Skippy spitting up!!!!

[Snoopi77]

Skippy was doing very well today but I went to the pet store and bought the powdered form of his formula. I am not sure if he overate or what, but right after eating, he looked like he didn't feel very well. Sure enough, he spit up some of the formula. He didn't go and curl up like he usually does right after eating. He layed down on one of the levels of his cage and stretched out with his tail over his back. I have never seen him do this before. He finally dug under the T-shirts but didn't curl up, and he seemed to look odd, with his legs kinda straight out ...
I am so afraid he is sick!
I think I better take him to the rehab lady. I have done everything I know how and tried my best. Please say a prayer for Skip. I hope he will be okay. My husband says I am worrying too much about him, and maybe so.
Gina

[sparkysmom]

Sorry Snoopi, wish I knew what to tell you, but I'm just a squirrel lover. Maybe he did eat too much.

[sparkysmom]

Maybe just some pedyalite(sp) for a couple of feedings? Some of the rehabbers should be here soon.

[Snoopi77]

Thank you for your concern! He looks so healthy and has really grown a lot in the past week. I am a very overprotective mommy. I hope all will be okay. I held him for a while and even walked him outside, but he just kinda curled up in my hand ... His eyes looked bright, he just seemed kinda weak.

[sparkysmom]

Sparky had a couple of days that he just really didn't feel well. Never could pin point exactly what was wrong, but he always slept it off over night and would be his normal self the next day. I spent many hours crying not knowing what I had done wrong.

[MissDolittle]

How much did you feed him? And how do you feed him? With a syringe, bottle,
dropper? Technique is everything :).

This is an excellent thread about how to feed. Look at the picture, a visual
is so helpful!

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220

[muffinsquirrel]

Hi Gina,
Maybe the change over to the powdered formula has upset his tummy.(I use the powdered Esbilac, and sometimes the liquid, depending on the squirrel, and have good luck with either one.) Try mixing the powder with pedialyte instead of water, and mixing it weaker - instead of 1 powder to 2 water, use 1/2 powder to 2 water, and gradually build it up to full strength. If he was doing well on the liquid you had him on, try mixing some powder 1 to 2, and then slowly mix the liquid with the powdered mix - 1/4 powder mix to 3/4 liquid for a feeding or two, then half and half, then 3 powder to one liquid, and then just the powder. (That doesn't seem very clear to me as I read back over it. If it doesn't make sense to you, post back or PM me.) Also, Dannon La Creme yogurt is good for their tummy problem.

Hope this helps you out a little. Good luck with him, and try not to worry too much. All you can do is the best you can, and what is to be, will be.

muffinsquirrel

Some of my best friends are squirrels

[thundersquirrel]

i wouldn't worry too much if this is the only occurance. it sounds like he was choking for a second, then managed to force it out.

definitely try feeding him slower. squirrels often get overexcited if they're hungry, and will suck more than they can take and even bloat themselves. force him to take smaller sucks.

if he keeps acting under the weather, you might want to get an antiobiotic. still, i don't think he's sick, i think he just choked.
keep us updated!

[island rehabber]

Snoopi I wouldn't be too concerned about a one-time occurence, just keep an eye on him tomorrow. I've had squirrels go 'whoops' a couple of times and it was no big issue, just something did not agree with their stomachs. For one squirrel it was the tiny fruit of a flowering pear tree -- he was up all night, poor baby.

[Snoopi77]

Good Morning!
All is well this morning! Skippy seems normal this morning. All bright eyed and bushy tailed!!
I am feeling like a Z O M B I E because I was so worried and hard a hard time sleeping.
I am very happy also because I discovered a wonderful group of women who care for squirrels and other little creatures and one lives in the neighborhood next to mine! All licensed, experienced and very helpful! She asked that I bring Skippy over this morning.
I am humbled at finding out there are so many people that love these little creatures like I do. Everyone on here has been so helpful and caring! My father who passed away in 1977 loved nature's creatures, but other than the two of us, no one else has that kind of heart. In my group of friends they either think we are crazy or are too scared to get involved and help.
I feel like I have found my long lost family!!
Seriously! I am 47 years old and I have never not until now met anyone else who cared enough.
I will let everyone know what happens when I get back from meeting with this lady. She sounds like everyone on this board. I can't wait to meet her.
Gina

:thankyou

:grouphug

[Snoopi77]

I really need to do a spell check before sending! Sorry!
Gina

[MissDolittle]

That is wonderful news!!! :crazy
And don't worry about any typos, I'm sure we all saw them before ;).

[Momma Squirrel]

Snoopi that is great news about skippy :crazy Please keep us posted, we are all in this together, love having you aboard. Please pass our info on to your friend today and she can join as well.

[Snoopi77]

I took Skippy to meet the lady and she told me that someone licenced would take him from me ... I got to feed him one last time and we spent a lot of time cuddling. He even stopped eating and stared straight into my eyes for a long time before resuming his breakfast.
I have been pretty depressed since I left. We had a funeral to attend next and I didn't know the person very well. The lady rehab person told me that when it was time to let him go back into the wild, they would call me. But during the funeral I realized that by that time, he probably wouldn't remember who I was. Tears started running down my cheeks and I am sure everyone at the funeral thought it was because of the person who died, but I didn't know her. She was a friend of my daughter's inlaws. I don't mean that to sound disrespectful to the lady who died, but I am so heart broken and I miss Skippy! My husband started teasing me and on the way home he started singing some stupid song about me being in love with a brown eyed squirrel.
I feel like crying again. They said they will call me and let me sign a sheet and help take care of other squirrels. I don't want another squirrel. I wanted Skippy! I wanted to let him go in my yard.
I am such a wimp, I know ...
Gina

[BuckeyeSqrl]

Gina,

You're not a wimp! It is so easy to be totally taken by a handsome young squirrel.

I'm sure everyone here has cried over a squirrel for one reason or another. It's nice to release them at home. However, that has its downsides too. You get to see when they've gotten too close to a car. That's much more heartbreaking than not knowing (I've learned that from experience and don't release squirrels at my house anymore).

My husband teases me too when I cry over my squirrels.

Hang in there. It will be OK!

Kristi

[sparkysmom]

Guess I am a really really big wimp cuz I have shed many many tears over Sparky.
My husband has said he wished he had big brown eyes and a bushy tail like Sparky, cause he knew that squirrel was loved. He also said maybe he could get fed too.

[muffinsquirrel]

Goodness knows I've cried over more than my share before, and will again, I'm sure! I'm lucky though - my husband gets just as upset as I do!

We have a fox squirrel that we released that still comes back for handouts, which you had darned well better have ready for him! A few weeks ago, I stopped and picked up a 'roadkill' foxer because I was afraid it might be Joe Cool. Thankfully, it wasn't, but hubby and I felt so bad about it that we gave her a full rehab funeral, complete with a nice fleece blanket and a space under the magnolia tree.

Do go ahead and sign up to rehab - there will never be another Skippy, but there are so many others out there that will desperately need your help and love and care. Even with all the heartbreak, it's still a wonderful, rewarding thing to be involved in. Your heart will ache for all the ones that are gone, but there is always another place in your heart for the next one.

muffinsquirrel

[Snoopi77]

maybe he could get fed too.

Ha ha !!! That made me smile and laugh for just a minute!!
I must be having "female" moments, but after dinner, I am going to bed. My heart hurts is so terribly broken!! I doubt anybody could possibly spend any more time with him than I did or love him any better, but his little tummy problems troubled me so much and perhaps they will better know how to help him with that.
Yeah, those big brown eyes did if for sure!!

[Snoopi77]

I am very happy also because I discovered a wonderful group of women who care for squirrels and other little creatures and one lives in the neighborhood next to mine! All licensed, experienced and very helpful! She asked that I bring Skippy over this morning ...
I will let everyone know what happens when I get back from meeting with this lady. She sounds like everyone on this board. I can't wait to meet her.
Gina

:thankyou

:grouphug

I guess I thought she just wanted to see Skippy to see if he was alright and to give me advice. I was so stupid. I wish I had not taken him to her. They seemed very kind and all ...
Big hugs and thank yous to everyone on this board. What a wonderful bunch!
Gina (Snoopi)

:ohthedrama

[thundersquirrel]

I know it's very hard Gina. I think that woman should have let you raise Skippy, but she probably took him because she doesn't know you and isn't sure if she can trust you. :dono

I think he'll remember you. And it's so nice to see them free to go where they please, and eat what they want...that day will be a happy one for you, I'm sure. At least you lost Skippy to a rehabber, rather than a disease or injury. It's hard to protect your heart from these little squirrels, especially when they come to you helpless.....almost like they're little angels from heaven who know the right people to go to.

I suggest you get some training and get involved in squirrel rehabilitation. Once you're under a blanket permit or have a permit of your own, you'll be able to raise your squirrels from start to release. ;)
hope you feel better.

[Squerly]

I took Skippy to meet the lady and she told me that someone licenced would take him from me ... Gina, I read this thread when you posted but apairently I didn't understand it correctly. Am I to understand that a "licensed rehabber" actually took skippy away from you? Or was your decision to give Skippy to the rehabber because you had Skippy's best interests at heart?

[Snoopi77]

Gina, I read this thread when you posted but apairently I didn't understand it correctly. Am I to understand that a "licensed rehabber" actually took skippy away from you? Or was your decision to give Skippy to the rehabber because you had Skippy's best interests at heart?

The ladies with the rehab group were all very nice and I suppose this is a case of bad communication.
I am a very overprotective mom. Being a life-long animal lover, I cared for him like he was my baby for a week. I read everything I could on the Internet on how best to tend to him. I asked advice on this site and followed several peoples advice on little things to make him more comfortable. He seemed to me to be growing and thriving well in every area except he continued to have diarrhea. Having never tended to a baby squirrel, I actually had nothing to compare Skippy to in order to see how he was thriving. I was delighted to see his little face every morning after he would awaken me with his high pitched call.
He had a tummy problem on Monday evening after I had switched him from liquid formula to powder and he threw up.
That is the only reason I called the lady. I was afraid Skippy needed someone with more experience than me. I really just wanted her to reassure me that I was doing a good job. I wish she had just told me that he looked fine and to continue whatever I was doing. But it was clear that she had already gotten a lady to come and get him and continue taking care of him.
I should have spoken up and this was my mistake. I honestly thought that only licenced volunteers could tend to him. Any time I spoke with people about my squirrel (pet stores, vets, etc. they wanted to take him from me. saying that I wasn't supposed to keep a wild animal)
She did give me the ladies number and told me to call and see how he was doing. I asked her if this lady was good with caring for squirrels and she told me she was her best.
When I called the lady yesterday, she said she had only raised one other squirrel, and that Skippy was in excellent shape and almost the age the one she had when she took him to the release station. This made me realize that I was as capable to tend for him myself. They really didn't have any more experience than me. I suppose everybody is just dong the best they can. She said Skippy was very strong and healthy and very friendly. She said he was a sweetheart. I told her I missed him very much and she said I should sign the volunteer sheet and see if I could get him back and tend to him myself until the time for release (about two weeks).
I haven't done anything yet. I don't know what to do. I have gotten my self in a real big pickle here.

[tshirtlady]

I'm sorry to hear about Skippy. I use to raise orphans, but had a baby that had seizures and no use of her right arm. So I kept her on my huge enclosed back porch. She lived almost two years and had a seizure that unfortunately she never came out of. I had pictures of this squirrel throughout her whole life. I have uploaded a baby picture of her. She was soooooo spoiled, she actually had living trees to climb in.