Flying Squirrel

[firerunner]

Good Morning!!!

So today I was given a baby flying squirrel. His eyes are open and He already ate some Fox valley Formula (no pedialyte etc for they found him late last night and called and I gave them instructions for the night until he could get here this morning) No poop or pee yet this morning I hope next feeding.

I will weigh him as soon as I Can get the shop to bring me in the scales.

I also did some major reading on here this morning! Lots of links so I guess I am looking for reassurance that I treat/feed/raise him like a normal grey squirrel.

He will not be a pet

He WILL be released

I will grab a photo also of him when I get his weight but is there anything I need to do differently???


He is SO CUTE

[firerunner]

OK so I was able to weigh him and he is only 14 gram.

I am starting him off on a feeding every two hours, just not sure whether I use the FV for newborns or for the ones over four weeks. He is so little BUT He is very active.

Since his eyes are open can I offer him more then jsut formula?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Eyes open ... 14g ... :eek Is that possible?

Personally, I would be afraid to use FV 32/40 with a 14g flyer. Maybe MollyBear and Pixiepoo can sound in as they are raising tiny flyers now.
I would do what they are doing. :tilt

[firerunner]

I took a pic of him on the scale you will see it says 14 grams. I weighed him THREE times LOL and then I made the shop weigh something so I knew it was right and then I switched it to weigh him in ounces and it put him at .5 of an ounce. I will weigh again

He is REALLY little like him the size of a pink eraser or maybe your thumb BUT He ate really well for me this morning the first feeding he at a full cc and the second feeding he at .7 of a cc next feeding is noon. And He is active, right now he is all curled up in his cage (with heating pad under the cardboard and his blankets) His eyes are nice and bright and clear. He is breathing well, good reflexes, the only thing is I have yet to get him to poop or pee, but we will really work on that at his noon feeding.

He is little

Mollybear or pixiepoo have a thread on their squirrel? I have been reading everything I can!

Did I mention he is SO CUTE

[CritterMom]

We have been having problems with the 32/40. Order the 20/50. Then go locally to a Petco or the like and buy a can of Esbilac for puppies with probiotics - says so on the can. Yeah - everything has tipped in the last year - Esbilac cleaned up their act and Fox Valley has done the opposite.

I would start him on the esbilac, then transition him to a 50/50 mix of the esbilac and the FV 20/50. Once he's doing well on that, you will want to add some heavy cream and full fat yogurt to the blend. As he gets older you may even be able to go with just the FV 20/50.

Sorry so complicated. The companies that make these formulas like to torture us I think.

[firerunner]

I have both 32/40 and 20/50 right now I have him on the 32/40 every two hours using a miracle nipple and syringe.

He is so cute but so tiny

[CritterMom]

If the 32/40 is new (less than a year and a half) it is not being digested by the little pinky grays. It turns to cement in their stomach's and the milk line never moves and it kills them. The muscles that move food along in the digestive system are not strong enough to push this stuff. When they are older they do better. The issue is with the protein source and since the 20/50 has more fat and less protein it is not causing the problems.

I would NOT give 32/40 to something the size of your flyer. I would have a year ago - in fact I DID a year ago, but not now.

[ALittleNutty]

You might want to do two feedings of sugar water to flush him out before changing formulas if his milk line is not disappearing.

I also have a flyer that is currently on the 50/50 mix of FV 20/50 with cream.

Here is the recipe I use to make a day's worth of formula.
1/2 teaspoon FV powder
1/2 teaspoon Esbilac (new formula)
2 teaspoons water
1/8 teaspoon cream
Second batch use 1/4 teaspoon cream
Third batch use 1/2 teaspoon cream
Fourth batch use 3/4 teaspoon cream
Fifth batch use 1 teaspoon cream
By slowly working up this allows their system to adjust.


If you don't want to use the Esbilac then just use a teaspoon of FV 20/50 and you can add in 1/2 teaspoon of full fat vanilla yogurt. Yobaby, Stoneyfield are good but if you can't find them then Yoplait Original with the red label is fine. Main thing is it's not low fat and it doesn't have artificial sweeteners.
For an eye's open baby at this weight I would think it would be emaciated so stick with 5% or even slightly less for feeding and make sure the flyer and formula are very warm as they will not digest the formula. You may even need to wrap baby during feeding to prevent your hands from chilling him. They body temps run much higher than ours. I have even used a small rice buddy (just make sure it's not too warm) in my hand to keep baby's temp from dropping.

You need to move this baby to a small plastic container instead of the cardboard. Cardboard dehydrates them too easily. A small plastic storage tote or leftovers container works well. Just make sure it is deep enough to prevent him from climbing out.

It would be great if you could post a picture of this little one for us.

[firerunner]

Ok So I do not drive, so tomorrow the Esbilac will be arriving.

For the rest of today what do you recommend I have both FV and I have plain greek yogurt and I have heavy cream.

He has already been moved off the cardboard,


Continue to feed him every 2 hours? At noon he ate almost 1 cc next feeding is 2 and it is warm and I wrap him in little fleece clothes as I feed him. He seems to like that.

Should I do night time feedings with him?

[ALittleNutty]

You can go ahead and start with the FV 20/50 with the 1/8th teaspoon cream and the 1/2 teaspoon yogurt. You don't have to add the yogurt with the Esbilac since it already has the pre and pro-biotics but it also won't hurt either.

You might be able to cut back to 2 times at night. It really depends on what condition this little one is in. Can you post a pic? If not you can e-mail it to me (my e-mail is in my signature) and I will post it for you.

[firerunner]

The first one he is on my thumb so you can see how small he is., I took a pic with the regular camera on the scale but when i weigh him again I will grab a pic with the cell camera they are just easier to get!

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For as little as he is I am so surprised at how alert he is and how active and how well he is eating. I am going to switch his food at the 2 PM feeding

[ALittleNutty]

He is a tiny one and just needs to put on some weight. They are very active especially after their eyes open. I see he's starting to get that greasy look which is normal at that age. It won't be long before that changes. You can use unscented baby wipes to wipe him down every two or three days.

I would give about a half cc of sugar water in between the next few feedings just to make sure he stays hydrated and to help flush out the 32/40 formula. 1/4 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup water would be good. Your bag of formula may not be one of the bad ones but better safe than sorry.

[firerunner]

ok he ate .5 cc of sugar water and .8 cc of the new mixture he is back in his bed all nice and warm

feed him again in 2 hours!

[andijordan]

I have my flyers on Esbilac and must say, it is so much better now that I have added the cream and yogurt to the mix. The yogurt really seems to help with bloating and going potty! I can definitely tell a difference.

[MollyBear361]

14 grams is tiny! My little girl just opened her eyes at 20 grams. She has been gaining one gram a day.
Other than the formula, you know they are way different than greys. They must be released with others and where a colony exists. You can't just release a singleton anywhere. He won't make it. There is a lot of info on the flyer board here for you....when he gets older he must have protein every day. Wax worms are great for this. Check out the breed specific here under flyers for more info.

[pixiepoo]

He is a little fella!!! What an absolute cutie pie!!! I have used FV with all of my fly babies, regardless of age. The most important thing is to ensure that you dillute it at first, always have the yogurt with it (seems that it really helps prevent GI upsets in my experience with flyers and greys) and make sure he is well hydrated. If he isn't hydrated enough he won't digest anything properly so that it a really important thing to monitor.

[ALittleNutty]

ok he ate .5 cc of sugar water and .8 cc of the new mixture he is back in his bed all nice and warm

feed him again in 2 hours!

:thumbsup Sounds great!

[firerunner]

He finally peed! No poop yet but we are working on it and this last feeding he pretty much took the nipple

IS there a link to refresh me about bloat? Just to keep an eye on him he looks good but the more I read.

Also I will sit down tonight and read the forum on the flying squirrels I didnt realize he needs a group to be released.

What if I cant find him one?

And if I do find one will they except him?

Will this be his forever home?

[ALittleNutty]

If you are not getting poop then stop the formula and just use the sugar water until you get him going again. Can you tell if the milk line is going down in between feedings? Bloated belly's are tight and not squishy like a water balloon. Hold baby up and look at it from the side, is the belly rounded out or flat?

[pixiepoo]

Maybe some Rehabbers in your area have some others? They would likely take yours in and release him with their bunch. Where are you?

[ALittleNutty]

If you can post of pic of his tummy that would be great!

[firerunner]

No he is not bloated his milk line disappears or is almost gone at each feeding. BUt I do know that can be a concern. I will back off the food and stay with the sugar water till he poops.

[ALittleNutty]

Good thing it's moving. You can even soak his bottom in some warm water and tummy massages often help to get things moving along. I usually stroke top down and from the sides in. Hope he poops soon! You might try two more sugar water feedings and then you could start back with a 3 parts water to one part powder mix of the formula until he's going regular.

[farrelli]

Others in your area may have one or more that he could be with. Or you could keep him. Everyone here always says that they're very happy inside as long as you can provide lots of love, stimulation, and interaction.

[pixiepoo]

They do make very nice pets. Now that I have some, I can't imagine life without at least one! ;) they are just so wonderful!

[ALittleNutty]

They do make very nice pets. Now that I have some, I can't imagine life without at least one! ;) they are just so wonderful!

Amen to that! :grin2

[firerunner]

We finally have poop!! and thats it for me time to go to bed so i can get up and do this in anohter three hours!!!

[ALittleNutty]

We finally have poop!! and thats it for me time to go to bed so i can get up and do this in anohter three hours!!!

:poop:poop:poop Yay!!! Get some rest. Hopefully things will be easier on both of you now that things are moving along. :grin2

[firerunner]

I weighed him yesterday morning at 8:30 after a water feed and he weigh 14 grams

this morning he weighed 16 grams!!!!! The three hour feedings must be working so I will continue doing those till he gets a little bigger. No signs of bloat, milk line is disappearing, and he is pooping and peeing!! Ya I am a happy person this morning (altho a little tired I have MS so not enough sleep causes havoc one my diseased body)


OMG He is so cute

[ALittleNutty]

So glad to hear he is doing better. It won't be long until you can stretch the feedings out to 4 hours.

[pixiepoo]

Yay!!! I'm so glad he is doing well! :) just switched my new one to every 3 hours too!

[firerunner]

I am happy to announce that at this mornings weigh in Rocky is up ANOTHER 2 grams!!! I am going to give him a few more days but OMG he looks better then the first pics already and then I will grab another pic to post.

So a few questions

He does have teeth and last night after his feed he was licking my fingers and chewing on my nails, honestly it was almost like he was playing with me. His little front feet would come out and paw at my finger, so I would move it and he would sorta jump at it and when I let him catch it he would lick and bite at it.

So how old do you think he is? Obviously over 4/5 weeks with his eyes open but do you think older then that 6/7 or 7/8?

And when should I offer him a HHB? And keep him on the formula until he decides he doesn't want it? (that's what we do with the squirrels, they give it up we don't take it from them)

and lastly, I think we are keeping him, I have fallen hard for this little guy. I even called my vet so I can take Rocky in for a wellness check up next week.

Fortunately I have a hubby that can build anything and we own a wood shop soooo I am thinking a cage that is 16 feet high by 10 by 10? Too big? We have the space in our florida room which is all windows and A/c'ed during the summer and heated during the winter.

Yup another happy morning here !!!!

[IrishHarps]

In my opinion, no cage size is 'too big.' Give him all the room you have to offer :) the more space he has to glide around in, the happier he will be. Mine used to nibble my fingers too and 'groom' my fingernails. It was cute as heck.

[CritterMom]

I am thinking this little flyer landed in HEAVEN!

The only thing I would suggest with an enormous enclosure like that is that YOU have a way to get to your flyer even if he is up at the top. They will naturally chose to nest and sleep as high as they can get and in the case of sickness or injury, you are going to have to retrieve this guy. So build ways to do that right into the cage - they can do double duty as little landing spots but don't wait until you are trying to drag a ladder around inside the cage to have to do this in an emergency.

[ALittleNutty]

A big cage is great but most won't come down low near the floor so one set up on a base is great especially if you use something like an old dresser so you can store extra fleece and other items. I like to use a thick crib pad on the bottom and crib bumpers around the outside to help prevent the food from being scattered. You can make some or thrift stores are a great source to find them cheap. I also pick up fleece pajamas and blankets to make sleeping bags, hammocks and other cage items there since it's usually cheaper than the fabric store. Keep in mind they can be messy eaters and some even like to grab the cage bars and pee towards the outside of the cage so if it is up against a wall you will need to protect the wall. A clear shower curtain liner works great for this.

As to the formula my 1 year olds still get formula every night in a dish.

[ALittleNutty]

Forgot to add that many will use a litter pan which will make cleaning easier. A square metal cake pan works great for that. Big cages are great but if you are able to allow a lot of "out of cage" time in a flyer proofed room then you can go smaller. I have a large bird cage for mine that is about 4' x 4' x 2' that is up on a stand so it's about 6' tall.

[firerunner]

Ohh Rocky goes in for a wellness check this morning!!!!!!!

We are leaving in four weeks for a cruise and I want to make sure our vet has been introduced to him and let him(our vet) know who will care for him(and all the other critters here) in our absence.

Also Rocky has started to sip formula out of a small container. So I think I will continue to encourage this.

He is growing!!!!

[firerunner]

I am happy to announce we have a healthy rambunctious 21 gram baby boy!!!!! Our vet thinks he is about 35 to 37 days old and is about 15 grams under weight. He wants me to start him on vegetables as well as the formula he is on now. He was a little shocked when I told him almost a week ago Rocky only weighed 12 grams! lol But over all he is healthy so we continue with the status quo!!


now to design his permanent home!!

[firerunner]

Rocky has officially doubled his weight!!! He is growing so fast..:)

Today the HHB for flying squirrels came in and Rocky had his first taste of real food. He actually did quite well.

I am still feeding him every three hours I will probably stay here until he is a normal weight and then move to every four.

and OMG I swear one day he was this cute cuddle bug, sleep and eat baby and the next day this rambunctious squirrel!!! HE is exploring his cage and He is starting to jump on me and he gets in my hair

Ya I love him LOL

New pics to come soon!!!!

[HRT4SQRLS]

Seems like somewhere at the beginning of this thread I remember, "He is NOT a pet. He will be released."
:jump:jump
Yep, the little stinker gotcha, didn't he. :poke :rotfl :peace
Hey, I get it. I have three. :serene

[Anne]

Flying squirrels are like potato chips-can't have just one! At least I haven't been able to limit myself to one. IMHO at least two kept together live longer and appear happier!

[firerunner]

Seems like somewhere at the beginning of this thread I remember, "He is NOT a pet. He will be released."
:jump:jump
Yep, the little stinker gotcha, didn't he. :poke :rotfl :peace
Hey, I get it. I have three. :serene

YA YA YA then I was told he cant be released by himself and well..he has stolen my heart.

LOL