Frenzy Feeding (Older Baby)

[ConfusedMuse]

I've read many times that a syringe is better for feeding than a bottle because you can "control how much the baby swallows." This is not true with my Clio. She sucks so hard and fast that even holding tight to the plunger doesn't stop her--the formula sucks right out and the syringe just fills up with air so I worry she'll be swallowing air. I make her stop about every 3 CCs and wait a few seconds... but she goes CRAZY climbing over me trying to get at the syringe so I worry she'll fall off my lap and hurt herself (and she scratches me to bits). I guess the questions are 2 fold: is this behavior normal (like she's starving even if she gets what they say she needs of formula and so many veggies she doesn't eat all of it?) and is it safe? Is there anything I can do to slow her down, calm her down? I worry she'll burst her little tummy, but stopping her only seems to increase the frenzy behavior rather than giving her the chance to realize her tummy isn't empty anymore so she might calm down. She will frenzy-drink even when she's just been fed a couple hours before, and continue suckling the syringe after it is empty as if her life depended on it :(

I don't have a nipple on the syringe. Would that control her intake better? I've also heard rehabbers have had some bad luck with Esbilac after they changed their process--babies eating ravenously or failing to thrive. She has no problem with thriving: she continues to put on weight and muscle mass, her fur and eyes look good and she has tons of energy.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Oh my! Yes, this is a huge problem! ALL baby squirrels will overeat and many are ravenous eaters. You have to maintain control of the amount and the flow rate.
The reason the bottle is such a bad idea is because you have to tilt the bottle up to get the formula into the nipple end. In doing this you are also tilting the babies head up. This is a disaster in the making. When a babies head is pointed upward, there is a huge risk that formula will go into the babies lungs. This causes aspiration pneumonia. It is a medical emergency for baby squirrels as they can die in less than 24 hrs without treatment. The first symptoms of AP are a clicking sound with each breath and usually a rapid loss of appetite.

What is her weight in gram? (Sorry I can't remember if it was in the other thread)
I use a 1cc syringe with a Miracle Nipple when they are small. I step that up to a 3cc syringe when they get larger. With a syringe you have complete control of the delivery rate. I can hold back on the plunger if needed to slow the rate. In answer to your question, yes... a nipple does slow the delivery rate down some.

Another thing is the amount of formula you're giving. Depending on the size it sounds like your baby can easily handle 7% of body weight in formula per feeding. The rule is 5-7% per feeding. This is a guideline as some squirrels can safely take up to 10% without problems. You do not want to allow her to eat until she's full. Most will overeat and this can cause bloat. Bloat can be deadly.

4 questions... How old is she? What is her weight? How much is she taking each feeding? How often are the feeding? You might need to make the feedings closer together but DEFINITELY not too close as new formula added on top of old formula still in the stomach can also cause bloat.

What you read about Esbilac was true in the past. They changed their formula and wildlife started dying. During that time (several years) Esbilac was almost completely abandoned by most wildlife rehabbers. Rehabbers switched to Fox Valley. A couple years ago, problems developed with FV, especially with pinkies. Pinkies can NOT take FoxValley 32:40 (which was the formula specifically for younger squirrels). Esbilac, once again changed their formula back (or closer)to the original recipe. It is giving good results now. I recently raised a pinkie on Esbilac formula with excellent results. Many rehabbers will mix Esbilac and FoxValley20:50 (half Esbilac:half FV). They feel this gives optimal results.

You don't have to give your location but if you're anywhere near central FL (I'm in Hillsborough County) I would be glad to give you a Miracle nipple or they can be purchased at Henry's Healthy Pets online.

[ConfusedMuse]

I've been trying to get a weight. She doesn't like to hold still. It's the reason I don't have many pictures, too. This hyperactivity began right about the time as the desperation feeding did (about 5 days or so?). She sleeps normal cycles, catches a couple of naps during the day, but when she's awake she's constant motion.

Her belly doesn't bloat. I've kept a careful eye on her, physically, and even 12 CCs doesn't cause her tummy to bulge. I palpate gently afterward to make sure everything feels as if it's moving along and she's not too full. Is that weird? :grin2

I try to hold the plunger against the pull. She sucks so hard she draws the milk out anyway and then it fills up with air (like a regular bottle does) and I have to stop her to push the air out because tipping the syringe upward as instructed actually places the air at the tip where she feeds. She climbs my arm to get at it whenever I make her pause. Maybe if I get the infant nipple tip, which is smaller so she will have to suck harder but will get less per gulp? But it's also narrower, and she tends to gag herself. I had to start using larger syringes because she would push the 1 ccs so far down her throat that she would audibly gag (please believe me, I'm not exaggerating and not imagining it).

The more I try to slow her down, actually the more often she ends up aspirating (and then try to make a persistent, hyperactive squirrel stop eating long enough to hang upside down and wipe her nose). That's what really scares me--that the more I try to curb the behavior, the more dangerous it gets. She'll gulp 10 CCs down in less than a minute without blinking and without sneezing--but slowing her down makes her choke.

I have an icing pen that has a very broad head but a narrower opening than the syringe and is constructed with a plunger like the syringe (it doesn't move any faster). If you concur, I think I will give it a try once. The broad tip might make it harder for her to wrap her mouth around to create a suction seal while the narrower opening will allow less fluid to flow--double whammy.

So I am right to try to stop the behavior. It still doesn't explain WHY she's behaving this way. I feel so helpless, like I'm starving her, but she gets about 40 CCs per day @4 feedings. Maybe it's just equating formula with Mom being home, the housecoat being donned and love being lavished so she's over-excited?

She's hanging upside down like a bat from her branch, now. I'm pretty sure it's calculated to make me laugh. :serene I'm going to go give her her hour of play time, now. I'm trying to separate it from formula so maybe if it's just loneliness+food=love she'll learn it isn't so and calm down.

[ConfusedMuse]

Oh. As for age, I estimate she is around 9 weeks. She was nibbling solids almost as soon as she adopted me and in the week following, she began eating regular, full, solid meals (1-2 T of veggies) 3 times/daily. She must have been 5-6 weeks. She has been with me for 3 weeks. I was going to try to get her weight again but now she's down for the count. If I wake her, she'll demand formula lol.

[ConfusedMuse]

Just an update (because I started to worry that you might worry): the broader tip worked. She's settling down a little, and all is getting back to normal.

Hope the Floridians survived Hermine <3