Yodergoat
04-02-2018, 02:37 AM
My name is Shawna and my family and I are currently caring for two 7 week old grey squirrel kittens. A friend who works at an animal shelter had two different individuals come to her, each with litters that were about the same age, and she kept them all for the first week or two. She was about to go out of town and needed someone to take the squirrels, so her mom took two and we took two on March 14.
We're a very animal oriented family, have many pets and are avid birders, which is why the friend asked me if I'd take two of the squirrels. I've had experience hand raising Eastern Cottontail rabbits, opossums, kittens (cats) and many hand-fed baby parrots. I also briefly had a just-out-of-pinky stage squirrel in high school, but the people who had found him let him lie exposed for hours and flies laid eggs on him. I removed the visible eggs but did not know then that there were eggs in his ears. He was growing very well but soon met a tragic end. That was more than 20 years ago and I have always wanted the chance to try again with a squirrel.
We are a homeschooling family and have time to spend with babies. Our 12 year old daughter is sharing in the feeding duties and play time for the squirrels. I would not trust most children her age to do this, but she is extremely responsible in caring for baby animals (she recently helped rear a parrot from 3 weeks old and helped with feeding our rabbit kittens a couple years ago... never once aspirating a baby). I was her age when I raised my first orphan possum, and it's great to see her tenderly and carefully tending to these squirrels.
We have a male (Borion) and a female (Berry) who may or may not be actual siblings, since the litters got mixed up. They were about 4 weeks old when they came to us, judging by the date their eyes opened (March 19). They are now 7 weeks old and just moved out of their tub and into a play cage for climbing a few days ago.
I had initially been feeding puppy formula with heavy cream and vanilla yogurt, but have just transitioned to Fox Valley 20/50 and they seem to be adjusting to it well.
Both babies are growing, active and playful, but the male has struggled with loose bowels on and off (especially when he first came) and has always been smaller than the female since his arrival with the previous caregiver at 2 or 3 weeks old. Although he is smaller, he has been gaining and just seems to be proportionally smaller than Berry. He weighs 135 grams compared to her 152 and just looks a little... well, scruffy when compared to her plump sleekness. He has a nervous disposition while she is relatively calm and snuggly. But, they are both quite sweet and very endearing! I will post photos when I'm next on a real computer and not a phone.
They are experimenting with rodent block and baked parrot treats (more on that below) and I've begun offering fresh twigs as well for play and chewing.
Already, this forum has been a help to me. Twice today I noticed blood on Berry's mouth, bedding and some food crumbs. She wasn't in distress, and after doing a search on here I learned that this can come from teething. What a relief!
I'm sure this forum will continue to be helpful as these babies grow and we get closer to their eventual release onto our property.
I do have a question about the parrot treats I've been offering. These are the ingredients: oatmeal, vegetable shortening, rice syrup, millet flour, oat flour, honey, flax, dried fruit or vegetables (depending on flavor), dried whole eggs,* whey, vitamin E, natural flavors. Crude protein 6%, crude fat 24%, crude fiber 2.5%. Does this seem to be an appropriate first food in addition to the rodent block? I can repost this question in the nutrition forum if more appropriate.
Thanks very much!
We're a very animal oriented family, have many pets and are avid birders, which is why the friend asked me if I'd take two of the squirrels. I've had experience hand raising Eastern Cottontail rabbits, opossums, kittens (cats) and many hand-fed baby parrots. I also briefly had a just-out-of-pinky stage squirrel in high school, but the people who had found him let him lie exposed for hours and flies laid eggs on him. I removed the visible eggs but did not know then that there were eggs in his ears. He was growing very well but soon met a tragic end. That was more than 20 years ago and I have always wanted the chance to try again with a squirrel.
We are a homeschooling family and have time to spend with babies. Our 12 year old daughter is sharing in the feeding duties and play time for the squirrels. I would not trust most children her age to do this, but she is extremely responsible in caring for baby animals (she recently helped rear a parrot from 3 weeks old and helped with feeding our rabbit kittens a couple years ago... never once aspirating a baby). I was her age when I raised my first orphan possum, and it's great to see her tenderly and carefully tending to these squirrels.
We have a male (Borion) and a female (Berry) who may or may not be actual siblings, since the litters got mixed up. They were about 4 weeks old when they came to us, judging by the date their eyes opened (March 19). They are now 7 weeks old and just moved out of their tub and into a play cage for climbing a few days ago.
I had initially been feeding puppy formula with heavy cream and vanilla yogurt, but have just transitioned to Fox Valley 20/50 and they seem to be adjusting to it well.
Both babies are growing, active and playful, but the male has struggled with loose bowels on and off (especially when he first came) and has always been smaller than the female since his arrival with the previous caregiver at 2 or 3 weeks old. Although he is smaller, he has been gaining and just seems to be proportionally smaller than Berry. He weighs 135 grams compared to her 152 and just looks a little... well, scruffy when compared to her plump sleekness. He has a nervous disposition while she is relatively calm and snuggly. But, they are both quite sweet and very endearing! I will post photos when I'm next on a real computer and not a phone.
They are experimenting with rodent block and baked parrot treats (more on that below) and I've begun offering fresh twigs as well for play and chewing.
Already, this forum has been a help to me. Twice today I noticed blood on Berry's mouth, bedding and some food crumbs. She wasn't in distress, and after doing a search on here I learned that this can come from teething. What a relief!
I'm sure this forum will continue to be helpful as these babies grow and we get closer to their eventual release onto our property.
I do have a question about the parrot treats I've been offering. These are the ingredients: oatmeal, vegetable shortening, rice syrup, millet flour, oat flour, honey, flax, dried fruit or vegetables (depending on flavor), dried whole eggs,* whey, vitamin E, natural flavors. Crude protein 6%, crude fat 24%, crude fiber 2.5%. Does this seem to be an appropriate first food in addition to the rodent block? I can repost this question in the nutrition forum if more appropriate.
Thanks very much!