Another baby squirrel and questions

[rrenner001]

We're just in the process of releasing our male grey, Big Al. He's 16 weeks, possibly more by now, I have lost count. I am terrified of losing him to a car the way I did my last baby, Sandy.

Now, someone in our neighborhood showed up at my door today with another baby they found on a sidewalk. She's probably less than two weeks old, n fur at all, just some grey coloring, still mostly pink. Very strong and looks healthy other than a couple of abrasions, probably from falling from the nest, which we could not find. There are also two small marks on her side that look like teeth marks, but don't seem to have caused any damage.

Is this kind of late in the season for new babies here in Florida?

She weighs about 1 oz. I am thinking she should eat around 1 cc per feeding, correct? She's not real interested in the Esbilac yet, but I'll keep trying. She makes a piercing cry when I pick her up - I have heard they do that to call their moms, but none of my previous squirrels ever did so it was a surprise when she did it!

I have a bag of nipples I got from Squirrels and More I'd like to use as my others are getting worn out. They don't have holes in them and I don't seem to get a very good hole when I try. Is there a secret to making a good hole in these things??

Thanks!

[island rehabber]

There are also two small marks on her side that look like teeth marks, but don't seem to have caused any damage.

Is this kind of late in the season for new babies here in Florida?

She weighs about 1 oz. I am thinking she should eat around 1 cc per feeding, correct? She's not real interested in the Esbilac yet, but I'll keep trying. She makes a piercing cry when I pick her up - I have heard they do that to call their moms, but none of my previous squirrels ever did so it was a surprise when she did it!
I have a bag of nipples I got from Squirrels and More I'd like to use as my others are getting worn out. They don't have holes in them and I don't seem to get a very good hole when I try. Is there a secret to making a good hole in these things??

Thanks!

hi rrenner001! I'll try to answer most of these questions for you. First, I'm worried that she may be in pain from those abrasions, as it is not typical for a baby squirrel to scream like that when picked up. Be sure there is no debris in her wounds or infection that you can see. Wash them with warm water and really take a close look to be sure. She may just be sore.
If she weighs one ounce, that's 28 grams so she should take at least 1.4 cc's at each feeding. Assume she is dehydrated, and that's why her appetite is not great, so try some warm flavored Pedialyte instead of the formula for one feeding and see if that perks her up a bit. You can alternate it with the formula for the first day, then gradually work up to Esbilac only.
I use a nail clippers to snip off the very tip of those nipples.....they make better holes than scissors or a knife. Hope this helps -- good luck with her and keep asking questions! :thumbsup

[rrenner001]

Thanks for the information, especially about getting a hole in those nipples!
She did better on her last feeding - seems to be getting more used to the nipple. I'll get some Pedialyte first thing and try that if her appetite has not picked up in the couple of feedings tonight. She's taken a small amount of water.

She does not seem to be in any pain and looks pretty healthy otherwise - the marks are very faint and no bleeding. I wondered if she was just calling for her mom when I pick her up? She's sleeping well and is warm in her little Tupperware box with a t-shirt, set on a heating pad.

I'll keep you posted! We've named her Pumpkin as we figure she was born within the past couple of weeks.