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HeatherRae
09-11-2022, 07:55 PM
I’m going to try to answer all the questions before they are asked. :)
Ricki is a eight week old grey squirrel. As of today she’s 232g and gains weight daily. She came to me at 5 weeks dehydrated but otherwise healthy. I started her on Esbilac and was working with Henry’s emergency line because she had two brothers that were ill and they told me about adding whipping cream to the Esbilac. At that time I ordered Fox formula and once that arrived I combine the two and am still currently weaning her off Esbilac.
At 6 weeks I offered her Picky Blocks. She didn’t touch them. I started rubbing a small amount of honey on them (I cut them in quarters). She started to hide them and shred them. I believe she started eating parts of them but I still was finding some in her nest when I would clean night. At 7-8 weeks I offered broccoli, arugula, cilantro, Romain, leaf lettuce, green cabbage, green beans, dandelion leaves, and carrots, I don’t remember what order and not all at once. I steamed the carrots and she would eat those but I stopped giving her carrots because she was only nibbling little amounts of the other vegetables and carrots are low in calcium. I’m using the ~7% rule to feed her. I offer her the veggies right before a feeding time when I know she’s hungry. I guess I’m asking if at this age she should be eating more solid foods? I know “it” said to wait to they are eating two full blocks before introducing veggies but “it” also says start introducing veggies at 7 weeks.

As for the water I installed a water bottle at 6 1/2 weeks. I put her face on the water bottle. I put a bit of honey on the tip of the water bottle. I check that the ball is not stuck, daily. I have put a shallow dish of water in her cage and I have even put a drip of honey in the water. I have sucked up a syringe full of the honey water and put her favorite nipple on it and offered it to her and that just made her mad. :/

My last foster was 10 years ago and I’m wondering if I’m just glorifying my memories. Thinking that she ate and drank everything I gave her. :)

I’m expecting too much too soon? If so, could someone give me some tips or tricks for when the appropriate time comes for her to drink water?
Thank you

Spanky
09-11-2022, 08:25 PM
No other solids until she is eating the Henry's block well. Eating, not simply shredding.

I would remove the dish of water and stick with the water bottle... and leave it as water. Don't add anything to the water or mess with the nipple.... she will figure it out. No tricks, just takes some time... another week or two maybe. :thumbsup

HeatherRae
09-11-2022, 08:45 PM
No other solids until she is eating the Henry's block well. Eating, not simply shredding.

I would remove the dish of water and stick with the water bottle... and leave it as water. Don't add anything to the water or mess with the nipple.... she will figure it out. No tricks, just takes some time... another week or two maybe. :thumbsup


Thank you!! This is good to hear. Ricki is not really behind. I’m just ahead. Thanks again!!

HeatherRae
09-11-2022, 09:17 PM
No other solids until she is eating the Henry's block well. Eating, not simply shredding.

I would remove the dish of water and stick with the water bottle... and leave it as water. Don't add anything to the water or mess with the nipple.... she will figure it out. No tricks, just takes some time... another week or two maybe. :thumbsup


This actually leads me to another question; I feed her ~ every 5 hrs, do I stretch this out some so she’s hungry enough to eat the blocks? She gets aggressive at that 5 hr mark that’s actually why I introduced veggies. At this rate I believe she’d be perfectly confident to eat formula for the rest of her life. :)
My current routine is give her block pieces at 6:30 am then feed her at 8. She usually hasn’t touched them by that time. Then sometime before her next feeding I’ll hand her one and she’ll eat/shred/hide it. My fear in holding back feedings is dehydration thus my concern with her not drinking water. Thank you for your time!!

Spanky
09-12-2022, 04:59 AM
This actually leads me to another question; I feed her ~ every 5 hrs, do I stretch this out some so she’s hungry enough to eat the blocks? She gets aggressive at that 5 hr mark that’s actually why I introduced veggies. At this rate I believe she’d be perfectly confident to eat formula for the rest of her life. :)
My current routine is give her block pieces at 6:30 am then feed her at 8. She usually hasn’t touched them by that time. Then sometime before her next feeding I’ll hand her one and she’ll eat/shred/hide it. My fear in holding back feedings is dehydration thus my concern with her not drinking water. Thank you for your time!!

Some of them will take formula right up until release, just depends on the squirrel. Do nothing special with the block except make it available... she'll get around to it when she is ready. Singletons are always more challenging... with 3 or 4 together they start fighting over everything... "mine mine mine mine mine"... it makes some things actually much easier.