Could he be a dwarf?

[DaSquirrelMom]

This is my little man. He's approx. 5.5 weeks old. His head is less elongated and smaller than his sister's head. He didn't have a lot of interest in eating until the last two weeks. He weighs 169 g. I thank you in advance for taking a look at him. :blowkiss
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[Penelope]

I can not say for sure but he looks just like my Dwarf Peanut, the same ears and shape face.He is adorable!

[Shewhosweptforest]

He could be :dono the true test in my opinion is not "looks" as much as abilities....can he climb? Do his feet grab...or do his toes sit raised a bit? Is he unable to sit up on his hind legs? Is his coat different? Does he sleep excessively? Does his body temp seem cooler than his sister? A lot of these questions will be easier to answer in another couple of weeks...when he should be able to accomplish them :great

Thanks for helping these lil ones :bowdown :Love_Icon

[DaSquirrelMom]

His sister is climbing up, down, and upside down in their wire cage, but he isn't. He does sleep more than his sister. I will closely check his toes. Thanks for sharing info.

Can dwarfs be released safely?

[Chickenlegs]

I just saw this little blessing. He might be a dwarf. Check out the special needs section. There's a pretty good description of these babies. Sweeper was exactly right in that their behavior is a marker. They have squirrley sensibilities but they are slow, clumsy, their little hands lack strength, they tend to "bumble along" rather than move like a normal squirrel. It they were human they would have Downs syndrom. I doubt there has been genetic research to determine the markers for the condition. A dwarf can be high or low functioning but doesn't function well enough to survive on its own. Check out Kensington (low functioning), Punkin (high functioning) and Dot who looks pretty darned normal but functions like a dwarf. Your little guy will be a forever squirrel. He's absolutely precious. If you can't care for him--and they require a lot of care, TSB can help find a permanent loving home for him. He will break your heart as he won't live as long as a normal squirrel, but every day will be filled with a sweetness that is also the earmark of a dwarf

[DaSquirrelMom]

Thank you, everyone, for sharing your knowledge. Little Man's toes and fur appear normal. He is now climbing the cage walls and acting more like a young squirrel. Maybe he is only a tad bit developmentally "behind" his sister, but will catch up. Time will tell us.

[DarkLies212]

He looks kinda like Dot did. She was very malnourished and looked dwarfy. However, she grew up just fine :dance

[Chickenlegs]

Maybe he's just tiny. I have a little guy who looks like a four week old baby. He's pushing seven weeks. Just a micro squirrel!