Flying Squirrel losing weight

[Kierstennace4]

I know that in the winter months they slow down and they eat less. But his just seems to of lost too much weight in a short amount of time (2 months). I am very worried. It seems like he just is not interested in food as much as he used to be. He will eat 1 or 2 nuts a day. I read that chicken would be good to give him? I bought goats milk to try to get him at a healthier weight but he seems just to take a sip or 2 of that. I thought maybe hes dehydrated because I just learned that my sink water is not good for him only people because it has something in it that could cause him to be dehydrated when he drinks it. So I went and bought pediolite which he has drank a few sips of it. But I am just so worried and I need answers. Please help me.

[HRT4SQRLS]

How old is your flyer?
What else does he eat besides the 2 nuts?

[Kierstennace4]

I believe he just hit the 3-4 month mark. I just saw his privates for the first time yesterday. He loved sliced almond. I gave him Insectivore Fare from Exotic Nutrition and just bought the Squirrel diet from them as well. To change his diet around to see if that was the issue. I also sprinkle calcium with vit. D in his food to help with his calcium deficiency. Lately, that has been the extent of it. Just a few here and there of the nuts. And a little bit of water here and there. I have a scale that I now weigh him and he is 1.2 Ounces.

[Kierstennace4]

I also want to add that he is still active. He sleeps alot more which I read was normal during this time of year. But he still runs around in his cage and out of it.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I am not a fan of Exotic Nutrition products. I don’t use any of them. Henry’s Healthy Pets has a much higher quality block. They make a specific block for flyers but IMO it isn’t received well. I purchase the Picky Eater Block. I will get a link for you. I would highly recommend that you buy the block from Henry’s.

First your little guy is young and small. (34g) You are giving too many nuts. Nuts are extremely unhealthy because they are high in phosphorus. There is a metabolic balance in the body between calcium and phosphorus. If the diet is too high in phosphorus the body will attempt to balance this out by pulling calcium from the bones. This is what causes Metabolic Bone Disease. If you aren’t familiar with it I would recommend that you Google it. It is deadly for flyers and actually all small mammals, birds and reptiles. It is caused by low calcium. I have 2 adult flyers. At most they get 1/2 of an almond and they don’t even get that every day. Yes, I take a sharp knife and actually split an almond in half. :) Of the nuts, almonds and hazelnuts are the better nuts in terms of calcium. No nuts are great but these are least unhealthy. All squirrels LOVE nuts and will always prefer them over any other healthy foods. That’s why nuts are never a part of the healthy diet. Nuts are given just as a treat.

Flying squirrels are omnivores so they have higher protein requirements that tree squirrels. I feed meal worms or Wax worms. They prefer the wax worms. They can have baked or boiled chickens. They can also have the bone. My boys are not big fans of cooked chicken but they will eat a dehydrated chicken dog treat called Purebites dehydrated chicken. It is 100% dehydrated chicken and Made in the USA. I don’t buy jerky because most jerky is Made in China.

This is a link to a diet for flying squirrels.
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?37700-HEALTHY-DIET-for-PET-Flying-Squirrels/page4

A typical meal for my boys is Henry’s Picky Eater block. Purebites chicken... wax worms... broccoli slaw (broccoli, purple cabbage, carrots), butternut squash, sweet potato, fruit like blueberries or grape. They also get a pinch of dry unprocessed oatmeal.... mushroom.

I can come back later but I need to log off right now.

[HRT4SQRLS]

As they get older they do became fully nocturnal so it is normal for them to sleep all day long.

[HRT4SQRLS]

They also like Fox Valley 20:50 formula. You can order that at Henry’s.
Some flyers will eat yogurt. StoneyField makes a whole milk yogurt. (Vanilla). Don’t buy a yogurt with artificial sweeteners. YoBaby by StoneyField is a good choice. Done buy the type with the syrupy sweet fruit in the bottom.

This is the block I buy.
https://www.henryspets.com/picky-blocks-food-for-squirrels-flyers-rats-and-mice/

Be careful with calcium with Vitamins D3. A pinch occasionally is fine but if you are supplementing due to low calcium you need to use calcium carbonate WITHOUT Vitamin D3. Too much Vitamin D is toxic to rodents so you don’t want to megadoses Vitamin D.

[Kierstennace4]

Okay thank you so much. I ordered the Picky eaters and I saw some block that targets MBD so I ordered those as well. I just gave him some potatoes and some veggies and he ate quite a bit of that. So that is a good sign. He also had some more sips of the goats milk too!

Should I be anxiously worried right now?
I have been all day and its consuming me.
I just want to know that he is going to be okay, is all.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Okay thank you so much. I ordered the Picky eaters and I saw some block that targets MBD so I ordered those as well. I just gave him some potatoes and some veggies and he ate quite a bit of that. So that is a good sign. He also had some more sips of the goats milk too!

Should I be anxiously worried right now?
I have been all day and its consuming me.
I just want to know that he is going to be okay, is all.

The fact that he just ate well is a good sign. I think you’re OK. A change in the diet will get him on track. I wouldn’t give nuts at all right now. Later on he can have a treat but not until the calcium issue is addressed.

The goat milk is good. Let me get a link for you. You can actually boost up the goat milk a bit with yogurt and heavy cream.

By potatoes do you mean white potatoes or sweet potato. I’ve never heard of a squirrel or flyer eat white potatoes. :tilt

[HRT4SQRLS]

Here is the recipe for goat milk. It is a temporary formula and isn’t meant to be a full spectrum formula for babies. It doesn’t have adequate nutrients for that purpose but you don’t need that. You just need a palatable formula for getting calcium into your little guy. They like the yogurt so he might take it better than the plain goat milk.

TEMPORARY GOAT'S MILK FORMULA:


3 parts goat’s milk
1 part heavy whipping cream*
1 part vanilla yogurt

Formula will last 48 hours in refrigerator.

Goat’s Milk
This can be purchased at natural food stores such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, and at most health food stores that sell groceries. It is a product for humans. Do not substitute commercial formula made for baby goats or other livestock sold at feed stores.

Goat’s milk is available fresh in a carton; evaporated in a can; and as a powdered milk. If you purchase either the evaporated or powdered versions, please blend them with water according to the package directions before using to make the formula.

Heavy Whipping Cream
This is found in small cartons in the grocery store near the coffee creamers and half and half. Regular heavy cream may be substituted if it is unavailable, but the heavy whipping cream has the highest fat content, and is preferred.

Yogurt
Yogurt has beneficial bacteria in it that soothes and settles digestion. Full fat yogurt is best, and a good choice that is very widely available is Stoneyfield Yobaby yogurt. However if it is unavailable, a low fat vanilla yogurt may be substituted. Avoid those that have artificial sweeteners in them. Vanilla and banana are both popular flavors, and the sweet taste of the yogurt helps to convince the baby to accept it.

[HRT4SQRLS]

If you bought the MBD kit it has the same block you bought. It has the Picky Eater block so that is a duplication. It also has pure calcium carbonate for supplementing calcium. It also has the protein powder that is used in the blocks. Frankly, I’m not sure what you do with the protein powder unless you are going to make your own blocks.

If you call Henry’s early on Monday (before they bake them) you can probably change your order. You might want to cancel the MBD kit and have her add the calcium carbonate powder to your order You can use that. It will be much cheaper that way. I see no need for the protein powder.
It is a family business and not a corporate empire so they work with people. Very customer friendly.

By the way, when the blocks arrive, open the bag and put 7 blocks in a ZipLoc bag in the refrigerator. Put the rest of the bag in the freezer. They have no preservatives and will mold if not stored in the freezer.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Don’t be consumed with worry. :hug You got this.

[Kierstennace4]

Okay thank you so much! I will go tonight and get the yogurt and such!!!

Yes, white potatoes. He really liked it.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I think I got distracted by the ExoticNutrition products and forgot to ask some VERY important questions.

You mentioned he is 3-4 months old. How long have you had him?
The MOST important question that I forgot to ask is what formula was he raised on? If you have had him for any time at all he should have been on formula. There are some horrible formulas out there. Even the formula frequently recommended is defective right now and is causing Metabolic Bone Disease.
Even though your little one would have typically been weaned by now I think it is imperative for him to be offered formula especially if he was on a bad formula. Adults will often drink formula from a bowl. I have a 9 year old that will drink Fox Valley from a bowl.

Let me know about the formula. Depending on the answer, you should probably call Henry’s Healthy Pets and change out the 2nd bag of Picky Eater Blocks for formula (Fox Valley 20:50). The temporary goat milk will be good for the short term but he needs more complete formula if he was on bad formula. Solid food doesn’t provide everything a growing baby needs so formula would have been critical.

We also need to talk about the water. I’m not sure what you mean by bad sink water. Pedialyte can only be used for a short time for dehydration and shouldn’t be a substitute for water. If there is a problem with your water you can use bottle water. By the way, I use my tap water. I have a deep well and have no problem using it.

About the potato, white potatoes have very little nutrients. They are mostly carbohydrates with little fat and protein. He needs the fat and protein so I would NOT let him fill up on potato. Try a little avocado. They all seem to love it.

I really hope you return to your thread today as we have some critical issues to discuss. I was sorta distracted last night and I feel I missed a critical area. Depending on what your answers are regarding formula we might need to talk about the treatment protocol for MBD.

[Kierstennace4]

He was never on formula, I went to the pet store and they told me that he did not need to be on any. ( I showed him pictures of him). He seemed to do very well with the food I gave him and he chunked right up. I am using bottle water right now and will continue doing so. He has gained .2 ounces since yesterday. He ate a blueberry and some of the broccoli slaw you mentioned. As well as I made the yogurt too. Which he will lick every time I bring it up to his face.

[Mel1959]

How old was he when you got him? Eyes opened or closed? If he’s only 3-4 months old now and he has never been on formula, his bones may be in serious trouble.

Did you order the Fox Valley 20/50 from Henrys? You want to get that formula and start giving it to your little guy. I think you should be cautious about letting him jump and “fly”. His bones may be very brittle. I’m sure HRT4SQRLS will come back to this thread and have some specific instructions for you.

[Kierstennace4]

Eyes open he looked the same just a little smaller then. He must of been a little bit older I’m guessing? I found him late September. I’m attaching a pic of the day I found him. I just assumed his age bc I couldn’t see the privates.

[Kierstennace4]

This is from a month ago

[Kierstennace4]

And this was yesterday

[Kierstennace4]

This was just now.

[HRT4SQRLS]

It’s really odd. The last 2 pics look a little like a Northern Flying Squirrel instead of the more common Southern Flying Squirrel. Can you look at the belly fur? Is the fur white or cream all the way to the base or does the belly fur have gray roots? A Northern has gray roots and they are larger than Southerns. Size wise I would say Southern though. By the way, at 34grams your baby is extremely underweight. We have a weight vs age chart. Let me find the link.

I’m not sure if it’s just the pic but he doesn’t look well in the last pic. The pinched ears are often a sign of pain or agitation. I am very concerned about his bones. I really think he needs the formula. He just won’t get enough calcium from veggies. When you get the calcium carbonate from Henry’s we need to talk about supplementing with calcium.

Do you have a syringe? You can offer the goat milk/yogurt with a syringe. Often they lick it off of the tip.

[HRT4SQRLS]

This is the link for the age vs weight. Post number one has the data. The graph below is the data in a graph.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?42825-Baby-Flyer-weights-and-age/page3

312407

[HRT4SQRLS]

The more I look at the last pic the more concerned I am. Those squinty eyes and pinched ears (and the weight loss) are signs of trouble. A healthy flyer would have the huge, bulbous dark eyes. I think you need to start the MBD protocol and not wait for the calcium carbonate. The fact that he didn’t have formula and he has been eating too many nuts are a recipe for serious problems. By the way, employees in pet stores know nothing about squirrels and even less about flying squirrels. We routinely have to correct their misinformation. Your little one should definitely have been on formula.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?32122-MBD-Treatment

I am including the link to the MBD treatment so that you can get an idea of what you need to do. We will not follow this exactly as some of the amounts are for grey squirrels.

I think you should get some Tums. I don’t think you should start dumping calcium into him. This needs to be SLOW!!! I have seen young squirrels with nutritional deficiencies fail rapidly when you start throwing massive nutrition at them suddenly. There is a syndrome called Refeeding Syndrome. Because of this syndrome you have to be careful trying to do too much too fast. I think you should crush a Tums and give tiny amounts with the feedings. When you get the calcium carbonate from Henry’s we will get more specific but I would give small amounts of crushed Tums now.

[Kierstennace4]

ok, I just started with the tums. I changed my order with Henry's so he will have all of that. I am following the instructions for MBD. Thank you.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Go slow with the Tums. He is very small so we don’t want to overwhelm him with too much calcium.
Slow and consistent.