Fox valley

[Squirrlmomma]

Is fox valley the only brand
Also is it the best brand, if so?
My squirrel is going on six weeks so I guess it’s too late to be asking this question. What’s the next step from here? I know I can google it but I would prefer answers from real people who care and know.

[Mel1959]

I have never had any problems with Fox Valley 20/50. I always use a 50/50 or 75/25 mixture of Fox Valley Ultraboost in place of some of the 20/50 powder, as well as adding a spoonful of full fat vanilla yogurt when I make it. The Ultraboost adds fat/calories and nutrients and the yogurt provides some additional probiotics. I have not had pinkies to raise so this has been used very successfully from about 4 weeks of age till weaning. I have never had a problem with constipation or diarrhea on this mixture and had steady weight gains.

After the Esbilac debacle last year many rehabbers began combining two different brands of formula for pinkies through weaning. It was determined that the combination of formulas provided better nutrients and the possibility. It was decided that not relying on a single formula source would help prevent the situation that was experienced when Esbilac failed. I believe what many rehabbers are using is a combination of Fox Falley 32/40 and Zoological Milk Matrix 33/40. I’m not sure if they are adding heavy whipping cream to this combination or not. From what I’ve heard the squirrels are doing very well on this combo.

Are you searching for a different formula because your baby isn’t doing well? Is your little one gaining weight? If you want to “beef up” the FV 20/50 then I highly recommend getting the Ultraboost to add. This way you don’t have to go through a complete formula change which can upset the GI tract.

[island rehabber]

I swear by UltraBoost -- healthiest, chubbiest babies ever, with perfect poops since i started using it 3 yrs ago.

[Squirrlmomma]

He’s doing really good and he’s gaining weight rapidly. He’s gone from 100 grams to his most recent of 130 in just two days. I just want to make sure I’m providing the best nutrition for him. He’s poops have all been solid.

[Mel1959]

If he’s doing good, then don’t change a thing. :grin3

[Squirrlmomma]

I ordered more 20/50 and I ordered the ultra boost. I’ve been using 1/4 cup when I make it and I do 1 quarter cup of powder to two quarter cups of water I temp it make sure it’s never above 100 degrees when I mix it then leave it in the fridge for 2-4 hours before feeding.
How much do I add in if the ultra boost once it’s here?
Thank you for your time

(I just saw your post about not changing a thing should I not add in the ultra boost?)

[Squirrlmomma]

Also if I add the full fat yogurt do I need to make sure it’s sugar free? I was looking for yogurt when I first got him but the websites I was going off of said it needed to be sugar free and I couldn’t find ANY sugar free yogurt but it was when he was still a pinky and needed to be fed every two hours so I didn’t have time to try more than two stores. If all else fails I feel like it might be something I could order online

[HRT4SQRLS]

Also if I add the full fat yogurt do I need to make sure it’s sugar free? I was looking for yogurt when I first got him but the websites I was going off of said it needed to be sugar free and I couldn’t find ANY sugar free yogurt but it was when he was still a pinky and needed to be fed every two hours so I didn’t have time to try more than two stores. If all else fails I feel like it might be something I could order online

I don’t use sugar free yogurt or anything else that’s sugar free. They have artificial sweeteners. We don’t use those. StoneyField YoBaby makes a full fat yogurt. StoneyField also makes a full fat French vanilla but it’s in a larger container.

[Mel1959]

You don’t have to add in the Ultraboost, but it won’t hurt him. All you’d do is substitute 25% of the Fox Valley with the Ultraboost powder. You can break your normal 1/4 cup into tablespoons to make it simple. Mix 3 Tablespoons of Fox Valley 20/50 and 1 Tablespoon of Ultraboost with 8 Tablespoons of warm water. Then if your going to add yogurt just mix in about 1 teaspoon of yogurt.

As Hrt said, never use sugar free products.

[Squirrlmomma]

Ok thank you so much!
One last weird question,
He’s a fox squirrel and I’ve been trying to find squirrel chittering sound videos on YouTube so he can hear what squirrels sound like.The only one I can find of decent quality and length is a grey squirrel one though. I feel like it’s probably similar but not the same. All the fox squirrel audio videos I can find are the squirrel yelling at whoever is filming and I don’t wanna play him just angry squirrels all the time. Does this matter when he’s this young? Or will he hear what he needs to hear once I’m transitioning him to outside?

[Mel1959]

I think he’ll hear what he needs to hear when he’s outside. A proper soft release involves being in the release cage for a week or two. In that time he should hear squirrels making noises and associate the noise with the appropriate reason for the noise. For example if a dog or cat comes near he’ll hear the alarming and associate it with the danger. I think a lot of this is instinct and those instincts will kick right in once he’s in the outside release cage. :grin2