One of two squirrels - is lethargic or just a late bloomer?

[Lighten-Up]

I am a new squirrel mom of two. A tree came down on our backyard and two that I found I have been taking care of. I found the two girls on August 24, they were about 4 weeks old. They were fully haired with skinny tails. They weighed 80 grams. I got them warm, gave them pedialyte, started them on goat milk formula, ordered Fox Valley 20/50 formula as they were about 4 weeks old. Since then, their eyes have opened, they have grown to 200 grams. When their eyes opened, I started putting High protein rodent block in with them. They shred them into pieces. Their tails are bushing now, and they look like miniature squirrels and they are gaining in coordination. The one whose eyes opened first - will call her #1 - her eyes opened 2-3 days before the other squirrel I will call #2. Squirrel#1 seems to grow daily in ability, she pops her head out of the nest when I approach, she jumps onto me, she wants to eat right away. She has learned to run, fast, now she is jumping and leaping; after every feeding, she plays with me for 30 minutes, exhausting herself running all over the couch and all around me. Squirrel #2 will often look at me when I approach and acknowledge me with a nuzzle, and then go back to sleep in her nest, sometimes she will come out on her own accord when #1 is being fed, and wait her turn. Every once in a while, #2 will push her way in, and demand to eat first, and then #1 will back off and let her. More often, I have to go in a take her out. Once I present the 1cc syringe, she will eat heartily, and once done with a full feeding, and good pee and poo, (they both do good pee and poo), she will immediately look for something to chew, (#1 has no interest in chewing-other than occasionally chewing a rodent block). So I give #2 a rodent block after her formula feeding, and she happily shreds it, in her found cave and then sleeps. I have given her a huge chunk of pecan wood from the tree that just came down, and she like to chew her teeth on the edge of that. She would chew my fingers if I would let her, I don't. She does not run and play with me, she is not yet learning to leap, etc. I do not want to unfairly compare them. I have no other experience with baby squirrels. If they were both acting the same as #2 is, I might not question it, because she seems pretty normal, except for being so docile compared to her over active sister #1. I am kind of embarrassed to admit how much anxiety I am feeling over #2, in my concern to make sure there is not something that I need to be doing for her. It is my plan to release these two in the spring back to the yard they came from when the weather is warm. Does anyone have any experience to offer me on this question, is it okay that she is just more timid and slower to mature? Her eyes did open 2-3 days later. However, she is much less active in general. Is there something that I need to do for her? I will check back often for an answer.

Thank you,
Lighten-Up
(This is my Appalachian Trail name, as I am an AT hiker.)
However, it is often quite relevant :-) in many other applications

[stepnstone]

It's not unusual that one may seem more timid then the other.
As long as diet is good and they are eating well, processing good, I wouldn't be overly concerned.
I would however pay attention to bullying if present, that sometimes becomes an issue with siblings
and can impede development on the weaker of the two.

[Mommaluvy]

My thoughts are the same as Step. Watch for bulling but probably just personality difference .

[Lighten-Up]

It's not unusual that one may seem more timid then the other.
As long as diet is good and they are eating well, processing good, I wouldn't be overly concerned.
I would however pay attention to bullying if present, that sometimes becomes an issue with siblings
and can impede development on the weaker of the two.

Thank you so much for your reply. I do not know what to look for in bullying. It does not seem to me that the active squirrel #1 is overly hostile to her, that I can see. I will keep an eye on them with this in mind.

Is it normal for a squirrel to want to chew so much? It is sometimes difficult for me to have her take her formula, because she would rather chew on something else at feeding time. Squirrel #1 will feed steadily, impatient for the next syringe to be ready. Feeding her is quick and fast. Squirrel #2, will occasionally feed steadily, at least once a day; but all other feedings, I must work with a squirrel that gets distracted into chewing or sleeping and who finally will at least eat the normal amount after a long drawn out amount of time sleeping, chewing, and 'oh yea' taking the formula.

[Lighten-Up]

My thoughts are the same as Step. Watch for bulling but probably just personality difference .

Appreciate your thoughts, thank you.

[Lighten-Up]

This is Lighten-Up again, with a transformational report on #2.

Wow. Maybe it was because your answers gave me peace and I stopped worrying? But #2, who was always asleep in her nest at feeding time, this morning, when I opened the door, she LEAP onto my body from the nest box surprising me! I had never seen her run or leap. She raced all over me like a tree, like the other does, from out of nowhere. She all of a sudden just appeared to be well-adjusted and up to speed with the other one. Such a total transformation, it makes me feel silly to have written my query yesterday.

But I do feel your comments helped me relax, and maybe that is what she needed.

Thank you so much.
Lighten-Up

[Delo729]

Yay!! This is good news!!

[stepnstone]

This is Lighten-Up again, with a transformational report on #2.

Wow. Maybe it was because your answers gave me peace and I stopped worrying? But #2, who was always asleep in her nest at feeding time, this morning, when I opened the door, she LEAP onto my body from the nest box surprising me! I had never seen her run or leap. She raced all over me like a tree, like the other does, from out of nowhere. She all of a sudden just appeared to be well-adjusted and up to speed with the other one. Such a total transformation, it makes me feel silly to have written my query yesterday.

But I do feel your comments helped me relax, and maybe that is what she needed.

Thank you so much.
Lighten-Up

Maybe she thought... oh no, squirrel board! and thought you were about to treat her
with something yucky and figured she'd better step up her game. :laugh2

Glad your little has come around... :w00t

[Lighten-Up]

Maybe she thought... oh no, squirrel board! and thought you were about to treat her
with something yucky and figured she'd better step up her game. :laugh2

Glad your little has come around... :w00t

Ha! That is funny. It was such a joyous relief to see her so peppy and engaging. :bliss