TSB saved my squirrel 3 times in 5 days. Trying to get ahead of the game...

[Ashleykcochran]

little background- My crash course into this world started on Tuesday. 7pm, boyfriend calls he's found a baby squirrel inside our pooper scooper and it's open mouth breathing. The only tree is a giant oak. it's lowest branch is above the top of the house. We go back and forth. Him- it had to have fallen out of the tree- bad news. Me- it got itself in the popper scooper, so it can walk- good news. Him- Well maybe it could originally but when i grabbed the scooper off the ground it came flying out (didn't know it was there)- bad news. :panic - Me- Maybe it's panting because it's in a black box in 106 F actual temp. Him- Well then i helped cool it down. When it flew out the pooper scooper, it landed near the sprinkler in a puddle. Me- This sounds too far gone, i've got to go back to work. He put it in a terracotta pot with sphagnum moss and left it. 6am I get home expecting to remove it's body. Surprise it's alive and honestly could look worse. It can walk, it can swat at me, and hide under random objects. i offer water by syringe- he won't acknowledge my existence and is panicking trying to flee. I figured it was lively enough to leave and i went to sleep. 5pm I wake up and it's in the pot, sleeping peacefully like it's always lived there it's entire life. STILL could look worse. Que first time your site saves his life, rehydration formula. As soon as i offered it he started drinking. Got him hydrated overnight and again gave him the opportunity to leave the entire next day.

The long backstory 1) because it's kind of a funny story now that it's over. 2) The timeline may help age him.
bringing me to my 1st question,

1) approx age? I don't see where i can upload pictures. i believe he is a gray squirrel. 96 grams today. He climbs anything (still clumsy). His tail is the exact length of his body. I saw him sit upright for the first time today (weak vs just learning?). My guess was 7 weeks but maybe he's older? minimum 22 hours without food or water and still wasn't quite on deaths door. Motion camera confirms he didn't leave his pot.

Despite him wanting to live out his life in the pot, i had to intervene. I've spent the last 4 days reading your expert replies and we're making the necessary adjustments. Surviving to Thriving!
*i was using esbilac premixed puppy milk- TSB saving his life for the 2nd time this week- .
*Fox Valley 25/50 arrived yesterday- started the slow transition from esbilac. poop normal.
*With the FV i boiled the water, put it in a blender- let sit in fridge for 8 hours.
*henry blocks arrive monday.
*bookmarked a post where other blocks were recommended for free feeding.

1st problem- He's a MANIAC or SUICIDAL- still undetermined. He zooms around suckling everythinggggg in sight. I assume he will grow out of that if he doesn't die of aspiration first. He "milk trances" every 2 seconds despite different variables. 0 episodes of milk out of his nose, lung check every 4 hours but it's only a matter of time. He's ravenous. He easily will eat 10cc + q4-6 hours, which is too much by calculation + light amount of solids have been introduced. Do i withhold the extra milk and drop to his calculated amount?
What is the absolute safest position for him to syringe feed and for my syringe to be pointed?
i've watched videos, he does not eat like those squirrels.

I DO NOT touch the end of the plunger on the syringe. I tightly hold the plunger where it meets the base of the syringe and pinch the plunger with my thumb. Even if i slip up the absolute most i can push out at a time is 0.1ml. Doing it this way also gives me full control when he gets suction and starts cranking on it by himself. We're not a week in and my hand is cramping from holding the syringe for dear life.
*O ring syringe.
*1cc and tried a 3cc. No difference noted. i know 1cc is safer, will stay there.
*Miracle nipple- as seen in another post i cut just a smidge off and it does not "shoot" down the throat. As if i needed more help drowning him! TSB saving his life for the 3rd time this week.

So far i've offered small amounts of broccoli, grapes (no skin), and carrots. he "trances" over all of them as well. I break it into itty bitty pieces, spread them out, he would 100% choke himself if i left food in his kennel.
He'll eat doing a hand stand, upside down, while dangling from my shirt. Sure he's a wild animal but maybe he could perfect swallowing before doing acrobatics with a mouthful. Tried making "slow feed" bowls. any pointers for slowing down a crazy pants?!
*i saved the food pyramid.
*Will watch the calcium: phosphorus ratio when he weans.


What is safe bedding/kennel material? Since he suckles/ingests anything he can. What are safe toys that he can chew on at this age unattended? He is getting playtime, belly rubs, and snuggles. To be clear his behaviors are not neurological. He just seems a smidge more excited for life than some of the other posts I've read.

I work nights, sleep during the day. I suspect routine playtime late at night is frowned upon?

last question for now. His p325759325760325761oop is normal. He appears healthy. Should i deworm preemptively? Because this is south Louisiana or leave it alone unless there is a problem? panacur, pyrantel, ponazuril, ivermectin available.

Please do not think i have forgotten he is a wild animal. I am very much aware and do not want that to change. I'm not looking to change him, i'm looking for suggestions to change what i'm doing to fit his lifestyle.

I greatly appreciate anyone who has read this far. Thank you to all of the experts that run this website. It takes a very special group of people to run a site like this for years, to respond to thousands of posts, answering the same questions repeatedly, feeling the heartbreak in every sad update, likely for very little or no compensation. YALL ARE AMAZING.

SUGGESTION: Add a donate button by the post button. I, as well as others would gladly donate for your expertise, time, and page maintenance.

[CritterMom]

He looks like he JUST opened his eyes. Was he with you for that, if so, that day he is within a day or so of 5 weeks. At 6 weeks has can start to curl his tail over his back.[/I]

*i was using esbilac premixed puppy milk.
*Fox Valley 25/50 arrived yesterday- started the slow transition from esbilac. poop normal.
*With the FV i boiled the water, put it in a blender- let sit in fridge for 8 hours.

You want to use lukewarm water. Fox Valley doesn't have probiotics added to it like Esbilac does, but there are plenty vitamins that are dramatically affected by heat. Use lukewarm, mix one day's worth as well as you can, and stash that formula in the fridge, stirring occasionally. It is the TIME it gets to sit that allows the powder to absorb the water and go into solution. Mixing real hot and then using it right away results in formula powder that is in suspension, not solution - literally dry bits of powder floating in the water, looking all white and formula-ish but it isn't yet. I have always made a day's worth of formula every evening, swirled it through the early evening when I got into the fridge for something else, then it just sits until morning, when the previous day's formula is discarded and this new one takes it's place.

Also, take the amount you need out of your day's mixed formula and place in something else to heat. When done with that feeding, discard whatever is left over. Don't heat the whole container up each time.

And very important: KEEP ALL FORMULA POWDERS IN THE FREEZER. The powder can and will go rancid at room temperature. It mixes exactly the same from the freezer - it doesn't need to defrost.

*henry blocks arrive monday.
*bookmarked a post where other blocks were recommended for free feeding.

1st problem- He's a MANIAC or SUICIDAL- still undetermined. He zooms around suckling everythinggggg in sight. I assume he will grow out of that if he doesn't die of aspiration first. He "milk trances" every 2 seconds despite different variables. 0 episodes of milk out of his nose, lung check every 4 hours but it's only a matter of time. He's ravenous. He easily will eat 10cc + q4-6 hours, which is too much by calculation + light amount of solids have been introduced. Do i withhold the extra milk and drop to his calculated amount?

Poor little man. He got to experience starvation and he is still in "eat everything and anything" mode. Do you have a little scale for him? Walmart has a nice one for $10 - digital, grams and ounces and a tare function titled:
"Greater Goods Digital Food Kitchen Scale, Perfect for Cooking, Baking, Meal Planning, Multifunction Scale Measures in Grams and Ounces" At that point you can use his actual weight to determine what is right for him - 5% to 7% of body weight each feeding.

What is the absolute safest position for him to syringe feed and for my syringe to be pointed?
i've watched videos, he does not eat like those squirrels.

One of your pics is sort of sideways but it looks like you have it right. I actually feed any squirmy little creatures like this ON THE GROUND - yes, lying down on my stomach because they can't fall off the ground. So given that mama squirrel lays on her back with her nipples pointed up and slightly to the side, babies approach from the side, climb up and nurse. I try to recreate this by rolling up a towel that can be mama's tummy that I put the baby's front half on, and I position the syringe pointing up and slightly to the side just like mama's teats. So the nipple is pointing up at the roof of the baby's mouth. If he is too squirmy to control this way, you can swaddle him completely, and hold him upright, and again position the syringe so it is coming from below and pointing toward the roof of the mouth.

I DO NOT touch the end of the plunger on the syringe. I tightly hold the plunger where it meets the base of the syringe and pinch the plunger with my thumb. Even if i slip up the absolute most i can push out at a time is 0.1ml. Doing it this way also gives me full control when he gets suction and starts cranking on it by himself.


So I am attaching a photo to this of me holding a syringe in how I worked around lunatic squirrels doing what yours is. I just warned several new people on the board that at about 5+ weeks they do this, and it doesn't happen slowly, it happens from one feeding to another. I lay my hand open, place the syringe with the nipple end protruding from my pinkie side and the plunger by my thumb, with my forefinger right where the plunger goes into the barrel. Curl all fingers over syringe. You now push the plunger with your thumb, and just slightly tightening your forefinger will easily slow or stop the flow of formula, which YOU now control. They will absolutely kill themseves and he is worse than most because he got to experience starving.

So far i've offered small amounts of broccoli, grapes (no skin), and carrots. he "trances" over all of them as well.
*i saved the food pyramid.
*Will watch the calcium: phosphorus ratio when he weans.

Dang, you hardly need us! I would stop feeding the veggies until your Henry's blocks show up. BLOCKS first before anything else or you will fight them about eating properly forever. The Henry's also go into the freezer, and I would start with half a block because there will be lots of shredding before they actually begin to consume it. They have no preservatives, so bits and pieces need to be removed daily from his area because they will go bad.


What is safe bedding/kennel material? Since he suckles/ingests anything he can. What are safe toys that he can chew on at this age unattended? He is getting playtime, belly rubs, and snuggles. To be clear his behaviors are not neurological. He just seems a smidge more excited for life than some of the other posts I've read.

I work nights, sleep during the day. I suspect routine playtime late at night is frowned upon?

Fleece, fleece and fleece. That would be polar fleece like they make parkas and lap throws from, and the microfleece that is so super soft they just love it. Both are made more like felt than regular fabric which is woven in a tight crosshatch manner of long threads (warp and weft). That means that they never ravel long threads that can and will get wrapped around babies and cut off blood supplies. Places like Walmart sell both pretty inexpensively as lap throws. Note: these are usually bound on the edges with big, looping running stitches and that needs to go. I usually just cut the bound edges off. Note: if you get the microfleece - and you should - they LOVE it), cut the edges off OUTSIDE unless you want to be wading through 3 pounds of fluff which is the long, soft bits. Bring it inside carefully and throw in the dryer for 10 minutes or so and it will suck ALL of them off so you don't have to deal with it again (unless you cut them into smaller pieces - give them the dryer treatment after new cuts).

He absolutely needs social input and playing from you - you do NOT stay away from the baby squirrel to avoid it imprinting, etc., etc. The social contact is required. Maybe you can wake up a couple times during the day to play? It won't be long and I guarantee that when he goes back to the trees as a big boy you will cherish every second and wish there were more.

last question for now. His poop is normal. He appears healthy. Should i deworm preemptively? Because this is south Louisiana or leave it alone unless there is a problem? panacur, pyrantel, ponazuril, ivermectin available.

Hopefully someone else will weigh in on this. I would tend to wait a bit unless you see an issue and perhaps do worming before release...



I greatly appreciate anyone who has read this far. Thank you to all of the experts that run this website. It takes a very special group of people to run a site like this for years, to respond to thousands of posts, answering the same questions repeatedly, feeling the heartbreak in every sad update, likely for very little or no compensation. YALL ARE AMAZING.

SUGGESTION: Add a donate button by the post button. I, as well as others would gladly donate for your expertise, time, and page maintenance.

That is a very good idea. We do have a TSB fund but it isn't as easy as all that to donate. In fact, as nutty (see what I did there?) as it is, WE support the site ourselves so no ads, plus no nasty people who just want to troll and make people's life miserable like so much of the internet. But having a "donate" button would let us do more, better stuff. Hmmmmm.

And lastly, since I have turned this into an opus, when you run into a baby animal out of the nest, it is normally due to some sort of tragedy. Take them in. You can rehydrate and warm up a baby and still return it to mama if she is around, but leaving them outside just results in them dying. You are now a squirrel person. Can't do that anymore!

[Ashleykcochran]

thank you so much for your help!!! I know you said the it's hard to donate. Do you have a link or paypal?

You may have missed it when i said, I did try to release/reunite after a 12 hour hydration. He stayed in the pot (he could be seen) at the base of my only tree, the mother did not come. I only left him alone the first 24 hours because he convinced me he was a big boy and didn't need my help. he seemed pretty functional and absolutely no signs of distress unless i approached him. When he wasn't hurt at all, i figured he couldn't have fallen idk 75-100ft so he must have been out on his own. Now i know better. lord i've learned a lot this week!

We made it another day but not without a new problem!!
So today my hungry hungry hippo has began sucking so hard that when i try to remove the empty syringe the nipple stays with him. i tried to take it and he tried to bite me. I tried to wait it out and let him release, he didn't stop. he's still sucking nonstop on inanimate objects so he doesn't care when the nipple runs dry. Has anyone even taught their young babies to drink out of something on their own? obviously, something shallow, small, and angled just right. just curious if it's been tried before? a girl can dream.
His mother must have been a saint for putting up with his shenanigans!

Do you mind PMing me that Baytril dose? just so i'm prepared. He is 100g. I have Baytril 22.7mg/ml injectable.

I hold the syringe very much like you except i keep my thumb on the plunger at the base of the barrel with my (your) forefinger. then i make a mirco pinch motion We wrestle so much my thumb can be nowhere near the end of the plunger.

I adjusted the FB preparations and tossed it in the freezer. thanks for the heads up. why does it not say that on the bag!?!?

[Spanky]

Do you mind PMing me that Baytril dose? just so i'm prepared. He is 100g. I have Baytril 22.7mg/ml injectable?

Dosing sent for Baytril (oral administration).

[CritterMom]

Dosing sent for Baytril (oral administration).

Oops, me too!

[Ashleykcochran]

We survived another week! I stopped syringe feeding all together. After a ton of trial and error he drinks his formula from a small spoon. It seems much safer and sustainable long term (for him). He's devouring his henry blocks and veggies too. Today I'll make him a larger cage. No need for that baytril yet! thanks yall

[Ashleykcochran]

We survived another week thanks to all yalls advice. I was wondering since he's healthier now if yall may have changed your original estimate of 5 weeks old (so would be almost 8 weeks now) or does that look accurate!? He's growing rapidly. Eating his blocks and veggies. Drinks his milk from a spoon and drinks water from his bowl proficiently. He climbs and jumps all over. He likes me ok but he definitely wants to be an independent wild squirrel.
Sidenote- His fur looks funny in the pics because he just got a bath.