new rescue baby squirrel. maybe 3/4 weeks old. diarrhea. eyes opened early.

[margaret!]

Hi, I'm not new to rescuing squirrels but I am a bit rusty. I was given a orphaned baby squirrel and it's eyes were still tightly closed. furry, tail still slim. It was a little underweight and possibly dehydrated. I started him on pedialyte ever couple hours for the first day. he peed after the 3 time but has not pooped. this is day 3 and he is not puppy milk until my Fox Valley comes. He's eating pretty well but still has not produced actual poop. I noticed today that he was messy will was appeared to be diarrhea. I cleaned him up and am keeping him hydrated with pedialyte in his milk. His eyes also opened yesterday. i think it's way too early for that. Is that a result of trauma? my past babies never had that issue. I think i just need reassurance that I'm doing everything I can at this point.
I'll be weighing him this evening to see if he's gaining. But right now he's just under 50 grams.
thank you!!!

[CritterMom]

What puppy milk - what brand exactly and is it powder or liquid?

Please do NOT mix pedialyte with the formula. If you feel he needs additional hydration, use the pedialyte in between the feedings, and not longer than 24 hours. If still dehydrated, use plain water or water with a pinch of sugar or honey.

[Tuff]

Hi, I'm not new to rescuing squirrels but I am a bit rusty. I was given a orphaned baby squirrel and it's eyes were still tightly closed. furry, tail still slim. It was a little underweight and possibly dehydrated. I started him on pedialyte ever couple hours for the first day. he peed after the 3 time but has not pooped. this is day 3 and he is not puppy milk until my Fox Valley comes. He's eating pretty well but still has not produced actual poop. I noticed today that he was messy will was appeared to be diarrhea. I cleaned him up and am keeping him hydrated with pedialyte in his milk. His eyes also opened yesterday. i think it's way too early for that. Is that a result of trauma? my past babies never had that issue. I think i just need reassurance that I'm doing everything I can at this point.
I'll be weighing him this evening to see if he's gaining. But right now he's just under 50 grams.
thank you!!!

So first off if I read this right you are mixing pedialyte with the formula. That is not good. Mix formula with only water 2:1 ratio. What puppy formula do you have him on? How much are you feeding him? 5-7% of body weight is recommended. Also do not rehydrate with pedialyte for more than 24 hours. You use hydration fluid if it is needed after that.
1 tsp of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
8 oz of water (1 cup)

If it was me I would stop the hydration. Feed formula as long as it is esbilac or FV. Esbilac used of only dated 2021-2022 expiration dates and make sure it is the regular powdered puppy formula. To much hydration could cause the poops. To much food can cause the poops. Best method is slow and easy. I ha e two right now that are the same way just older. I hope I answered you questions.

[margaret!]

ok ok. This is good info. It is Esbilac liquid puppy milk. I will stop rehydration fluids and just use the the formula. I only mixed it on day 2. Today has just been formula only. I will go slow and steady. He is always hungry. tries to nurse on everything. I wish that I had the fox valley on hand. I just tossed it last spring. ugh!.
Anything i should worry about with early eyes open?

[CritterMom]

The liquid esbilac is also a problem - causes diarrhea. Not wild about the esbilac but you need to use the powdered stuff. They are unfortunately NOT the same thing.

[margaret!]

ugh! thank you!

[Rock Monkey]

He is always hungry. tries to nurse on everything.

Hopefully you are using a one cc syringe, this will help minimize the risk of aspiration, especially with a very hungry squirrel.

How much are feeding him at each session and how often do you feed him everyday?

5% of body weight would amount to 2.5 ml of formula at each session for a 50 g squirrel.

At three to four weeks the squirrel should be fed every 3 to 4 hours.

Can you post a photo to assist with an overall health assessment?

[cassgrimm]

Anything i should worry about with early eyes open?


Though I wouldn't call it common exactly, I've had eyes open as early as 3.5 weeks. Nothing to worry about - some are just early bloomers!

Also - and this is just my two cents - I don't recommend hydrating with any salted fluids for more than 24 hours. The salt/sugar/water mixture is considered a homemade Pedialyte and, thus, should be discontinued after the aforementioned timeframe. At the 24 hour mark, I switch my little ones to regular tap water (a drop or two of molasses, honey, or Karo syrup for flavor can help entice them into taking it). A bit of apple juice works well, too, if you're in a pinch. Definitely keep an eye on the hydration levels until the stool has firmed up.

As others have said, it is never recommended to mix hydration fluids with formula. I like to sandwich hydration sessions at the halfway point between feedings. For example, if your baby is eating every three hours, I would hydrate 1.5 hours after feeding.

[margaret!]

Thank you! He is taking about 3cc per feeding. Eating every 4 hours. With the last one being 11pm then the next 6:30am. He is sooooo hungry between feedings. Tries to nurse on everything. He appears to be peeing on his own too. Although I’m still assisting after every feeding. I’ll be weighing his this evening. I haven’t used any rehydration fluids since day one with the exception of one time yesterday morning. I quickly discontinued one I was told not to any more. Here is a pic

319379

[Tuff]

Thank you! He is taking about 3cc per feeding. Eating every 4 hours. With the last one being 11pm then the next 6:30am. He is sooooo hungry between feedings. Tries to nurse on everything. He appears to be peeing on his own too. Although I’m still assisting after every feeding. I’ll be weighing his this evening. I haven’t used any rehydration fluids since day one with the exception of one time yesterday morning. I quickly discontinued one I was told not to any more. Here is a pic

319379

Gosh what a cute little nugget…does he have too and bottom teeth? His tail looks like 5 weeks to me, just can’t really remember. At 6-7 weeks they do the S thing with the tail. Tail gets bushier from there. Hair on the belly or no?

[cassgrimm]

Such a precious boy! 😍

He looks like 4 weeks to me, however, knowing more about what his teeth look like would be helpful. He is quite small, though. Then again, I also just really like a chonky baby... 😅

If it were me, I'd get my hands on some FV Ultraboost to help him along. Adding some heavy cream to his formula will help until the ultraboost comes in if you're wanting to fatten him up some.

[Rock Monkey]

Thank you! He is taking about 3cc per feeding. Eating every 4 hours. With the last one being 11pm then the next 6:30am. He is sooooo hungry between feedings. Tries to nurse on everything.

Since he is so hungry and on the small side you might try feeding him every 3 hours to get him caught up, rather than every 4 hours.

Here is a video about how to test for dehydration. If the squirrel is dehydrated they won't be able to fully process the formula being given.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjPMVq7Tq2g&ab_channel=squirrelsandmorellc

Is the squirrel still experiencing diarrhea?

[margaret!]

He is still experiencing diarrhea ☹️. He must be closer to 5 weeks old. He’s acting more like one. Very silly and particular. He does have his bottom teeth. He will test my nail with them when rooting around for milk. I’ve got him on FV 32/40 right now. He’s taking 3cc every 3 hours with a stretch at night. When he does attempt a bm while I’m helping him urinate it’s yellow and just a tiny bit foamy. Like gas. But not solid at all. Ugh. I’m hoping now that he’s on the FV and off puppy milk it will help. He’s does have a light fur on his belly. I think he’s pretty runty. But such a good disposition. ❤️

[cassgrimm]

He is still experiencing diarrhea ☹️. He must be closer to 5 weeks old. He’s acting more like one. Very silly and particular. He does have his bottom teeth. He will test my nail with them when rooting around for milk. I’ve got him on FV 32/40 right now. He’s taking 3cc every 3 hours with a stretch at night. When he does attempt a bm while I’m helping him urinate it’s yellow and just a tiny bit foamy. Like gas. But not solid at all. Ugh. I’m hoping now that he’s on the FV and off puppy milk it will help. He’s does have a light fur on his belly. I think he’s pretty runty. But such a good disposition. ❤️

I would switch him to FV 20/50 sooner than later. There have been digestive issues in the recent past with 32/40. Not to mention, he's certainly old enough for the 20/50 and would definitely benefit from the higher fat content.

How are his fluid levels doing?

Has anyone had success with Dia-Stat? Curious to know if TSB recommends. I've never used it myself, but it is a FV product and, despite the 32/40 debacle, FV is my safe space.

[Rock Monkey]

He is still experiencing diarrhea ☹️.

He’s taking 3cc every 3 hours with a stretch at night.

The digestion can take time to improve when formula is changed.

You might also go to grocery store and get some plain, whole milk Greek yogurt. The probiotics should help settle his digestion. I have found Cabot's plain, whole milk Greek yogurt to be well received. It has added cream and is very rich, lots of calories and fat per serving. If it doesn't draw interest by itself you could mix in a little no sugar added fruit baby food. Cabot's can be found at Walmart, among other places. (Others have used Fage Total 5%, but I haven't used this one myself.) The Cabot's has 230 calories per 3/4 of a cup, quite rich, which is precisely what we want.

Take out some on a spoon, then draw it up in a syringe then heat the syringe to body temperature with a brief dip in a cup of warm water.

What were the results of the skin turgor test for dehydration?

[margaret!]

I will give the yogurt a try. He had an almost, almost, normal poop this morning. His rear is a little irritated from pee and the diarrhea. I’ve kept him clean but it between feedings that he was getting messy. I did the dehydration test and he failed miserably. So if I’m not suppose to use Pedialyte anymore for hydration, what should I use? I gathered I should do it between feedings rather than interfering with his meals. Seeing as he is needing the calories too. His spirit are high so he has that going for him.

[margaret!]

I will give the yogurt a try. He had an almost, almost, normal poop this morning. His rear is a little irritated from pee and the diarrhea. I’ve kept him clean but it between feedings that he was getting messy. I did the dehydration test and he failed miserably. So if I’m not suppose to use Pedialyte anymore for hydration, what should I use? I gathered I should do it between feedings rather than interfering with his meals. Seeing as he is needing the calories too. His spirit are high so he has that going for him.

[cassgrimm]

I will give the yogurt a try. He had an almost, almost, normal poop this morning. His rear is a little irritated from pee and the diarrhea. I’ve kept him clean but it between feedings that he was getting messy. I did the dehydration test and he failed miserably. So if I’m not suppose to use Pedialyte anymore for hydration, what should I use? I gathered I should do it between feedings rather than interfering with his meals. Seeing as he is needing the calories too. His spirit are high so he has that going for him.

How many seconds did it take for his skin to settle back down?

Please start the little one on regular tap water immediately (a drop or two of molasses, honey, or Karo syrup for flavor can help entice them into taking it). A bit of apple juice works well, too, if you're in a pinch. If he moderately failed the hydration test I'd say it's a safe bet to offer him 10% of his weight in fluids, split up between feedings.

Example: If he weighs 50g and you feed four times a day you would offer him 5cc/ml plain or slightly sweetened water at a rate of 1.25cc/ml after each feeding. You would do this halfway between each feeding. For example, if you're feeding every four hours, you would give him his fluids 2 hours after each feeding.

Check his hydration levels with every interaction. When his hydration levels begin to return to normal you can decrease the total fluid amount from 10% to 5% until the little one is completely and sufficiently hydrated again. This is usually about a two to three day process with dehydration.

Edit: Just in case I need to say this: If he does not want the water - tough. Get the fluids into him even if you have to do this drop by single drop. Many dehydrated little ones will take the water easily enough, but some can be stubborn. Get it done, but do not put another drop into his mouth until the previous drop has been swallowed.

[margaret!]

He’s still kick’n! He’s up to 65g! So he’s gaining and that’s good. I’ve been giving him about 1.5cc of water with a bit of honey about 4 times a day. He takes it well, with just a little attitude. He’s taking his FV ever 3 hours. Switching him to 20/50 over the next 24 hours. His poop is still the consistency of toothpaste at best. Yellow. His hydration test is hovering at about 2 seconds though ☹️. Any pointers for how to get that better? Or will it just take more time?
Thank you!

[cassgrimm]

A 1-2 second turgor count is still considered moderate dehydration. Please continue hydrating and remember to adjust the amounts with daily weighing. He is losing fluids because of the loose stool so please keep hydrating until the turgor improves.

If my memory serves me, this little one will be on his 3rd formula transition in the past 4-5 days (including your current transition to 20/50)? That's quite a lot on his little system. Have you added yogurt to help out his gut with probiotic intake?

Please refresh my memory: How much and how often are you feeding? How many total feedings per day? How long does he go between feedings at night?

[margaret!]

Please refresh my memory: How much and how often are you feeding? How many total feedings per day? How long does he go between feedings at night?

Thank you again. You have been so helpful!
He is on his 33rd formula. But I’ve been very careful with the transition. Making sure it’s not sudden. Mixing 1/3 up to full over the course of a day.
He eats 3cc (moved him up to 3.5cc this evening) at 6:30am then every 3 to 4 hours. Last feeding is at about 11pm. So average 6 feedings but sometimes it’s 7. The water between feedings has made the schedule a little wonky. He sure does hate being woken up for water. He has a 7 hour stretch at night. His poop has been so much better today. It holds together but still soft.
Thank you!

[cassgrimm]

I'm so happy to hear that he is still firming up - even if it is gradual!

What is his weight today? I know he is significantly smaller than he should be for his age, but he should have gained enough by now and due to consistent formula feedings to have outgrown 3.5cc. They gain quite a lot on the daily after they start getting what they need.

Too frequent feeding can cause digestion upset - both with loose stools and with lack of nutrition absorption. I'd be interested to know his current weight now that he is about 5 weeks. You may be able to tweak his feeding schedule if his body condition allows it.

By the way, a lot of us weigh first thing in the morning before their first feeding of the day. With that early morning weigh-in, we are able to get a good dry weight on the little ones and adjust their intake accordingly (5%-7% of their body weight in grams) for the rest of that day. If you're not already, please get in the habit of doing this. At the very least, just ensure that you are weighing at the same time every day and adjust accordingly, though be aware that once you begin the day's feedings and/or hydration sessions, you are no longer getting a dry weight of the baby.

Edit: Pictures from today would be most helpful, too!

[margaret!]

I will weigh him first thing tomorrow and report back. If he weights similar to what he did yesterday, than 65 grams would mean about 4.5cc of formula. When I know what he is currently weighing, I’d love to know what you think the best schedule would be.
Stay tuned for tomorrow morning (west coast time)

[Rock Monkey]

I will weigh him first thing tomorrow and report back. If he weights similar to what he did yesterday, than 65 grams would mean about 4.5cc of formula. When I know what he is currently weighing, I’d love to know what you think the best schedule would be.
Stay tuned for tomorrow morning (west coast time)

I am glad to hear that he has gained some weight and that the poop is firming up.

5% of body weight translates to .05 x 65 g = 3.25 cc of formula
6% of body weight translates to .06 x 65 g = 3.9 cc of formula
7% of body weight translates to .07 x 65 g = 4.55 cc of formula

The hydration is critical to health in and of itself. However, it is also critical to healthy digestion. When food hits the stomach water is drawn from the body to digest the food. So if the squirrel is dehydrated the food will make them more dehydrated and furthermore the food is likely to be only partially digested because there wasn't enough water available in the body to properly digest the food. That is why the hydration must occur in between meals because then there will be more water in the body to digest the next meal more completely, rather than the food passing too quickly through the digestive tract. Also when hydration is given separately it quickly passes into the body to hydrate the cells, because water by itself digests quickly.

Taking notes will help you keep a close eye on his health. As things improve the degree of dehydration should decrease and there will be less and less need for hydration in between feedings.

Has he been eating some of the yogurt?

[margaret!]

Ok ok! He’s 77grams this morning! Dry weight. I’ll weight him each morning to ensure he’s gaining. He did take some yogurt warmed with a splash of formula for taste. He wasn’t really into it. But licked it off the syringe nonetheless. His poop this morning was slightly less firm ��. I fed him 4.5cc (≈6% of body weight). He took 1.5cc of water 2 hours later. Should I feed him every 3 hours today or every 4? 4 hours would result in 4 feedings and 3 hours would get him 5 feedings.
You all have been so helpful!

[margaret!]

So this afternoon, I noticed his tummy is a little big. Not crazy big. But more full and round than it was before. His diarrhea is back. Not as bad. But defiantly wetter. He didn’t want to finish his full 4.5cc just now. I’m going to give him an hour and check on his tummy size.

[Rock Monkey]

If the first feeding occurs at 6:30 AM then using four hour intervals would result feedings at 10:30, 2:30, 6:30, and 10:30, which is five feedings a day.

Now that he has gained some weight I think we should try going to feeding every four hours to give his body more time to digest the food, which hopefully should help improve the diarrhea situation.

What brand and flavor of yogurt did you offer him? The yogurt is also important to getting the diarrhea under control.

How is he doing on the skin turgor test today?

If there is still dehydration we want to give him very lightly sweetened water in between meals.

I am going to attach a document below about squirrel poop issues. Though the attached is in black and white if you do your own web search you should be able to find the original which is in color, which help to diagnose various conditions.

319439

Can you attach a picture of his belly if you think it is bloated?

[Rock Monkey]

Also, just to cover some basics which could also effect the digestion and hydration, is he kept in cardboard box, plastic container or cage?

Is there a continually on heating pad under half of his container?

The bloating may mean that he is being given more food than his stomach can handle. If that is the case, going to feedings every four hours should help.

How is his energy level?

Is there any change in his trying to suckle on everything?

[stepnstone]

Personally with having diarrhea I would hold him at 5% until he firms up to normal bowels.
If it persists I recommend the Brat formula mixture:

3 tablespoons (already) mixed formula 2-1
1/2 tsp baby rice powered cereal
1/2 tsp banana baby food.

The chart below can help you gauge where you are at with feeding.
You want to always feed by weight @ the 5-7% regardless of age.


https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=319441&stc=1

[margaret!]

86g’s today. Dry weight first thing. Is that a normal increase? That’s almost 10 grams gain in one day. His tummy is less bloated this morning. Diarrhea still wet and messy. He’s doing 4cc every 4 hours to see if that helps with digestion. Even though his weight would call for more than 4cc. (Thoughts?)
Yogurt is proving tricky. I tried Fage 5% plain with a dash of formula milk for flavor. Warmed. He was not into it. What are thoughts on…..

“ Saccharomyces boulardii, a nonpathogenic yeast strain classified as a probiotic, has proven highly effective in both preventing and treating unbalanced gut flora in humans—as well as in squirrels—and is available online, in pharmacies, and health food stores. The cost of Saccharomyces boulardii varies based on brand name, with one of the most well–known names, Florastor® (Biocodex, Beauvais, France), significantly more expensive than other labels, such as Jarrow (Los Angeles, CA). Saccharomyces boulardii comes in capsule form, does not need refrigeration, and like other probiotics is administered in liquid only twice daily. Rehabilitators open a capsule, sprinkle a few ‘grains’ into warmed formula, and stir to dissolve.”

I feel like I could do this with 2 feedings a day with great success.
He’s alert and curious. Loves feeding time. And LOVES to snuggle between feedings. He’s in a box with alternating warm rice socks right now. He’s never without warms. I’m hoping to transition him to the cat carrier with a heating pad if I can get his diarrhea under control. It’s very messy. Thoughts on that arrangement?
Funny story, we just had a family of squirrels set up shop in our ceiling and it’s pretty noisy. Ugh. I’ll be dealing with that today. Hahah when it rains it pours.

[cassgrimm]

I also recommend replacing formula feedings with the following recipe until stools firm up, then slowly re-introducing FV 20/50. I would also keep up with his hydration levels and offer sweetened water accordingly.


Brat formula mixture:

3 tablespoons prepared formula (2:1, water to powder)
1/2 tsp baby rice powered cereal
1/2 tsp banana baby food.


Babies can and will increase weight rapidly. The amount your describing is normal, especially when caloric intake has been upped. Do not ever continue to feed a baby with a firm stomach. Wait until the belly returns to normal before resuming feeding schedule. Hydration whilst belly is firm is okay.

Unless he is refusing to eat, I do not see a reason to offer him less than 5% of his body weight in grams.

I know of rehabbers who use the probiotic capsules. They break one open and use a tiny pinch of the powder. I've never done this, though, so I really can't comment on it.

[Rock Monkey]

Yogurt is proving tricky. I tried Fage 5% plain with a dash of formula milk for flavor. Warmed. He was not into it. What are thoughts on…..

He’s in a box with alternating warm rice socks right now. He’s never without warms.

Cardboard boxes are a paper product and paper can wicks moisture away from the body. So keeping him in a cardboard box may be contributing to his dehydration. As a general rule, cardboard boxes are not recommended.

He really needs a heating pad under half of his container on moderate heat. Baby squirrels spend their whole day snuggling with their mother. At this age they are dependent on her body heat. A baby which is not sufficiently warm will struggle to fully digest the food that they are being given. This baby is having a hard time and the insufficient heat and cardboard box may be contributing to both problems with dehydration and healthy digestion. Please change both.

Make sure that the heating pad that you use does not turn off automatically. Use a moderate heat setting.

Taking care of a baby squirrel is a little complicated and their are good reasons for the assorted collection of best practices.

I am glad to see that the weight gain is continuing and that the squirrel is moving closer to a normal weight progression.

Snuggling with you is good. At those times, especially if they are between layers of clothing, they will be getting sufficient heat and a spiritual boost too.

With the Fage yogurt it seems you are going to need to sweeten it a little. Try adding natural honey or no-sugar-added fruit baby to the yogurt. The Fage isn't quite as rich tasting as the Cabot's, but with some additions you ought to be able to make it palatable. Also, lets try presenting it differently from the formula. He may expect it to taste formula if it is being fed directly with a syringe.

Try the following: draw up some sweetened yogurt into the syringe, heat it briefly in a cup of warm water, take a dinner plate (I find plastic to be preferable, it isn't cold to the touch.) dispense a handful of drops of yogurt mixture around the perimeter of the plate. The objective is for the squirrel to lick up these drops. If the squirrels stretches out, indicating some difficulty swallowing the amount of the food ingested, (Young squirrels can eat too fast.) stop dispensing the yogurt drops around the perimeter of the plate. They may have had enough or just need a little break. Soon you will know which. This is the reason for only have a couple of drops on the plate at any given time. Keep dispensing a drop or two at a time until they have had enough.

Continue to hydrate in between feeding if necessary. As long as the diarrhea continues, supplemental hydration will be likely needed.

[Rock Monkey]

86g’s today. He’s doing 4cc every 4 hours to see if that helps with digestion. Even though his weight would call for more than 4cc. (Thoughts?)


Let's try staying at close to 5% until his digestion straightens out.

.05 x 86 g implies 4.3 cc's of formula per feeding. Hopefully the yogurt is part of that total quantity.

Are you premixing the formula the night before or just mixing it at feeding time?

From the baby squirrel care guide:

Mixing, Feeding and Storing Formula

When using a powdered formula, ideally, each night you would mix up the amount of formula you will need for the next day. The first day, you can just let the formula sit for a couple of hours, then feed. With powdered formula, use very warm water, stir well. Place in the refrigerator.

In the morning, stir the formula and draw up enough syringes of cold formula for your first feeding of the day.

Microwave a coffee mug of water until it is hot (but not boiling). Then dunk the filled syringes in the hot water. They will take around 30 to 60 seconds to heat up.

Take one syringe out, tilt it to mix the formula within the syringe, and test it on your wrist before feeding.

If the formula in your syringe gets too cool while feeding, re-dunk it and pull out another syringe.


Premixed formula is more fully mixed and will be digested more readily.

[Rock Monkey]

I’m hoping to transition him to the cat carrier with a heating pad if I can get his diarrhea under control. It’s very messy. Thoughts on that arrangement?
Funny story, we just had a family of squirrels set up shop in our ceiling and it’s pretty noisy. Ugh. I’ll be dealing with that today. Hahah when it rains it pours.

Regardless of the container, the heating pad is always underneath the container, whatever kind it is. Thus, there is no contact between the squirrel and the heating pad. It is outside of the container. So, whether the squirrel is experiencing diarrhea is not relevant to whether a heat pad is used because the squirrel is unable to poop on the pad directly or indirectly.

See the picture in the link below.

https://henryspets.com/1-baby-squirrel-care-guide/

If you are washing bedding, use soap without a scent preferably. Squirrels have very sensitive noses. Don't use any amount of bleach. They really don't like that smell.

Regarding the squirrels in the ceiling. If you remove mom, who will be coming and going, and release her elsewhere her babies will perish. Furthermore, if you release Mom elsewhere her survival chances will also be substantially reduced. So, you have a tricky situation.

The only successful outcome would be if Mom has a good secondary nest and you are able to move both Mom and babies outside and seal the hole to the attic and then stand guard while Mom carries the babies to the secondary nest.

Eastern grey squirrels are solitary. If there is a gathering of squirrels it is highly probable that it constitutes a Mom and her babies. Dad plays no role in raising the babies.

The conservative course of action would be to do nothing until the babies are mature and then you still have to worry about the winter if winter temperatures are cold. Fall babies will often overwinter with Mom if winters are cold.

[margaret!]

We are almost 72 hours without any wet stool. It’s even getting less yellow. More deep yellow.
He’s tummy is fuzzy and normal sized. He just started holding his tail up and being playful. Can I put some rodent block in with him now? A water bottle? I didn’t want to introduce anything before I felt like his GI was better. I have still been doing hydration 4x daily between feedings. He’s at 4.5cc every 4 hours and 2 feedings a day contain a very small amount of probiotic powder (Saccharomyces boulardii) in them.
I can’t remember when they start urinating on their own. Again, it’s been almost 8 years since I did this last.

[Rock Monkey]

We are almost 72 hours without any wet stool. It’s even getting less yellow. More deep yellow.
He’s tummy is fuzzy and normal sized. He just started holding his tail up and being playful. Can I put some rodent block in with him now? A water bottle? I didn’t want to introduce anything before I felt like his GI was better. I have still been doing hydration 4x daily between feedings. He’s at 4.5cc every 4 hours and 2 feedings a day contain a very small amount of probiotic powder (Saccharomyces boulardii) in them.
I can’t remember when they start urinating on their own. Again, it’s been almost 8 years since I did this last.

That's great news on the poop front. It's been a tough battle.

Barring some extraordinary event, they poop and pee on their own once their eyes open. They will sometimes be sneaky about where they pee because they don't like their pee being cleaned up.

It's okay to introduce a water bottle. Just make sure it doesn't leak and is positioned so he can't chew on any of the bottle's plastic.

It's too early for block.

If he isn't interested in the yogurt you might try giving it by itself as the first food you offer. He will be likely to eat it if he is hungry.

What is his current weight?

He is looking much better.

Does his skin turgor test indicate any dehydration?

[margaret!]

It's too early for block.

If he isn't interested in the yogurt you might try giving it by itself as the first food you offer. He will be likely to eat it if he is hungry.

What is his current weight?

He is looking much better.

Does his skin turgor test indicate any dehydration?

He is 98g!! What a solid growth! He takes his hydration so well that I’m incline to keep going for a bit longer even though is turgor is indicating less than 1. I never see his poop and his cage is very clean so I’m assuming his poop is much better and tries out quickly.
Thank you for all your help!

[Rock Monkey]

He is 98g!! What a solid growth! He takes his hydration so well that I’m incline to keep going for a bit longer even though is turgor is indicating less than 1. I never see his poop and his cage is very clean so I’m assuming his poop is much better and tries out quickly.
Thank you for all your help!

That's double the weight of where he started. That's great. Continued moderate hydration can't hurt, in my opinion.

[margaret!]

He’s a trooper. 115g today. He pee just started getting the faintest smell and color to it. Is that an age related thing. Nothing crazy. Just a little. He is so playful and really hungry all the time. I’m bumping him up to 5.5/5.75cc today. And continuing alternating hydration.

[margaret!]

He’s 120g today. Can I give him rodent block now? Maybe some little sticks to chew. He really wants to explore more and play. I think he might be older than we all originally thought.

[stepnstone]

He’s 120g today. Can I give him rodent block now? Maybe some little sticks to chew. He really wants to explore more and play. I think he might be older than we all originally thought.

I would definitely be giving him block!