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View Full Version : Baby development is 'off''



Cesta
11-23-2016, 10:37 AM
Hi everyone!! I feel bad for mainly posting when I have a problem, but I do think of ya'll often!

I have two squirrels with very different issures. I think I'll do two threads. This one is about my little buddy Luke.

Luke came to me through H4S in mid-October. He was 2 1/2-3 weeks old, judging by when his eyes opened.

Now, he appears to be super healthy but slow developmentally. His weight is fine for his age (I think-- I can weigh and post if your want).

However, he will ONLY take formula. Absolutely nothing else. He takes a lot of formula- older baby FV (16- 20 cc 2 or 3x per day). No interest in HHB's. Turns his nose away like they smell bad. His sib, Max, is about 3 weeks older and has been loving HHB's for weeks. I have started Max on veggies and some fruit, but Luke has NO interest in those, either.

Physically, he's really soft and fuzzy. I :Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon his fur, but it's not nice and sleek like most squirrels are by now.
He mostly sleeps. He always has a sleepy-eyed look. I still have him on heat. I think he comes out to play occasionally because Max makes him, lol. Honestly, w/o Max, I think he'd just sleep and eat.

When he does play, he's pretty slow and uncoordinated. I have them in the top 1/2 of a Critter Nation and even though I have the top shelf pretty close to the floor, he's still very hesitant going from one level to the next. Max is flying around the cage, bouncing on all the hanging toys-- normal squirrel stuff. Luke mostly watches.

Any ideas? I love this fuzzy little guy but I'm worried about him. Any advice or personal experience appreciated!
:thankyou

Nancy in New York
11-23-2016, 10:48 AM
Hi everyone!! I feel bad for mainly posting when I have a problem, but I do think of ya'll often!

I have two squirrels with very different issures. I think I'll do two threads. This one is about my little buddy Luke.

Luke came to me through H4S in mid-October. He was 2 1/2-3 weeks old, judging by when his eyes opened.

Now, he appears to be super healthy but slow developmentally. His weight is fine for his age (I think-- I can weigh and post if your want).

However, he will ONLY take formula. Absolutely nothing else. He takes a lot of formula- older baby FV (16- 20 cc 2 or 3x per day). No interest in HHB's. Turns his nose away like they smell bad. His sib, Max, is about 3 weeks older and has been loving HHB's for weeks. I have started Max on veggies and some fruit, but Luke has NO interest in those, either.

Physically, he's really soft and fuzzy. I :Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon his fur, but it's not nice and sleek like most squirrels are by now.
He mostly sleeps. He always has a sleepy-eyed look. I still have him on heat. I think he comes out to play occasionally because Max makes him, lol. Honestly, w/o Max, I think he'd just sleep and eat.

When he does play, he's pretty slow and uncoordinated. I have them in the top 1/2 of a Critter Nation and even though I have the top shelf pretty close to the floor, he's still very hesitant going from one level to the next. Max is flying around the cage, bouncing on all the hanging toys-- normal squirrel stuff. Luke mostly watches.

Any ideas? I love this fuzzy little guy but I'm worried about him. Any advice or personal experience appreciated!
:thankyou




PLEASE post a photo.
By this description, I wonder if he's a dwarf squirrel. :thinking

Also check his teeth if he isn't a dwarf, they "could" be the problem.

Cesta
11-23-2016, 02:34 PM
Thanks, NINY.
I got some good pictures a few minutes ago as he took his formula.
Now I just need to figure out how to get the pictures from my phone to the thread.
If I can text them to someone who can post, that would be awesome!!:w00t :hug

He just weighed 186 grams, pre-feed.

Just out of curiosity, what made you think "dwarfism"?

Do you know of other congenital problems that don't affect size so much as cause developmental delays?
Who knows, he might just be a late bloomer. :Love_Icon

Nancy in New York
11-23-2016, 04:19 PM
Here's some pictures of little Luke. :serene

By these pictures, I don't see any similarities to a dwarf.
Have you checked his teeth. Just wondering out loud if
he has some problem with his teeth, which is causing him
to not want anything other than the formula.

He would be ~7-8 weeks old correct?
I'm just wondering if he's a "late bloomer" and will
eventually start eating solids. :dono

I definitely see what you mean by his coat not being
smooth/sleek.
I doubt this is from nutrition since you have him, so this is another curious
thing. :thinking

He's as cute as a button! :klunk

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-7xFkXSw/0/M/i-7xFkXSw-M.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-tDLbqkM/0/M/i-tDLbqkM-M.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-V2qnkPR/0/M/i-V2qnkPR-M.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-zrsw8RZ/0/M/i-zrsw8RZ-M.jpg

Rhapsody
11-23-2016, 09:44 PM
Being in Central Florida my self and having raised many greys over the last 10 years I would say your little guy if fine and will catch up in a month. A lot of the greys down here tend to like their formula way longer than most squirrels and it takes them a little longer before they will show interest in food or hhb.