Water Question for 10 - 11 week old squirrels

[Lighten-Up]

Hello,

I have asked several questions before this one, I am just wanting to make sure that things are going well. So far, they appear to me to be going well, I just want to keep it going that way, and your answers have helped greatly.

This question pertains to water drinking. It does not seem that my two Squirrels ages about 10-11 week old are drinking any of the water that I provide. As of right now, they are on fox valley formula 2x per day. Several weeks ago, when they started tasting solid food, I put a water bottle in their cage. A day or so later, I realized that they were not drinking from it, even though I attempted to show them how; so I added a small ceramic water dish.

I clean the water dish daily, from the debris that would fall in it, but the water level seems the same. It does not appear that they are drinking anything. Unless squirrels this age drink imperceptible amounts of water. I have showed them the water dish, when I presented it, they stuck their noses in it, and sneezed from the experience of water in the nose. And ran off. I spend a lot of time with these two, and I have yet to see them drinking any water. I see them eating a lot, and chewing a lot. And of course playing a lot.

I just want to make sure that all is okay here. Since they are on formula 2x a day, maybe they are getting enough fluids through that and they are not seeking out water yet. They are very excited about formula feeding time. They eat rodent block and a variety of vegetables that I am introducing in between the feedings.

Any comments would be welcome.
Thank you,
Lighten-Up

[Spanky]

Hello,

I have asked several questions before this one, I am just wanting to make sure that things are going well. So far, they appear to me to be going well, I just want to keep it going that way, and your answers have helped greatly.

This question pertains to water drinking. It does not seem that my two Squirrels ages about 10-11 week old are drinking any of the water that I provide. As of right now, they are on fox valley formula 2x per day. Several weeks ago, when they started tasting solid food, I put a water bottle in their cage. A day or so later, I realized that they were not drinking from it, even though I attempted to show them how; so I added a small ceramic water dish.

I clean the water dish daily, from the debris that would fall in it, but the water level seems the same. It does not appear that they are drinking anything. Unless squirrels this age drink imperceptible amounts of water. I have showed them the water dish, when I presented it, they stuck their noses in it, and sneezed from the experience of water in the nose. And ran off. I spend a lot of time with these two, and I have yet to see them drinking any water. I see them eating a lot, and chewing a lot. And of course playing a lot.

I just want to make sure that all is okay here. Since they are on formula 2x a day, maybe they are getting enough fluids through that and they are not seeking out water yet. They are very excited about formula feeding time. They eat rodent block and a variety of vegetables that I am introducing in between the feedings.

Any comments would be welcome.
Thank you,
Lighten-Up

Having both a water bottle and the ceramic dish is a great thing! Since they are still taking formula, they are getting quite a bit of fluids there and if they are getting veggies or fruit, there is some hydration there. I think they are okay, but keep watching especially if they stop taking formula.

You can place some small clean stones or even marbles in the water dish if you can, that helps them out a bit from dunking their nose too far into the water as they learn to drink. :thumbsup

[Mennome]

What is the average age they start drinking water? My 8 week old is still on FV, but increasing his veggies and HB daily....some better than others. I took put in water sources but he also shows no interest.:thinking

[island rehabber]

THey are all different, but it depends on how soon they wean themselves. The FV gives them a lot of hydration, so as long as they are taking decent amounts of formula they are getting their water that way. As they start to back off from 3 feedings a day to 2, then one, I make sure to introduce them to a water bottle. Personally I prefer the bottles for two reasons: once they hit that 12 week mark some get really nasty and I am not putting my hand in there to change water bowls; and secondly there is always one clown in the group who poops in the water bowl as soon as you put it in there :shakehead. :grin2

[Lighten-Up]

Thank you all for your thoughts. It was helpful.

Today I had a funny happening that assured me that they can and will drink water when they want it. It was formula feeding time, and I brought in the formula in a small dish, and a mug of hot water to heat the syringes that I fill from the small dish.

This time, my 11 or 12 week squirrels saw the dish of formula and went right for it. They stuck their noses in and drank. What a surprise that was for me, who was getting ready to fill the syringes as was normal. That gave me a few other questions that I will ask in a new thread. But it assured me that they can drink liquid from a dish quite well!

Thanks again,
Lighten-Up