A Few Questions-

[Liza]

Hi.. I posted about my new grey baby on the Nursery forum (my second post on the thread has pictures if it would help determine his age) http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4709 I do have a few questions, though..(Thanks in advance for the help :thankyou ) He is SO much different than the reds we just released that I am just lost! First off, he wants to be held ALL the time. If I put him back in his house, he fusses until I pick him up again. He isn't cold, and he has a teddy bear in there, so it is not a totally boring environment. He just wants to snuggle. Do I just let him "cry it out" like a spoiled kid? (I don't think I could do that either :D ) Just fyi- he is in a big aquarium with a mesh top. He has a towel, a washcloth and a chunk of soft baby fleece blanket material to snuggle into and climb on. I have a heating pad under one corner on low setting, and he does gravitate there to sleep so I will leave it on for a while. After his feed this morning (man- he eats more than a red, too! LOL) I offered him a slice of apple and a bit of rodent block just to see what he would do. He sniffed them and then crawled up my arm and went to sleep. Not a big solid food man yet.

Then on to question 2- elimination. He was pretty dehydrated when he came to me, so I've been getting him juiced up slowly. I've been stimulating to get him to go, but with no success in either arena (pee or poo). Just now I noticed he had poo'd on his own in his house. Does this mean he can pee on his own too? My little reds went on their own almost as soon as their eyes opened. Maybe this guy is old enough to be doing his business without help?

OK- one more ? and I will leave you all alone for a while. Pests. He was infested with quite a few crawlies when he came in. Little red mites about the size of a pinhead, flat crawlies that I assume were lice (not jumping, so not fleas?) I gave him the same treatment I gave my last furkids.. A dusting of diatomaceous earth powder and a rubdown with a cloth sprayed with kitten flea spray. With the reds, I had to do it several times to get rid of all the visible critters. I did this guy ONCE and see nothing crawling on him at all this morning. Should I do it again just to make sure, or is once enough> I don't want to use chemicals on him that I don't need to, but I dont want crawlies in my house, either.

Thanks again for all the help... :thankyou :thankyou I'll post more pics later today.

Liza ... mom to children, smooth and furry

[Mars]

Hi.. I posted about my new grey baby on the Nursery forum (my second post on the thread has pictures if it would help determine his age) http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4709 I do have a few questions, though..(Thanks in advance for the help :thankyou ) He is SO much different than the reds we just released that I am just lost! First off, he wants to be held ALL the time. If I put him back in his house, he fusses until I pick him up again. He isn't cold, and he has a teddy bear in there, so it is not a totally boring environment. He just wants to snuggle. Do I just let him "cry it out" like a spoiled kid? (I don't think I could do that either :D ) Just fyi- he is in a big aquarium with a mesh top. He has a towel, a washcloth and a chunk of soft baby fleece blanket material to snuggle into and climb on. I have a heating pad under one corner on low setting, and he does gravitate there to sleep so I will leave it on for a while. After his feed this morning (man- he eats more than a red, too! LOL) I offered him a slice of apple and a bit of rodent block just to see what he would do. He sniffed them and then crawled up my arm and went to sleep. Not a big solid food man yet.

At this age he will want heat full time for a while yet. And it's a bit too early for solids like apples. I do keep a piece of rodent block in the cgae for them to teethe on, but most of it will end up as crumbs in the bedding. Wait until he is actually eating the rodent block before trying to introduce other solids. If he remains fussy and isn't gaining weight PM me and we can discuss possible homeopathic solutions to help.

Then on to question 2- elimination. He was pretty dehydrated when he came to me, so I've been getting him juiced up slowly. I've been stimulating to get him to go, but with no success in either arena (pee or poo). Just now I noticed he had poo'd on his own in his house. Does this mean he can pee on his own too? My little reds went on their own almost as soon as their eyes opened. Maybe this guy is old enough to be doing his business without help?

he is old enough to start going on his own but I continue to stimulate until I am sure. After being dehydrated it may be a day or two before the body has anything left over to pee out. If I see nothing by the 3rd day then I start to become concerned.

OK- one more ? and I will leave you all alone for a while. Pests. He was infested with quite a few crawlies when he came in. Little red mites about the size of a pinhead, flat crawlies that I assume were lice (not jumping, so not fleas?) I gave him the same treatment I gave my last furkids.. A dusting of diatomaceous earth powder and a rubdown with a cloth sprayed with kitten flea spray. With the reds, I had to do it several times to get rid of all the visible critters. I did this guy ONCE and see nothing crawling on him at all this morning. Should I do it again just to make sure, or is once enough> I don't want to use chemicals on him that I don't need to, but I dont want crawlies in my house, either.

Squirrel fleas don't jump as cat/dog fleas do. At this point I would just keep watcha and continue to change his bedding often.

Thanks again for all the help... :thankyou :thankyou I'll post more pics later today.

Liza ... mom to children, smooth and furry

:)

[Secret Squirrel]

I agree with Mars on the questions you asked.
*Keep heat as a 24 hour option for him....he will crawl off if he gets too warm.
*Stimulate him before and after every feeding.....his pee should be almost clear. If dark and smelly than he is still dehydrated. So you want to see his pee to be certian he is OK.
*I wouldn't treat for fleas again....once usually does the trick, change and wash bedding daily.

Is there a chance you can get another squirrel for him ?? Either get one or two from another rehaber in your area or give him to someone who needs a buddy for theirs.
He is lonely and will get imprinted on humans faster than if he has a buddy...it's only natural to try and comforting a crying baby....who wants to snuggle.....:Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon
Good luck and keep us posted.
Becca

[Buddy'sMom]

:Welcome

Being with another squirrel is the best idea, but in the meantime, he might like a "rice buddy" to snuggle up with. Take a sock and fill it 2/3 with rice, knot the end. Heat in microwave til it's warm (if it gets too hot, just let it cool off a bit -- it should be comfortably warm) Put one (or 2) next to baby -- they are warm and cozy to snuggle with.