Meet Maxwell

[DeeRawlings]

I finally got my first squirrel!! I got Maxwell yesterday afternoon.(5/7) I'm thinking 5-6 weeks? would appreciate other's thoughts! He was found in a yard. He came up to the finder and tried to crawl on her leg. There was a sibling dead at the base of the tree. I thought Maxwell was dehydrated when I did the pinch test. I warmed him up for a couple hours and then started homemade pedialyte. He weighed 135 gms yesterday. I continued with rehydration fluids yesterday evening . He took from 4.5 to 6 ccs each time. This morning I started Esbilac formula at a 50% formula, 50% water ratio. He's been taking 6 to 6.6 cc every 4 hours, and rehydration in between formula. He has only peed a couple drops when stimulated so far. I've not seen any wet spots in his bin. He also has not pooped yet. Should I be worried or be patient and continue with what I'm doing? Would this be expected if he was pretty dehydrated? The finder gave him a little cow's milk even after I asked her not to feed him anything. any advice appreciated!272984272985 PS he weighed 145 gms this am

[stepnstone]

I finally got my first squirrel!! I got Maxwell yesterday afternoon.(5/7) I'm thinking 5-6 weeks? would appreciate other's thoughts! He was found in a yard. He came up to the finder and tried to crawl on her leg. There was a sibling dead at the base of the tree. I thought Maxwell was dehydrated when I did the pinch test. I warmed him up for a couple hours and then started homemade pedialyte. He weighed 135 gms yesterday. I continued with rehydration fluids yesterday evening . He took from 4.5 to 6 ccs each time. This morning I started Esbilac formula at a 50% formula, 50% water ratio. He's been taking 6 to 6.6 cc every 4 hours, and rehydration in between formula. He has only peed a couple drops when stimulated so far. I've not seen any wet spots in his bin. He also has not pooped yet. Should I be worried or be patient and continue with what I'm doing? Would this be expected if he was pretty dehydrated? The finder gave him a little cow's milk even after I asked her not to feed him anything. any advice appreciated! PS he weighed 145 gms this am

I would suggest mixing formula at the normal ratio and not dilute it, he needs the nutrition. If you feel he still needs hydration continue as your doing hydrating in between formula feedings.
Be patent, as long as your not seeing bloat or an inability to pass urine at all I would give it some more time for his
body to adjust. I would definitely hold formula feeds at 5% of his body weight which now at 145 gms would come
to 7.2 cc's.

[DeeRawlings]

thanks for your help Step-N-Stone! I appreciate your quick response! I will switch to reg strength formula, keep stimulating and cross my fingers! :grin2

[stepnstone]

thanks for your help Step-N-Stone! I appreciate your quick response! I will switch to reg strength formula, keep stimulating and cross my fingers! :grin2
He doesn't look all that bad from your two pictures but of course he is underweight. I would guess him to be closer to 6-7 weeks. I'd like to see a full body picture if your able to sit him down to take one.
His urine output should improve as his body adjusts hydration, his bowels should begin to move after several good solid formula feedings. Just watch for bloat or hard belly, we don't want to see him constipated. If you feel he needs to go but can't, a warm soak usually does the trick. You would want to submerge him up to his chest and gently massage him from
his arm pits down both sides. If you do this make sure you dry him good after and keep him warm, don't want him to get chilled.
Are you keeping him in a container with a heating pad set on low half under?

[DeeRawlings]

I have Maxwell's bin half on a non shut off heating pad. also lots of fleece! He did put out a little more urine when I stimulated him after his last feeding! He was not real cooperative for pictures. Here's what I got:272999273000272998

[Carol Lynn]

Oh, Dee - your little Maxwell is beautiful!! He looks like a pretty healthy little guy, too! I'll look forward to reading about his progress!! :serene

[stepnstone]

I have Maxwell's bin half on a non shut off heating pad. also lots of fleece! He did put out a little more urine when I stimulated him after his last feeding! He was not real cooperative for pictures. Here's what I got:
That's ok active is good.... :grin2
He is a little bumpkin but he does look good.
Just keep an eye on him, I think you got this. :great
We'll celebrate when the :pooparrives... ;)

[DeeRawlings]

:poop:poop:poop:poop:poop:poop All systems are a go!! pooping and peeing! I gave Maxwell a half of a HHB. Should I wait until he's eating them well, to introduce vegetables? Also, at what age do we start to use taller cages? Thanks!!

[stepnstone]

:poop:poop:poop:poop:poop:poop All systems are a go!! pooping and peeing! I gave Maxwell a half of a HHB. Should I wait until he's eating them well, to introduce vegetables? Also, at what age do we start to use taller cages? Thanks!!

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/yes/green-yes-text-smiley-emoticon.gif :clap:poop:dance:bliss
Sounds like a bit of undiluted nutrition was what he needed to get things moving along.http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/hand-gestures/awesome-smiley-emoticon.gif

Absolutely wait until he is eating his block very well before introducing any other solid foods.
Once he weans himself you definitely want him to want and be eating block over all else.
Block will be the most important part of his nutrition with he and yours assurance of avoiding
mbd and other related nutritional deficiency.

He still has a little time time yet but eventually will need a cage. Not necessarily a tall one
right away as his bones are still developing and strengthening, you wouldn't want to risk a
fall leading to injury. An ideal cage to consider would be one that had two levels where you could
close off the one level and open it as he got bigger.

[DeeRawlings]

Thanks for all your help Step!! I know that Maxwell is at a disadvantage being raised as a singleton. How much time do I have before he's too old to adjust to a cage mate? I'm hoping to get another squirrel soon. I've put out a couple feelers to see if anyone has a squirrel close to his age. I'd be sad to let him go so soon, but I want to do what I can to make his release as successful as possible! How much of an age difference could they have and still be compatible? Thanks again for your help!

[stepnstone]

Thanks for all your help Step!! I know that Maxwell is at a disadvantage being raised as a singleton. How much time do I have before he's too old to adjust to a cage mate? I'm hoping to get another squirrel soon. I've put out a couple feelers to see if anyone has a squirrel close to his age. I'd be sad to let him go so soon, but I want to do what I can to make his release as successful as possible! How much of an age difference could they have and still be compatible? Thanks again for your help!

As long as they are close in age most likely I would think up to 9 weeks before that window closes,
for some possibly longer. A lot depends on the disposition of the squirrel and how fast they mature.
You wouldn't want to put a rambunctious juvie in with one much younger, or a timid one in with one that
already shows aggression. I've not put one with the other that was more then a couple weeks of each other
one way or the other. The sooner of course the better your chances are.

It is good for them to be with a sib and have the advantage of another squirrel to grow, learn and play with.
However, singletons can do well also as they are mostly solitary animals as adults. I have raised and successfully
released my share of singles with no problems. I personally think raising a single takes a little more consideration
and time. They don't have a playmate so you would need to be that substitute to give them the needed stimulation.
I also keep my singles a longer time then usual in pre-release to allow them more time to get acclimated.

[DeeRawlings]

How much interaction do you recommend with a single squirrel? Do you just spend some time playing and interacting besides feeding and "business" stuff? What types of things do you do, play with toys with them? Thanks!

[DeeRawlings]

I just have to post a couple pictures of Maxwell! I'm a proud Squammy!!!:serene273107273108273109

[stepnstone]

How much interaction do you recommend with a single squirrel? Do you just spend some time playing and interacting besides feeding and "business" stuff? What types of things do you do, play with toys with them? Thanks!

Yes....
I hand wrestle, play with their stuffies w/them, love on them, whatever they are up for.
I just try to give them "their" time.

Maxwell is so cute surely that sweet boy can't possibly be mean...
he's probably just misunderstood. http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/penguins/evil-penguin-slap-smiley-emoticon.gif:rofl4

[DeeRawlings]

Maxwell is at a sweet cuddly age yet. I'm sure the bloodshed will come down the road! lol! It's fun to watch him wrestle his stuffies! I try to enjoy the cuddling now because I'm sure eventually he won't want Mom loving on him! :grin2 He's got me wrapped around his little paw already!

[DeeRawlings]

Here is some new pictures of my boy!273517273518273519
Maxwell is I think, 9 weeks old now. Last weight was 242 gms. He drinks formula 3 times a day, 15 cc. I give him two HHBs one am and one pm. I also have been giving him a small amount of veggies now twice a day. He seems to still shred his HHBS. Although he is enthusiastic about chewing on them! He chews on the veggies, but not sure he's consuming much yet. So far I've tried kale and broccoli. He climbs all over me now! Should I wait another week to put him in a tall cage? Does he sound on track for his diet? He is quite a character! Thanks for your help!

[HRT4SQRLS]

Cute baby Dee. :grin2
His diet does sound good. He can have more formula if he'll take it. I know they do start slowing down on the amount especially after they start eating solid food. I just like to give them as much as they will take for as long as they will take it.
They don't usually bloat at that age so I give them more formula if they will take it.

Maxwell... cute name. :)

[DeeRawlings]

I moved Maxwell to his big cage today. He will some times drink 18 cc's of formula, other times maybe 12 cc's. He seems to really like the HHB's He does make a mess though.!:grin2 He chews on veggies and carries them around. Not sure how much he actually eats though. His last weight was 257 gms

[DeeRawlings]

Here's Maxwell in his big boy cage! 273557273558273559273560[ATTACH=CONFIG]273557[/ATTACH

[Bravo]

He looks bright-eyed and bushy tailed... great save! :w00t