Dehydrated babies!!!

[Squirrel Girl]

Someone please tell me what you do to get younger babies
Hydrated & keeping them that way! Have been doing
Rehab four years & the pinkies cause us fits every season
It seems! So frustrating! Right now I have two that have been under my care for 18 days. Everything was fine until about three days ago. No matter what I do they don't stay hydrated. The only thing I haven't tried is shooting them with lacerated ringers (always last resort hate doing that to itty bitties) any info is appreciated at this point!!!!

[Milo's Mom]

Offer hydration in between formula feedings.

You could also dilute the formula a bit to provide extra fluids...just watch it though...make sure they are getting all the calories they need.

I don't water down the formula unless I have to. I'd sub-q first...I think the calories are too important for the itty bitties.

[Squirrel Girl]

I have done ALL of that!!!!! Aghhhhhhhh I even get up & feed twice during the night. These two babies have me exhausted

[Rocky1]

Can you tell us what you are providing them (or trying to provide them) and how often?

[Squirrel Girl]

Provide them what they're supposed to get-Esbilac & Pedialyte in between- & I have been adding extra water to their formula too.
have raised hundreds of squirrels successfully over the past four years. Their feedings are every four hours around the clock. The only reason posted here is because this seems to be a problem with some groups of pinkies but not others & this girl is stumped. Thought maybe there's some other method that works that I'm not aware of.

[Milo's Mom]

WAIT! Are you giving them Pedialyte for the 18 days they've been in your care? If so, stop!

If they need additional hydration use water with just a pinch of sugar or a couple drops of honey or a bit of fruit juice for flavor.

The sodium content in Pedialyte is waaaay high and if given for too long can actually cause the reverse.

Are these true pinkies or are they a few weeks old? If they are a few weeks old, I'd mix the formula at 3:1 for a day or so.

[Squirrel Girl]

Yes they are well were true pinkies- prob a day old when I got them because their belly buttons were very visible. They have only been dehydrated three to four days. And no they haven't been on Pedialyte but for half of the time since they became dehydrated. And I do 50/50 Pedialyte & water- And the formula is mixed 3:1 right now also. I think that they're just stimulating each other too much moving around & peeing a lot. 😕😕They're starting to get fur so technically they're no longer pinkies.