8 week olds - feeding question

[Oneillma]

Hi, Kudzu and Oleander and 8 weeks old.

3 days ago I changed from 4x formula feeding per day (fox valley 20/50) to 3x.
I have been offering Henry's rodent block for ~3 weeks.
They typically take between 10cc and 16cc of formula per feeding.

They chew on the rodent block - not sure how much actually gets ingested, but they make a big mess out of it.
I've offered different veggies and such...they nibble a bit. And they have some maple twigs to chew on.

My question is, am I doing this right?? When they were at 4x formula a day, their daily weight gain was substantial - 10g or more per day, each.
But, since we have gone to 3x, their weight isn't really increasing as fast.

Currently Kudzu is 252 grams and Oleander is 221.

Is this a normal transition as they learn to self feed?

What is an ideal weight at release time (in ~6 weeks or so)?

Thanks in advance for any insight!
-Margaret

[lennysmom]

The weight gain does taper off a bit as they get older, but I continue to offer formula as long as they want it and let them wean themselves. Some will wean sooner then others, but with the formula, at least you know for sure they are eating the nutrients they need as they grow and then once they are eating the blocks really well, I start offering healthy veggies.
Not sure what the ideal weight is at release time, but I don't release any younger then 4 1/2 months and this late in the year, I would seriously consider overwintering these little ones. In six weeks fall will be halfway over and fall is a crucial time for wild squirrels to claim territory and gather the food they will need to sustain the winter.