Thriving, what’s next?

[punkrocksquirrel]

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Meet Emmet, I’ve been raising him since he was found by a neighbor at just a few days old covered in ants with no mama returned 😭

He’s six weeks old I think. Eyes still closed.

I’m told that when his eyes open he’ll be more active. Is that when he moves from his plastic bin/heat pad set up to a big cage? I have one ready to go with branches. Also offer blocks and water then?

He mostly sleeps on me or in a little pocket carrier, and has a heatpad setup on a shelf in my preschool classroom so I can feed him during the day. The children enjoy watching him eat and grow, it’s been wonderful.

I will slow release when ready- weeks to months from now, correct?

Currently he eats every 3 hours then 10 pm, 2 am, 6 am. When can I extend that? 🥱

[Spanky]

Meet Emmet, I’ve been raising him since he was found by a neighbor at just a few days old covered in ants with no mama returned ��

He’s six weeks old I think. Eyes still closed.

I’m told that when his eyes open he’ll be more active. Is that when he moves from his plastic bin/heat pad set up to a big cage? I have one ready to go with branches. Also offer blocks and water then?

He mostly sleeps on me or in a little pocket carrier, and has a heatpad setup on a shelf in my preschool classroom so I can feed him during the day. The children enjoy watching him eat and grow, it’s been wonderful.

I will slow release when ready- weeks to months from now, correct?

Currently he eats every 3 hours then 10 pm, 2 am, 6 am. When can I extend that? ��

:Welcome to TSB! :thankyou for rescuing Emmet (who is adorable!).

Emmet is more likely 4.5 weeks old +/-. For aging purposes, they are right about five weeks old when they open their eyes when they are healthy (sometimes unhealthy squirrels' eye open prematurely).

Keep the heating pad under 1/2 of his cage until HE decides he no longer is comfy on the heat. He'll move off the heated side and start sleeping on the unheated side (keep plenty of fleece for him to burrow into on both sides!). That happens anywhere between 6 and 8 weeks.

He'll not be ready for a big cage for a few more weeks when he is climbing more coordinated.

Depending on the weather and the release area, he may need to be overwintered. I am not overly familiar with the Austin area so I will reserve any definitive statements and hopefully other TX members can provide more inside on your area. Where I am in the SE, about 90 miles NE of Atlanta, my final releases of the season are in the cage now and they will be last ones I release before winter. I DO overwinter squirrels outdoors in the release cage and open the cage portal in late February (which is our Spring). The slow release should begin when they are 14 - 16 weeks if possible, and IMO ideally before they are no older than 6 months.

I am attaching some feeding schedules and charts for your reference.

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328240

I will

[Charley Chuckles]

:Welcome
What a cutie 🥰
What formula are you using?
If his eyes are still closed he's younger than 6 weeks probably more like 4 weeks, they are 5 weeks when their eyes open. How long have you had him?

[Charley Chuckles]

Spanky we were posting at the Same time 😉

[punkrocksquirrel]

:Welcome
What a cutie 🥰
What formula are you using?
If his eyes are still closed he's younger than 6 weeks probably more like 4 weeks, they are 5 weeks when their eyes open. How long have you had him?

He’s been in my care four weeks as of tomorrow, on Esbilac with probiotics. Here’s the finder’s picture- do you think he’s under a week old in it? That’s the same day he stayed in my bra until we had a heat source!

[punkrocksquirrel]

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[punkrocksquirrel]

:Welcome to TSB! :thankyou for rescuing Emmet (who is adorable!).

Emmet is more likely 4.5 weeks old +/-. For aging purposes, they are right about five weeks old when they open their eyes when they are healthy (sometimes unhealthy squirrels' eye open prematurely).

Keep the heating pad under 1/2 of his cage until HE decides he no longer is comfy on the heat. He'll move off the heated side and start sleeping on the unheated side (keep plenty of fleece for him to burrow into on both sides!). That happens anywhere between 6 and 8 weeks.

He'll not be ready for a big cage for a few more weeks when he is climbing more coordinated.

Depending on the weather and the release area, he may need to be overwintered. I am not overly familiar with the Austin area so I will reserve any definitive statements and hopefully other TX members can provide more inside on your area. Where I am in the SE, about 90 miles NE of Atlanta, my final releases of the season are in the cage now and they will be last ones I release before winter. I DO overwinter squirrels outdoors in the release cage and open the cage portal in late February (which is our Spring). The slow release should begin when they are 14 - 16 weeks if possible, and IMO ideally before they are no older than 6 months.

I am attaching some feeding schedules and charts for your reference.

328239

328240

I will

He’s 57 grams, so feed every 3 hours, and 3-4 (ml?) Is that right across both charts?

[TubeDriver]

Yup, ~3ml every 3ish hours is correct. You can take his weight in grams and x 0.05 to get ml formula. If he is doing great at 5% (week with regular and good looking poops and pee, steady weight gain, you can go up to 6-7% (weight in gram x 0.06 (or 0.07)). His eyes should be opening any day now which will make him 5-6 weeks old.



He’s 57 grams, so feed every 3 hours, and 3-4 (ml?) Is that right across both charts?

[Charley Chuckles]

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Pretty much a newborn ❤️

[punkrocksquirrel]

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Eyes just happened, I got to see the whole thing.

What a miracle life is.

I am awed.

[TomahawkFlyers]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Sometimes, it is just really good to remember that little miracles happen around us all the time., and that we have the capacity to celebrate them.

Jamie

[punkrocksquirrel]

little miracles happen around us all the time., and that we have the capacity to celebrate them.

Jamie

The children will be so excited to see his eyes open today!

I need to print out his earlier photos. The growth is so clear to see, something we talk about often.

[punkrocksquirrel]

His blocks arrive Friday, and I also ordered the Fox formula to switch him to. Does he need anything else in the meantime? I’ve read about having some block in his space to get used to.