Formula Weaning Advice

[cjcmom02]

I have been rehabilitating a "baby" squirrel for about 2-3 weeks now. It's right at about 8 weeks from what I have researched with the information that I have found and with pictures I have seen. When I first got him, he didn't have any top incisors, those have fully come in now and he LOVES pecans and peanuts to snack on as a treat. He has been having anywhere from 8-10ml of ebsilac formula every 5 hours (before work, lunch break, after work, and night time feeding). He started to have really soft light brown poop. Over the last week I have slowly started to water-down the formula by about 30-50% water, which helped bring the poop back to it's normal dark pellet consitency. I've been trying to incorporate other food items to try and start weaning him off the formula. I bought broccoli and some grapes for him to try, but he was NOT having it!! LOL I don't even know if I am going about this in the right way for a weaning process? Just kinda going off of what I have read..... any help and/or suggestions? Am I doing this right???

He is also CONSTANTLY wanting to be in my shirt 24/7! I am having to pry him off of me sometimes even for feedings because he would rather be snug like a bug in a rug between my *ahem* chests. :hug:rotfl

Any help and advise given is GREATLY appreciated! :)

[Spanky]

You have a real huge challenge in front of you having fed him nuts. You should stop all nuts and seeds. Rodent block should be the first solid food, followed by veggies then fruit (limited)... nuts and seeds are occasional treats and will make them aggressive. Nuts and seeds also can lead to Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) which is deadly to squirrels.

Esbilac also has (new this season) issues with the calcium they use which I fear places your squirrel at a much higher risk than usual for MBD. He is right around the age we start seeing MBD in otherwise healthy babies. I highly recommend switching him to Fox Valley 20/50 formula for squirrels. And you should not wean him, let him take formula for as long as he will.... I will feed formula right up until release if they will take it.
https://www.henryspets.com/fox-valley-day-one-formula-20-50/

Here is the link to the healthy squirrel diet:
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

[cjcmom02]

Thank you so much!! I will look into getting Fox Valley right away, it says on the product details that it is for ages 4wks old through weaning.....so I'm not supposed to wean him at all if I am planning on releasing him back into the wild? Also, what do I need to do about introducing him to water? Just a plain ol' water bottle that you would use for guinea pigs and other small animals? He did try and loved some apple slices that I added in there today. :)
Thank you for the chart, that is an awesome starting tool for getting him on a diet.

[CritterMom]

Thank you so much!! I will look into getting Fox Valley right away, it says on the product details that it is for ages 4wks old through weaning.....so I'm not supposed to wean him at all if I am planning on releasing him back into the wild? Also, what do I need to do about introducing him to water? Just a plain ol' water bottle that you would use for guinea pigs and other small animals? He did try and loved some apple slices that I added in there today. :)
Thank you for the chart, that is an awesome starting tool for getting him on a diet.

He will wean himself. As he begins to eat more solid foods (none of which should be nuts or sunflower seeds, BTW, he should be eating blocks first before any other food is offered) he will have less desire for formula, and when he flat out doesn't want it anymore, he is weaned. It is an insurance policy for you as the formula is balanced in nutrients and helps to keep him healthy. Don't worry. He will stop, but certainly not this early!

BTW, if he is having poop issues, try offering water in between his feedings instead of diluting his formula, which will just make it taste weak and yucky.