Not growing

[music01]

I have two babies that I got weeks apart one I got before the hurricane and one after. They have both been doing good and opened their eyes days apart. One of them got a cold a couple weeks ago and after medicine he is fine. Then he got a hurt toe which is healing up nicely. But now it just seems like he’s not growing with his brother (which isn’t his actual brother). And his hair almost looks patch but he isn’t losing any hair. And his tail isnt fluffing our like it should. It just looks ungroomed, almost wirey. His brother looks like a little squirrel now (hirmy) but pinky isn’t growing any. He is gaining weight eating just fine and everything he just doesn’t look like his body is growing. He’s even learned how to play fight and win compared to his bigger brother. Am I doing something wrong that would stunt his growth like this?? I’ve never seen it before and I’ve seen where a lot of ppl have been talking about their babies not growing either. Sorry about how bad the pictures are it’s so hard to get them to stay still to get a good picture. Plus my mom hates when they jump in her �� 29548629548729548729548829548829548929548929549029 5490295491295491

[music01]

Sorry about the picture over load my phone was acting up 🙄🙄🙄

[cava]

Wow! Thanks for all those great photos. It's easy to see what you're talking about. Remind us what you're currently feeding them and about their habitat set up.

[Mel1959]

Yes, what are they eating? How often? Have you offered some water to the small one with a syringe? Is he pooping and peeing good?

If they are still on formula and you feel he needs some extra calories order some Fox Valley Ultraboost. It’s a powder you add to formula to increase the fat and calorie content. If they’re weaned you might try offering some avocado or pieces of raw coconut, both have extra calories and fat.

[music01]

They are still on formula. He weights 105g I weighted him this morning he’s been drinking 5mls since he has hit that weight I go off the chart that y’all have given me. I do have the fox valley extra supplement to help with his weight gain because as I said before he did get sick and he lost a lot of weight durning that time but once he was better he put on weight like it was nothing. I do give them some Cheerios in the morning after their first feeding. I have given him avocado which he loves in small amounts because I was worried about his stomach not being able to handle it but he does fine with it. He pees on the regular and his poops are nice and ferm but not hard. They eat at 7am 10am 1230pm 230pm 430pm and 7pm but I am starting to change that because I was only feeding him extra when he when I was trying to get his weight up. He isn’t bloated or fat. He has a nice round stomach after his feeding and then it is flat when he goes to eat again. He is a champ at eating and takes his food with no problems.

[music01]

As I said they aren’t actually brothers I’ve just raised them together. Could it be that they are from different families maybe they are going to grow and look different?? Other hen his size there is nothing wrong with him. He sleeps, eats, and plays along side his brother. And he’s an amazing jumper! He loves to just run around on me and jump to my boyfriend. He’s the brave one out of the two where is his big brother is scared of his own shadow lol 😂

[LR]

I remember you posting before but I don't remember how old they are. Are you feeding them any kind of block in addition to the avacado?

[music01]

I have tried a rodent block that I feed my adult squirrel but they seem to be picky so I’m not sure who ate them the most of them. I put two in there to see if they would even try to eat it and it got ate but I not sure who ate the most. I just tried giving them a piece of cucumber pinky loved it but hirmy didn’t even care about it. Looks like I’m going to have a really picky eater he didn’t even attempt the avocado🙄. But pinky isn’t picky he’ll eat anything honestly. And they are about 6 to 8 weeks old as far as I can tell like I said I got them at different times so they are about a week or a couple days apart they had hair when I got them but their eyes weren’t open yet. They had little pinky belly’s though. And pinky’s is still a little pink not as hair as his brothers. He’s not losing any hair it just looks patch like his bodies growing but the hair isn’t growing with him

[cava]

He is underweight. I noticed you are not feeding fro 7 pm to 7 am. That's way too long without food. It would be better to feed ever four hours during the day with a bit longer break at night. For instance. 7, 11,3, 7, 11. This will keep his blood sugar levels more regular.

Also, in between feeding, since you mentioned he can eat solids, he should have block and water available to him at all times. When they can eat, they should be allowed to free feed instead of waiting for us to feed them. Continue to feed formula throughout the day, because it offers complete nutrition.

You can feed between 5-7% body weight, so that would be 5.25-7.4 ml. If he will take more, gradually offer more each feeding until you are up to 7% and continue to feed that until he picks up weight.

This info is good for both babies. And to be sure, fox valley mixed 1 part powder to two parts water, correct?

You may want to try a picky block or give them a bit more time with a traditional rodent block if they are only 6-8 weeks old. It takes time to pick it up and really start eating it.

[music01]

I was feeding them at 10 pm too I just stoped yesterday so they weren’t going late but I will change to the 7 to 11 one and if I give him over the 5% he gets really bloated I tried mixing in baby gas medicine to his weight but it doesn’t help with the bloat when he has over 5%. And ok I’ll keep the food stocked. They eat it all as soon as I put it in should I be worried about over eating?? Because at lunch I gave him a piled cucumber slice but I was worried if he ate the whole thing it would mess up his stomach. Should I just let him eat till he can’t eat anymore?? Or should I monitor it until he doesn’t bloat from over eating??

[music01]

What veggies do you suggest?? I’ve tired little stuff here and there but I haven’t given it to them in the regular yet.

[lennysmom]

I like to start mine out on cauliflower, broccoli stems, and fresh green beans one at a time. A healthly salad mix is always good too. But make sure he is eating his block well first before you start giving any other solids.

[music01]

Ok thank you. If it’s the rat blocks should I give him more then one since they are smaller then the HHS food blocks??

[Mel1959]

Stop the veggies until you are sure they are both eating a rodent block really well. I don’t know which block you’ve offered, but don’t give up. Henry’s makes a hi protein block for baby squirrels. If this is what you offer they only need 2 per day. You can also get Harlan Teklad 2018 online. It has a higher protein content so it’s ideal for babies. This you can put in their cage and allow them to eat as much as they want. Only after they are eating, not stashing (and you will have to check) some type of block REALLY well, you don’t want to offer any other food besides formula. The block is the foundation of their diet once they’ve weaned.

If you have Ultraboost add it to their formula. It won’t hurt the other one to have the additional calories. Mix 75% FV and 25% Ultraboost. You can do as much as a 50/50 mix of it. When they go to the release cage they will lose weight, so I like my guys to be nice and plump.

You mention that you have an adult squirrel. What block does he/she consume?

And yes, some squirrels are smaller than others, but your little one seems underweight.

[Mel1959]

Ok thank you. If it’s the rat blocks should I give him more then one since they are smaller then the HHS food blocks??

Rat blocks they can have as much as they want.

[music01]

I’m not sure the name but it’s one of the bands everyone suggest. I’ll look it up when I get home from work and yes I give them both the Fox supplement. I’ll be stoping the veggies. And I’ll look up the baby squirrel blocks as well.

[crazy4squirrels]

I would like to see a picture of the feet on the patchy squirrel. I do not like to say this but she looks like Pox. Look at the picture...look at the toes on the one squirrel and it also looks like a lesion on the back of the head. I hope I am wrong but please take a picture of the front feet and post

[music01]

It’s not poxes I’ve alreal ruled that out when he has a swollen toe that ending up being a pulled nail. And since I’ve been feeding him a little more his growing really fast and his hair is starting to smooth out as well I think he just stopped growing because he got sick and then he had his toe being hurt really bad. I think his body was just under to much stress plus when I thought he had poxes I separated him from his brother and that stressed him out so bad he would just pace back and forth all day and wouldn’t sleep until I held him. Him being so stressed then stressed me out and it made me so sad for him. He has no bumps, scabs, or swelling anywhere on his body. I check them both daily from head to toe! I know the poxes has been bad this year and babies have been having trouble with digesting things so I’ve been very cautious with them with everything!!