2-3 week old triplets (a guess) not pooping well

[LaurenKimberly888]

New to the board.
I’ve raised many small wild things to release back into the wild but pinky squirrels are a 1st for me. I’ve had them 2 weeks and a day now. Hydrated with Pedialyte for 2 feedings and went straight on Esbilac. Mixed with hot filtered water at a 1:3 ratio, initially. Then closer to 1:2. Really having a hard time getting them to poop (a lot of stimulation, for a long time). I have used a tips, wet cotton balls, and even a small paining brush. Eventually they will have large bowel movements with stimulation and continue even after in their nest box. However, I have begun going closer to a 1:3 since they aren’t pooping regularly.

Anyhow... I’m getting quite attached to my lils and want to see them thrive and rejoin the world of the wild. I’m concerned about bloat and would greatly appreciate any help!

Feeding times have gone from every 2 hours to every 3. I’m also letting them go one 4 hours stretch thru the night for one of their feedings. After feeding and stimulation, I’m typically an hour in.

They are fed their fill once their milk lines are gone and a minimum of 1cc. Right now... they all take in around 2 full cc syringes with the mini or original miracle Nipples.

Yesterday’s weight was...
Big boy: 42.4
Little boy: 36
Girl: 38.4

In addition to the poop problem...
I’d love for some ideas on hot to fatten up my little boy. He’s quite a chore to keep eating a consistent amount at each feeding. Maybe fixing the poop problem will help that, as well.

Let me me know if I can give any more info.

[LaurenKimberly888]

Picture

[Javarat]

They do not look bloated in the picture.

Moving to 1:3 ratio will result in quicker poop, because you are pushing them to soft stools. But they will also be getting less solids, which will result in less poop and less nutrition. It could flip them into diarrhea. It would be better to keep the formula at normal ratio and find other ways to encourage pooping, like water between feedings, tummy massages, simethicone, and warm water bottom baths while stimulating. You could give them each a small dose of simethicone (Infant Gas-X in grocery, drug, and dollar stores) each day. About .15ml (around 3-4 drops) to help remove air bubbles.

It sounds like they may be either a little constipated... or tricky to stimulate. I find my best results are to just use my finger, with a flickering up and down stroke. They start to pee almost immediately, and the wet warm pee flowing across the anus seems to stimulate pooping. Sometimes they only start pooping after the bladder is totally dumped. For hard cases you could try stimulating them with their bottom in warm water.

You are pretty close on their feeding amounts. I divide their weight each day by 20 (5% of bodyweight), which comes out pretty close to 2ml for each of your weights. This is the 'cut off' amount to avoid upset stomachs. They can do well on less than that, and I cut them off earlier if they start to look really full with a clear milk line.

[LaurenKimberly888]

They do not look bloated in the picture.

Moving to 1:3 ratio will result in quicker poop, because you are pushing them to soft stools. But they will also be getting less solids, which will result in less poop and less nutrition. It could flip them into diarrhea. It would be better to keep the formula at normal ratio and find other ways to encourage pooping, like water between feedings, tummy massages, simethicone, and warm water bottom baths while stimulating. You could give them each a small dose of simethicone (Infant Gas-X in grocery, drug, and dollar stores) each day. About .15ml (around 3-4 drops) to help remove air bubbles.

It sounds like they may be either a little constipated... or tricky to stimulate. I find my best results are to just use my finger, with a flickering up and down stroke. They start to pee almost immediately, and the wet warm pee flowing across the anus seems to stimulate pooping. Sometimes they only start pooping after the bladder is totally dumped. For hard cases you could try stimulating them with their bottom in warm water.

You are pretty close on their feeding amounts. I divide their weight each day by 20 (5% of bodyweight), which comes out pretty close to 2ml for each of your weights. This is the 'cut off' amount to avoid upset stomachs. They can do well on less than that, and I cut them off earlier if they start to look really full with a clear milk line.

Thank you for the quick response! I’ve been feeling like every full feeding, potty time, and day with these guys is a mini victory. That also means that any of those missed feels like a snowball about to roll down the hill. Yikes!

Anyhow, I typically give up on BMs and large amounts of urine around the 20 min mark. Lately, I’m getting urine at each feeding and large BMS every 2 or 3. But this is usually only after also trying the tummy massages and warm water soaks. The “flicking back and forth” actually just worked great at getting them to urinate right away. One even had a decent BM, as well. Thanks for the tip!

I guess I’d rather have some high maintenance squirrel babies Vs something going wrong. But holy moly... are they time consuming! By the time I’ve pottied and fed the last in line, I’m an hour away from setting up the next feeding.

2 other side notes to include...
1) there is some suckling going on. Evidence is on their tiny privates. Worried this may be happening during the longer stretch I take for sleep? Also, this evidence coincides with a milky substance on their mouth sometimes. Any idea if that’s related?
2) wow. I’m sleep deprived and forgot. Mom brain. I’ll add as soon as I remember and/or get adequate sleep :)

[LaurenKimberly888]

Ps.
I will pick up some of the gasx and mix their formula back to normal strength. Hopefully both changes yield good results. Hoping I’m not undernourishing my little boy with the 1:3. As soon as I can get their BMs in order I’ll be looking for advice on how to fatten him up. He does appear slightly underweight to me.

Thanks again for the help!

[stepnstone]

Thank you for the quick response! I’ve been feeling like every full feeding, potty time, and day with these guys is a mini victory. That also means that any of those missed feels like a snowball about to roll down the hill. Yikes!

Anyhow, I typically give up on BMs and large amounts of urine around the 20 min mark. Lately, I’m getting urine at each feeding and large BMS every 2 or 3. But this is usually only after also trying the tummy massages and warm water soaks. The “flicking back and forth” actually just worked great at getting them to urinate right away. One even had a decent BM, as well. Thanks for the tip!

I guess I’d rather have some high maintenance squirrel babies Vs something going wrong. But holy moly... are they time consuming! By the time I’ve pottied and fed the last in line, I’m an hour away from setting up the next feeding.

2 other side notes to include...
1) there is some suckling going on. Evidence is on their tiny privates. Worried this may be happening during the longer stretch I take for sleep? Also, this evidence coincides with a milky substance on their mouth sometimes. Any idea if that’s related?
2) wow. I’m sleep deprived and forgot. Mom brain. I’ll add as soon as I remember and/or get adequate sleep :)

This is dangerous to the one(s) being suckled, it can cause a penis to swell, close up, urine back up, uti, infection, etc.
Your likely correct it's happening during the longer stretch, although 4 hours don't seem unreasonable suckling is generally
an indication of hunger. I would definitely feed them full strength 1-2 on formula, hydrate in between feedings as suggested
and maybe offer them a little more formula on that last feeding to hold them over.
Sometimes suckling is a comfort thing and giving them a few small stuffed animals to snuggle up with will suffice.
Sometimes (until a bit older) you have to separate the sucker from the suckled.
Whatever it takes get a hold on it now because it can turn bad real quick on the one(s) being suckled.
I would think the "milky substance" is spittle related to the suckling as there would be traces of urine involved
with the suckling.