, they don't like it.
:D Lol....:sanp3 yeah well i er um DID actually try sucking it out of her nostrils with my mouth myself but i thought if i told u that you'd think i was mad!!!!::wave123

[ljhpsauce]

oh yeah and she was'nt too keen ,well she looked a little confused actually.

[Gabe]

Definately watch for loss of appetite. That comes days before the clicking, then the next thing to watch for is the way they stand with their head hung,then comes the clicking. It takes a trained eye to pick up on the first two. If in doubt at least have a rehabber check her over, and while you are becoming chummy with the rehabber let her know you are interested in this. Perhaps she can help you out with the legal stuff and even send you home with another squirrel if she is so overloaded. You'll help her and she'll give your squirrel a buddy.

[Gabe]

Sorry, just re read my post and i didn't mean legal in that you should get a license, but that rehabbers have tricks up their sleeves when they are desperate for help and she may be willing to pull a few out of her sleeve to help you get a buddy for your squirrel.

[LynninIN]

:D Lol....:sanp3 yeah well i er um DID actually try sucking it out of her nostrils with my mouth myself but i thought if i told u that you'd think i was mad!!!!::wave123
Maybe a little nutty. :D You do sound like you'd make a good rehabber. Maybe flower came your way to get you started.

[susanw]

:D Lol....:sanp3 yeah well i er um DID actually try sucking it out of her nostrils with my mouth myself but i thought if i told u that you'd think i was mad!!!!::wave123



Ha, not on this board!:D

[thundersquirrel]

don't stress it. next time you cut the nipple, cut a cross in the tip. then it won't be too big of a whole. if you have very tiny scissors, just face the tip and snip it horizontally, then vertically.

and get rid of that nipple if the hole is really too big.

[ljhpsauce]

Maybe a little nutty. :D You do sound like you'd make a good rehabber. Maybe flower came your way to get you started.
Oh thank you ,:thankyou How would i go about applying for a "rehabbers Licence"..????.....as i live in Manchester in England UK ?....is it different rules for UK?? i would be very interested in this. :thumbsup :multi :Love_Icon :Squirrel :Love_Icon LoL Lisa.xxx(aka.ljhpsauce)

[Buddy'sMom]

.... How would i go about applying for a "rehabbers Licence"..????.....as i live in Manchester in England UK ?....is it different rules for UK?? i would be very interested in this. :thumbsup :multi :Love_Icon :Squirrel :Love_Icon LoL Lisa.xxx(aka.ljhpsauce)
:thumbsup Good idea! We have members in the UK -- I'm not sure they are rehabbers, but maybe will chime in here if they know. Another source might be the wildlife center that was too busy -- they may be thrilled to help you become a rehabber! Good luck!
[I hope Flower sneezed it all out and will be just fine, with just a scared momma from the ordeal! :grouphug ]