Hi I'm fixing to be a new mommy

[tammiesue]

I just received the email my twin flyers will be here Thur. I've been doing tons of research but need a little advice. I'm excited and scared at same time. I have cage, toys, fleece bedding but what kind of water bowl. What for bedding ie., tissue paper towels? Any advice from anybody please they will be 7 week when I get.
Tammie.

[czarina]

How much research have you done?

[tammiesue]

I've gone thru this site, the one that someone on this site recommend and the lady I bought my kids from has a lot of info. Everyone is conflicting about some things so I just thought I would ask?.

[HRT4SQRLS]

:wave123 tammiesue
:Welcome to TheSquirrelBoard

Oh my ... How exciting!!! :grin2
Yes, you will have a million questions.
As far as water for a flyer, a glass bird silo or a tiny bowl is best. Water bottles are not recommended for flyers because their tiny delicate tongue can get pinched with the steel ball in the water bottles.
http://t.petco.com/product/6098/Petco-Glass-Water-Silo.aspx

I use a tiny bowl and a bird water silo. I like having a back up. One of my boys kicked some fleece in the water bowl once and the water was absorbed in the fleece.

For bedding, you can cut small squares of fleece 3x3, 4x4', 5x5 and 6x6inch squares. Give them a bundle of these and they will make their own beds. They like hanging pouches, hammocks and cubes. Some will use the small bird wooden nest boxes. Mine prefer the fleeces pouches etc. They didn't use the wooden nest box. Flyers love cotton balls but I am trying to get away from cotton or anything that has long fibers. The fibers can get around limbs and cut off circulation. I recently bought some short fiber cotton nesting material at PetCo.

Do you know about the dangers of toilets? The number one cause of death of flyers in the home is drowning in the toilet. You will need toilet ladders. Are you familiar with these?

I guess you have studied the diet. 7 weeks is a good time to start getting on a healthy diet. DO NOT give them nuts to start. You will create a monster. :grin2 They need to learn to eat block first, then veggies, mealworms, mushrooms etc. If they eat nuts first, they won't eat anything else. You'll have some picky little kids. :tap

Alright, it's late, gotta go. I'm looking forward to meeting your babies. Don't hesitate to ask questions. We're here to help!!! :tilt

[tammiesue]

Thank you so much ,yes I read about toilets and ordered ladder, I also read about fleece so when Walmart had the little fleece blankets on sale let's just say I went a little over board.:grin2 I'm excited Im a disabled vet and a hermit most time. I needed a new baby and I was lucky enough to get 2. I am in Tenn and have located 5 vets close to me that will see my babies.I love reading all these post :thankyou

[island rehabber]

Welcome to TSB, tammiesue, and congratulations on becoming a HOF (Human Owned by Flyers)! You have the best flyer folk around to get advice from, here, and they love to help. Can't wait to see pix of your twins. :hyper

AND.....thank you for your service to our country. :Flag

[HRT4SQRLS]

Thank you so much ,yes I read about toilets and ordered ladder, I also read about fleece so when Walmart had the little fleece blankets on sale let's just say I went a little over board.:grin2 I'm excited Im a disabled vet and a hermit most time. I needed a new baby and I was lucky enough to get 2. I am in Tenn and have located 5 vets close to me that will see my babies.I love reading all these post :thankyou


http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/war/smiley-face-soldier.gif (http://www.sherv.net/)
Welcome soldier! Thank you for your service. :grin2

I'm not a hermit yet but it IS my goal in life. I'm thinking about a moat around my property with gators. Yeah, that'll do it. :rotfl:peace

You will LOVE your little babies! I would keep them on formula as long as they will take it. Find out what they are on. Most flyer peeps use FoxValley 32/40 because of the extra protein.

Welcome again!! :grin2


:piglet1:piglet1:piglet1:piglet1:piglet1:piglet1:p iglet1

[TubeDriver]

Hi and welcome to the TSB.:wave123

I don't know much about fliers but you can find expert advice here on the TSB for all things squirrely!

Never hesitate to post questions here, there are always many people happy to give any help they can

HRT4SQRL's advice is always right on, she is one of my go-to people when I need some experienced help.


Welcome and thanks for your service!:thumbsup

[Anne]

A huge welcome to you!:wave123:Welcome Flyers are sooo special in the squirrel world. I will PM you my phone number and you may call me anytime and I will do everything I can to be a help. Glad you are getting twins-two are always better than one!

[Annabelle's papa]

Welcome to TSB, tammiesue, and congratulations on becoming a HOF (Human Owned by Flyers)! You have the best flyer folk around to get advice from, here, and they love to help. Can't wait to see pix of your twins. :hyper

AND.....thank you for your service to our country. :Flag



http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/war/smiley-face-soldier.gif (http://www.sherv.net/)
Welcome soldier! Thank you for your service. :grin2

I'm not a hermit yet but it IS my goal in life. I'm thinking about a moat around my property with gators. Yeah, that'll do it. :rotfl:peace

You will LOVE your little babies! I would keep them on formula as long as they will take it. Find out what they are on. Most flyer peeps use FoxValley 32/40 because of the extra protein.

Welcome again!! :grin2


:piglet1:piglet1:piglet1:piglet1:piglet1:piglet1:p iglet1


Hi and welcome to the TSB.:wave123

I don't know much about fliers but you can find expert advice here on the TSB for all things squirrely!

Never hesitate to post questions here, there are always many people happy to give any help they can

HRT4SQRL's advice is always right on, she is one of my go-to people when I need some experienced help.


Welcome and thanks for your service!:thumbsup


A huge welcome to you!:wave123:Welcome Flyers are sooo special in the squirrel world. I will PM you my phone number and you may call me anytime and I will do everything I can to be a help. Glad you are getting twins-two are always better than one!

:thumbsup Your Service To Our Great Country, As You Know, Give's Us The Freedom And Security To Experience A Forum Such As The Squirrel Board, Thank You Very Much.:Flag You will never be "Alone" long enough to be a Hermit, having the support from the Folk's mentioned above, and the compassion of the other Members You will find Here.:thumbsup

[tammiesue]

Thank you guys so much, I am so excited. Ok here's what I've been wondering. I see everyone says wood, and limbs. Not pine or cedar. But what about black walnut, popular, dogwood? And blocks? I've seen where you can buy the bird ones? Nuts? Is that the bag you would buy for human consumption? Yorgut chips, dried fruit? My breeder sells her homemade mixture should I just stay with that? And I will still be giving them formula she's sending it with them.
Bonding ? Do you leave them in there pouch and put in bra? Or just put in bra? I don't being pee'd on :Squirrel:Squirrel
I will post pictures the minute I can..all everyones opinions and ideas are most welcome...:thankyou:idea

[HRT4SQRLS]

Thank you guys so much, I am so excited. Ok here's what I've been wondering. I see everyone says wood, and limbs. Not pine or cedar. But what about black walnut, popular, dogwood? And blocks? I've seen where you can buy the bird ones? Nuts? Is that the bag you would buy for human consumption? Yorgut chips, dried fruit? My breeder sells her homemade mixture should I just stay with that? And I will still be giving them formula she's sending it with them.
Bonding ? Do you leave them in there pouch and put in bra? Or just put in bra? I don't being pee'd on :Squirrel:Squirrel
I will post pictures the minute I can..all everyones opinions and ideas are most welcome...:thankyou:idea

Tammiesue,
Here is the thread for the Healthy Flyer Diet. http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?37700-HEALTHY-DIET-for-PET-Flying-Squirrels/page3 Go to the first post in this thread. You will see that black walnut, poplar and dogwood are on the 'safe' list for branches. :tilt

I'm just guessing here but I would bet that your breeders 'homemade mixture' is not the proper diet for flyers. I could be wrong but we see it so often here that it's a good guess. Here's the way to tell ... if the homemade mixture is a mixture of seeds and nuts, sorta like a hampster or gerbil food, it is completely wrong.

With new babies, you have a 'clean slate' so to speak, so we can start them on a healthy diet. With a healthy diet, they can live up to 15 years. With an improper diet, they won't live a year. Diet is EVERYTHING, seriously! If they are fed a diet of nuts and seeds they will develop a condition called Metabolic Bone Disease due to lack of calcium. In it's latest stages it is fatal. That's why diet is critical.

The best foods have 2 parts calcium to 1 part phosphorus. You want to avoid or limit high phosphorus foods. I'll post some charts that you can study so you will understand which foods are the best. Nuts have high phosphorus levels so they are limited to the treat category. My flyers only get 1 nut or even 1/2 nut per day. That is after they have gotten their block and healthy veggies. I give them their nut as I am leaving for work in the morning around 0545. I do give them an in shell nut about once or twice a week so that they can keep their teeth filed down. Oh, and yes, these are the same nuts that people eat. The best nuts are almonds and hazelnut but they can have pecans and walnuts but again in limited amounts. Just raw nuts ... not salted. I never feed peanuts for a lot of reasons but we can talk about that later.

Your babies will need to eat a rodent block. There is a block made specifically for flyers called Henry's Healthy Flyer blocks. I'll go get the link. It is a supplement block. They would only need one per day. brb

[HRT4SQRLS]

Link for the blocks.
http://www.henryspets.com/hi-protein-blocks/

[tammiesue]

Found the henry blocks how many bags should I order? I am going to pet smart tomorrow to get water bowls and get a few things. I've definitely been lucky in buying stuff I made the fleece toys and nesters and Walmart had the blankets still on sale so I bought to tubs full. I'm probably over spending but I want to be a good mommy...thank you

[HRT4SQRLS]

Link for Calcium Phosphorus ratios.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?15397-Food-Data-Chart-Update-Calcium-to-Phosphorus-Ratios/page3

Go to post #1
The best foods have 2:1 (calcium: phosphorus)

Example:
Good.. Kale (2.4:1) :grin2
Bad ... Pine nuts (1:35.9) :eek

If you look at the nuts they all have high phosphorus so that's why they are limited to treats. Unfortunately, the foods they like the best are bad for them like nuts, seeds and corn. It's sorta like us, you know Snickers bars and Fritos. :tilt

[HRT4SQRLS]

I think I would only buy one bag to start. By the way, it needs to be stored in the freezer because it doesn't have preservatives. You can put a ZipLoc Baggie in the refrig with about 7 blocks. At first I would cut one in half and give each baby 1/2.

I would ask the breeder what type of formula the babies have been on. If they will still take formula I would definitely give it to them. I have a 4 year old that still takes formula. He drinks it out of a tiny bowl. (About a tablespoon:grin2)

You might want to buy a bag of FoxValley 32/40 formula. (Henry's sells that also.) If they are on a 'proper' formula, you could continue to offer that instead of the FV. I have 3 flyers. Only one of my boys drinks formula, the other two don't.


OVERSPENDING ... Oh yeah, we all do that! Fleece, yes we are all hoarders! :)

[farrelli]

A bag of Henry's blocks will last a gray a month. It's two a day. Because Henry's has flat rate shipping, many people buy multiple bags and keep them in the freezer for long term storage. Short term storage has to be the fridge or freezer. They arrive unrefrigerated, but that's OK.

[farrelli]

Oh, I see, flyer. I'm not sure how long a bag lasts.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Bonding ? Do you leave them in there pouch and put in bra? Or just put in bra? I don't being pee'd on :Squirrel:Squirrel
I will post pictures the minute I can..all everyones opinions and ideas are most welcome...:thankyou:idea

Oh yes, they will pee on you. No doubt. :peesnowAs far as bonding, having two might make it a little harder because they are bonded to each other. I, personally didn't use a bonding pouch but many do. They are very social little critters so given time they really will love you and want to be with you.

[tammiesue]

:grin3 yeah just ordered the blocks. Now I had an iguana once that I had to buy fresh food all time, but with his food I could freeze it than thaw in morning before I fed her. Is that the same with flyers? I grow my own veggies so come summer I won't have to worry so much about going to the store so much. I still couldn't find any post about the yogurt chips? Treat only? I mean I have been reading I've got these things so far
Cage medium size 3 level
Cuttlebone 2
Ropes 10 small ones to hang
Ordered Henry's blocks 2 bags
Tons of fleece stuff pouches hammocks cubes etc..:thankyou:crazy:shakehead
First aid kit
Tomorrow getting water food bowls
WHAT ELSE LOL

[HRT4SQRLS]

They can have a yogurt chip as an occasional treat. I would say no to the dried fruit .. too much sugar and also dried fruit is chemically treated. I give fresh fruit but fruit is on the limited list also. Flyers love sweet things so they will fill up on fruit if you let them.

They have very tiny stomachs so if given too much in the line of treats they will only eat that and leave the healthy foods. That's why I don't give them a nut with their food. I feed mine at around 7-8PM when they wake up. They get the nut treat in the morning.

Farelli was thinking grey squirrels when he mentioned 2 Henry's block. My flyers would never eat 2 blocks. I'm fighting with them now to get them to eat one. :shakehead

Your babies can have an antler if you happened to have one.

By the way, does your cage have 1/2 bar spacing? Any bigger and a baby flyer will slip right through the bars.

Your babies are very young now, but flyers are meat eaters. They will need meal worms or wax worms. I'm not sure if they will eat them at this age or not. You can also buy a dog treat called Pure Bites dehydrate chicken breast. They don't have it at my PetSmart. I buy it at PetSuperMarket. When they start eating meat they can have baked chicken including the bones.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I don't freeze my boys veggies. I use fresh. The garden will be great.:thumbsup
I wash the greens like kale, endive etc and put it in a medium sized Tupperware-like container in the refrig. It seems to extend the life of the greens by a few days. The dampness from the washing seems to keep them crisper. If the greens are a little wilted, I float them in cold water for about an hour before feeding to crisp them up. Flyers will NEVER eat limp greens. :hissyfit

Things like hard squashes ( butternut and acorn) last pretty well. They also like avocado (without the peel or pit).

[tammiesue]

24"x16"x24 with 1/2 spacing. My dad is building one for their room I've dedicated one of my bedrooms their room. I'm putting in a small cot so I can sleep in there till they get used to me. I'm not sure of the formula I'm getting them from janda exotics. I've read a years worth if testimony on her fb page and on her web. I looked for the book that was recommend on here king and queens couldn't find it. Ok time to get back to sewing. Thank you all again....my printer is out of ink too lol:grin2

[HRT4SQRLS]

Janda's Exotic ... That's where my Bonzai came from!! Your babies might be related to my Bonzai!!!!! I didn't buy him. I got him from someone that had purchased him from Janda's. He had health problems so he was rehomed due to health issues. He is my four year old. I love him to death! :Love_Icon

Oh, forget about the book ... Kings and Queens of ??? . I've been looking for it for years. It is out of print and I have never found it. I have even found sites to purchase it and the order was cancelled due to being unavailable. I have heard it is an excellent book.

Alright, gotta go. Good night.

[HRT4SQRLS]

One more thing ... :tilt WalMart sells tiny votive candle holders. They have thick glass walls and are heavy so they don't tip over. They are about 72 cents. They make great milk bowls. They also sell slightly larger ones (about 3 inches) that make nice water bowls.

The tablespoon measure and razor blade are for size reference. :thumbsup
251014

[czarina]

Overspending you say? Hmmmm


Guarantee there is not one of us here, who isn't guilty of it!!!!:grin2 They are just so cute, and you will soon learn, that they give sooo much more than they take. These little guys will take over your heart in a way you didn't think was possible. They are truly life changing critters. And, never underestimate their intelligence. Squirrels are extremely smart.

I don't have flyers, they are only in my care occasionally after storms. But, I will share some important safety tips, that I was taught.

Most importantly, as Heart pointed out, the toilet ladders. I am not sure where you are buying yours, but they are simple to make. You said your dad was working on a cage for you? He could very easily make you some extras.

Be very cautious. Its not so much you that may forget, and leave the lid up. But family members or visitors, are not as in-tuned to our little friends, as we are. So, it is a good idea, to always double check.

Also, sadly, another deadly killer of littles is closing/slamming doors. Flyers are notarious for sitting on top of doors, and well, you get the picture. Even a draft, from another door being opened or closed, can suck a door closed. So it may be a good idea, to put a rock or something to block a door open, just in case. Sadly, just recently, a flyer from this board just lost its life in this way. The owner is devastated.

Also, never, ever cook with a flyer out. You do not want one falling into a boiling pot of anything, nor flying into a hot oven when the door is opened, just for a second!

Also, ceiling fans pose another hazard. Be very careful, especially when there are multiple switches positioned together. You don't want to accidentally turn on the fan, when you meant to switch on the light!

Also, many of us have developed a "shuffling gait", rather than a normal walk, when our flyers are out. Much better to gently kick a flyer a little, rather than to come diwn full force with your body weight, while walking across a room. They are so little, and sooo quick and can and will land anywhere, especially where you least expect them!

Also, be very careful when sitting down. Try not to "plop" down to hard. You never know when a little has snuggled in under a blanket or pillow on the sofa. Same goes for recliners, take a head count before pulling the lever.

Never leave the bathtub full of water! (Watch family members and guests for this!)
Same goes for a sink full if water, or even a pan left to soak. Even a glass of water can be a killer to a little. No buckets full of water.

Also, any tiny piece of string, or thread can easily get wrapped around a tiny little finger or toe, or hand or foot, and can cut off circulation, leading to the necessity of an amputation. Sadly, this also recently happened to another members new born baby. Even a long hair could do it.

Sorry, for such a long list. But, before you know it, this will all be second nature to you. But, you still have to be on patrol for family members and guests, to prevent an accident.


But, even with all the dangers I listed, the most important one is:

To ALWAYS follow the healthy diet! Proper diet is tantamount to a healthy squirrel. The calcium/phosphorus ratio is the most important safety measure you can take!!!!!!!!
They must eat their Henry's Healthy Block. For flyers, I think it is one a day. But for other squirrels, it is 2 a day. Most of us will not give any other food untill they eat their block.
It is much easier to start them as babies, to get used to eating their block. The blocks have all the vitamins and minerals required to maintain a healthy squirrel, when combined with the healthy diet list.

Honestly, the healthy diet list is like our bible here. We all live in fear of Metabolic Bone Disease,(MBD). It is extremely painful, and often fatal for squirrels. But so easily preventable, with proper diet.


We are really glad you are here, and we are almost as excited as you, to welcome your new babies! This is the one place you can come to talk squirrels all day, and we never get tired of hearing about them. ( friends and family often do get tired of hearing about them).
But not us, cause we come here to brag about our own squirrels!

There are many experienced flyer owners here who will gladly share their knowledge with you, as Heart 4 has already started to do! They know their stuff, and are experienced.

There is always someone here to help, 24/7. Even if it is the middle of the night, the board is monitored, and someone can get in touch with a flyer owner, if it is an emergency.

So ask any and all questions. And welcome to the wonderful world of squirrels!

[czarina]

Darn, thought I was done, and my phone is dying. But, this is really important.

If your squirrels are ever injured, please check here. Most vets know very little about treating squirrels. (And, they will tell you this).

So, if there is ever a problem, check in so we can double check the meds and doses he has prescribed.

Squirrels are extremely good healers, and vets often suggest putting them down. But, we have lots of knowledge about medicating and healing squirrels, even after catastrophic accidents. Especially head injuries.

We will need a weight, in grams, so we can properly dose the medicines. Most vets don't even know which meds are safe for squirrels.

Which reminds me. You will need a gram scale, so you can keep track of your babies weights, and also for proper dosing of medicines. Scales are available at Wal-Mart, in the kitchen dept. for about $10.00.

You might want to pick up a bottle of infant ibuprofen while you are there. This is a good thing to have on hand, just in case. If you ever need to give it, we can dose it for you, according to your squirrels weight.

[pixiepoo]

I may be a bit late to this thread but I like to use water bottle tubes for my guys. The ones from Petco are good and since the bottom is just a glass tube, they can't injure their tongue (since supposedly that can happen....). I always keep at least two per flyer in each cage because I'm paranoid that one may not work properly. I prefer it to other waterers just because it keeps the water fresher.

Here is a link: http://m.petco.com/product/125938/Oasis-E-Z-4-Kids-Hamster-Drinking-Water-Tube.aspx?cm_mmc=CSEMGooglePLA-_-Small%20Animal-_-Oasis-_-2156121&mr:trackingCode=CD7B4014-E54E-E411-B200-BC305BF82376&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=m&mr:adType=plaonline&mr:ad=57173615773&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=83949121093&gclid=CjwKEAiAo8emBRCX_OqU4qek6y8SJACzgf8fQR1pWhz1 IWr7wGvDsXLvQ0GYbagZcUxaxrL2cbDJ0BoCgC7w_wcB

[tammiesue]

Hello everyone I will be getting my twins at noon tomorrow yeah:grin2 I'm so excited I got to talk to ms. Anne from Florida and she's gonna become my new bff I can feel it already:hug I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how lol. I'm an avid fan of the originals so I've decided to name them Eligha and Haley after my favorite characters. I'm still trying to print the food list but it won't let me so if someone can email me it I would really appreciate it. tammie.cleland @yahoo.com . my breeder ms. Ashley has also been great and sent me a smaller FAQ but any help is wonderful. I hope to post daily but since this is new to me I'm sure I'll be mad crazy lol....:thankyou:dance1

[Chibbie]

24"x16"x24 with 1/2 spacing. My dad is building one for their room I've dedicated one of my bedrooms their room. I'm putting in a small cot so I can sleep in there till they get used to me. I'm not sure of the formula I'm getting them from janda exotics. I've read a years worth if testimony on her fb page and on her web. I looked for the book that was recommend on here king and queens couldn't find it. Ok time to get back to sewing. Thank you all again....my printer is out of ink too lol:grin2

That's who we are getting ours thru. They are coming sat.

[Chibbie]

If your getting babies from her you have a couple of weeks before you can put them in your cage.

[tammiesue]

Well today is Christmas for me:grin2. I sterilized the little glass feeders. I got my cut up fleece in my bra to get my scent on them. Table is ready for when I get home to feed. Am I missing anything???

[HRT4SQRLS]

I think you're ready. I'm so excited for you! :serene

Just be careful holding them because they're slippery little boogers. Be very careful that they don't escape. They will be afraid at first and you don't want an escape now because you would never find them in your house. :tilt

I can't wait to see pics. :grin2 Don't rush it though. Safety first.

[tammiesue]

I will I'm gonna do the tent thing first my bathroom is under construction so no door..I seriously have only been this happy when my children were born 20/16 yrs ago...since losing my mom and my ability to be around ppl this is the best.??

[czarina]

Please heed H4S warning. These are tee-tiny little critters, and faster than lightening. If they get away from you, it would be doubtful that you would find them.

Safety, safety, safety first.
Remember, to always double check everything, because other family members will not be as "squirrel-tuned" as you.

Good luck!

[tammiesue]

If I can download these right I would like to introduce Eligha and Haley.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Well .... looky there! :grin2

:wave123 Eligha and Haley

Uhmm ... did you get a boy and a girl? :tilt

[tammiesue]

Yes and omg can I just say wow I've already fed them twice they crawled around my bra pee'd and pooped and went to sleep lol. I'm in love the lighter one is a girl dark a boy, he's shyer than Haley she hung on to my hand while she ate. Eligha kept trying to run all over me but I was safe and kept my hands lightly covered over him till I got him back in pouch. Now they are sleeping and I keep watching to see them get up lol..

[HRT4SQRLS]

Awww! It sounds like you're already in love.:serene

For the little explorer, you might want to try wearing a hoodie or jacket over a shirt. He will love crawling around your body between the shirts. He might even go into the pocket. When those sharp little claws run around your bare body the first time it's a little like :eek :jump



We'll have THAT conversation about the 'birds and the bees' later. :poke :rotfl

[tammiesue]

Ok maybe I'm paranoid already lol I thought these guys would be up and playing? They ate good and played a lil now they're back asleep? Normal? Yes I know its probably stupid question....

[HRT4SQRLS]

There are no stupid questions. :thumbsup

It's completely normal. They're still babies. :crybaby Babies sleep, pee and poop.
You just wait. :grin2 When they get a little older, you won't be able to keep up with them. :klunk

[tammiesue]

:facepalm lol I was hoping to be playing all night:grin2.. Ok guess I'll just go to bed. I ordered the milk that you recommended also. They love the lil piece of apple too. I hope my Henry blocks will be here soon. I still didn't get a list of good food...can you email it
tammie.cleland@yahoo.com if not I'll just get pen and paper and go old school lol..thanks Ladies I really do appreciate the welcome.

[HRT4SQRLS]

This is a link to Anne's presentation about Care and Raising Southern Flying Squirrels. There is a lot of great information in it.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4fU88wUkyk1aVg0eGVDWHFRU2VSOHU2Mm9LVTd6QQ/edit

[Chibbie]

Is there a way of potty training? I ordered my Henry's blocks and ordered the Henry's vita min. Didn't catch what formula to use. They just told me they included some. What kind do you recommend?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Chibbie, we use FoxValley 32/40 for flyers because of the increased protein. Are you getting your flyer from a breeder? (Janda?) If so I probably wouldn't change the formula if they are doing well and it is a 'good' formula.

As far as potty training, some will ... some won't. You can try. I have one that trained himself to use a corner box with CareFresh. The other two just do it wherever .... anywhere. Is your baby still on formula? If so maybe you could put them in a CareFresh container after they nurse. The container has to be shallow and the CareFresh also has to be shallow. I once put the CF too deep and Bonzai stopped using it.

I'll post a pic later today of Bon using his litter box. :tilt

[HRT4SQRLS]

Here's the pic. It gives you an idea of what the container looks like. This one is from a pet store like PetSuperMarket. My 3rd flyer does use the same stop in the cage consistently so I tried to put a box there. We're still working on it. :peace

251081

[czarina]

Try to find an area that has some urine on it, and put that into the box, the more you can find, the better. Squirrels are very " scent oriented". This will help draw their attention to the box.( and, also add a bunch of :poop:poop:poop:poop:poop)

Ha ha. There is no where else, that you will find a group of people more obsessed with :poop than here!

Also, next lesson. Only use a scent and dye free laundry derergent to wash their fleece and other items. I think most use "All, Free and Clear", but I recently saw that Tide has come out with a "free and clear" pod, and was really tempted to buy it, but didn't want to chance changing the scent. (Big squirrels bite hard :rofl4 )

Also, no fabric softener. And, I always use the same hand soap , bath soap and dish detetgent. As I said earlier, they are VERY scent oriented, and will react badly to change.
Also, at cage cleaning time, make sure to put at least one little piece of their soiled fleece back in their sleeping area. It helps them not freak out so much.

And remember, for now, your guys are very young babies. And, like most babies, mostly all they do is sleep, eat and :poop . But, even though they aren't awake and playing much yet, this is the PERFECT time for you to bond with them, while riding in your bra.

It won't be long before they are playing non-stop!

[CritterMom]

One more thing: Please change the way you are feeding the baby. I couldn't help notice you are holding the syringe with the tip pointed down toward your baby. Because of how we hold human infants, this "seems" right BUT IT ISN'T!!

You want to hold the baby above the syringe, so that the tip or nipple is pointing upward - toward the roof of the mouth. Pointing it down their throat from above is a really good way to induce aspiration and resulting pneumonia.

If you think about it, most squirrel mamas lay on their backs, with the nipples pointing up, and the babies crawl up and eat - so their little muzzles are pointing down and are against mama's tummy. That posture will allows gravity to help drain any milk that gets snorted up the nose OUT instead of into the lungs.

Here is a little video to help - very different type of squirrel, but good feeding technique!

[tammiesue]

Thank you for advice on feeding I did that right after my daughter took pictures she was just excited also. The kids have been eating great I got my henry blocks in and put one in their dish. While I did laundry I put pouch in their little cage and they both ran over to investigate and actually nibbled on them. I put cage together with the fleece stuff it looks small but it's a nice size cage. My dad is building one in the spare room but I won't put them in it till we are well bonded. Trying out the tent tonight. The female is already giving me little purr noises the male is still shy but did let me pet him while he was in bra....I know patience is key but I can honestly say I'm in love...pictures are next post

[tammiesue]

My attempt at decorating lol

[Annabelle's papa]

:thumbsup That look's very Cool tammiesue, Our Lil' Annabelle love's all the Fleece She can get. Because of Her self perceived size, (Small, ha.), She like's to remain hidden until She can "Pop" out and sup prize us with a sudden appearance. :eek You can actually tell this is Their intent, they crave interaction with us the same way a Puppy would.:tilt Wait until They start licking You on the side of Your face.:serene

[tammiesue]

Ok kids are curled up in bra but my lil girl is acting a bit weird. They both ate their formula and she ate her henry block and now she looks like she ate to much? Not moving around just laying there looking up at me ??can they over eat? And she's shivering even though I'm nice and warm???any suggestions? I'm sure its somewhere ononeof these threads but I'm still figuring out how to move around on this site..

[Annabelle's papa]

Ok kids are curled up in bra but my lil girl is acting a bit weird. They both ate their formula and she ate her henry block and now she looks like she ate to much? Not moving around just laying there looking up at me ??can they over eat? And she's shivering even though I'm nice and warm???any suggestions? I'm sure its somewhere ononeof these threads but I'm still figuring out how to move around on this site..

:bump

[czarina]

Is the little girl ok?

[Chibbie]

Well getting excited our babies will be here tmrw evening. I have a question. The breeder said leave them in box for next two weeks before putting in cage what should I put in box when cleaning up...new fleece or litter and fleece.

[tammiesue]

So far ok I rubbed her belly. I let her run through my sleeves last night...as for leaving them in their box I have fleece and plain tissue...I also have a heating pad on low on a corner not whole box so if they get too warm they will move. I'm fixing to get them up for playtime and their snack if she looks ok

[HRT4SQRLS]

Oh my tammiesue. Sorry I wasn't on last night to help. Is she better this morning?

YES, they can over eat and cause bloat. It is very dangerous. How much formula is she taking and how often? You need to get a kitchen scale and weigh her. For babies we feed 5-7% of their body weight. Example: If baby weighs 30g ... The formula would be between 1.5 - 2.1 ml. I believe I remember Anne saying that older flyers could have up to 10% of their body weight. I need to confirm that. When they are adults, you don't have to weigh them anymore. They can drink formula and eat what they want without bloating.

You don't want to feed too often either. You need to allow the formula to move out of the stomach before giving more formula. Adding fresh formula onto the previous feeding causes gas to form and bloat. I don't want to scare you but bloat can be deadly.

This would be VERY difficult with a flyer but bloated babies are soaked up to their armpits in a bowl of warm water. Massaging their tummy in the warm water relaxes the muscles and hopefully helps to move the food along and get rid of the gas.

It's possible the 'new' solid food also contributed to the bloat. I wouldn't give them a whole block. At their age I would probably cut a block in 1/4 and give them each a 1/4. Babies waste a lot anyway. :grin2

The cage gear looks great. They have a lot of options for bedding down. :serene

Tammiesue, I think it's time to start your babies a new thread in the flyer section. That's where the flyer peeps hang out. We are still in the Introduction Section. You will have the longest thread in TSB history in the introduction. :poke :jump
If you would like to keep the information in this thread as part of your babies history (probably a good idea) you can send a PM to one of the administrators and they can move this thread to the flyer section. If you decide to do that, come up with a title and it can be retitled and moved at the same time. Either way, it's all good. :thumbsup

Chibbie, you might want to do that also.

[Chibbie]

Will do

[HRT4SQRLS]

Well getting excited our babies will be here tmrw evening. I have a question. The breeder said leave them in box for next two weeks before putting in cage what should I put in box when cleaning up...new fleece or litter and fleece.
Chibbie, I use fleece. I DON'T use wood shavings or cage bedding like CareFresh in my cages. I know some do but I don't .
I think it's too messy. It will be all over the floor.

You will be like the rest of us. You will get excited when you see a coupon for Joann's fabric. :bliss Go to Joann's website and register. You'll get many coupons in your email. I had cage mats made out of fleece for all of my cages and the different ramps and shelves. It's nice to have a backup set also.
When I clean cages I pull all of the fleece out and run it through the disinfect cycle on my washer. That cycle runs for 1 hour and 45 minutes. :wash Of course, that's for a large load. A few tiny pieces of soiled fleece wouldn't need that type of disinfecting ... a simple wash or even just toss them and use new fleece. It's pretty cheap ... especially on sale. :tilt

[tammiesue]

Thank you I pmd admin :grin2 my kids and I just got done playing in the tent. She's very affectionate while he's still shy but he will let me hold him while he's eating. They ran around my shirt playing tag lol now they're all nestled back in box as I'm going to have to go gather wood for stove I don't want to chance them taking off:sadness I really can't thank you all enough, I try to read a new forum archive every day and it helps me to see I wasn't the only one scared of every little thing:embar

[HRT4SQRLS]

tammiesue, you will find that flyers have different 'personalities' just like people. You know there are the shy kids and the outgoing, loud 'in your face' kids. Flyers are the same way. It's funny, they stay that way too. My Tucker is the BIG personality (Type A) one. He demands to be heard. He will call out LOUDLY for my attention. Bonzai is my quiet, gentle little soul that never says a word. I'm still feeling the new one (Wilson) out. :grin2

[Chibbie]

Chibbie, I use fleece. I DON'T use wood shavings or cage bedding like CareFresh in my cages. I know some do but I don't .
I think it's too messy. It will be all over the floor.

You will be like the rest of us. You will get excited when you see a coupon for Joann's fabric. :bliss Go to Joann's website and register. You'll get many coupons in your email. I had cage mats made out of fleece for all of my cages and the different ramps and shelves. It's nice to have a backup set also.
When I clean cages I pull all of the fleece out and run it through the disinfect cycle on my washer. That cycle runs for 1 hour and 45 minutes. :wash Of course, that's for a large load. A few tiny pieces of soiled fleece wouldn't need that type of disinfecting ... a simple wash or even just toss them and use new fleece. It's pretty cheap ... especially on sale. :tilt

Just run it in hot water..what type of detergent if any?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Just run it in hot water..what type of detergent if any?
Chibbie, I know this will make some people start 'seizing' :grin2 but I use my regular laundry detergent and a tiny bit of bleach. I have a front loader washer so it really doesn't use a lot of detergent. That's part of the reason I use the 1 hr and 45 min cycle. The longer cycle has more rinses I believe and very hot water.

I'm weird about smells. After regular washing, I could still smell the 'hint' of flyer pee. Of course, you don't want your flyer gear smelling a lot like detergents and bleach but I do want it smelling fresh and clean.

Nobody's complaining! :peace