Adding new baby to the family

[Curtlawyer]

Hi all. I have been raising three babies, a girl and two boys, (Lita, Axl and Angus) and they are healthy and doing well at about 7 weeks. Today I took on another baby, (Lizzy) probably about 5 weeks, and it was dehydrated and skin and bones. The baby was hydrated well yesterday and last night, and I switched to give her formula today, and she seems to be doing better. My question is, will the other three babies welcome her? I put them all in the same cage to snuggle, and Lita- the older girl- left the group, climbed the cage, and started making her first warning call about 15 minutes after I put them all together. Does anyone have experience to share about adding a new baby to the family? Do they accept the new one, or should I have them in separate cages?

Thanks,
Curtis

[Spanky]

They'll usually accept new members to the group up until the age of about 9 weeks.

I would keep her separate only for as long as necessary to determine she is healthy and does not have issues that could spread to the others... mites, fleas, whatever.

When you do combine them, do so at a time when you can observe them and be close by so you can intervene if necessary. I would avoid combining just before or during a feeding as this is when they are typically they are most aggressive. Also, I have had occasion of an attack / rejection occurring after nap time... I had figured nap time was a good time to put them together, but one of the little buggers woke up and found a strange bed-fellow and attacked them (this was about a group of ~8 week old squirrels and the newbie was about 7 weeks).... I always wondered if the attack was triggered by being startled at awakening to an intruder? :thinking
In the end, the 7 week old went in with some younger squirrels so it all worked out.... :thumbsup