Need help with a baby squirrel

[Kalora]

Hello everyone! I found a baby squirrel this afternoon while I was at a friend's house picking up some gifts she had found for me. While I was putting the gifts into the car, I saw a little animal running in circles. I approached the animal and it didn't try to run away so I asked my friend for a box I could put it in. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the squirrel had one eye open and one eye closed. It did walk in circles and seemed very disorientated. I looked around for a nest visible in the tree but I didn't see anything. The only reason why I decided to take the squirrel away from where it was is because I know my friend has a large amounts of cats (10+) that roam around outside and would have probably found the baby squirrel in a matter of minutes of us leaving.

I came home and cleaned out a terrarium.. I put him inside with a small hand cloth so he could keep warm. I looked online for some tips on what to give to him then went to the store. I bought Esbilac Puppy Milk Replacer, Pedialyte, 3cc syringes, and some gloves for when I handle him (to feed).

The big problem I'm having is with feeding. I don't know how much he weighs in grams and I don't know how old he is because one eye is open and one is closed (a lot of guides go by eye-opening). I gave him 3cc of pedialyte (unflavored) and he really REALLY liked it. I tried to mix the formula to the correct specifications but he really DID NOT like it. He nibbled on my glove which indicated I should put him down and stop feeding. I got a heat pad (a microwave one) and wrapped it in one of my PJ shirts. He liked it after it cooled down a bit but then got off completely and is laying on the bare newspaper now. He is indoors, in a finished garage, which is the warmest room in the house.

There are literally NO rehab centers nearby. I checked. I don't know how to help this poor critter. Are there other foods I should feed? I looked up some photos and I am almost positive that he is a eastern grey. I can post pictures if it would be helpful. Any replies are greatly appreciated.

EDIT: I would also like to mention that while the squirrel was in the box, it was whimpering.. sort of like a dog might do. It sounded like it was crying. I was thinking maybe so its mom would hear it. If anyone thinks I should take the squirrel back to where I found it let me know.

I took the heat pad out and loosely tucked it up in my shirt. It's curled into a ball. I think it's sleeping? I'm not sure.

[SammysMom]

:thankyou for helping him. He needs to be in a plastic container with a heating pad on low UNDER half of the container so he can get off if it gets too hot. Fleece or tee shirts are the best thing for him. Enough so he can burrow into it is he wants to. Is this a ground squirrel, a gray squirrel or a fox squirrel?
Can you post a picture? You can text it to me at 203 214-7427 if you would like me to post it.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Hi Kalora,
:Welcome to TSB
Thank you for rescuing this baby. I agree that he would not have survived around all of those cats. You are doing great.

Do you have a Sterilite plastic bin? If so I would put him in that with some fleece or T shirts. I'm afraid the glass terrarium will be too difficult to regulate the temperature. If his eyes are just opening he is about 5 weeks old. Yes, a pic would be great. :thumbsup I would try to get a heating pad instead of the microwave type. The cheap ones that DON'T have an auto cut off (2 hrs) are the correct ones. It should be on the LOW setting and under half of the container. This will give him the ability to move on or off of the heat.

I would try more of the hydration fluid. If you pinch between his shoulders, does the skin go down or does it tent? If it stays up he is still dehydrated and needs more fluids. The puppy Esbilac that you got, does it say with probiotics and prebiotics in a small blue band near the top of the can. If so, it is the correct formula. I would keep offering the formula when you are sure he is hydrated. If he refuses, you might add a drop of maple syrup or honey to sweeten it up. Once he starts taking formula you can stop that. It's just to get him started. Sometimes they like the sweet taste so it might help. He might be afraid also. You can wrap him in fleece and offer the syringe so that his eye :tilt is sorta covered. The amount of formula is based on the weight so a scale is needed to determine the weight. You feed 5-7% of the weight. Example: a 100 gram squirrel would receive 5-7 ml of formula.

This will get you started. Looking forward to pics.

[Kalora]

Hi Kalora,
:Welcome to TSB
Thank you for rescuing this baby. I agree that he would not have survived around all of those cats. You are doing great.

Do you have a Sterilite plastic bin? If so I would put him in that with some fleece or T shirts. I'm afraid the glass terrarium will be too difficult to regulate the temperature. If his eyes are just opening he is about 5 weeks old. Yes, a pic would be great. :thumbsup I would try to get a heating pad instead of the microwave type. The cheap ones that DON'T have an auto cut off (2 hrs) are the correct ones. It should be on the LOW setting and under half of the container. This will give him the ability to move on or off of the heat.

I would try more of the hydration fluid. If you pinch between his shoulders, does the skin go down or does it tent? If it stays up he is still dehydrated and needs more fluids. The puppy Esbilac that you got, does it say with probiotics and prebiotics in a small blue band near the top of the can. If so, it is the correct formula. I would keep offering the formula when you are sure he is hydrated. If he refuses, you might add a drop of maple syrup or honey to sweeten it up. Once he starts taking formula you can stop that. It's just to get him started. Sometimes they like the sweet taste so it might help. He might be afraid also. You can wrap him in fleece and offer the syringe so that his eye :tilt is sorta covered. The amount of formula is based on the weight so a scale is needed to determine the weight. You feed 5-7% of the weight. Example: a 100 gram squirrel would receive 5-7 ml of formula.

This will get you started. Looking forward to pics.
Hello everyone, thank you so much for your replies! I took a picture and I took a video as well. I just checked the Esbilac and it is the right kind! I'm glad too, it was the most expensive thing I had to buy. He just really did not like it, he shifted his body away from it and tried to nibble my fingers (I assumed this meant "get it away from me" so I put him down again). I mixed 1/4 tbs of Esbilac with two 1/4 tbs of water then put about 2.3ccs of the Pedialyte. I tried to follow the 1 part formula, 2 parts water, then 75% rehydration mix(Pedialyte). I warmed it for 5 secs in the microwave too.

I don't know how much he weighs as I do not have a scale that will weigh grams. I was afraid of giving him too much pedialyte because I don't know if they can become over hydrated or what.. the feeding guides seem so strict. I will try the honey, I have 100% natural local honey here for my asthma so that might work out perfectly!

As for the housing, I only have very large totes. I have a see-through one I use for my pajamas but I wouldn't mind putting them on the floor if that is what will be best for him. I also don't have a plug in heater but I won't mind buying one. It's too late to get out right now.. I don't think anyone would drive me.

He is insistent in curling up into a ball, as you can see in the video. I had him in my lap when I took the photo and video. I tried to pick him up (I did so carefully.. very carefully) but he slumped over. This scared me.. is he sleepy? Is he cold? I've never seen a sleeping squirrel. He is also twitching(shaking?). I couldn't get to pinching him but I could try again. I don't like fiddling with him too much because I feel like he needs a lot of alone time right now.

I'm not sure what to do still. I hope I'm doing the right thing. I looked up the "walking in circles" and people say he might have brain damage from the fall and will probably die. I have nowhere to take him and that is what upsets me the most! I wish there was a rehab center I could take him too!

Anyways.. should I stay up all night with him? I'm worried if he will be okay though the night. Should I just stick to the pedialyte every 4 hours before I try the honey added?




(Sorry about how big everything is, I don't know how to do "read more../spoiler" tags here yet)
242028

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C30ro2e5pq0&feature=youtu.be

[HRT4SQRLS]

Oh poor baby. No that doesn't look normal. He is way too lethargic.
Yes, circling can be a sign of neurological damage BUT with one this tiny it is too soon to make that determination. He looks very compromised.

Do not mix the hydration fluid (Pedialyte) with the formula. The hydration fluid should not be given for more than 24 hours. I would try more hydration fluid. Is he still willing to take the hydration fluid? That sleepiness you are seeing is not normal. After they eat, yes, they do sleep but this little one looks very weak. I would offer the hydration fluid every hour or even half hour ... drop by drop if necessary. It should be warm. In a few hours I would try the formula again. The formula is mixed 1 tablespoon Esbilac powder with 2 Tablespoons of water. The formula should be warm. Be very careful not to aspirate him. If fluid goes in his lungs he will get pneumonia. When you give him fluid or formula his head should be up and his tail down. The syringe should be pointed up into his mouth. He should not be laying back like a human baby.

This little one is very young. You need to stimulate him to pee & poop. With a warm moistened cotton ball or qtip, gently rub his genitals. When they are tiny like this their mom licks them to stimulate them to pee & poop.

I would make a rice buddy for him. Take a cotton sock and put uncooked rice in it. Tie it off. Microwave it for a minute. Squish the rice around in the sock so that there are no hot spots in it to burn the baby. Put some cloth around it and lay it next to him. They usually like rice buddies to snuggle against.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Here is a link for the proper feeding technique. It is post #1 in this link. Click on the picture for the video.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?36777-PROPER-FEEDING-TECHNIQUE!!/page2

Hopefully, in the morning someone will know if we have any rehabbers in Missouri. I don't know myself.

Just as a heads up, if you hear a clicking sound, it is very serious. When they have pneumonia, they make a clicking sound when they breathe.

Were there any trees near where he was found? Did he fall out of a tree? The reason I asked is because you mentioned 10 cats. If he was dropped where you found him by a cat, he will need antibiotics.

Good luck with this little one. :grouphug

[Kalora]

Okay.. I took him out and pinched him a few times but there wasn't much to pinch because either he's really skinny, was in his balled-up position, or he's fluffy and I'm bad at pinching squirrels. Anyways, I tried to give him some more Pedialyte (3cc) but he wouldn't even touch it. He reacted the same way when I tried to give him formula. I was confused because last time he grabbed the syringe from me and wanted it.

He has been in this balled-up state since I took him and had him in the box. I thought maybe I didn't feed him right but I made sure he was upright and everything. I feel like he's either sleepy or he's getting worse.

I'm really sleepy now and I'm wondering what I should do.. I'm afraid to leave him alone through the night but I have a lot of work to do tomorrow and I don't want to be half-awake. Any suggestions here?

Also, I have those really big totes I could move him into. What should I do for ventilation? Just leave the top off? Should I move him in there with the microwave heatpad until I can get the plugin kind?

[Kalora]

Oh poor baby. No that doesn't look normal. He is way too lethargic.
Yes, circling can be a sign of neurological damage BUT with one this tiny it is too soon to make that determination. He looks very compromised.

Do not mix the hydration fluid (Pedialyte) with the formula. The hydration fluid should not be given for more than 24 hours. I would try more hydration fluid. Is he still willing to take the hydration fluid? That sleepiness you are seeing is not normal. After they eat, yes, they do sleep but this little one looks very weak. I would offer the hydration fluid every hour or even half hour ... drop by drop if necessary. It should be warm. In a few hours I would try the formula again. The formula is mixed 1 tablespoon Esbilac powder with 2 Tablespoons of water. The formula should be warm. Be very careful not to aspirate him. If fluid goes in his lungs he will get pneumonia. When you give him fluid or formula his head should be up and his tail down. The syringe should be pointed up into his mouth. He should not be laying back like a human baby.

This little one is very young. You need to stimulate him to pee & poop. With a warm moistened cotton ball or qtip, gently rub his genitals. When they are tiny like this their mom licks them to stimulate them to pee & poop.

I would make a rice buddy for him. Take a cotton sock and put uncooked rice in it. Tie it off. Microwave it for a minute. Squish the rice around in the sock so that there are no hot spots in it to burn the baby. Put some cloth around it and lay it next to him. They usually like rice buddies to snuggle against.

Hello! Thanks for the speedy reply! I didn't see it before I replied, so I will update some information. As I said, he did not want the hydration fluid again. He acts as if he wants to be left alone. I tried to rub him to help him pee but he will not.. WILL NOT come out of his little ball.. without force. I have not used force to get him out of his ball form because I didn't want to bother him. His state makes it hard for me to feed him. He did un-ball the first time but I can't recall exactly where his tail was but I remember that his bottom was positioned against the bottom of the top of the tank.

He is breathing but he hasn't made any sounds yet. When I try to feed him, he does shake a little (his leg) which I saw in the pneumonia video which made me very worried. I can't find the feeding video or a picture on the forum you linked me.. I am worried that he might have not be in the right position when I fed him since he hasn't been wanting to un-ball. I did warm both the formula and the hydration fluid. I could take another video to show how he reacts if I have to. It may be difficult to film though but I can try if it would be helpful.

I think he fell out of a tree. When I got to my friend's house, I did not see the baby. As I was leaving, maybe 10 minutes after, the baby was on the ground. I might mention that it was not on grass. It was on ROCKS (not small gravel..). I'm thinking that if he did fall out of a tree, it would have hurt him more than if he fell on grass. There were no cats by him at the time but the cats were very close (around the driveway, cut off by a small hill and some bushes). I stayed by him while my friend got the box to insure none of her cats got too curious.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Yes, I would put him in the large tote and for now I would leave the lid off. Usually I don't recommend that because they can climb out of bins but I don't think this little one can get out of a large bin. I would put the microwaved heating pad in the bin with him. Give him some fleece or Tshirt to snuggle in or burrow under. If he needs to he can crawl off of the heating pad. I worry about the microwave heating pads because it is difficult to regulate the temperature. I would lay him next to it. I just worry about it being too hot. I would make sure he has warmth through the night. Don't let the heating pad get cold.

You can get some rest but you will need to get up and check on him. I would continue to offer the hydration fluid through the night. You might try rubbing his gums with a little bit of honey to boost his glucose. Poor little one... I am very worried about him. :Love_Icon

He does need some calories also, so if you can get some formula in him it would be good.

[Kalora]

Yes, I would put him in the large tote and for now I would leave the lid off. Usually I don't recommend that because they can climb out of bins but I don't think this little one can get out of a large bin. I would put the microwaved heating pad in the bin with him. Give him some fleece or Tshirt to snuggle in or burrow under. If he needs to he can crawl off of the heating pad. I worry about the microwave heating pads because it is difficult to regulate the temperature. I would lay him next to it. I just worry about it being too hot. I would make sure he has warmth through the night. Don't let the heating pad get cold.

You can get some rest but you will need to get up and check on him. I would continue to offer the hydration fluid through the night. You might try rubbing his gums with a little bit of honey to boost his glucose. Poor little one... I am very worried about him. :Love_Icon

He does need some calories also, so if you can get some formula in him it would be good.

Okay! Thank you so much for all your help.. I will do the best I can. I have been putting him BY it instead of ON it. It does get really hot. I wish I could go to the store and just buy a heating pad!

I will try to get him to un-ball the way I've seen some people do it in the video (try to push the legs down with the thumb). I'll see about getting him to eat something too!

If anyone is looking for a rehab center for the little guy, I am in the Moberly area. There is hardly anything out here! There is a shelter but I doubt they take him in.

[pixiepoo]

That looks really weird to me. Sort of reminds me of one who had a concussion that I got a few years ago. He moved in circles and would curl into a ball like that. He would uncurl for me to handle and feed him though. I had another head trauma baby who fell onto pavement and just wouldn't uncurl. He did ok after getting steroids. I hope this little one is alright. I think the heat and whatnot is a good idea and I wouldn't mess with him too much if it were me. I haven't read through all the suggestions but I would try to get a steroid for him if possible. That could really help with the swelling if he has head trauma. Thank you for taking this little guy in and best of luck!

[HRT4SQRLS]

The link with the feeding technique is in the first post of that thread. You need to go back to page #1 of the link. You should see a small picture with a man in an orange shirt. That is the video. Clicking on the picture should start the video.

I am very worried about the baby. He very well could have been injured in the fall. I sure wish he could get to a rehabber but I know that is not possible. Sometimes babies are so compromised that they require fluid (saline) to be injected subcutaneously (under the skin) to jump start them until they can take fluids.

I know you are doing everything you can to save him. :grouphug
For tonight, keep him warm ... Rub his gums with honey and continue to try to get fluid into him, drop by drop if necessary.

If I felt like he is passing, I would hold him and even speak softly to him and let him feel love.

[HRT4SQRLS]

. I will do the best I can. I have been putting him BY it instead of ON it. It does get really hot. I wish I could go to the store and just buy a heating pad!

Yes, BY the heating pad is best. In cases of possible head trauma, heat isn't recommended BUT you don't want this little guy to get cold either.

:grouphug I DO know that you are doing your best. :grouphug
Thank you for caring. :Love_Icon

[Kalora]

Yes, BY the heating pad is best. In cases of possible head trauma, heat isn't recommended BUT you don't want this little guy to get cold either.

:grouphug I DO know that you are doing your best. :grouphug
Thank you for caring. :Love_Icon

The honey thing was awesome! I put honey on his mouth and he reacted badly at first, but then he grabbed the Q-tip like he wanted more of it. I ran (quietly) into the kitchen and fixed up the formula like you said.. with some honey.. and he ate it right up! He kept grabbing for more! He almost took my glove off (he was licking it from the glove). I followed the video, although my syringe would stick sometimes and a lot would come out at once. When it would start sticking, I would move it more to the side so extras wouldn't go straight into his mouth but out the side. I thought that might be good so he wouldn't choke. I gave 2cc at first, then gave an additional 1.5cc. Should I base my feeding off of this? so.. 12am.. and now I should feed at 5am? When should I be re-hydrating?

He perked up a lot and I got another video of him exploring the bin a little bit.. I also gave him my warmest PJs and he seems to like them. I noticed he chews on his foot sometimes. Is he teething? He's tried to bite some of my shirts too.

*I saw a video of someone showing a squirrel's "milk ring" and that it indicates that it is fully fed. I can't see his.. he seems to be too fluffy. Is it easily visible even when they're fluffy?

I tried to stimulate the peeing but it didn't work. Does it take a long period of time? I used warm water and a q-tip and stroked the bottom of his tummy and by his bottom but he ended up getting sick of me holding him but he didn't pee.

[HRT4SQRLS]

The honey thing was awesome! I put honey on his mouth and he reacted badly at first, but then he grabbed the Q-tip like he wanted more of it. I ran (quietly) into the kitchen and fixed up the formula like you said.. with some honey.. and he ate it right up! He kept grabbing for more! He almost took my glove off (he was licking it from the glove). I followed the video, although my syringe would stick sometimes and a lot would come out at once. When it would start sticking, I would move it more to the side so extras wouldn't go straight into his mouth but out the side. I thought that might be good so he wouldn't choke. I gave 2cc at first, then gave an additional 1.5cc. Should I base my feeding off of this? so.. 12am.. and now I should feed at 5am? When should I be re-hydrating?

He perked up a lot and I got another video of him exploring the bin a little bit.. I also gave him my warmest PJs and he seems to like them. I noticed he chews on his foot sometimes. Is he teething? He's tried to bite some of my shirts too.
Oh, I am so happy to hear this. Now that he is eating you can scale back the hydration fluid. I would try to feed him again in about 4 hours. I would let him rest now. This first night is critical. I would try to feed him every 4 hours tonight. If you can get him through tonight and tomorrow you should be able to let him go the next night without a night time feedings but I really do think he needs them tonight.

Be careful of the foot chewing thing. I would watch that carefully and try to discourage it. Sometimes they will chew an injured body part. Hopefully it isn't something like that though.

I will have to sign off now as it is 1:45 AM here and I need to go to bed. It seems I am becoming nocturnal like my flying squirrels. :grin2
You are doing a great job and I can tell that you really do care about this little guy. :grouphug

Good luck and good night! :thumbsup

[Kalora]

Oh, I am so happy to hear this. Now that he is eating you can scale back the hydration fluid. I would try to feed him again in about 4 hours. I would let him rest now. This first night is critical. I would try to feed him every 4 hours tonight. If you can get him through tonight and tomorrow you should be able to let him go the next night without a night time feedings but I really do think he needs them tonight.

Be careful of the foot chewing thing. I would watch that carefully and try to discourage it. Sometimes they will chew an injured body part. Hopefully it isn't something like that though.

I will have to sign off now as it is 1:45 AM here and I need to go to bed. It seems I am becoming nocturnal like my flying squirrels. :grin2
You are doing a great job and I can tell that you really do care about this little guy. :grouphug

Good luck and good night! :thumbsup

Okay! I'll stay up tonight and finish up my homework. Phew, I'm lucky I don't have to go to class until Tuesday. Hopefully if he becomes well again and if I don't handle him too much I can let him go someplace beautiful! I made him a sock buddy out of one of my really good skiing socks. It was really hot out of the microwave.. so he might like it later when it cools down. I waited until it didn't hurt me to touch it to give it to him. I put a blanket between him and the sock and he's doing fine where he is now so maybe he'll save cuddling for another night..

Thank you for all your help! I'll let him take a break from me bugging him so much.. I think he'd like that.

[farrelli]

Don;t have time to read all this right now, but don;t be afraid to handle him. he needs the comforting, and he won't be be able to be released for quite awhile now. 14 weeks is the minimum usually recommended for release.

[Kalora]

Don;t have time to read all this right now, but don;t be afraid to handle him. he needs the comforting, and he won't be be able to be released for quite awhile now. 14 weeks is the minimum usually recommended for release.
I was wondering if I could put him on my belly or on my lap to keep him warm. I'm waiting for 2 more hours to feed but I'm wondering if I need to re-hydrate in between feedings or not.

14-weeks minimum- does that mean I should keep him for at least 14 weeks?

[farrelli]

How's the hydration pinch test?

Is you lap or belly as warm as a rice buddy or heating pad? I assume you've been told to get him on one.

[Kalora]

How's the hydration pinch test?

Is you lap or belly as warm as a rice buddy or heating pad? I assume you've been told to get him on one.

Hey! I tried to do the pinch test but it doesn't really work.. I'm not sure why. There just isn't anything to pinch.. it's just a bunch of fluff. Is he really skinny or something? It's almost like he doesn't have any extra fat on him.

I just fed him again.. about 2.5cc. He didn't seem to want to eat anymore after that. I also fed him some more re-hydration before that.. about 1cc. While I was feeding, I noticed some dirt stuck in the bottom of one of his back paws. I won't take pictures right now but I can later. I'm going to try to catch some sleep before feeding again at 8am. I am tired!

If his foot does get better, what would I use as a lid to his house? Also, I tried to stimulate pee but it didn't work or I didn't notice him peeing. I tried the rice buddy but he didn't seem to want to cuddle so I just left it in there as an optional thing. I'll get a heat pad as soon as I can!

Right now I am feeding 1tsb formula 2tsb water and a little bit of honey. How often should I add honey?

[HRT4SQRLS]

On the pinch test, we're talking about the skin. Maybe because he's curled in a ball, his skin is tight and won't pull up. When he's awake I would try then. I'm glad to hear he's still eating. The hydration between meals is good until he is fully hydrated. Remember, the hydration fluid (with salt) is no longer than 24 hours. If additional hydration is needed, he can have sugar water.

On the stimulation, he might not pee for a while because of dehydration ... but he will.

The honey was just to get him interested in eating. I would start scaling back on the honey and then eliminate it from the formula. We don't want him to get diarrhea. You have done a great job. Is it a boy or girl? He/she needs a name? :grin2

[ALittleNutty]

Glad to hear this little one is eating. Keep up the great work!

[HRT4SQRLS]

Kalora,
How is the baby this morning? I missed a question from your first post. I think you added it. You mentioned he was crying and wondered if you should return him to where you found him. Reuniting baby squirrels with their mother is always the best scenario. They can raise them so much better than we can. I would have my friend look in the trees to see if she sees the nest. If she does see a nest, you might try to reunite by placing him at the base of the tree and stepping away. The only problem is that you mentioned 10 cats. You would need to watch him the entire time because the cats would surely eat him. In this case it will probably not be possible to reunite.

I would try to get the heating pad with NO auto shut off. That way you could set it on low and not worry about temperature any more. It would go under 1/2 of the the bin on LOW. I would also get a scale that weighs in grams. That is how you determine how much to feed. They tend to over eat and this can cause problems. I would also go to a pharmacy and ask them for a 1 ml syringe for feeding an orphan baby. They will usually give you one.

Please be careful who you tell about this baby because it is illegal in most states to possess wildlife. I know it's crazy. There is no one to help you but they don't want you to help him. Totally crazy! :shakehead

[Monipenny]

I was wondering if I could put him on my belly or on my lap to keep him warm. I'm waiting for 2 more hours to feed but I'm wondering if I need to re-hydrate in between feedings or not.

14-weeks minimum- does that mean I should keep him for at least 14 weeks?

You are in Missouri, you will need to keep him through the winter and begin a soft release next Spring/Summer. This baby will be too young to survive on his own if released this year. You are sweet for doing all you can for this baby, thank you and you are doing a great job. Do watch for him chewing on body parts, they can quickly amputate a limb.

[Kalora]

Kalora,
How is the baby this morning? I missed a question from your first post. I think you added it. You mentioned he was crying and wondered if you should return him to where you found him. Reuniting baby squirrels with their mother is always the best scenario. They can raise them so much better than we can. I would have my friend look in the trees to see if she sees the nest. If she does see a nest, you might try to reunite by placing him at the base of the tree and stepping away. The only problem is that you mentioned 10 cats. You would need to watch him the entire time because the cats would surely eat him. In this case it will probably not be possible to reunite.

I would try to get the heating pad with NO auto shut off. That way you could set it on low and not worry about temperature any more. It would go under 1/2 of the the bin on LOW. I would also get a scale that weighs in grams. That is how you determine how much to feed. They tend to over eat and this can cause problems. I would also go to a pharmacy and ask them for a 1 ml syringe for feeding an orphan baby. They will usually give you one.

Please be careful who you tell about this baby because it is illegal in most states to possess wildlife. I know it's crazy. There is no one to help you but they don't want you to help him. Totally crazy! :shakehead
I got 4 hours sleep to wake up at 8 and feed him. He didn't like the formula without honey.. at first! I didn't give up and I tried again. He ended up taking it very well. After that, I went to Walmart to look at heat-pads. I suppose they stop carrying the ones that stay on permanently because of fire risks and other dangers. However, there was a more expensive one (advertised as very soft, luxurious etc) that had an optional auto-off button so I ended up having to buy it.

I have the heat pad under the plastic bin set to "3". It goes up to 6. The heat doesn't penetrate the plastic very well though, since the plastic is thick. Is that alright.. or?

I don't have a gram scale. I'll look online but the soonest I could get one would probably be next Monday (I get money on Mondays). How should I feed him in the meantime? When I fed him last night (4am) and this morning (8am) he would tilt his head back and squirm a little so I assumed he didn't want more and I would put him down. I am 100% certain I am feeding him correctly. Now, when I pick him up he will uncurl easy and "assume feeding position". I don't know what to do with the little guy when I'm at work etc so any suggestions would be lovely! Btw- he is sleeping a lot. Is this normal?

I tried the pinch thing


@Monipenny, I did think about this. Winters here can be really rough for some wild animals and strays.

I love taking care of animals though.. even people! I am going to college to study animal science and I'm hoping to go into animal nutrition! I haven't transferred to a university yet so I have no idea how to handle situations like this, which is why I'm so very grateful to all of you experts lending me your time. I have experience with rehabbing lizards but nothing with squirrels. I decided to name him Twitch! I'm really trying hard to do everything I can for him. I've spent more on this little guy than I have on myself in at least 3 months but it's worth it. I remember lizards are not cheap either, but saving a life is worth everything!

QUESTIONS:

1) When he gets bigger and can move around better- how do I upgrade his enclosure?
2) What should I do when I have to go to work?
3) What feeding plan should I stick to before I get the gram scale?
4) How to handle squirrels and a curious 5 year old (Will be here tomorrow)
5) Now that he has a heat pad, could I move him to a different room that is not as warm, or should I keep him here?
6) There is a dirt "clod" in his foot. It's stuck. How should I handle this situation? It may be why he doesn't walk right.
7) I noticed some little tiny brown bugs with wings on him. Any home remedies for this?

Thanks again everyone for checking in!

EDIT: Just now peeked at him. The heat pad warms through the plastic just a tiny bit but I think the T-Shirt insulates the heat well. He's sleeping all stretched out now so he's not in a ball anymore. I hope that means he's nice and warm!

[ALittleNutty]

I got 4 hours sleep to wake up at 8 and feed him. He didn't like the formula without honey.. at first! I didn't give up and I tried again. He ended up taking it very well. After that, I went to Walmart to look at heat-pads. I suppose they stop carrying the ones that stay on permanently because of fire risks and other dangers. However, there was a more expensive one (advertised as very soft, luxurious etc) that had an optional auto-off button so I ended up having to buy it.

I have the heat pad under the plastic bin set to "3". It goes up to 6. The heat doesn't penetrate the plastic very well though, since the plastic is thick. Is that alright.. or?

I don't have a gram scale. I'll look online but the soonest I could get one would probably be next Monday (I get money on Mondays). How should I feed him in the meantime? When I fed him last night (4am) and this morning (8am) he would tilt his head back and squirm a little so I assumed he didn't want more and I would put him down. I am 100% certain I am feeding him correctly. Now, when I pick him up he will uncurl easy and "assume feeding position". I don't know what to do with the little guy when I'm at work etc so any suggestions would be lovely! Btw- he is sleeping a lot. Is this normal?

I tried the pinch thing


@Monipenny, I did think about this. Winters here can be really rough for some wild animals and strays.

I love taking care of animals though.. even people! I am going to college to study animal science and I'm hoping to go into animal nutrition! I haven't transferred to a university yet so I have no idea how to handle situations like this, which is why I'm so very grateful to all of you experts lending me your time. I have experience with rehabbing lizards but nothing with squirrels. I decided to name him Twitch! I'm really trying hard to do everything I can for him. I've spent more on this little guy than I have on myself in at least 3 months but it's worth it. I remember lizards are not cheap either, but saving a life is worth everything!

QUESTIONS:

1) When he gets bigger and can move around better- how do I upgrade his enclosure?
2) What should I do when I have to go to work?
3) What feeding plan should I stick to before I get the gram scale?
4) How to handle squirrels and a curious 5 year old (Will be here tomorrow)
5) Now that he has a heat pad, could I move him to a different room that is not as warm, or should I keep him here?
6) There is a dirt "clod" in his foot. It's stuck. How should I handle this situation? It may be why he doesn't walk right.
7) I noticed some little tiny brown bugs with wings on him. Any home remedies for this?

Thanks again everyone for checking in!

EDIT: Just now peeked at him. The heat pad warms through the plastic just a tiny bit but I think the T-Shirt insulates the heat well. He's sleeping all stretched out now so he's not in a ball anymore. I hope that means he's nice and warm!

Don't worry about the wiggling during feeding, they all do it. Sometimes they like to be placed on their tummy to eat. I find on my leg works that way I can bring the syringe up below him.

At first he will need a small cage that is not too tall and after that he will need a larger cage like one for a medium to large bird. Sometimes you can score these fairly cheap on Craigslist. You can also check the For Sale or Trade forum here to see if anyone has one.

It's really hard to determine weight without the scale. Just so we can estimate try holding some quarters in your hand and tell us how many weigh close to him.

You can keep him in another room but you might want to place a cover over 2/3 of the top to keep the drafts off of him. Warm, dark, quiet so I wouldn't let the child even know about him.

A warm bath with Dawn might kill the bugs and remove the dirt. Just be sure to dry him off very well.

If you can post a pic of the foot and the bugs that would help a lot.

Sleeping uncurled on his back is a great sign!

[Kalora]

Don't worry about the wiggling during feeding, they all do it. Sometimes they like to be placed on their tummy to eat. I find on my leg works that way I can bring the syringe up below him.

At first he will need a small cage that is not too tall and after that he will need a larger cage like one for a medium to large bird. Sometimes you can score these fairly cheap on Craigslist. You can also check the For Sale or Trade forum here to see if anyone has one.

It's really hard to determine weight without the scale. Just so we can estimate try holding some quarters in your hand and tell us how many weigh close to him.

You can keep him in another room but you might want to place a cover over 2/3 of the top to keep the drafts off of him. Warm, dark, quiet so I wouldn't let the child even know about him.

A warm bath with Dawn might kill the bugs and remove the dirt. Just be sure to dry him off very well.

If you can post a pic of the foot and the bugs that would help a lot.

Sleeping uncurled on his back is a great sign!
Well, he will swing his head back all the way so it's like he's looking up. His eyes kind of scare me when he does that because they are looking down. I don't know, it's freaks me out so when he does that I just put him back in his enclosure.

Would it be good to get the big cage first instead of having to buy 2? Could I see some examples of the kind of cages I would need to get? I am picturing the same type of cage you may need for a larger bird like a cockatoo..

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=gram%20scale&sprefix=gram+s%2Caps Which one of these scales would be adequate? If they are on sale at this kind of price, I can order one today!

The room in mind would be my bedroom. I can put his bin in my closet on the floor. It's a double-door pull-away styled closet. I was thinking I could shut the doors so the kiddo won't see. He's in preschool now but since he won't be in school on Monday we will have him here all day. I only go in my closet to get clothes in the morning and the only noises are a morning alarm clock and maybe the t.v. if I watch some shows at night before bed. The room he is in now is a finished garage and I put him behind an armchair. There is lots of talking in here though and the kiddo will probably notice it. I know he is sweet but I don't want him near the squirrel for safety reasons on both sides..

How should I give him a bath? Would he sit still? What if he tried to run away.. I don't know. I think water would help the foot though! I'm going to feed him again at 12pm so I will try to take a short video. I tried a photo but it didn't come out very well at all. The bugs are also tiny and my camera doesn't like taking close-ups even in macro. pfff..

Question: Do you ever, ever, take them outside or keep them outside? Should they always be inside?

[Kalora]

Just got through with the 12pm feeding. I fed 3cc this time. He took it very well and I fed very slow this time so I could look at the foot. I tried to take a picture but doing so WHILE feeding him was very tasking. I hope the picture came out okay. I am very curious about the bath idea because I think this piece of dirt hurts him.

What should I put over the top of the enclosure to make sure he won't climb out or anything (when his foot gets better). I also decided that my bedroom is just too cold for him.. despite the heat pad. The garage the perfect temperature (even I feel cozy here). I was thinking maybe I could put a towel 2/3 over the top so the kiddo won't get curious.


242045

[ALittleNutty]

Well, he will swing his head back all the way so it's like he's looking up. His eyes kind of scare me when he does that because they are looking down. I don't know, it's freaks me out so when he does that I just put him back in his enclosure.

Would it be good to get the big cage first instead of having to buy 2? Could I see some examples of the kind of cages I would need to get? I am picturing the same type of cage you may need for a larger bird like a cockatoo..

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=gram%20scale&sprefix=gram+s%2Caps Which one of these scales would be adequate? If they are on sale at this kind of price, I can order one today!

The room in mind would be my bedroom. I can put his bin in my closet on the floor. It's a double-door pull-away styled closet. I was thinking I could shut the doors so the kiddo won't see. He's in preschool now but since he won't be in school on Monday we will have him here all day. I only go in my closet to get clothes in the morning and the only noises are a morning alarm clock and maybe the t.v. if I watch some shows at night before bed. The room he is in now is a finished garage and I put him behind an armchair. There is lots of talking in here though and the kiddo will probably notice it. I know he is sweet but I don't want him near the squirrel for safety reasons on both sides..

How should I give him a bath? Would he sit still? What if he tried to run away.. I don't know. I think water would help the foot though! I'm going to feed him again at 12pm so I will try to take a short video. I tried a photo but it didn't come out very well at all. The bugs are also tiny and my camera doesn't like taking close-ups even in macro. pfff..

Question: Do you ever, ever, take them outside or keep them outside? Should they always be inside?

If I stopped feeding my Little Louise just for throwing her head around she would starve to death. Maybe wrapping him in some fleece or a t-shirt would comfort him a bit and feel better than the gloves.

Yes, a cockatoo cage or a ferret cage would work, as long as the bars are no larger than 3/4 of an inch apart. Horizontal bars are better for climbing. You wouldn't need to cages as long as you could figure out a way to section the top area off at first to prevent falls.

Closet sounds fine and no worries about the alarm clock or the TV. This just allows them to feel more comfortable. I actually have mine in the living room but other than the TV it stays pretty quiet in here but I also don't have little ones roaming the house.

For bath time I fill two shallow bowls with warm water. Rinse water can be a little warmer since it will cool a little while you are washing. Hold him in your hand up under his arms and ease him into the water about chest deep. You can scoop water with your other hand and gently pour it over him and work it around. Talk softly to comfort him. You don't have to lather him up good. Just a couple of drops of Dawn will be enough. Rinse very well. Also after you feed wipe all the formula off. Baby wipes cut up into smaller pieces work great or a damp paper towel.

As to the scales, Wal-Mart should have one for around $15 or so in the section with the kitchen gadgets. You will want one that will weigh grams and pounds.

They should always be kept inside until the time comes to do a soft release when they are about 14 weeks old. Plenty of time to talk about that later. Some do like to have their cages close to a window but out of direct sunlight.

[ALittleNutty]

Just got through with the 12pm feeding. I fed 3cc this time. He took it very well and I fed very slow this time so I could look at the foot. I tried to take a picture but doing so WHILE feeding him was very tasking. I hope the picture came out okay. I am very curious about the bath idea because I think this piece of dirt hurts him.

What should I put over the top of the enclosure to make sure he won't climb out or anything (when his foot gets better). I also decided that my bedroom is just too cold for him.. despite the heat pad. The garage the perfect temperature (even I feel cozy here). I was thinking maybe I could put a towel 2/3 over the top so the kiddo won't get curious.


242045

Your bedroom will probably be fine as long as he has the heating pad and close the closet doors most of the way.

3cc's is probably about right. Poop should be well formed and resemble grains of rice and a golden yellow color(it may be darker at first due to mom's milk). If it starts to look pale yellow or like toothpaste you may be feeding too much.

Little squirrels will sometimes make noise and a curious child is sure to search for it.
I have ceiling fans running in my squirrel room so I just place a light cloth over most of the tote. To keep it from draping down I wrap on end around a yardstick. If the tote is shallow then you may want to find something else to put over the top. Many drill holes in the lid for ventilation.

Can you post some more pics of the foot after the bath? Not sure if it's just the angle or if he may be injured but it doesn't look right to me.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Hi Kalora,
I think the bath would be a good idea if you see bugs on him. Dawn dish detergent is what is recommended. I would get a large bowl or plastic tub and put warm water in it and put the Dawn in it. I would hold him securely in my hand and slowly put him in the water while still holding him. I wouldn't just put him in the water because it will scare him. I would slowly rub his fur and would let him soak a little while to soften up whatever is on his foot. I would rub the foot also. I wouldn't dunk his head but I would rub his head with the water to get any bugs on his head. I would have a second bowl of warm water for rinsing. After his bath he must be dried and kept warm. I would dry him the best I could and wrap him in dry fleece and get him back on the heating pad. Never use towels in the bin because they get their claws hung up on the loops and can be seriously injured.

I think you probably got the same heating pad that I got. The same thing happened to me. I had an emergency need and couldn't find the cheap heating pad. They are hard to find. I bought a heating pad that, if I remember right cost about $40. It was all I could find. Mine has the 6 settings also. I found that the #2 setting was the correct one on mine but you will need to experiment with that. I will say that as the plastic bin gets hot it seems to get hotter and hotter so you might find that a lower setting is appropriate.

As far as the child that will be at your house, DO NOT let the child see the squirrel. If the squirrel was to scratch the child the parent would FREAK out and call animal control. They would confiscate him and euthanize him ... NO doubt in my mind. Just so you know, squirrels are not considered rabies vector species so that is not a consideration.

As far as the bin, do you have a plastic lid for the bin? We put the lid on the bin but it MUST be drilled with air holes. My bin has 1/2 holes drilled in the top and on the sides near the top. Do you know anyone with a drill? If you don't have a lid for the bin, I would go to the dollar store or Walmart,etc and get one. They are fairly inexpensive ... like maybe $5.

OK the biggest problem that you have mentioned is what to do with him when you work. That is the reason I can't rehab babies. How long are you gone when you work? If it is longer than 5 hours you will need someone to feed him. Do you have someone that could do that for you? You would have to teach them to feed so that he is not aspirated. This is VERY important. Is this something you can do or do you need a rehabber?

If you could post a pic of him next to a familiar item, like a Coke can or something like that we could estimate his weight for you. This will give a better idea of how much to feed. The scales that you linked look fine. Maybe the second one that weighs up to 1000g. The first one only weighs to 100g ... NOT enough.

I'm sure I'll think of more. Thanks everyone that helping Kalora with this baby.

[Kalora]

Hi Kalora,
I think the bath would be a good idea if you see bugs on him. Dawn dish detergent is what is recommended. I would get a large bowl or plastic tub and put warm water in it and put the Dawn in it. I would hold him securely in my hand and slowly put him in the water while still holding him. I wouldn't just put him in the water because it will scare him. I would slowly rub his fur and would let him soak a little while to soften up whatever is on his foot. I would rub the foot also. I wouldn't dunk his head but I would rub his head with the water to get any bugs on his head. I would have a second bowl of warm water for rinsing. After his bath he must be dried and kept warm. I would dry him the best I could and wrap him in dry fleece and get him back on the heating pad. Never use towels in the bin because they get their claws hung up on the loops and can be seriously injured.

I think you probably got the same heating pad that I got. The same thing happened to me. I had an emergency need and couldn't find the cheap heating pad. They are hard to find. I bought a heating pad that, if I remember right cost about $40. It was all I could find. Mine has the 6 settings also. I found that the #2 setting was the correct one on mine but you will need to experiment with that. I will say that as the plastic bin gets hot it seems to get hotter and hotter so you might find that a lower setting is appropriate.

As far as the child that will be at your house, DO NOT let the child see the squirrel. If the squirrel was to scratch the child the parent would FREAK out and call animal control. They would confiscate him and euthanize him ... NO doubt in my mind. Just so you know, squirrels are not considered rabies vector species so that is not a consideration.

As far as the bin, do you have a plastic lid for the bin? We put the lid on the bin but it MUST be drilled with air holes. My bin has 1/2 holes drilled in the top and on the sides near the top. Do you know anyone with a drill? If you don't have a lid for the bin, I would go to the dollar store or Walmart,etc and get one. They are fairly inexpensive ... like maybe $5.

OK the biggest problem that you have mentioned is what to do with him when you work. That is the reason I can't rehab babies. How long are you gone when you work? If it is longer than 5 hours you will need someone to feed him. Do you have someone that could do that for you? You would have to teach them to feed so that he is not aspirated. This is VERY important. Is this something you can do or do you need a rehabber?

If you could post a pic of him next to a familiar item, like a Coke can or something like that we could estimate his weight for you. This will give a better idea of how much to feed. The scales that you linked look fine. Maybe the second one that weighs up to 1000g. The first one only weighs to 100g ... NOT enough.

I'm sure I'll think of more. Thanks everyone that helping Kalora with this baby.
Housing location-
Okay! I have been trying to soak up as much information as possible. I think the bedroom option will work best with the kiddo. I'm dating his father and he stays with us 2 days on/2 days off but his mother usually only keeps him nights and drops him off in the next afternoon before she works. However, she had the weekend off so the kiddo missed this fiasco. He is a very sweet boy but I don't believe he should be around the squirrel. If someone accidentally tells him about the squirrel (He will most likely find out eventually) he will still need to keep away for the safety of them both. My boyfriend (his dad) loves squirrels. He raised one to adulthood when he was a kid so he has a soft spot for them.

Work-
I'm gone 9am-3:30pm Tuesdays, 10am-8:30pm Wednesdays, and 9am-8:30pm on Thursdays. Wacky schedule. At first, I thought he wouldn't like the idea of the squirrel so I didn't mention anything. Later though, he expressed how much he wants it around and how he will help me with it. He told me he would help feeding it while I'm at school. He watched me feed him a few times and I think he remembers how to do it too!

Bath-
What do I do if it struggles/doesn't like the bath? What if he wants to get away and panics? Last time I fed he tried to squirm free so I was a little scared he would get loose in the garage. He was okay, but I worry about chasing him around the bathroom.. I have no idea what to do if he were to get loose. OH! Can I use tap water for the bath?

Heating pad-
Yes, mine is fuzzy red and it sounds the same because 2 is the setting I found is the best. People say he will move if it's too hot, right? He's curled up against the plastic (he burrowed under my shirt) so I assume he's comfy?

Pic-
I'll get a pic when I try the bath thing.. just worried about his feelings towards it right now. I really don't want to stress him out..

Scale-
I'll get the scale then! I tried Walmart but they don't really sell them here (because of the *other* thing they can be associated with).



-
So, he has not pooped/peed yet.. I'll give it a little bit longer.

[ALittleNutty]

Housing location-
Okay! I have been trying to soak up as much information as possible. I think the bedroom option will work best with the kiddo. I'm dating his father and he stays with us 2 days on/2 days off but his mother usually only keeps him nights and drops him off in the next afternoon before she works. However, she had the weekend off so the kiddo missed this fiasco. He is a very sweet boy but I don't believe he should be around the squirrel. If someone accidentally tells him about the squirrel (He will most likely find out eventually) he will still need to keep away for the safety of them both. My boyfriend (his dad) loves squirrels. He raised one to adulthood when he was a kid so he has a soft spot for them.

Work-
I'm gone 9am-3:30pm Tuesdays, 10am-8:30pm Wednesdays, and 9am-8:30pm on Thursdays. Wacky schedule. At first, I thought he wouldn't like the idea of the squirrel so I didn't mention anything. Later though, he expressed how much he wants it around and how he will help me with it. He told me he would help feeding it while I'm at school. He watched me feed him a few times and I think he remembers how to do it too!

Bath-
What do I do if it struggles/doesn't like the bath? What if he wants to get away and panics? Last time I fed he tried to squirm free so I was a little scared he would get loose in the garage. He was okay, but I worry about chasing him around the bathroom.. I have no idea what to do if he were to get loose. OH! Can I use tap water for the bath?

Heating pad-
Yes, mine is fuzzy red and it sounds the same because 2 is the setting I found is the best. People say he will move if it's too hot, right? He's curled up against the plastic (he burrowed under my shirt) so I assume he's comfy?

Pic-
I'll get a pic when I try the bath thing.. just worried about his feelings towards it right now. I really don't want to stress him out..

Scale-
I'll get the scale then! I tried Walmart but they don't really sell them here (because of the *other* thing they can be associated with).



-
So, he has not pooped/peed yet.. I'll give it a little bit longer.

Glad to hear you will have help with the feedings and work schedule.

Tap water is fine for baths. I usually just put the bowl in the sink. He will squirm but a firm, not tight grip is fine.

Heating pad sounds like mine. They will crawl around and find where they are most comfy so no worries there.

Scale, did you look in the kitchen section where they have all the measuring cups, spatulas etc.. All of my Wal-Marts have at least three kinds there for dieters to use for weighing food.

When he is out let him crawl around on you a bit. Most of them are very social at this age once they settle in. Most of the time they just want to snuggle up with you or burrow into your hair.

The warm bath may help with the lack of poop. Massage his tummy. I like to stroke from the top down and from the outside in basically, stroke in the direction of his bottom. He should be peeing by now but he could be going by himself while in his tote. Check the bedding for damp spots.

[HRT4SQRLS]

OK, perfect, if dad is willing to help you can do this. If he didn't help there is no way this would work out with your schedule. There is no way the baby could go 10 hours without food. Please don't let the baby near him for both of their safety.

You can bet that he will NOT like the bath. You are bigger than him so you just do it. :tilt It's sorta like human babies, some don't like it but you do it anyway. If you are fearful you could wrap him in fleece like a burrito and bath him while he is restrained in the burrito. This is a one time thing to get the bugs off. After that you will not be bathing him so I would GO FOR IT this one time and get the job done. :grin2 You need to wipe his chin and face after feeding so that formula doesn't stay on him. Formula left on his chin will cause the hair to fall out around his mouth and face.

I agree with ALN, he probably is peeing on his blankets. Yes, the warm bath will help get the poop moving if you massage his stomach while he is in his bath.

YES, you can use tap water for the bath.

[HRT4SQRLS]

If you would like me to send you the proper syringe and nipple (Miracle Nipple) I will mail it to you on Tuesday. It is perfectly designed for squirrels and greatly reduces the risk of aspiration. The syringe has an O-ring as opposed to the big black rubber plunger style that are more common. The O-ring syringes are smooth as silk and they don't get sticky like the others do.

If you are interested, send me a Private Message (PM) with your address and I will mail it to you. If you would rather not give out your personal information (location) I completely understand and will not be offended. You can never be too careful.

[Nancy in New York]

Has anyone tried to find a rehabber to take this little one?
I fear he may need more attention from an expert, no offence to the poster.
I really think he needs someone who has done this before, there seems to be some
problems here.
Where in Missouri are you located, just the city please.

[Kalora]

Has anyone tried to find a rehabber to take this little one?
I fear he may need more attention from an expert, no offence to the poster.
I really think he needs someone who has done this before, there seems to be some
problems here.
Where in Missouri are you located, just the city please.

Hello! Don't worry, I'm not offended. I think that all animals require a lot of work and can be expensive. The animal is what is important so of course I would want the best for him. I am in Moberly Missouri. There is an animal shelter here but that is about all I know of. At the very least, someone who could help remove the dirt from him foot would be great!

You were right. He really did not like the bath. I held him with my glove on and eased him into the water. He sat in it for a few seconds and I rubbed his back and he started to look like he enjoyed it. However, he was slumping over and I didn't want his head/face to get in the water so I nudged him over a lil' and he decided he didn't like it anymore! He tried to climb up my shirt and I don't know where he thought he was going.. but I just put him back in his little house. I used some PJ pants to dry him off and he rubbed on his blankets in his house. I touched him to see if he was wet. I don't know how to get him 100% dry though.

Should I try again or leave him alone for awhile? How do you do this without him escaping? I don't know what I would do if he got away in my room, there are a lot of places he could hide. I left him alone right now..

edit: Oh! I would love it if you would send me some. If Nancy can not find somewhere he can go, I can ask about giving out the address (I'm not the only one who lives here).

[ALittleNutty]

Hello! Don't worry, I'm not offended. I think that all animals require a lot of work and can be expensive. The animal is what is important so of course I would want the best for him. I am in Moberly Missouri. There is an animal shelter here but that is about all I know of. At the very least, someone who could help remove the dirt from him foot would be great!

You were right. He really did not like the bath. I held him with my glove on and eased him into the water. He sat in it for a few seconds and I rubbed his back and he started to look like he enjoyed it. However, he was slumping over and I didn't want his head/face to get in the water so I nudged him over a lil' and he decided he didn't like it anymore! He tried to climb up my shirt and I don't know where he thought he was going.. but I just put him back in his little house. I used some PJ pants to dry him off and he rubbed on his blankets in his house. I touched him to see if he was wet. I don't know how to get him 100% dry though.

Should I try again or leave him alone for awhile? How do you do this without him escaping? I don't know what I would do if he got away in my room, there are a lot of places he could hide. I left him alone right now..

edit: Oh! I would love it if you would send me some. If Nancy can not find somewhere he can go, I can ask about giving out the address (I'm not the only one who lives here).

Glad you feel that way. We have had many come on seeking help and not realize the time and expenses that these creatures require. We have had others who ask for help, won't take the advice and wait until it's too late to decide they can't do it and many squirrels are lost due to this.

As to the bath, the only thing I can say is you are using gloves. I have never used gloves other than dealing with older or injured animals. I think you may also be afraid of holding him too tight but that's okay too. As to him going up, UP is safe for them and the higher the better. Maybe try again later in the bathroom where there are usually fewer places for them to hide. I would definitely try and at least get the foot cleaned good so we can make sure it's not an injury. He may not like it but he has got to have it done. You can always wrap him up in a t-shirt to secure him during the process.

If you want we can try to locate someone close to you or a safe rehab facility. There have been many times we have organized a squirrel train to get them longer distances.

[Kalora]

Glad you feel that way. We have had many come on seeking help and not realize the time and expenses that these creatures require. We have had others who ask for help, won't take the advice and wait until it's too late to decide they can't do it and many squirrels are lost due to this.

As to the bath, the only thing I can say is you are using gloves. I have never used gloves other than dealing with older or injured animals. I think you may also be afraid of holding him too tight but that's okay too. As to him going up, UP is safe for them and the higher the better. Maybe try again later in the bathroom where there are usually fewer places for them to hide. I would definitely try and at least get the foot cleaned good so we can make sure it's not an injury. He may not like it but he has got to have it done. You can always wrap him up in a t-shirt to secure him during the process.

If you want we can try to locate someone close to you or a safe rehab facility. There have been many times we have organized a squirrel train to get them longer distances.
I understand completely. I did the same type of stuff with lizards for years. I used to go on the forums and help other people too. Sometimes, I would read about people who kept their wild lizard in a water bottle/cardboard box with a little water bottle cap for water. It just pains me to know that some people don't understand how complex animals are and that it takes a lot of effort for their needs to be met. I don't mind spending the money though, I just wish I was more experienced with squirrels in general.

I will try the bath again after I give him his feeding.

My boyfriend is insistent on keeping him because he really liked raising the squirrel he used to have. I think any extra info about that option is needed though. I think that an expert near where we live would be great just to go meet and maybe help with the foot or adopt him. :grin3

[Kalora]

Hey everyone, just got done feeding! I guess the time he was in the bath worked because he doesn't have the dirt in his foot anymore! After he ate, I let him climb on me a little and he sniffed my ear and crawled down my back then around again. I noticed 3 wet spots and two little tiny droppings. I'm not sure if it's from the bath but I know I dried him off a little bit before I put him back inside so he couldn't have been THAT wet. The spots are also ovals so I'm pretty sure he went potty.

He's looking so much better though! He is a lot more active than he was. It's so nice seeing him run around. All I'm worried about is a second bath for the buggies and why he sleeps so much. I don't know, I guess it's normal since he's young?

[ALittleNutty]

Hey everyone, just got done feeding! I guess the time he was in the bath worked because he doesn't have the dirt in his foot anymore! After he ate, I let him climb on me a little and he sniffed my ear and crawled down my back then around again. I noticed 3 wet spots and two little tiny droppings. I'm not sure if it's from the bath but I know I dried him off a little bit before I put him back inside so he couldn't have been THAT wet. The spots are also ovals so I'm pretty sure he went potty.

He's looking so much better though! He is a lot more active than he was. It's so nice seeing him run around. All I'm worried about is a second bath for the buggies and why he sleeps so much. I don't know, I guess it's normal since he's young?

Not everyone got into this the same way but I bet a majority got their start with finding a little one, I know that's what I did. I have two other TSB members who live within an hour of me so when baby season comes or we have a hurricane we help each other out to keep from being overloaded (sometimes we still get overloaded no matter what, lol).

Sounds like you are relaxing a bit more with him and that's good. Glad he's up and playing a bit but don't worry about the sleeping, they really do a lot of it at this age.

Glad to hear he's probably peeing, I bet you are right. How does the foot look now that the dirt is gone? Hopefully a lot better. Good luck with the bath for the bugs. You might want to try Google Images and see if you can figure out what they are and we can determine if he needs more than a bath.

Hang in there, you are doing great!:thumbsup

[HRT4SQRLS]

I'm glad things are going better today. I have to admit I was very concerned about him last night. The short video looked a little more than sleepy. He looked weak and lethargic and that concerned me greatly. I was happy that you were willing to stay up with him most of the night and get him past that critical time. Your care for him last night made the difference in terms of his survival. Without intensive care last night, I doubt he would be have made it through the night. It was almost apparent when he turned the corner last night. I was quite relieved when he finally took the formula. I hope you discontinued the honey in the formula. That was just a temporary thing to entice him to take the formula. It seemed to work great for him. :thumbsup

I think you can relax a little now but you still need to be careful not to allow him to aspirate. We keep calling baby squirrel 'him'. Based on the pic of the foot I'm not sure it is a him. The pic wasn't real clear. Take another belly shot and we can tell you if it's a boy or girl. :grin2

[Kalora]

I'm glad things are going better today. I have to admit I was very concerned about him last night. The short video looked a little more than sleepy. He looked weak and lethargic and that concerned me greatly. I was happy that you were willing to stay up with him most of the night and get him past that critical time. Your care for him last night made the difference in terms of his survival. Without intensive care last night, I doubt he would be have made it through the night. It was almost apparent when he turned the corner last night. I was quite relieved when he finally took the formula. I hope you discontinued the honey in the formula. That was just a temporary thing to entice him to take the formula. It seemed to work great for him. :thumbsup

I think you can relax a little now but you still need to be careful not to allow him to aspirate. We keep calling baby squirrel 'him'. Based on the pic of the foot I'm not sure it is a him. The pic wasn't real clear. Take another belly shot and we can tell you if it's a boy or girl. :grin2

Hey everyone, even though I didn't sleep much I find it hard to sleep because I keep worrying about the little guy. I was very worried too. I'm sorry about the lack of videos but it's really hard to film while I'm holding him with one hand and feeding with the other. I'll try to ask someone to film him while I'm feeding or while they are feeding. That way, I can be 100% sure that is going correctly too.

I really appreciate the kind comments! They make me feel like everyone is rooting on with me with this. I only did the honey feeding twice so he has really taken to the formula which makes it a lot easier to feed him.

I will try to get pictures and videos in tomorrow. I will also do the comparison photo and see if someone might take me to Wal-Mart and look for the gram scale again. If not, I'll order it tomorrow from Amazon. I didn't think to look in the kitchen appliances which is kind of silly of me..

All that being said and done.. I think there may be something seriously wrong with him. Since I moved him into my bedroom, there is a little bit more light in there. While I was feeding last time, I looked closely at his eyes and my heart sank. I have seen squirrel eyes before and his eyes don't look right. Normally, they are centered and mostly black, right? Well, his are pointed more towards the back of his head and they kind of.. stay there. He doesn't attempt to look at me. His eye will open when he is awake and close when he's sleeping but it just doesn't look right. Thinking about it makes me sad. I'm not sure if he can even see or not. His eye problem may have something to do with his locomotion and how he can't walk straight. He has perked up a lot and after every feeding he has an urge to wander around on me.. He can climb alright but he kind of wobbles around. I will get pictures of his eye.

This is the second video I took of him. This was last night after he ate his first formula. He got really active so I filmed his locomotion. I know it's dark but I will take another one! It's all I have right now. *Note that this was before the dirt was removed. I think that is what he was picking at.


http://youtu.be/cjzryFZSlUo

QUESTIONS:
1) How long will I have to do night feedings for? I will be unable to night feed tomorrow night, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. No one else will be able to night feed either since we take the kiddo to school in the morning.

2) Will I need to do 4/hr formula for the rest of his squirrel-y life?

[Kalora]

Video:
Clip 1- Comparison to the powdered formula
Clip 2- Feeding. This was difficult to do since I had the camera propped in front of me. Usually, he will be sitting on my leg. He wiggled at the end.. he does that. I tried a few times after the clip ended to feed him again but he refused. Tips would be nice :grin2 You can hear my feeding alarm go off in the background..
Clip 3- His eyes.. You can see it the best at the end.


http://youtu.be/BpcjqOazpAM

Let me know what you guys think.
Also let me know if I should move the discussion to another thread or if it should stay here..
I forgot the video to determine gender but that would be easy to do another time. Easier than these.. he was very nice and held still.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Kalora,
Your feeding technique looks fine. You will definitely not aspirate him feeding like that. :thumbsup
He is larger than I thought based on him in your hand. When you get a scale we'll know for sure but I think he can probably take 4-5 ml easily. You can discontinue the night feedings now. He is a big boy. I would feed him late and then early in the morning. No, he will not need feeding every 4 hrs for life. :grin2 I think every 5-6 hours now would be fine but you will need to feed more each feeding. When we get a weight, we can adjust the amount of formula. Usually squirrels will wean themselves and start rejecting formula. Around 10 weeks he might start slowing down on the formula. Some non-releases never stop taking formula. They will drink it out of a bowl. You can start offering solid food also. The first food he needs is rodent block. The block that most people here use is Henry's Healthy Block from Henrypets.com. They have blocks specifically made for squirrels. I'm at work now so I can't go into detail about it but others will help you order the correct block. I would order the block soon.

You keep saying eye. Are both eyes open? Do they both look odd or just one? If the eyes are as you describe it could be an indication of neurological issues. We'll have to wait and see. At his size he should be able to walk pretty well. Can he? If he is neurologically compromised you will have some decisions to make because he will be non-releasable. Either you can keep him (I hear the neuros make good pets) or you can find someone that would be interested in a non-release.

[Kalora]

Kalora,
Your feeding technique looks fine. You will definitely not aspirate him feeding like that. :thumbsup
He is larger than I thought based on him in your hand. When you get a scale we'll know for sure but I think he can probably take 4-5 ml easily. You can discontinue the night feedings now. He is a big boy. I would feed him late and then early in the morning. No, he will not need feeding every 4 hrs for life. :grin2 I think every 5-6 hours now would be fine but you will need to feed more each feeding. When we get a weight, we can adjust the amount of formula. Usually squirrels will wean themselves and start rejecting formula. Around 10 weeks he might start slowing down on the formula. Some non-releases never stop taking formula. They will drink it out of a bowl. You can start offering solid food also. The first food he needs is rodent block. The block that most people here use is Henry's Healthy Block from Henrypets.com. They have blocks specifically made for squirrels. I'm at work now so I can't go into detail about it but others will help you order the correct block. I would order the block soon.

You keep saying eye. Are both eyes open? Do they both look odd or just one? If the eyes are as you describe it could be an indication of neurological issues. We'll have to wait and see. At his size he should be able to walk pretty well. Can he? If he is neurologically compromised you will have some decisions to make because he will be non-releasable. Either you can keep him (I hear the neuros make good pets) or you can find someone that would be interested in a non-release.

Okay! I just woke up again and I finished the 8am feeding. I'm glad I won't have to night feed anymore because gosh, I am TIRED. I changed the feeding to be like this:

9am, 2pm, 7pm, 12am (If awake).
I'll feed him next at 2pm then and see how the schedule goes. :grin3
Does that sound okay?

I think I'll try doing 5cc then?

He only has one eye open and it looks the way it does in the video. He can't walk straight but he tries to move around a lot. He likes to explore and burrow. He hasn't started jumping or anything and he's better at climbing. His eyes don't really look around, they just stay the way they are.. rolled back and everything.

What are the different challenges of having a "neuro". Will he never be able to climb and stuff? I'm still waiting to see if Nancy came up with any rehab places or experts near me so I'm keeping that option open if need be! I really hope he is okay though.

Questions:
So with the block, I do the syringe and leave the block as a snack?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Oops the 12AM to 9AM is too long.:tilt I would get up early ... like 6 or 7 AM. You can go back to bed. :poke :grin2 :sleep
Yep ... raising baby squirrels isn't easy. There are a lot of sleep deprived squirrel peeps out there right now. :rotfl

If both eyes are not opened let's give him more time before we start thinking neuro. He's just a baby. :Love_Icon

Here is a link to the blocks. http://www.henryspets.com/hi-protein-blocks/

On the bag it says start at 8 weeks but we usually give them a block when their eyes open. They won't completely eat it at first but they will start nibbling it, playing with it and hiding it also. :grin2
A baby would eat 1 per day. You would start adding healthy veggies after he LOVES eating the block. This is for later on so I would start thinking about getting the block. There are cheaper blocks that can be bought at PetsMart, etc. You would buy rodent block like Mazuri or Oxbow. Don't buy guinea pig, hamster, rabbit or any of the others. Rat or rodent block is what you want. You would continue to give formula until he rejects it.

[Mommaluvy]

Ai agree about the eyes. I have had 6 open their eyes way early this year and one that opened late.

My research indicates that fall baby's tend to develop faster and that the eyes opening thing apparently has to do with regions. Which could be genetics too.

Anyhow.. I had one whose eye was open 2 weeks before the other eye. My vet recommended that you do not pry it open but warm compresses won't hurt. Ounces her other eye opened she was able to walk a straight line.

I did not see anything in the video with the open eye that made it look werid to me.. That said this is only my first year with squirrels so .. I am still learning too.

[ALittleNutty]

Malnutrition early can cause premature opening of the eyes. I had two boys come in this year that opened at 2.5 to 3 weeks and both eyes opened within 30 minutes. I was not used to seeing this at all and talked to some more experienced squirrel people and found out about the malnutrition issue. They were severely emaciated when they came in.

Most babies are a little wobbly at first when they are mostly arms and legs. I would just wait and see.

[Shewhosweptforest]

:Welcome Kalora and Twitch :grouphug I have nothing to add..you've been getting the best advice from some of out "bestest" :thumbsup :grin3 I just wanted to thank you for all you've done for Twitch...:Love_Icon As HRT said...you really pulled him through (although from that one blurry pic could be a Twitchette) that first night was crucial and you were there :bowdown

I'm so glad to see you've got the gloves off...I know it can be scary with wild animals...but now that you're feeding him....you're the momma and he has bonded with you...you are his safety...and your hands his direct link and contact to love :grouphug which as you know all babies need :crybaby Baby squirrels really are dears and at that age never aggressive ....of course when frightened some will growl and bluster ...but really once you pick them up and caress and love on them they feel safe and are snuggle bugs :grouphug

Thanks again...job well done! And welcome :grouphug

[Kalora]

Hello everyone! Thanks so much for all of the kind words and support! I'll relax and wait it out. Hopefully Twitch is okay and he will be just like all the other squirrels. I suppose his locomotion would be normal if he's just starting out. I watch he tumble around his cage, mostly in circles, but I assume he's having fun!

I am confused about feeding. I have messaged some users here for advice on feeding times but the advice is all different. I can't night feed tonight. I was going to feed every 5 hours, 9am, 2pm, 7pm, 12am. I understand why 12am and 9pm is too long. I don't think I could do it before school because everyone is in a rush most mornings. I'm about to buy the gram scale and some brick for him to eat.

I'm going to try to do the 6 a.m. 10 a.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. and 10 p.m schedule today. I usually get up at 7am in the morning so 6am shouldn't kill me and I can try to do it though morning rush if it's the best option for Twitch. I did 3cc before and I did a 5cc today. Should I stick with 5cc?

Question:
Toys? He runs around but I wonder if he wants to play with something. He nibbled his blanket sometimes.

[ALittleNutty]

Feeding schedules need to be adhered to for his best interests. I know many of us walk around in a fog when we have pinkies that have to be fed every two hours around the clock. You really need to soul search and decide if you can really provide for him as he needs or if you need help finding someone close to take over for you. It is all about what is in the best interest of Twitch.

A small stuffed animal with no hard parts that he could bite off and swallow is great for him.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Yes...when we say you can sleep through the night we're talking 6-7 hrs sleep. This won't last very long :eek :sleep :morning

Yes as ALittleNutty said...stuffies are great :thumbsup

[Kalora]

Feeding schedules need to be adhered to for his best interests. I know many of us walk around in a fog when we have pinkies that have to be fed every two hours around the clock. You really need to soul search and decide if you can really provide for him as he needs or if you need help finding someone close to take over for you. It is all about what is in the best interest of Twitch.

A small stuffed animal with no hard parts that he could bite off and swallow is great for him.

That would be SO challenging.. every 2 hours.. wow what love! I'm going to try. I don't mind getting up at 6am. If I can sleep at 10pm, that's enough sleep for me anyways. I guess it won't last forever so I'll just give it my all since that's what he needs right now. I'm glad my boyfriend will be helping me when I'm at work because if he couldn't, I would want him to go to a rehab center.

Edit: I'm going to do the above schedule (every 4 hours) and do 5cc until the scale comes.. he's pooping little black poops so I guess that's still mama's milk.

I'm buying the scale right now. I was wondering if I can get the SAME blocks from Amazon instead. Would that be the same product? Also.. some stuff at Henry's looks very cute. Here goes my pay check lol :crazy

[Kalora]

Alright, I ordered the scale and the treats on amazon. Someone mentioned their treats got moldy so I'll try to double bag them. :grin2
Thanks again everyone, you have all been helping me so much!

[Shewhosweptforest]

I keep my blocks in the freezer, and take them out when I feed them....my guys don't mind them being frozen....you can warm them in the microwave, too. :thumbsup

[Kalora]

Twitch woke me up at 6am this morning.. perfect timing! I think this schedule will work great. He will have a daddy today while I'm at the college. He is doing great this morning and is really settling in. I'll have to wash his blanket though.. he's been really good about going potty. His droppings are brown now.

Here is a close up of his eye.. maybe someone will see it? it's kind of hard to notice unless you look at it under the light but the black part of his eye is rolled back towards his ear and stays there..
http://i58.tinypic.com/wvri8n.jpg

[Kalora]

Hey everyone! Squirrel update!
:tinfoil

Twitch has been really good lately and has had a lot of fun with Daddy while I'm away. He gives Twitch a lot of out-of-the-cage time. Twitch has been active and is going potty a lot. He had a big yawn the other night which was soooo cute! :Love_Icon

However, Twitch has also been sneezing a lot. We're not sure why because Daddy is sure he fed him correctly and that no formula has come out of his nose. He isn't wheezing or making any other sounds, just the sneezing. I was wondering if it may be allergies. He has peed on himself a few times to the point where his belly gets wet but we don't notice until we take him out for play time. I've tried to dry it off but he still smells a bit from it. I wasn't sure if I should give him a bath or just use warm water and a cloth.

We got him a bigger cage (it's a hamster cage) but he's not in it yet. The bar spacing looked to be about 3/4. I wasn't sure if I should introduce climbing toys or not at this point. He only really climbs on us during play time. The scale should come today and I hope the blocks come soon too.

If a mod comes by, could they move this out of the Life Threatening forum and into the Non-Life Threatening? I would make a new thread but I like all the information in here.
:poke

[HRT4SQRLS]

Kalora
Yes, some babies are pee-pots and will soak themselves with pee. You do need to clean him up. You can try the warm damp cloth to wipe him down. It's actually very important because they can get urine scald on their skin. The hair will come out and the skin gets burned and inflamed so you want to avoid this. I doubt the damp cloth will be enough. Occasionally if he gets stinky I would bath him by placing in warm water and drying thoroughly. You need to change his blankets frequently also. Baby squirrels create a LOT of laundry. :poke

I'm not sure about the sneezing but I would watch that closely.
Did his other eye open yet?

[Kalora]

Kalora
Yes, some babies are pee-pots and will soak themselves with pee. You do need to clean him up. You can try the warm damp cloth to wipe him down. It's actually very important because they can get urine scald on their skin. The hair will come out and the skin gets burned and inflamed so you want to avoid this. I doubt the damp cloth will be enough. Occasionally if he gets stinky I would bath him by placing in warm water and drying thoroughly. You need to change his blankets frequently also. Baby squirrels create a LOT of laundry. :poke

I'm not sure about the sneezing but I would watch that closely.
Did his other eye open yet?
Oh wow, that sounds horrible! I hope Twitch will sit still and let me give him a bath then! I'll try the rag first and the bath second since he really didn't like it the first time. It was hard for me to dry him off too since he wanted nothing to do with me after that! I cleaned his blankets just yesterday. I got him a nice cotton baby blanket since they didn't have any fleece. Could this cause sneezing? The urine?

His eye hasn't opened yet. I heard some people put warm water on a rag and then pat it on the eye. I thought about trying that, but I haven't yet. I'll tell dad about the urine thing and maybe he will bathe him while I'm at school/work.



http://youtu.be/sDmUGwM9Qtk
-Video of him playing around (look at him running in circles.. is that normal?)

[ALittleNutty]

Unscented baby wipes are good for clean ups after feeding. I keep a couple in a zip-lock back tucked in between the container and heating pad to keep them warm.

Yes some use a warm compress on the other eye but I have never had one that didn't open on it's on with in the next day or so.

Glad to hear Twitch is doing so good. Not sure what could cause the sneezing but keep a close watch for any clicking or wheezing.

The ADMINS might move this to the Nursery Forum now that he's doing good.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Kalora,
I just watched Twitch's video. It concerns me. I hope, hope, hope that the spinning behavior is due to the eye not being open yet but I am concerned that this might be neurological. Although they do play a lot at that age that is a lot of spinning. I have only raised a few. None did that but I will say that their eyes opened at the same time also. I know some here have sounded in that they had a baby that the other eye opened as much as 2 weeks later.
I hope Twitches other eye opens soon so that we can see if bilateral vision will stabilize him a bit. If you do decide to use the warm compress on his eye, I would wring as much of the warm water out as possible. I wouldn't want water to seep into his closed eye. I would use something small like maybe a small gauze pad. I keep saying him but I still think Twitch might be a girl. :tilt

I would give him a stuffed toy to play with. Get a small one without plastic eyes. They love to wrestle with stuffies. With his random twirling maybe a stuffed animal to embrace will be helpful.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Oh I say the video definitely makes me think there's something to be concerned about..I've had two squirrels who opened their eyes days apart and their behavior was exactly the same as their siblings.

Secondly, Twitch does alot of throwing his head around...almost like he's blind...I've never seen that behavior either....and lastly, you can see the iris part if his eye is facing the back of his head :shakehead that is very disturbing :dono that may be why he does alot of the head movements (throwing head back)

I'm not an expert, but I am positive something's up with this baby....I'd keep a very close watch on him ....and be careful about climbing high (if he were mine) he may have already hit his nose, thus the sneezing :dono

Praying for you all :Love_Icon

[Kalora]

Hey everyone! Squirrel update for Twitch! He has been doing good, he is very active and he is getting better at climbing our shirts (he still runs in circles though). He has been gaining weight, I think "daddy" said he was 125 grams this morning. We're still feeding every 4 hours. He took only took 3ccs the last two feedings yesterday, but he ended up eating 6cc at his last feeding before bed. He's been great! He had 8cc his last feeding. He's still sneezing but he hasn't been wheezing or anything.

I made him some toys for when we move him into the bigger hamster cage but I think he's growing too fast because they look small compared to him now. I might have 5 sets by the time he's full grown. :grin3

If anyone has some suggestions about feeding etc, let us know! Daddy is interested in switching to Fox Valley soon but we're not sure when we should start mixing it with the Esbilac. Will he need help weening since he's showing signs that he may be neuro? Daddy would also like to know when we should use the warm compress on his eye since he hasn't opened yet. His other eye is rolled back right now. He tilts his head around like he's trying to hear/smell things so I'm not sure if he can even see. Thanks everyone!



http://youtu.be/pCD3U3U8Ogg
Here is a funny video I made with Twitch in it.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Oh my, Twitch is adorable in the video. He sure does like his sock buddy. :grin2 I would try the warm compresses on his eye now. I've never tried that myself but I sure would like to see that eye open.

As far as the FoxValley goes you can start now if you would like. Have you already purchased it? If not, I would buy the FV 20/50. If you have the 32/40 , it will be fine. You want to transition slowly. You don't want to upset his stomach.
I would mix the Esbilac per package instructions. (1 part powder: 2 parts water).
I would also mix the Fox Valley per package instructions. (1 part powder: 2 parts water)

I would start with 75% Esbilac with 25% FoxValley.
I would feed this for a day and watch his poops for any problems or bloat.
If things go well, the next day I would mix 50% Esbilac with 50% FoxValley.

I believe a lot of the rehabbers this year are using the 50:50 mixture and don't transition to FoxValley completely.

I would not wean him at all. I would give him formula as long as he will take it. It does look like he will be a non-release due to neurological issues. As he gets older he might wean himself but if he doesn't I would give it to him. When he is older you might give it in the morning and/or evening. The formula is very good for him. It has the calcium that he will need to be healthy. Most around here feel like formula is the best insurance you can have for avoiding MBD due to its calcium. I have seen some mix formula with yogurt. The yogurt thickens it up. Some babies (not all) go crazy over this mixture. There was a video once of babies slurping down this mixture. It was the cutest thing ever BUT it is the messiest thing also. The babies needed a serious bath afterwards. My Susie loved yogurt. You might want to try it. :grin2

[Kalora]

Oh my, Twitch is adorable in the video. He sure does like his sock buddy. :grin2 I would try the warm compresses on his eye now. I've never tried that myself but I sure would like to see that eye open.

As far as the FoxValley goes you can start now if you would like. Have you already purchased it? If not, I would buy the FV 20/50. If you have the 32/40 , it will be fine. You want to transition slowly. You don't want to upset his stomach.
I would mix the Esbilac per package instructions. (1 part powder: 2 parts water).
I would also mix the Fox Valley per package instructions. (1 part powder: 2 parts water)

I would start with 75% Esbilac with 25% FoxValley.
I would feed this for a day and watch his poops for any problems or bloat.
If things go well, the next day I would mix 50% Esbilac with 50% FoxValley.

I believe a lot of the rehabbers this year are using the 50:50 mixture and don't transition to FoxValley completely.

I would not wean him at all. I would give him formula as long as he will take it. It does look like he will be a non-release due to neurological issues. As he gets older he might wean himself but if he doesn't I would give it to him. When he is older you might give it in the morning and/or evening. The formula is very good for him. It has the calcium that he will need to be healthy. Most around here feel like formula is the best insurance you can have for avoiding MBD due to its calcium. I have seen some mix formula with yogurt. The yogurt thickens it up. Some babies (not all) go crazy over this mixture. There was a video once of babies slurping down this mixture. It was the cutest thing ever BUT it is the messiest thing also. The babies needed a serious bath afterwards. My Susie loved yogurt. You might want to try it. :grin2

Hey HRT4SQRLS,

Dustin(daddy) here! I really appreciate the advice you've given to Allison and I. I made my first attempt at using a warm compress on Twitch's eye just a little bit ago. I am using an gauze eye pad and am soaking/ringing it out with warm water from a bowl. It's really hard getting him to stay put though. He is very squirrelly! :grin2 I will continue to apply a little pressure there though before/after each feeding. We haven't ordered our Fox Valley yet, but we do have some nipples and blocks on the way. We looked everywhere for some nipples that would fit a syringe here locally, and had no luck. We are also looking at some cages that would be ideal for a squirrel, but haven't wanted to jump into anything too fast, given the circumstances he's faced. We did buy a used hamster cage off of a local swap shop here and figured that it would be a good temporary solution, since it is a little bigger than his plastic tote and it's not very tall. (still trying to keep a close eye on him when it comes to heights) I am also toying with the idea of possibly building him a custom cage later on. If anyone has done that here, I would love to get some ideas! Allison has already sewn him together several toys and misc. items for his tote. If he is to not be released to the wild, we want him to be as comfortable as possible while living with us. :bliss

We will have to try that yogurt recipe and if there are any others you may have to help spoil this little guy, we are all ears!
We are currently using unscented baby wipes for the bathing that someone had suggested here. We put a few of them at a time in a ziplock bag and keep them in between his tote & heating pad! Someone had previously suggested doing a bath with unscented dawn soap. Were they referring to the original kind, or hypoallergenic? We looked at the store and only those two came close to the suggestion!

If a admin/moderator feels that this topic can be moved to a non-life threatening section at any point, please do so! I do want to keep an activity log/update thread for Twitch though somewhere on this website, given that Allison and I are both still newbies and care/love for Twitch very much! We both know that he came into our lives for a reason and ever since that day we have really fallen in love with him. Since most seem to think he is a neuro, I would like to continually update you guys with the his behavior and periodically upload some videos here too. As his daddy, I am very happy that he has been very active/playful as of late, but I stay concerned about him everyday! We will be vigilant !

Behavior update: Twitch still displays a blind behavior. His fast paced circles have not been displayed as much, but he does seem to make some odd gestures at times. However, Allison and I are not too sure if they are the norm or not ( we aren't experts, but we are trying to soak our brains with as much info as we can ). Twitch does yawn, bathes himself, and feeds normally though. He loves to climb on our backs from the bottom all the way to our shoulders. He will make several laps doing this, during feeding time. It's quite fun for us and him! He has also fell asleep on my chest several times. Finally, as another note.. he does still have the sneeze. Is it possible that our Twitch may have some allergies? Sorry if I am being redudant or reptitive, I am just trying to use these types of behaviors as optimism that he is going to be okay! <3 :tilt

Thanks again,

Dustin

P.S. Does anyone have any good threads or videos detailing the signs/effects/treatment of squirrels having seizures? I want to be loaded with as much information as possible about these just in case, since he is neuro. I have been using the search function here like crazy!

[HRT4SQRLS]

Hi Dustin,
The Admins have been very busy with babies lately and haven't had the time to read all the thread so they might not see this right now. I would send a PM to Nancy in New York and have her move this thread to the Nursery. You can also come up with a title and she can change the title at the same time. :grin2 It would be good to keep Twitch's history all together in one thread. It will follow him and be a good record of his life. Threads like this also serve to help others that come along with a baby with similar issues.

As far as the warm compress on the eye, I would do the best I can ... yep, they sure are squirrelly and squirmy, too. Maybe during those sleepy times you could try it then. I really have never tried this but someone said their vet recommended it, so it sounds like a plan to me. I guess there's nothing to loose by trying it. I sure hope it does and that darned eye opens soon. I have heard (on rare occasion) of the second eye opening 2 weeks later. Good grief, what's that all about! :imp

As far as the baths, I really wouldn't recommend them as a 'normal' thing. Bathing a squirrel is a lot like bathing a cat. :shakehead The Dawn used is the original formula. I would only use Dawn on intake when a baby squirrel arrives with fleas and mites. It does a great job getting rid of bugs. I wouldn't use Dawn frequently because it would be too drying on the skin. For normal clean ups, I would use the baby wipes or a warm damp wash cloth. If more thorough cleaning is needed (like getting stinky from urine OR wallowing around in yogurt :grin3 ) I would use a bowl with warm water for dipping him in. I would only use Dawn in an extreme mess and then just a few drops in the bowl. Of course, if he get stinky I would use a few drops. :poke

I'm glad to hear that Twitch is stabilizing a bit. It is good to hear that he can climb. I'm pretty sure Twitch will have some disabilities BUT we really don't how far he can develop. His disabilities might actually be minimal. We really don't know. The fact that he bathes himself, feeds normally and can climb are all very positive signs. If his disability is visual, there are several people here that have blind or visually impaired squirrels. There was a thread that was recently started specifically for Blind squirrels. It is where people that have blind squirrels can exchange ideas.

As far as the sneezing ... My first question would be are you sure it's a sneeze? Is it a sneeze or a pffft sound? Squirrels tend to make a pffft sound sometimes and it is normal. On the day of Susie's release I watched her digging in the dirt. She would dig, dig, dig ... it was adorable :tilt ... And then she would root around in the dirt. She would surface and go pfft, pfft,pfft. I assumed she was blowing the dirt out of her nostrils. :grin2 If Twitch's sound is pfft, it is normal 'squirrelly' sounds. If it is indeed a sneeze, I suppose it could be allergies. :dono Twitch didn't fall on his nose did he? I know he more than likely sustained a head injury but if he injured his nose that could be causing that also. I would just watch that for now. As long as he isn't showing signs of illness I wouldn't worry about it for now.

Dustin and Allison, I am so happy that you guys are so committed to Twitch. I don't think he could have fallen into better hands. I'm certainly not an expert but I am very happy to help you in any way that I can. I have heard from others that neuro squirrel make the best pets.

In regard to seizures, I can look around for you but the info is spread all over the board. My first flyer (Bonzai) had a history of seizures when I received him. I am thrilled to say that he has been seizure free for over 2 years. He will turn 4 on Sept 28.
I guess one thing that I will say before I quit is that if Twitch does have a seizure(let's hope not) you give a little molasses in his mouth. They actually like it and will readily take it but if not the sugar will absorb through the mucous membranes into the blood stream. It helps to replace the glucose after a seizure.

I mailed a few syringes and Miracle nipple on Fri. You should get them on Mon. :thumbsup

[Mommaluvy]

My pip did open either eye till around 6 weeks. We did the warm compresses. Just a warm Cotton square at meal time clean up
.

One of mine Sunny came to me with one eye opened. It was a week or two before the other eye finally opened . She did not do the spinning etc.
She did do a little of that head thrown back thing. But when her other eye opened that stopped. She is running with the big squirrels now and keeping up with theming he pre release.

[Kalora]

Hello everyone! Allison here! I cleaned out Twitch's new cage last night and set him up in it. I wrapped the corners with fleece (tightly) so his wouldn't get himself caught in the gaps. He explored for awhile after peeing on the sheets. It didn't take long for him to find the bars (my biggest fear). He practiced climbing for awhile until he.. got the hang of it. He climbs the bars all the time now.. he even goes upside-down on the top. I get scared every time he does it, but he's actually pretty good at climbing.

I got a video of him climbing and he even made the sneeze noise in the video but for some reason it didn't save on my camera and I'll have to take a new one at his 2pm feeding! :tap

His sneeze may not be a sneeze.. It does kind of sound like a squirrel noise but I'll get it on video and then we can confirm when we're both 100% sure it's not a sneeze.

Twitch ate really good this morning (9cc each feeding). He likes to eat on my shoulder and he ate through the bars in his cage this morning. He has been really active! He goes ham in his cage when he gets his bursts of energy. I'm just waiting to get some metal clips to hang up some of his toys. I'm even considering getting a sewing machine of my own (I visited some people just to use theirs) so I can continue my sewing projects for him. I think if he had some hanging toys there would be something to help break his falls if he was climbing on the top of the cage.

I would also like to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! For sending me the package. I'm waiting for it to arrive along with the blocks I ordered from Henry's. I also bought some Miracle Nipples (2) off of Chris's site so I'm waiting on those too. Dustin and I went to the store to get some more 3cc syrings (No nipple = he bites the top of syringes and gets them all wonky) and we bought them all out lol (They didn't restock since the last time we bought them) .. they only had 2 left so we bought the 2. I'm so happy we're going to have some new syringes and nipples for Twitch (Ones that will last). We appreciate it SO much. Buying things for Twitch online is so urksome since the shipping and processing always makes you wait and builds up excitement!
:bliss

Daddy is on eye duty for Twitch (Twitch relaxes easier around him :tilt). His eye is still closed but we will keep doing the warm compress. Since last Saturday, we have officially had him for a week so if his eye doesn't open by this Saturday, I'm not sure what we will plan to do.

Do some squirrels never open both eyes? :poke:imp

[Kalora]

I got my packages! I'm so happy! I LOVE the syringes you sent, THANK YOU! And a Miracle Nipple, wow! We couldn't be happier over here. :Love_Icon I also got my order from Chris's (Surprisingly fast :eek) so we have 3 nipples on hand which will be perfect for loading multiple syringes during feeding time :thumbsup

The extra syringes are really awesome though! The ones we had got all chewed up. Twitch tried out the nipple and I'm so happy his face didn't get gooped-to-the-max while he was eating. He didn't put the nipple down into his mouth though.. he just licked the top part. Maybe he needs to get used to it?

I got the blocks.. it says to feed at 8 weeks so I guess we'll wait until 8 weeks and when his eyes open. I wanted to give them to him straight away since he's been chewing everything in his cage but we ended up decided to wait. I stuck them in the freezer for now. :imp

Thanks so much! :grouphug:grouphug

[ALittleNutty]

You can go ahead and give him a block now. Since he's chewing on things it's the perfect time to start. In fact when mine are little I cut them into 4 pieces. He may just shred them at first so that's why I cut them up. I keep them stored in the freezer and just get out what they need for the day.

[Kalora]

You can go ahead and give him a block now. Since he's chewing on things it's the perfect time to start. In fact when mine are little I cut them into 4 pieces. He may just shred them at first so that's why I cut them up. I keep them stored in the freezer and just get out what they need for the day.

Is it safe to offer them? I'm confused why the package says 8 weeks. I gave it to him though.. I warmed it up (5seconds) then cut it into 4 pieces. I gave him 1 piece and he took it from me almost immediately. I put the other 3 in the corners of his cage so he can look for them. He chewed it up, I'm not sure if he ate it, but he made a mess :tilt. He found the second one and I left him alone. He looked to be pretty entertained! Are there any dangers (besides not taking out old blocks that may get moldy) with the blocks? Can he get choked? Could he not be ready for them?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Perfect :thumbsup
Yes, it will definitely take Twitch time to get used to the new nipple. He has become accustomed to drinking without a nipple so it will be strange to him. You might want to encourage him with it by forcing the formula up so that he gets the idea. You will find that the Skylar O-ring syringes are SO much smoother than the large black plunger type. Those tend to get sticky with use and can actually cause aspiration as a large quantity of formula is delivered due to the sticky plunger. I hope Twitch can get used to the new method.

I agree with ALN. Twitch can have the block now. As you have seen, he isn't that efficient at eating it yet. He will sniff it, crumble it, play with it, pee on it and actually eat some also. By the time he is 8 weeks old he will have the hang of solid food and will probably eat it pretty well. You want him to LOVE the block before he is introduced to other foods. By all means, do NOT give him a nut. He will love it!! That's the problem, he will love it so much that he will become a picky eater and that's the last thing you want. We can talk about nutrition later but it is VERY important. Remember, No nuts ... No seeds and No dried corn. (All the things he will love are a No No) when he is older he can have a nut as a treat after he eats his healthy foods. We want to avoid a 'picky eater' that leads to a 'bad diet' that leads to deadly health issues. We'll talk about that later. You can start reviewing the sticky in the Nutrition section, Healthy Diet For Pet Squirrels.

It sound like Twitch is really developing a lot of coordination in his climbing. That's great news. I would make sure the bottom of his cage is padded with a lot of cloth like fleece or tshirts so that if he does fall, the padding will prevent injury. No towels ... They are dangerous due to snagging toes and injuring toes and feet.

It sure sounds like you guys are totally :owned by a squirrel. :grin2

[ALittleNutty]

Perfect :thumbsup
Yes, it will definitely take Twitch time to get used to the new nipple. He has become accustomed to drinking without a nipple so it will be strange to him. You might want to encourage him with it by forcing the formula up so that he gets the idea. You will find that the Skylar O-ring syringes are SO much smoother than the large black plunger type. Those tend to get sticky with use and can actually cause aspiration as a large quantity of formula is delivered due to the sticky plunger. I hope Twitch can get used to the new method.

I agree with ALN. Twitch can have the block now. As you have seen, he isn't that efficient at eating it yet. He will sniff it, crumble it, play with it, pee on it and actually eat some also. By the time he is 8 weeks old he will have the hang of solid food and will probably eat it pretty well. You want him to LOVE the block before he is introduced to other foods. By all means, do NOT give him a nut. He will love it!! That's the problem, he will love it so much that he will become a picky eater and that's the last thing you want. We can talk about nutrition later but it is VERY important. Remember, No nuts ... No seeds and No dried corn. (All the things he will love are a No No) when he is older he can have a nut as a treat after he eats his healthy foods. We want to avoid a 'picky eater' that leads to a 'bad diet' that leads to deadly health issues. We'll talk about that later. You can start reviewing the sticky in the Nutrition section, Healthy Diet For Pet Squirrels.

It sound like Twitch is really developing a lot of coordination in his climbing. That's great news. I would make sure the bottom of his cage is padded with a lot of cloth like fleece or tshirts so that if he does fall, the padding will prevent injury. No towels ... They are dangerous due to snagging toes and injuring toes and feet.

It sure sounds like you guys are totally :owned by a squirrel. :grin2

Good advice! It's like teaching a child to eat dinner first before dessert. If you give in and don't ensure they acquire a taste for the good stuff you will regret it later. Establish good eating habits now and you will have a much healthier squirrel. Offer formula as long as Twitch will take it, even in a dish after he gives up the nipple. My flyers are a year old and still get formula every night.

[jbtartell]

hi, I sent you the rehabbers number where u live.. she will help you with what ever you may need.. hope she is close enough to deal with in person, but she will help with what ever and she has access to meds..:grin3 and even vet care..

[Kalora]

Hello everyone! It has been a loong time!
Twitch has been doing good and thanks to Jbtartell, I have contacted a rehabber who has been helping us out with questions! Twitch will start medicine as soon as it gets here to help him with his medical conditions and we are so happy that his condition might get better.

He has been growing so fast! He's even starting to make some favorite new foods. He likes broccoli and cucumber.. his favorite treat is apples. He had a long cuddle session with us last night too :blowkiss

He is so active compared to a few weeks ago when I found him. He has been so playful and we are happy to have him healthy! We are planning on getting him a new cage, probably by the end of this week, and we are getting ready to start him on Fox Valley. He LOVES the feeding nipples and they have saved us a lot of syringes (since he doesn't chew the tip up) as well as messes.


Here is an updated video of Twitch:

http://youtu.be/JiSWy0310y4?list=UUo-m8Jn16yty3goPuASpR0g

[Mommaluvy]

Fantastic!What did the rehabber think was the matter with Twitch? What Meds will be used? Will it help with the Spinning?

I am just curious.

[Kalora]

Fantastic!What did the rehabber think was the matter with Twitch? What Meds will be used? Will it help with the Spinning?

I am just curious.

She thinks he has inflammation in his brain, caused by a head injury. She also thinks that he has limited vision (apart from one eye still being closed) and that the other one may never open or may open blind. She told me that his head movements are evidence of all of it, and that she has had a couple squirrels that acted the same way.

We're going to start him on prednizone and neurotrophin (sp on both, hopefully you've heard about them before) to help with his condition.

Right now though, we're trying to teach him his name so he comes to us but it's been rather difficult! Hopefully he will be able to learn later on..:tilt:tilt

[island rehabber]

I'm so happy to hear that Twitch is better! His symptoms sound very much like my Owena, who has now been with me for over a year -- one eye blind, the other doesn't see too well, and slightly neuro. Always make sure that Twitch has a "safe place"...cage, room, whatever....where you can leave him and know that he cannot injure himself. Remember, in his little squirrel mind he is an acrobat; reality may say differently, and he can get himself in trouble unsupervised. Again, I'm so glad he's better!:thumbsup

[farrelli]

Should the eyelid be surgically opened?

[Kalora]

Hello everyone! Sorry for not updating. I'm going to make a new thread in the nursery because the admins haven't moved the thread and I think there are people here whos threads deserve more attention, because this is the emergency forum. :clap

Anyways, Twitch has been really good! He's been on his medications for about 5 days now and he has improved a lot. His personality is really starting to shine. Georgia, the rehabber in Springfield, has helped Twitch every step of the way. I'm so glad jbtartell got us together. I asked Georgia about the eye opening. If the surgery cost isn't too high, we (my boyfriend and I) are considering it. Georgia will also get a chance to meet Twitch and both his mommy and daddy on the 25th and we are so excited! I think that her being able to see his behavior in person will be beneficial. He will get to spend 3 days with her while we attend a family wedding! :hug

Twitch got his Critter Nation on Wednesday and he loved it right off the bat! He has so much room to romp around now, but mommy and daddy can't help but pull him out to cuddle and play. He fell asleep in the bed this morning like a "hooman" (he used the pillow too!) hehe.

Look for Twitch on the nursery! :Love_Icon:Love_Icon:grin3

[farrelli]

Can't believe the eye is still closed. Hope you get the surgery.