Pinkie grey squirrel in the UK – worried he is not thriving. Can you help?

[CheekyHackee]

Hi! I’m a complete squirrel newbie and I hope you can help me. I’m based in the UK, so bear with me in terms of what is advised and available here. Ten days ago I found what I think was a two/three day old baby grey squirrel on the pavement. Based on that, we think he is about 12 days old now. His bottom teeth have recently come through and he is getting fur on his body. He still has the stump of his umbilical cord.

When I found him he was really cold and wriggling around. It was just before sundown and given that we could not see a nest anywhere, no mum, but lots of cats around I decided to pick him up and take him to the vet (around the corner). We were lucky that a lovely nurse took pity on him and helped me. She warmed and hydrated him and gave me supplies to feed him at home. Here they recommend Royal Canin powered puppy milk for baby squirrels, so that is what I have been feeding him following his hydration feeds (originally I added some added single cream, to the milk but I dropped that after reading that this may not be ideal for babies).

When I found him he had severe bruising on his head, some small puncture marks on his body and a few days in developed an angry looking infection on his chin. Luckily that cleared up by itself. The bruising on his head cleared too and other than a swelling on his leg (hopefully you can see it in the picture), he seems ok now injury-wise. The nurse thinks that this may have been a result for the fall still. See pictures.

The first couple of days I worked toward getting 5% of his body weight in him milk-wise though I have found it hard (totally new to this and terrified of AP, so have been super careful). He has been putting on weight steadily, though feeds take a long time (30-45 mins easily now). He was 13gr when found him (so tiny!) and he is 25gr now, ten days later, so he put on 12gr in 10 days, which seems ok (is it?).

What worries me now is that he is not exactly ‘plump’, which I keep seeing is what you want them to look like. I have been reading a lot of threads about the dangers of underfeeding and babies not thriving, so I have been trying really hard to hit at least 5% of his body weight with each feed, steadily working my way towards 6% (and up). After some challenges with feeding him every 2/3 hours (milk line wouldn’t disappeared fully), I have now dropped to every 4 hours (including at night) and I give him additional hydration (diluted warmed apple juice) in between. This works better and I can get the full feed in him, though he is not easy to feed, which is why it takes so long. I have tried everything to make it easier; wrap him in a warm blanket, make sure the milk is really hot, but nothing seems to work that well. Hopefully that will improve as he gets older!

Could you have a look at the pictures of what he looks now please and let me know what you think? Please note, he is not on towels anymore after I read about the dangers! I went for a check-up at the vet’s yesterday and the nurse who has been helping me thought his body condition was fine, though she is not a squirrel expert, so I turn to you. What do you think? The last two pictures are from today. Any thoughts on what more I can do to help him thrive? I’m very willing! :)

Thank you so much in advance for any help you can give me. I’m totally sleep deprived from the night feeds, but really want him to pull through! My little girl has named him Cheeky Hackee and we are all very fond of him. He’s a real little character! Sorry for the essay…


When we found him and injuries:
323125

323126

323127

323128

323129

Now:
323130

323131

[Spanky]

My little girl has named him Cheeky Hackee and we are all very fond of him. He’s a real little character! Sorry for the essay…

Your little him appears to be a girl... :grin2


What worries me now is that he is not exactly ‘plump’, which I keep seeing is what you want them to look like. I have been reading a lot of threads about the dangers of underfeeding and babies not thriving, so I have been trying really hard to hit at least 5% of his body weight with each feed, steadily working my way towards 6% (and up). After some challenges with feeding him every 2/3 hours (milk line wouldn’t disappeared fully), I have now dropped to every 4 hours (including at night) and I give him additional hydration (diluted warmed apple juice) in between. This works better and I can get the full feed in him, though he is not easy to feed, which is why it takes so long. I have tried everything to make it easier; wrap him in a warm blanket, make sure the milk is really hot, but nothing seems to work that well. Hopefully that will improve as he gets older!

Not exactly plump, that is accurate... but not terribly thin. How much diluted apple juice are you giving between feedings.. and is this between every feeding?

The Royal Canine is proper formula for a baby squirrel.

At this stage she should really be getting fed every 3 hours, but you are correct to wait on the milk line.

323134

[CheekyHackee]

Your little him appears to be a girl... :grin2

Not exactly plump, that is accurate... but not terribly thin. How much diluted apple juice are you giving between feedings.. and is this between every feeding?

The Royal Canine is proper formula for a baby squirrel.

At this stage she should really be getting fed every 3 hours, but you are correct to wait on the milk line.

323134

Thank you so much Spanky!

She's a girl!!! I'll let the nurse at the vet's know. She was adamant it was a boy :grin2

I give her (!) 0.5 ml apple juice roughly between every other feed, though not in the night. So not very much. And today I noticed she was peeing quite a bit so my sense is that 1ml apple juice a day should be enough. Or should I drop it all together?

When I was feeding her every 2/3 hours she just wouldn't take the milk and her milk line was still really visible, hence dropping to every 4 to make sure milk line had cleared. Should I try to get back to every 3 hours? Happy to try that tomorrow.

Thanks for your advice! :)

[Spanky]

Yes, I would attempt every 3 hours... then 3 1/2 hours if 3 is too soon.

If you want to continue the hydration, use just plain water... but if she were to eat 5% every 3 hours hydration would not be necessary.

[CheekyHackee]

Thank you so much for this advice Spanky! I wanted to give you an update on how I got on yesterday. I started with the feeds every 3 hours to see how we'd get on and to my surprise it worked so much better than it had a few days ago. For most feeds she was able to take 6% of her body weight and as a result had a total of 8.5ml of milk compared to 6.1ml of milk + 1ml of juice (7.1 ml in total) the day before. Really pleased with that!

She’s also eliminating better than before and seems much more regular. Her wees are still frequent and indeed the milk alone must be keeping her fully hydrated. She continues to put on weight too and is 27gr now (put on 2gr). Overall, I think she looks a bit more bulked up too.

One thing that I wasn’t entirely sure about is that for the late evening feed at 23:15 her milk-line was still quite visible, although it had definitely gone down a lot from the feed before. I still went ahead with the feed and she took it all, but it would be good to get some feedback on that milk-line. Because she was quite full after that late evening feed I gave her 4 hours until the next feed in the night. And then only left 3 hours to the one after that.

Some picture below. Thanks again so much for your quick response and advice. I felt really supported and I’m delighted she continues to do well. Long may it last! :)

Milk-line still visible (ok to feed again?)
323205

Milk-line after the feed
323206

Looking full after feed
323207

Milk coma after feed (cosy in her nest)
323208

Looking a bit bulkier this morning pre feed
323209

[CritterMom]

A couple feeding tricks:

Make the formula warmer than you think it should be. For whatever reason, they prefer formula that is quite a bit warmer than a mama squirrel could ever produce even with the highest fever! It is important to keep it warm throughout the feeding, which can be difficult when they take a while.

Fill a mug with quite warm water so that if you drop your feeding syringe tip down in the mug, the water comes almost to the top of the barrel. Once you fill the syringes with warm formula, you can drop them in the hot water mug until you are ready, then grab them to feed. If you only get part of a syringe into HER :grin2 and she gets fussy, drop it back in the hot water to keep the temp up. See if she needs to potty. Then get your still nice and warm formula syringe and continue feeding. They will ABSOLUTELY balk at eating if the temp isn't high enough.

[CheekyHackee]

Thank you so much CritterMom! I *thought* I was giving it hot already (this was key in what you wrote: 'Make the formula warmer than you think it should be'). I was already doing as you suggested, keeping syringes warm in a tall cup of boiling water. I just fed her and adjusted two things: I made sure syringes were fully submerged (they weren't before); and I gave her the milk even hotter. I always test it on my wrist first and when they first come out and the milk nearly scalds my wrist I leave them for a little bit. This time I left it for less time and then tried and she drank the first one almost without stopping. So I was clearly not giving it hot enough. The second one she was fussier over, but even with that the feeding time was pretty much cut in half, so hopefully this wasn't a one off. Thanks again so much! :D

[CheekyHackee]

Cheeky is continuing to do well. She's still on feeds every 3 hours, which is a good schedule for her. She lost her umbilical cord stump last night and now weighs 30gr. :)
I'll take her to the vet again in a couple of days to check on her leg. Her joint is still swollen, so keeping a close eye on it.

323214

[CritterMom]

Aw. It is sort of difficult when you are doing all you can to keep them warm, but can you discern a difference in temperature at the swollen joint?

[CheekyHackee]

Thanks CritterMom! Good idea! I just fed her and tried to do this (assessed it with my upper lip), but I could not feel an obvious difference; as in it was warmer than the rest of her leg. But it was not easy because she is so tiny. What I did not notice is that it looks like it might be going down. Some pictures below for comparison:

This is from almost a week ago
323215

This is from this afternoon
323216

323217

Both legs from this afternoon
323218

To me seeing these images side by side, it looks maybe a bit less angry now. What do think? It also looks like the location of the swelling has moved slightly?
I'll take her to vet on Thursday to have it checked again. When the nurse saw her last week she thought she may have dislocated it at some point, most likely linked to the fall originally. I don't know because I don't have clear pictures of that leg from when we first got her. When she crawls around in her nest I sometimes think she is being more careful with it than the other leg.

Taking these new pictures I noticed her skin looks a bit dry. Should I do anything about that? I could put some coconut oil to moisturise it. What do you think?

[CritterMom]

It does look a little smaller. That's good!

Instead of rubbing oil on her, wad up some paper towels, place in a heavy ceramic mug, and thoroughly saturate them and make sure you have an inch or two of water in the mug with the towel sticking up above the water surface. Place it in her container right on top of the heat source. The paper towel will wick moisture into the air around her and the heat will help that happen faster. Sauna! The mug is too heavy to tip over so you can leave it in with her. Dump and replace towels and water at least once a day.

[CheekyHackee]

Yes, the leg seems to look a bit better. She's definitely using it, so hopefully it's improving. She's still eating well and putting on weight (31gr now).

Thanks for the 'sauna' idea. I had wondered if keeping her in a cardboard box had contributed to her skin drying out... :embar Plus we've put the central heating back on so that may have had a drying effect as well. In any case I've rigged something up today. I've put her box in a larger plastic box with a divider so that she cannot get to the glasses with the water. They're covered with fabric and secured with elastic bands as well just in case she does somehow climb over. The sides are also protected with fabric so she would never be able to touch the glass directly.

She's not on a heating pad, but on a hot water bottle (wrapped in a towel with a tea towel over it so she doesn't snag in the towel). I change that every four hours (I have two boxes with a hot water bottle each, so when once starts to cool, I pop her on the new one). That's worked well so far, but I'm happy to look into upgrading the setup as she is getting older. At the moment she doesn't really leave her nest (inside of a hood of a winter coat), but I realise that as she gets older she will need to have a different set up.

In any case she seems to be enjoying the steam. You can see her little pink body exposed (she did that so it must feel good). When I put my hand in the box it did feel pleasingly warm and humid. I can give her steams like this in the day time when I can regularly keep an eye on her, but will take it out at night.

Thanks again for the useful tip! Really appreciate the support of this community :D

Cheeky sauna
323227

[CheekyHackee]

Took her to the vet today and the nurse who has been helping us had a vet take a quick look at her too. They now think that the bump on her leg is not related to a joint as it seems to have moved up. They were not sure what it was so we'll keep an eye on it, but agreed that it looked better than last week.

They agreed that it would be good for me to continue with mini squirrel saunas for Cheeky to deal with her dry skin. After my experiments yesterday I decided to treat her to a humidifier. Messing with glasses of hot water worries me, so this will hopefully be a good solution for us. That comes tomorrow.

She's continuing to put on weight, 34gr now, and eating much better than before. She's on 2ml per feed now, which seemed unimaginable just a week ago. She's become a lot of more active as well, which is lovely to see :Love_Icon

I was very impressed that the vet had a quick look at her for free. And the nurse has been really supportive too (has never charged me for anything). Really happy and genuinely touched that little Miss Cheeky has so much support, including from this wonderful community! :o

[CritterMom]

You are very, very lucky. This story is in NO way representative of the experiences of every other person from the UK who have stumbled on gray squirrels due to their invasive label. Send those folks a basket of muffins or something!

[CheekyHackee]

Totally agree! I have learned a lot about the status of grey squirrels in the UK these last two weeks...:eek We've been with that veterinary clinic for over twenty years for our pets, but still I have been very moved by their immediate willingness to help this tiny baby and to see her for free once a week to support me. I honestly did not realise what I was taking on when I found her so to have this support around the corner has been such a blessing. And the nurse is so keen to follow Cheeky's progress and always so happy to hear that she continues to do well, so it's already been quite a profound experience for us all. My family included. And will 100% treat them to some baked goods next week. That's a great idea :)

[CheekyHackee]

Cheeky has been doing great so far. Was putting on 2-3gr a day and eating quite well. Today I noticed that she was a bit lacklustre and just not as feisty and energetic as normal. She has been eating 6% of her body weight and toileting well. I did notice that she was peeing quite a bit, but wasn't sure if it was something to worry about. Her skin is still quite dry and I have a humidifier in with her for parts of the day. This evening after her feed I checked her skin and feel that it didn't go down quickly enough. Should I feed her water in between her feeds for a while? She's getting fed every 3.5 hours now (she'll be 3 weeks on Tuesday). I was feeding her diluted apple juice last week, but I was advised that plain water is better (should this be cooled boiled water?). I'm a bit worried now that she is not able to get the required nutrition from her milk. She hasn't put on any weight today yet either which worries me. Please let me know what I can do to help her!

323258

[CritterMom]

Yes, I definitely would start water or water with a tiny pinch of sugar or a drop of honey between feedings - her skin looks lax.

Weather you boil and cool depends on your water supply. It won't hurt for sure.

[CritterMom]

Do you have a thermometer to measure what the temp is in his nest? I am concerned about the hot water bottles - it is so difficult to regulate temp but it is so important. Do they sell heating pads there? The best ones are pads that don't have a "safety" auto-turnoff feature.

[CheekyHackee]

Thanks CritterMom! Will do. I'll start her on plain water for now and see how she goes. How much should I give her? Maybe 1ml for now? I really hope she'll be back to her perky self in no time, I've gotten so attached to her. She's such a sweet little soul.

[CheekyHackee]

Thanks for the additional thoughts re: her heating CritterMom. I change the hot water bottle every four hours and I check her regularly. She always seems nice and warm to the touch. Are you concerned that she might be getting too warm? Or just that the temperature fluctuates too much? I'm super happy to buy a heating pad, but so far I have not been able to find any without the auto switch off setting, which is why I hadn't yet.

This is what is available on Amazon in the UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=small+pet+heating+pad+without+auto+turn+off&crid=38IBH2V8IBGCM&sprefix=small+pet+heating+pad+without+auto+turn+of f%2Caps%2C51&ref=nb_sb_noss

If there are any that you can recommend I will but it this evening and it can come tomorrow.

[CritterMom]

Um, don't look for PET heating pads - they will cost you way more money! I am talking about the square ones YOU lay on when you hurt your back or something.

If all you can find are auto turnoff, see if you can find a "multi on/off appliance timer" - people use them to turn lights on and off to make the house look occupied, etc. If you get one with multiple on/off settings, you can use it to trick the heating pad.

If the pad turns off after 3 hours for example, set your appliance timer to be ON for 2.5 hours and OFF for 15 minutes, then ON for another 2.5 hours and so on. 15 minutes will hardly allow it to cool but once it turns on it is ready to go for another 2.5 hours...

Yes, I am a little concerned - and I may be totally wrong, but I am looking for a reason for the baby to be getting dehydrated and too much heat at some point would certainly do that. I am grasping at straws - but regardless, the heating pad is a far superior method.

[CheekyHackee]

So the ones for humans are even more expensive (maybe a UK thing?) and all seem to switch off after 90 mins. Re-reading the descriptions on some of the pet ones, this one does seem to have a 24-hour on function: https://www.amazon.co.uk/NICREW-Heating-Electric-Temperature-Adjustable/dp/B09LCZL59X/ref=sr_1_6?crid=19XVSWYVXAI4L&keywords=pet+heating+pad+without+auto+turn+off&qid=1664741180&sprefix=pet+heating+pad+without+auto+turn+off%2Cap s%2C200&sr=8-6 I totally missed that a few days ago! It says: 'Choose the heating time from 4, 8, 12 hours or 24 hours stay on feature for constant heat'. So I'll get that one, which can arrive tomorrow.

And yes, maybe you're right, maybe that is what happened, that she got too hot at one point. It's possible. She just took 1ml of warm water and was very energetic again. I'll redo her box as soon as the heat pad arrives. Can send pictures once done so you can let me know if it's the best set up for her. Thanks so much for thinking with me! How high should the setting be for her when I turn it on?

[CritterMom]

Given that they probably have a range depending on brand, etc., I would turn it on to medium and let it get heated up - like preheating an oven - and then just start checking it - try and see what happens at low setting - does it stay nice and warm or is it getting cool? Once you figure out where it wants to be it should stay pretty constant. Yes, by all means, post pics!

[CritterMom]

OK, I checked the dog beds out. These are not like a human heating pad - which get very hot. That is why we put them UNDER the container the baby is in, so the heat has to penetrate the container and the bedding before it gets to the squirrel. These don't get very hot at all - I honestly don't know if they get hot enough. You will, at least, NOT want to put them under the container - he will very likely need to sleep right on the bed itself. Do some temp checks when you get it to see.

[CheekyHackee]

Thanks for looking at the pet bed I purchased, CritterMom. You're right, it doesn't get very hot. We did a test and the highest setting seems to be the best. It's nice and warm to the touch and keeps her nest lovely and warm. I wrapped the pad in an old t-shirt and put the whole thing in a plastic box. It's snug fit but I think it works. I then put her nest on top. So far she never leaves the comfort of her nest, she is very snug in there. When she gets a bit older she might explore the box more, but I have also been looking at what kind of cage to get her for then.

The only thing with the current set up is that there is no way to escape the pad. But as it's not very hot I'm not sure if that's an issue. Let me know what you think. The only way to address that is to go and find/buy a bigger box, which I can definitely do when she starts to wander out. I'm feeding her every 3.5 hours now (5% of her body weight) with 1ml water in between during the day. I'm not sure the 3.5 hours is working that well though. I just fed her and it took a long time for her to take the second syringe. Should I stretch her to every 4 hours and see? She's three weeks tomorrow and weighs 43gr.

323262

323263

323264

323265

323266

323267

[CheekyHackee]

As it turned out the highest setting (6) was too high. I went to check on her frequently initially and after about an hour or so she had left the nest and was sleeping outside it. The nest had clearly gotten a bit too hot for her. I turned the pad down to a medium setting (4) and that seems to be the sweet spot. She stays in the nest at that setting and it's always pleasantly warm.

323272

In terms of her being a bit dehydrated yesterday, I've been giving her 1ml of warm water in between feeds and according to this video I found on here on how to rehydrate a squirrel (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XjPMVq7Tq2g&ab_channel=squirrelsandmorellc) she seems to be hydrated again. Her pulled skin goes down in two seconds (or less).

The only challenge that remains is that she is quite fussy eater. She will usually eat her first syringe quite well, but then loses interest fast with the second one and feeding her that takes ages. I feel like I've tried lots of different things and keep a close eye on the milk being hot enough. Hopefully her being fully hydrated will improve her appetite. Her weight gain has also slowed down, she's only put on 1gr today. In recent days I had gotten used to 2-3gr a day. Fingers crossed that picks up again as well when she starts to eat a bit more again (she was on 6%, now dropped back to 5%). I don't think she looks skinny though.

[CritterMom]

Aw. So cute.

A lot of people begin adding things to the formula to both boost it in fat specifically, and also in flavor. Here in the US we can get a dried version made by one of the formula manufacturers to add in, but you could do it the old way.

Can you get full fat (whole milk) yogurt there? Here in the US 99% is low or no fat, but there ARE a few. A flavor would be best - vanilla is popular. It can't have chunks of fruit or anything. In the US there is a brand that is marketed for infants and toddlers that is perfect. Full fat vanilla yogurt is one "add in". The other is heavy cream. If you can get this stuff you may be able to add some flavor she likes a lot more than what she has now. My little flyer Laz was sort of a uninterested nurser, but when I added some yogurt and a little cream, I remember his eyes flew open is very happy shock and he started grabbing for the syringe!

If you decide to try, tell me how much formula you mix up each day so I can figure out how much of each to add. You would start with a very small amount and add a little bit more each day.

[CheekyHackee]

Thanks CritterMom, that definitely gives me hope! I got two types of fuller fat yoghurt today: a Greek one with 10.1% fat and a vanilla one from the same brand with 5.8% fat. I had bought some double cream before but never used it and that is past its sell by date now, so I'll get some more. I normally make a batch based on two teaspoons of milk powder and four teaspoons of hot water. How much yoghurt and cream should I add to that?

Also, today, she did eat better. She had 2.5ml before and was keen to take the first two syringes, so I'm hopeful that her enthusiasm will increase further with some added yoghurt and cream! :grin2

[CritterMom]

Thanks CritterMom, that definitely gives me hope! I got two types of fuller fat yoghurt today: a Greek one with 10.1% fat and a vanilla one from the same brand with 5.8% fat. I had bought some double cream before but never used it and that is past its sell by date now, so I'll get some more. I normally make a batch based on two teaspoons of milk powder and four teaspoons of hot water. How much yoghurt and cream should I add to that?

Also, today, she did eat better. She had 2.5ml before and was keen to take the first two syringes, so I'm hopeful that her enthusiasm will increase further with some added yoghurt and cream! :grin2

First, a question: do you make up your formula fresh for each feeding, or do you make a batch large enough for the day? Your best bet is the second - make up enough for 24 hours all at once and keep under refrigeration. The formula powder really does best it it is mixed with the water and allowed to sit for at least a few hours before it is fed with. It takes a bit for the powder to absorb as much water as possible. It goes into solution at first - mixes up and thickens some but if you threw it on a slide and looked at it under a microscope you would see unabsorbed formula powder. And hour or two later? Everything has absorbed and is as digestible as it can get.



First, go for the vanilla flavored yogurt. I would start small - 1/4 teaspoon of the yogurt and about 1/8 teaspoon of the double cream, which google told me is much heavier and has way more fat than our "whipping" cream. If you make the formula very hot to mix it up initially, allow it to cool down before adding the yogurt to help preserve the probiotic effect. See how her tummy does with that - it is a pretty small ratio there. If she seems to like it, after a day or so you can double the yogurt and add add a little more of the cream.

[CheekyHackee]

Hi! Yes, I make the formula in advance (ideally two hours before I feed her) and then make enough for 24 hours and keep it in the fridge. When I first found her I read that this was the best approach. I also make sure it has no lumps or anything by pushing it all through a tiny strainer, so it's super smooth.

I was thinking the same actually; that the double cream might be too heavy to begin with so I'll get some single cream instead which is like your whipping cream. And presumably I can then add a bit more? So this is what I'll make tomorrow:

2 teaspoons milk powder
4 teaspoons warm water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla yoghurt
1/4 teaspoon single cream


Does that sound right? And as you suggest I'll add the yoghurt and cream when the milk has cooled. Excited to try this! :grin3

[CheekyHackee]

Vanilla milk please! :o

323291

[CritterMom]

Yes - one part of each. Has she tried it yet?

[CheekyHackee]

No, not yet. I'm putting words in her mouth hahaha. I had just made a fresh batch of milk so I'll make this tomorrow when I have the cream. I'll report back!

[CritterMom]

The little beseeching clasped hands - such a little drama queen.

[CheekyHackee]

She's got a lot of spirit, that's for sure!

[CheekyHackee]

Tried the new formula mix (last two feeds), but she didn't seem to really notice the difference unfortunately... She did however put on quite a bit of weight today and jumped from 45gr to 49gr, so hopefully with the new booster formula that will only increase.

[CheekyHackee]

Cheeky is drinking the new formula well. Taking 3ml at every feed now (she's 51gr). Because she has continued to do well I am slowly allowing myself to imagine that she might make it (found it very hard to think beyond an hour at a time when I found her and she was only 13gr and looked so beaten up).

I know she's still tiny and lots can still happen but at the same time I want to start thinking about how her needs will evolve. So I have been reading up on weaning and cages as well as plans for releasing her eventually. Because of where we live she would need to overwinter with us and we can then build her a release cage in the spring (various neighbours have already said they are keen to help, which is fantastic. In fact our street WhatsApp group is 90% squirrel content at the moment, lol).

It seems that most people recommend the Critter Nation cages (the double one) and I would be happy to get one of those (and then ideally sell on when she is released), but am wondering if she might benefit from something a bit smaller in between. Looking on various sites, I would value thoughts on this cage that I found on Ebay. It's 90cm tall and 60cm wide. I was thinking it could work from 8 weeks on, when she doesn't need her heating pad anymore. When she's outgrown this I can bite the bullet and get the CN one. Again neighbours have said they'll contribute too.

323301

323302

323303

323304

And I should say that it's been hard to find anything suitable that is either nearby or that people are willing to post. As we don't drive, I need to find a solution that is nearby if I'm going for second hand. But something might come up still instead of a brand new CN one. Anyway, thoughts very welcome on this possible in between cage from about 8 weeks (it's $20 incl. delivery). The seller said they kept chipmunks in it.

[Spanky]

This would be a great "juvenile" cage but he'd outgrow this one rather quickly. He'll need more space for overwintering for sure... like the CN size cage.

[Tiniest]

Aw. So cute.

A lot of people begin adding things to the formula to both boost it in fat specifically, and also in flavor. Here in the US we can get a dried version made by one of the formula manufacturers to add in, but you could do it the old way.

Can you get full fat (whole milk) yogurt there? Here in the US 99% is low or no fat, but there ARE a few. A flavor would be best - vanilla is popular. It can't have chunks of fruit or anything. In the US there is a brand that is marketed for infants and toddlers that is perfect. Full fat vanilla yogurt is one "add in". The other is heavy cream. If you can get this stuff you may be able to add some flavor she likes a lot more than what she has now. My little flyer Laz was sort of a uninterested nurser, but when I added some yogurt and a little cream, I remember his eyes flew open is very happy shock and he started grabbing for the syringe!

If you decide to try, tell me how much formula you mix up each day so I can figure out how much of each to add. You would start with a very small amount and add a little bit more each day.

As a heads up, in the states I’ve been using Icelandic provisions vanilla skyr. It’s very high fat and low sugar!! 11grams of protein, 7 grams of fat, and 9 sugars. It does thicken the formula when chilled but once warmed it loosens up again.

[Tashahaven]

Cheeky is drinking the new formula well. Taking 3ml at every feed now (she's 51gr). Because she has continued to do well I am slowly allowing myself to imagine that she might make it (found it very hard to think beyond an hour at a time when I found her and she was only 13gr and looked so beaten up).

I know she's still tiny and lots can still happen but at the same time I want to start thinking about how her needs will evolve. So I have been reading up on weaning and cages as well as plans for releasing her eventually. Because of where we live she would need to overwinter with us and we can then build her a release cage in the spring (various neighbours have already said they are keen to help, which is fantastic. In fact our street WhatsApp group is 90% squirrel content at the moment, lol).

It seems that most people recommend the Critter Nation cages (the double one) and I would be happy to get one of those (and then ideally sell on when she is released), but am wondering if she might benefit from something a bit smaller in between. Looking on various sites, I would value thoughts on this cage that I found on Ebay. It's 90cm tall and 60cm wide. I was thinking it could work from 8 weeks on, when she doesn't need her heating pad anymore. When she's outgrown this I can bite the bullet and get the CN one. Again neighbours have said they'll contribute too.

323301

323302

323303

323304

And I should say that it's been hard to find anything suitable that is either nearby or that people are willing to post. As we don't drive, I need to find a solution that is nearby if I'm going for second hand. But something might come up still instead of a brand new CN one. Anyway, thoughts very welcome on this possible in between cage from about 8 weeks (it's $20 incl. delivery). The seller said they kept chipmunks in it.


OH MY GOODNESS, can I RELATE to how HEARTBREAKING, and difficult it is to “control” your emotional “commitment” (for COMPLETE LACK OF BETTER WORDS…im SUPER EXHAUSTED and basically in zombie mode myself at the moment so probably shouldn’t be posting lol)

Giving ALL of yourself and doing EVERYTHING you can possible, trying any and everything, desperately searching for answers, re-arranging your entire world, so you can provide and help this ITTY BITTY baby, hanging on every breath and movement, LOVING them completely. But still being SCARED to get TOO hopeful, or plan too far ahead, out of fear of not knowing what’s in store in 15 minutes.

a rather long winded explanation (that’s me. Nothing new) of me saying…you are NOT alone! And you are amazing! Thank you for loving so much and caring for this baby so well! I’m so delighted and comforted she has such a kind and caring person!

🥰🥰💕💕❤️❤️💕💕🥰🥰

[CheekyHackee]

Posting a little update on Miss Cheeky as it’s been a while. Life got a bit crazy these last couple of weeks, so it’s been tough to post... :facepalm

Cheeky is five weeks now and continues to do well. She’s 96gr and puts on roughly 4gr every day. She’s still on the Royal Canin puppy milk with added full fat vanilla flavoured Greek yoghurt plus single cream. I’ve changed the ratios a bit, so now I make 3 teaspoons formula (plus 6 teaspoons water), with 1 teaspoon yoghurt and 1 teaspoon cream. She gets that every 4 hours and now takes about 5.5ml/6ml per feed.

She’s still not wild about getting fed and it still takes me at least 30 minutes to get 6ml in her, but it’s better than it was. She toilets well and is getting a lot more active. She’s trying to walk and climb a lot more which is super cute. Her eyes are still closed but I’m hoping they’ll open this week. We’re going away for a week on Sunday so I really hope I don’t miss it! I’m hopeful that she can stay with the vet for that week, to be confirmed tomorrow. Alternatively, our babysitter said they can take her too. They’re fab with animals.

Just need to make sure I feel 100% about whoever takes her as I would feel incredibly guilty if her care slipped while I was on holiday. It’s not been easy finding someone, but I’m confident I’ll have a good plan in place by tomorrow. Because I’ll need time to prep for the handover etc. So much more complicated than with our dog, lol!

Her leg seems to be healing really well and the bump she had near her right joint is barely noticeable now. It doesn’t seem to impact her movements, but I’ll get her checked again tomorrow. Hat tip to CritterMom for reminding me how lucky I am to have our vet and for suggesting to bring them some baked goods. We got the lovely nurse who has been helping us a few bags of luxury biscuits to share with colleagues and they were very well received.

Now that Cheeky is getting close to being able to take solids I have been doing a lot of research to see if I might be able to find a UK equivalent to the Henry’s blocks. And as many UK members before me have found, I too have failed so ended up calling Henry’s last week to see if they thought the blocks would stay good in transit. They did, so I risked it and got it on express delivery ($73 delivery charge, ouch!). Ordered on Thursday and they arrived today. They look good to me and I cannot see any sign of mould. I got a bag of picky, a healthy and a hazelnut. I also got a bag of Fox Valley 20/50, the Ultraboost and the probiotic.

I have a few questions in relation to introducing her to solids:

1. Because we are going away for a week, is it better if I hold off on introducing her to the blocks until we come back? She’ll be 7 weeks by then. Or could I start her this week already, even though she hasn’t opened her eyes yet? I’m assuming that the eyes opening is a key milestone in relation to introducing solids, but want to make sure. Would appreciate a steer on this.
2. I just put the blocks in the freezer as they were. With that little sachet to keep them dry still in it. Should I remove that?
3. Would you recommend that I start to change her to the Fox Valley before we go away? I’ve just been thinking that for the week that we are away it will be easier to either keep her on the Royal Canin with added FV probiotic and ultraboost OR change her over completely to FV 20/50 with the probiotic and ultraboost. I just think messing around with yoghurt and cream is a bit too much to ask for whoever looks after her that week.

I got her two new cages as well; the larger one I showed before from Ebay which should hopefully come this week and then today I picked up a smaller one for the week away. An almost new hamster cage that looks really good and I’m soaking at the moment. She should be comfortable in that. The hamster cage came with a water bottle and I was wondering if you think I should replace that, just in case. She wouldn't be able to use it yet for now as it's high-up in the cage. But want to make sure she has a water bottle in case I start her on the blocks this week.

Below a few pictures from this morning after her feed. I just can’t get over how quickly she’s developing; how much fur she has now, how big her ears, tail and feet are getting. She’s just cuteness overload and I’m so pleased she is still with us and doing well! I feel a lot better prepared now for the next phase but could not have done that without the incredible advice from this community or the lovely people over at Henry’s who were very excited to hear about this little squirrel in the UK, who is named after a Beatrix Potter character. :Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

323383

323384

323385

323386

323387

These blocks look ok right?

323388

[CheekyHackee]

Cheeky put on 10gr in a day :eek and has been nibbling everything she can get her bottom teeth on during feeds (me, my clothes, the blanket I feed her on...). Can I start her on a block even though her eyes are still closed and she's only five weeks?

323401

[CheekyHackee]

Also, it is possible for an admin to update the title of this thread? I'm not sure the last bit (– worried he is not thriving. Can you help?) is still needed :grin2

[CritterMom]

Now that is the weight gain we like to see! She is precious.

I try to stick a little closer to what would normally happen to them if the fall from the nest never occurred. Mama squirrels do not transport food to the nest in any for except their milk, and the babies don't really leave the nest until they are 9-ish weeks old and they are still nursing then too. We usually recommend introducing a block for them to investigate at 6-7 weeks old - not that they would get that in the wild, but starting a couple weeks before they would normally be peeking out of the nest and even exploring a little on the branches is mom allows gives them a chance to get used to what is to become their staple food. which is VERY important for the time they are under out care. Given that her weight gain is ramping up nicely, I would keep the blocks in the freezer for a couple weeks yet and let her keep taking the formula exclusively until then.

[Mel1959]

I just read this thread and it made me smile. :grin3 It is a lovely story coming out of the UK as most stories about little orphans from that area aren’t nearly as happy, due to the lack of resources (vets, foods, etc.)

Your baby looks amazing and healthy. Great job!:w00t I currently have 3 little ones that are several weeks older than Miss Cheeky so what you’re going through with eating is very fresh in my mind. Stay the course with only the formula for a bit longer as CM suggested. Mine did the same thing about not being overly thrilled with formula until one morning they woke up and decided it tasted pretty good and never looked back….until now. Mine are currently about 9-10 weeks old and their milk (formula) appetite is beginning to wane. They get milk 2 times a day and the amount varies greatly. They’re also eating block, boo balls and veggies, but giving them formula, as much as they want for as long as they want, assures me that they are getting proper nutrition.

Don’t be afraid to adjust her feeding schedule as she grows. Watch her for signs of when you need to cut out a feeding because she’s just not hungry enough when the next feeding time rolls around. She’ll let you know if you pay attention.

As for your formula…..switching formula can be very hard on their GI systems so needs to be done very gradually. The Royal Canin you’re using is the equivalent of the US Esbilac, probably better, which many folks use for the entire time. I’m not sure what others think, but if it were me, I’d keep using the Royal Canin for 50%, add FV for 25% and Ultraboost for 25%. The Ultraboost would replace the single cream. The yogurt you can continue because she’s probably used to it and may detect it missing. You could cut the amount some though. Many rehabbers like combining two different formulas because if there are nutritional components missing from one the other fills the gap. Very important that the transition to new formula is gradual.

Kudos for finding a vet that is willing to help. :dance. Ditto on bestowing kind offerings on them. :grin2:blowkiss

I look forward to updates on Miss Cheeky. :bliss