Need urgent guidance for ~5 week old squirrel

[fossy]

I have a young squirrel that is not doing terribly well and I would appreciate some urgent help on getting him back to full health. He is active but fairly weak and I believe much too skinny and small for his age. He was found abandoned after a full day about a week and a half ago. I weighed him just now and he is about 80 grams. His eyes are open and I believe he is around 5 or 6 weeks old. He hasn't started chewing rodent block at all yet but I've heard in the last day him grinding his teeth/chattering, and was unsure what that meant. Last week on Sunday he was feeding and pooping well and seemed healthy. Tuesday morning he was very lethargic and weak, not moving much at all, so I gave him small amounts of a sugar water mix before getting pedialyte for re-hydration. The next few days were okay but I'm beginning to get worried about his health at this point. I have been feeding him the Ebsilac puppy milk formula (powdered kind), and trying to give him about 4/5ml every 4 hours. Is that the correct amount? Now I understand that you have to mix it with very hot water at first and refrigerate it well, and use it within 24 hours. He ate eagerly the past week until last night, but has refused nearly all food today. He always was comfortable feeding with me until today, and now he is very chaotic and nippy while refusing food. He seems slightly dehydrated now as well after I tried the pinch test. His poops are also not solid, haven't been for a few days, and just now appeared light green. I worry if I need to still re-hydrate him again ASAP, but he won't accept anything. He can move his hind legs but they are also much weaker than his front, so I suspected maybe a calcium deficiency. Should I be putting calcium powder into formula. . . which now he doesn't accept anyway? I'm just caught up in all this conflicting information on the internet and would really appreciate a clear list of things I need to do to help this little guy.
Thanks so much

[Javarat]

Green poop would indicate a parasite or intestinal irritation.
Normal treatment would be metronidazole. You or someone you know might have had this drug prescribed for dog diarrhea... check with friends and family. If you can get some we can send you directions on dosing. You just need one pill, even if it is expired.
If you do not have access to metronidazole, I would flush him with a few feedings of just water, and then feed formula diluted 50% with water for 12 hours and see if he improves.
Also give him flavored pedialyte between feedings (starting now) until his appetite picks back up.

The amount you are feeding, and frequency, sounds about right. Skip one feeding at night so he empties out (8 hours with no food).

It takes a while for a calcium deficiency to show up, and if he has been eating formula until now he definitely does not have one. Lethargy and lack of appetite is probably because he feels ill and dehydrated.

[fossy]

Green poop would indicate a parasite or intestinal irritation.
Normal treatment would be metronidazole. You or someone you know might have had this drug prescribed for dog diarrhea... check with friends and family. If you can get some we can send you directions on dosing. You just need one pill, even if it is expired.
If you do not have access to metronidazole, I would flush him with a few feedings of just water, and then feed formula diluted 50% with water for 12 hours and see if he improves.
Also give him flavored pedialyte between feedings (starting now) until his appetite picks back up.

The amount you are feeding, and frequency, sounds about right. Skip one feeding at night so he empties out (8 hours with no food).

It takes a while for a calcium deficiency to show up, and if he has been eating formula until now he definitely does not have one. Lethargy and lack of appetite is probably because he feels ill and dehydrated.

I can try and acquire some metronidazole. My uncle may have some for his dog. He just drank about 3-4 ml of water which was good. How much more water and what times should I feed him tonight to flush him out? Should he have only a few ml of Pedialyte between the normal 4ml/4 hours of diluted formula through tomorrow or as much as he will take? Also, when I was giving him a bit of water just now he didn't suckle like normal but did seem to swallow fine. I held him upright but I am still worried about aspiration since he is not enthusiastic about drinking. What is the best method for feeding/ what not to do until he gets back on track?
Thanks

[Mel1959]

First, what is the expiration date on your can of Esbilac? Is it powdered? Is it new? Are you keeping it in the fridge or freezer? Considering the problem with Esbilac, it’s important to know that you have a good can. Expiration date needs to be 10/21 or later.

Sometimes when they get nippy it’s because they’re in pain.

Don’t use the pedialyte for more than 24 hrs. Switch to slightly sweetened sugar water between feedings, not in place of feedings.

When you say “diluted formula” do you mean the standard dilution (one part powder to two parts hot water) or are you diluting it further? There is no need to dilute the formula further than the standard amount. You can rehydrate by adding some water BETWEEN feedings.

Yes, please see if you can locate metronidazole.

[fossy]

First, what is the expiration date on your can of Esbilac? Is it powdered? Is it new? Are you keeping it in the fridge or freezer? Considering the problem with Esbilac, it’s important to know that you have a good can. Expiration date needs to be 10/21 or later.

Sometimes when they get nippy it’s because they’re in pain.

Don’t use the pedialyte for more than 24 hrs. Switch to slightly sweetened sugar water between feedings, not in place of feedings.

When you say “diluted formula” do you mean the standard dilution (one part powder to two parts hot water) or are you diluting it further? There is no need to dilute the formula further than the standard amount. You can rehydrate by adding some water BETWEEN feedings.

Yes, please see if you can locate metronidazole.

I have normally been doing the standard dilution. I didn't know going forward over the next few days whether he should be receiving a further diluted one, but it seems like it would be best to stick with standard? He is now back to how he was Tuesday morning and I am worried. He did just drink about 7ml of pedialyte (7:50 pm Eastern), though I had to go very slowly. He was swallowing but is very very lethargic. What should I do for the next 12 hours? Only pedialyte? A cup of water with a sugar and bit of salt? That's what perked him back up Tuesday morning. My uncle did not have metronidazole and I am unsure of where I would go to get some. . .

[fossy]

Here is what he has gotten for fluids since 7pm:

8pm: 7/8ml pedialyte
9:30: ~3ml
10:30: ~2ml
12:15: ~6ml water with sugar and a tiny bit of salt

Should I continue administering pedialyte through the night every so often? When should I start any Ebsilac formula . . . once his dehydration is completely gone and he seems active again? I also checked the Ebsilac and it expires in 2022 so shouldn't have any issues.

Thanks

[stepnstone]

I have a young squirrel that is not doing terribly well and I would appreciate some urgent help on getting him back to full health. He is active but fairly weak and I believe much too skinny and small for his age. He was found abandoned after a full day about a week and a half ago. I weighed him just now and he is about 80 grams. His eyes are open and I believe he is around 5 or 6 weeks old. He hasn't started chewing rodent block at all yet but I've heard in the last day him grinding his teeth/chattering, and was unsure what that meant. Last week on Sunday he was feeding and pooping well and seemed healthy. Tuesday morning he was very lethargic and weak, not moving much at all, so I gave him small amounts of a sugar water mix before getting pedialyte for re-hydration. The next few days were okay but I'm beginning to get worried about his health at this point. I have been feeding him the Ebsilac puppy milk formula (powdered kind), and trying to give him about 4/5ml every 4 hours. Is that the correct amount? Now I understand that you have to mix it with very hot water at first and refrigerate it well, and use it within 24 hours. He ate eagerly the past week until last night, but has refused nearly all food today. He always was comfortable feeding with me until today, and now he is very chaotic and nippy while refusing food. He seems slightly dehydrated now as well after I tried the pinch test. His poops are also not solid, haven't been for a few days, and just now appeared light green. I worry if I need to still re-hydrate him again ASAP, but he won't accept anything. He can move his hind legs but they are also much weaker than his front, so I suspected maybe a calcium deficiency. Should I be putting calcium powder into formula. . . which now he doesn't accept anyway? I'm just caught up in all this conflicting information on the internet and would really appreciate a clear list of things I need to do to help this little guy.
Thanks so much

Understand that a dehydrated babies system can not process it's food properly, dehydration also leads to refusal to eat.
As been suggested, stop the pedialyte. In between formula feedings give hydration. I will attach the home made hydration fluid recipe below.
With re hydration there needs to be fluid and electrolyte balance, the salt helps to replenish needed electrolytes.
Feeding between the recommended 5-7% for 80 grams puts this baby between 4cc's - 5.6 cc's. Your already seeing soft bowel.
I would recommend holding him at 5% to allow his digestive system less load to process which should allow his bowels to straighten out.

Personal opinion, I would not jump to an antibiotic suspecting parasites this soon.
Loose stool/diarrhea often related to over feeding or digestive upset can cause food to move too fast through the intestine, when this
happens bile pigment can't break down sufficiently and stool can show green due to the bile pigment. In some cases with gastric upset even
(waterey) blood has been evident.

Attached is link to baby squirrel care, it can be a big help. It's 6 pages long with the next button on the top right corner.
https://www.henryspets.com/1-basic-setup/

Re-hydration fluid:
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 tablespoon sugar (1-1/2 teaspoons)
8 oz water

[stepnstone]

Here is what he has gotten for fluids since 7pm:

8pm: 7/8ml pedialyte
9:30: ~3ml
10:30: ~2ml
12:15: ~6ml water with sugar and a tiny bit of salt

Should I continue administering pedialyte through the night every so often? When should I start any Ebsilac formula . . . once his dehydration is completely gone and he seems active again? I also checked the Ebsilac and it expires in 2022 so shouldn't have any issues.

Thanks

Please read back on posts, stop the pedialyte!
This baby also needs nutrients and should be fed formula with hydrating in between formula feedings.
Hydrating in between does not have to be a full feeding as in formula.