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View Full Version : Going on 6 weeks, what to do next!?



ClementineWoolysocks
08-19-2015, 04:00 PM
I've had Julius for 24 days. I just want to know if the information I already have is the same as what y'all suggest.

Julius: Grey Squirrel
Age: 5-6 weeks!? (Guesstimate)
Weight: 122 Grams
Food: 7.5 - 8.5 cc of formula every 4 hours (using 3 cc syringe now)
Housing: Still in Sterilite Container w/ Fleece bedding & heating pad.

262168 262169
1st Picture: July 27 Day after Julius was Found
2nd Picture: August 19 Today

HHB block on route, should receive in next day or so.

When do I...
Stop using heating pad?
Introduce water?
Introduce food?
Types of food?
Change from container to cage?

Anything else I need to know!?!?

lennysmom
08-19-2015, 09:08 PM
Little Julius is quite a cutie. :Love_Icon As far as the heating pad goes, he probably won't be needing it too much longer. Always just have it on one half of the container he is in. You will know he doesn't need anymore when he continually sleeps and stays off the part of his bin where it is located.

I would go ahead when you receive the blocks and put one in with him to start nibbling on when he gets hungry. He will eventually wean himself off formula in time, but you want to offer only healthy foods until he is completely weaned to encourage good eating habits. Once he is eating the blocks fairly constantly, you can start introducing a few veggies, one at a time. I start with veggies like cauliflower, broccoli stock, and small pieces of carrots.

I usually start putting water in with them when I transfer them to their first cage. I start with a water bottle, but some rehabbers prefer a water dish. Either one will work. When they are steady on their feet and really wanting to climb, I will move them to a small cage for a few weeks and then graduate them to half a critter nation, and eventually the whole critter nation when I feel they are ready.

Make sure your little one has things to chew on too - A squirrel's teeth never stop growing and so they have to chew on things to keep their teeth ground down. Small sticks (just make sure they are from a safe kind of tree for squirrels), deer antlers (sold for puppies in the pet store), and even small pieces of untreated wood, or the little blocks for mice that they sell at most pet stores work great at this age. :)