sudden refusal of formula?

[Tricia K]

Hi!
I am a first-timer caring for a baby tree squirrel here in Florida that we found late Monday. He goes to the rehabber tomorrow. He was thin when found and I've fed him esbilac alone about every 4-5 daytime hours and he's doing very well, has been eating well and his elimination is fine. He weighs 67 grams, eyes open and has little teeth. I am guessing 6 weeks old but not sure? Today however he ate about 5-6 cc's at 7:30am but now he refuses the formula. He ate one cc at lunch and won't eat now, 3:25pm this afternoon. Now I have been putting apple and grapes and avocado in there and he LOVES chewing those up. But is he eating or just chewing it up and making a gooey mess? Should I put water in there and if so in what form (I thought with plenty of formula, water was not necessary? Do I need to change the diet? Should I be concerned that he is finicky? He has not lost weight, he acts fine, sleeps well and nothing else has changed but sudden picky eating. Just sniffs the esbilac and turns his nose up. It is a rainy day, maybe he feels that. I just want him to be healthy and well when I hand him over to this nice lady who will raise him with her other babies and then she will release him to a safe wild place. THANK YOU ANYONE for any advice ideas. All you out there who help squirrels are saints. This little one changed my life forever. Tricia K

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

What a great post & caregiver you are. Reasons she may not want it..temperature, maybe its too cold or hot? Sometimes apple can cause an upset tummy, or just that shes eating different things and not as hungry?
She probably wont need water tonight. You have done a wonderful thing realising whats best for her needs, raising with another baby is of great importance..they love company and learn from each other. :bowdown :thankyou :Welcome

[Tricia K]

Thank you so much for the help! I added a little organic cream, honey, and a tiny bit of acidophilus to the esbilac and he finally ate that this afternoon at 5. He had 6cc and now weighs 70 grams, he gains a bit every day. You were right I think he just likes all the yummy real food. I hope he will love his new home with other babies his age.
I would have taken him sooner but he was so thin and weak I thought he would benefit from the extra care by himself for a few days, which he did. Now he is becoming more active and is healthy and well fed. I feel good about handing him over but I know I will miss him. And as I said this rewarding experience has changed my life in so many positive ways, I will always be grateful to this little squirrel. Thank you again for all your good work and God bless everyone who cares for the little ones. Tricia K and the baby squirrel

[pamela lee]

Thank you for taking such good care of this sweet baby. It's a very selfless thing you have chosen to do by allowing him to grow-up with other squirrels and eventually live free in the trees. Good luck little squirrel and I'm sure he will love his new home. You should be very proud for saving this babies life.
God Bless
Pamela

[Tricia K]

Thanks so much for the help and kind words! I did want to put a few pictures here. I just dropped him off at the nice lady rehabber here. She has 20 years experience raising baby squirrels. I was a bit concerned about him going in the pen with three babies slightly older or at least bigger than he is. I guess I am looking for reassurance. He is actually only three to four weeks old she said. She did not have any that were his exact size.

I am including a photo of the first evening we found him, feeding, when he was very thin. Then a picture of him with the new squirrel family, he is the littlest one on the far left in every photo. He seemed to settle in but looked nervous.

I also want to just ask for prayers that everything works out for his best. All the other ages of her squirrels looked very healthy and happy. Everyone gets raised outside with sun exposure in warm sunny pens or cages with covering. The babies are on a screen porch in pens and then are brought in at night. This rehabber has a great system. I will be gone for one week and then plan on returning to visit to see how he is doing.

Thanks so much for replies. I am a first time mom and just want so much for him to be happy and safe and healthy and grow up into a thriving wild squirrel. Thank you again to everyone who read this and for the kind replies of the people who wrote back, I am very grateful! Tricia and the Squirrelly-in-a-new-home

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

:wave123 He looks close enough in age that he will be fine. After you are gone for the week I would ask the lady if maybe you can come and help her out feeding the babies rehabbers are always grateful for any help.
You would also be able to help out with your little guy and learn, Honestly I think you would make an excellent helper.

[4skwerlz]

Awww. He looks like he's holding his own with the bigger squirrels. Look at that tail over his back! I don't know why the lady said 3-4 wks???? But like you said, if the other squirrels look healthy and happy, that's all that matters. Good luck, little guy.:Love_Icon

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Awwwwwwwwwww! I am sure he will love his new friends. Don't worry, they are close enough in age to all go together. I have had two squirrels become good friends that were 6 weeks apart. It took some work, but they did learn to love eachother. What happened was a pinky came in really late in the year and the next youngest baby was about 7 weeks old. Here is a picture of them when I first left them alone unsupervised:

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/4bunnies/LuckyandCodycuteNov.jpg

This was the size difference at first:

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/4bunnies/babysquirrels042.jpg


So don't worry, your squirrel will love his new friends!

[Tricia K]

Thanks tons for all the positive words, stories and photos! Made me feel SO much better. And the rehabber called this evening and said when she went out to feed mine he was curled up with the others asleep like he had been there the whole time. She said he ate fine. I am pleased! When I return from the trip I will ask if I can help feed. I did offer to pick babies up from the humane society or spca if she ever needed help.

I've been reading all these posts to learn more in case it ever happens again. I did not find this squirrel board early enough unfortunately and I am very sad about that because it is a great resource. I found a second baby squirrel two days after finding the first, and it was going into hypoglycemic shock with legs out and neck arched back, it had been without food for days and out in the cold at night (this despite my looking multiple times every day all over the yard for any more babies). I warmed it and force-fed gently small amounts of electrolytes, and thought I had it revived, there was diarrhea and it at least sat up and moved around. I kept putting in the electrolytes but there was never a sucking motion, just swallowing what I put in with weakness. And this was the night I could not reach the rehabber by phone, and did not know about this resource. The second baby died the next morning. I cried and cried. I did a thousand what-ifs in my head, what could I do differently next time to pull one through an immediate crisis until I can get it professional help asap. So I am glad I found this board. And I also know where the rehabber lives now.

The first baby is doing fine. It taught me so much. I have great faith restored in humanity after reading about all the animal lovers here. I thought I was alone in saving every animal. Thank you again for photos, info and guidance. Many blessings to all here..... Tricia

[island rehabber]

Tricia K you sound like a wonderful person and I'm so glad you're here with us. You've done a great job with your squirrel baby and I agree that you'd make an excellent helper/volunteer, and maybe eventually a rehabber if you're crazy enough :D. I felt so sad when I read about your second baby squirrel with the hypoglycemic shock -- I lost one like that last year, exact same back-arched position, and I did the exact same what-ifs all night along, crying hysterically. We never get used to losing them. But there will be many many more to save!

[Tricia K]

Thank you so much everyone for your words of support and consolation and help! I still cry about losing the one, still beating myself up. I am out at sea now so have been offline till today and will be back home tomorrow and will be able to check on the one that I gave to the rehabber for care. I KNOW I will be rehabbing squirrels one day, I can feel it! It was one of the best experiences of my whole life and I am SO GRATEFUL to the baby squirrels for teaching me so much, and to everyone here at Squirrel Board for understanding the love of a wild critter. What a blessing from God! And on my bed this evening was a little towel animal - in the shape of a squirrel - ha! I send prayers for all those who are caring for babies and grown squirrels doing God's work on the planet! God bless all of your beautiful souls! I am going to plan a squirrel painting to honor them next. Blessings, Tricia

[Mars]

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[Tricia K]

Hi Everyone,
I returned from my trip Friday but have not been able to reach the rehabber yet (pest that I am I call and leave a nice message every day - How is he?). Needless to say I am worrying about my baby squirrel and how he is faring. After reading how most wild squirrels have very short life spans, I am wondering if it was such a good idea to give him up. I want to do what is best and raising him with other babies looked best at the time. I am hoping he is ok and that I will be reassured when I visit him that placing him with other babies was the right thing to do. It’s painful to let it go! I want to visit every week till he is released to see him grow. I feel responsible for him because I found him and spent a week helping him regain health. I am just asking for prayers that he is safe and healthy and happy and that I made the right choice to give him up to be raised wild for eventual release. I don’t want to end up regretting that decision and wish I had kept him to raise myself. I know everyone says they don’t make good pets but I read both sides. I never wanted one as a pet but I never had one crawl into my hands either. Hmmmmm no one said how hard this would be or how many tears. Thanks for listening.
Prayers please. Sorry I am a worrywart.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Tricia your among good company we raise squirrels everyday and the game plan is to get them back to their natural home in the trees. It is never easy, when the day comes and your little one can be released hopefully you can be there to see and feel the excitment in his eyes as he climbs his first tree.
There is nothing that I know of that comes close to this tearful/joyful feeling.
Over a year ago I asked the same question to this group who was much smaller did I do the right thing??? I was so worried for their safety, and happiness...when they left they never looked back.
Take it from someone who's been in your shoes you have done the right thing!!:thumbsup
And continue on studying and learning...someday you can raise many more believe me there is no shortage.
There are so many to help. Your baby will be fine, your heartbreak will ease and your squirrel will be happy honest.:Love_Icon

[Gabe]

Tricia, I know it is very hard to watch them grow up and move out. But that is the way of their life. He will be free and love roaming the tree tops with his friends. Think of all the happy thoughts he is having right now snuggling up with other squirrels when he goes to bed at night, wrestling and playing with his new friends. As hard as it is to let go, you did do the right thing and if he were able, he would thank you.:thankyou

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Hi Tricia. I know it's been hard on you, but your baby will be a lot happier to have brothers to wrestle with as he grows, and snuggle with at night. If you have a safe, spacious yard, perhaps you could ask the center about assisting with his release.

Prayers coming your way as you are missing your little one.