HELP!! Lethargic squirrel~maybe 6-7 wks

[momoftooie]

Help, we found a baby in the park Sunday and waited all day and never saw the mother. He came straight up to my 15 year old daughter and climbed into her hand. We wrapped him up, brought him home. he only ate a few nuts(pecan, almond-raw nuts, only) and water until today. I just fed him live active yogurt w/no preserv. and out of the natural food section. He still seems to be very lethargic (which began last evening). Could he just be tired from too much stimulation? HELP, all four of my children are CRAZY about him~ I cannot let him die. I am willing to buy/do anything to help him. He does have a crook in his tail, which may be the result of a fall. Until last evening, he was as spry as he could be. He LOVED the yogurt, fed with a dropper. He took one bite of an alvacado and just became very still this a.m. Please, somone respond soon.......THANK you and Tooie thanks you

[4skwerlz]

Are baby's eyes open?

Did you warm him up and rehydrate him before you fed him?

He must have a heat source right away.

Below is basic care for baby squirrels. Go back to the beginning and make sure he is WARM and HYDRATED.


Emergency Care for Baby Squirrels

Don’ts
Don’t try to feed the squirrel.
Don’t handle him more than you have to.
No loud voices, TV, music, or bright lights.
No children or pets in the same room!

1. Warm the Baby (never feed a cold squirrel!)

Quick Methods:
-Cup the baby in your hands or under your shirt next to your skin.
-Fill a plastic bottle with very warm water. Wrap in a cloth, place next to baby, and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.
-“Rice Buddy”: Fill a sock with 1 cup of rice or dried beans and microwave for 30 seconds. Place next to baby and cover him. Reheat every 2 hours.

2. Find a Box or Container
A shoebox will do for small babies. A baby that can walk will need a larger box with a lid (with holes). Put a clean baby blanket, flannel shirt, or piece of fleece in the bottom of the box. No towels or terrycloth. Squirrels can get tangled in the loops. Place baby on the material and cover him with one flap. If you have a heating pad, turn it on low and place it under half of the box (not IN the box!) so baby can move away if he gets too warm. You can use the plastic bottle or rice buddy described above, but these are only temporary methods until you get a heating pad, since they must be reheated every 2 hours and won't keep baby warm all night.
NOTE: Monitor his temperature so he doesn’t chill or overheat. His feet should feel warm to the touch.


If the baby is injured, is having trouble breathing, has fly eggs on his fur, or is very skinny or dehydrated, he needs emergency care by an experienced rehabber or vet.

3. Rehydrate the Baby

Most babies are dehydrated when you find them and must be rehydrated before you can feed them. Never feed formula or food of any kind to a dehydrated baby!

Check for Dehydration
Pinch the skin on the back of his neck. If it doesn’t spring back immediately, the baby is dehydrated. If the pinched skin stays up like a tent for more than a second, the baby is badly dehydrated. Other signs of dehydration: pale grayish gums, dry mouth, sunken eyes, whites around eyes showing, rough spiky fur, dry scaly skin.
NOTE: If baby is badly dehydrated, he will need subcutaneous fluids, which can only be given by a rehabber or vet.

Supplies You Will Need:
--Heating pad without auto shut-off (if you don’t already have one)
--Pedialyte (any flavor)*
--Plastic syringes (1 cc size; no needles. Ask the pharmacist to get these for you) An eyedropper can also work.
These are available at most drugstores. You can also order supplies from Chris’ Squirrels and More. (http://www.squirrelsandmore.com)

*If you can’t find Pedialyte at the store, here is a recipe for homemade Pedialyte:
--1 teaspoon salt
--3 Tablespoons sugar
--1 quart warm water
Mix all ingredients in warm water. Store in refrigerator.

How to Prepare the Pedialyte
Use a plastic syringe (with or without a nipple). Never use pet nursers or doll bottles. They will choke the baby. Fill a coffee mug with hot water. Fill the syringe with Pedialyte and place it in the mug for a couple of minutes. Squirt a drop on the inside of your wrist to make sure the liquid isn’t too hot. It should feel barely warm on your skin.

Proper Position
A tiny baby can be held in your hand. A baby with fur can lie on a flat surface on his stomach. A baby that can walk can be held upright or he can drink sitting up. Hold the syringe so the tip points UP to the baby’s mouth and the handle is down. Don’t let the baby get cold. Keep him wrapped up while he eats.

How to Feed Fluids
Place the syringe tip on the baby’s lips (from the side) and squeeze out one drop for him to taste. Don’t squirt a steady stream. Let him swallow one drop before squeezing more. GO SLOW! It sometimes takes a feeding or two for them to catch on. Hairless babies are fed drop by drop. With older babies (once they catch on) you can squeeze slowly for one second, wait for him to swallow, then squeeze more.

If fluids dribble out his mouth or come out his nose, you are going too fast. Stop and tilt the baby’s head down so the fluid drains out (support his head and neck like you would a human baby). Then wipe his nose and mouth with a tissue. Start over, slower. NOTE: There is now a chance your baby will develop aspiration pneumonia from inhaling fluid in his lungs. This is fatal. Please contact a rehabber or vet, or the people at The Squirrel Board, for assistance.


How Much Fluid to Feed
Give 1/2 to 1 cc every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. Then give it every 2 hours around the clock. Do not feed Pedialyte for more than 24 hours. It is not a subsitute for formula. Refrigerate Pedialyte after opening. Throw away any open bottles after 3 days.

Check the baby every few hours using the “pinch test” described above. As baby rehydrates, he should “perk up” and become more active. Rehydrate all babies for at least 2 hours before feeding formula or food of any kind. Severely dehydrated babies should be rehydrated for 24 hours before feeding.
Note: If your baby will not take any fluids, he must go to a rehabber immediately or he will die.

Potty Time
A baby that is not fully furred will need help to pee and poo. Normally, the squirrel’s mother will lick the baby’s belly and bottom to stimulate him to go. Before and after feeding, use a warm, damp kleenex, cotton ball, or soft cloth to gently tickle the baby’s genital area. Do this until baby goes. NOTE: A dehydrated baby may not pee or poo until he has had several feedings of Pedialyte.

[momoftooie]

he if fully furred, with open eyes. We have had him on a heating pad and in fron tof a window during the day...for sunlight.

[4skwerlz]

Is he warm now? His feet should feel warm.

Then maybe he's dehydrated. Check him for dehydration as Gammas said. Detailed instructions are in the emergency care I posted.

Also, have you been stimulating him to pee and poo?

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I think it would be a good idea to give Pedialyte even if he seems hydrated to you. Its sometimes hard to tell the exact level of dehydration...(just to be safe) I think you will see a difference.

[island rehabber]

momoftooie, WARMTH and HYDRATION are the most important things for this baby right now. He may be lethargic due to dehydration, and the warmed Pedialyte mentioned by others is excellent to give him now.

Would you like us to help you find a wildlife rehabber in your area? A rehabber will have access to vets who specialize in squirrels and may be the best way to find out whether your baby was injured in his fall.

[momoftooie]

Oh, yes forgot to mention we fed him Pedialyte last evening and this a.m. He is currently on a heating pad on low temp(is that correct temp?). Could he be over stimulated by too many people holding him(all the kids had ato have a turn yesterday). We have discontinued holding him except for feedings now.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Absolutely, think peaceful, no noise, no handling except your feeding him.
Keep him away from any stress. Stress can kill baby squirrels.:Love_Icon

[momoftooie]

he drinks/eats very well...could he be "overfed"? Is that possible. I haven't stimulated him to pee/poop, buts seems to be doing that on his own. He tinkles about 3/4 X /day and his poop looks like tiny brown pellets...is that normal?

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

For the next few feedings give him some pedialyte inbetween.
If you feed at 12 & 4..then at 2 give him a few syringes of Pedialyte.
Keep him warm & very quiet, give him a stuffed toy to snuggle against.
Is it possible to post a picture of baby? Welcome to TSB!

[momoftooie]

This forum is awesome...God brought me here to help baby, I just know it. You guys are the greatest, may God bless you for taking time out of your lives to help his tiny creature. (OK, now I'm crying). I get so emotional over my pets, can you tell? If you have more suggestion, please let me know. I'm running an errand and will be right back. Again, thanks and more thanks, hugs/kisses to you all:thankyou

[momoftooie]

Oh, great idea with the toy...we have tons(w/four children). What do you suggest the toy be made of...what do material do they like best?

[Sarabi]

:Welcome :grouphug :Welcome :grouphug :Welcome :grouphug
Hope you get the help you need for your angel:grouphug
Just wanted to say HI and you will love it here.
you will fit right in cause we all cry now and then....

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

:Welcome I''ll leave all the instructions to the one's..doing it..and doing it WELL...:alright.gif
:D Glad you found us..and Thank you for taking care of this sweety....pie..:D
:Welcome FLUFFYTAILNUT:wave123 :Welcome To The Squirrel Board :Welcome

[island rehabber]

If his eyes are open, he will not need to be stimulated. He should pee and poop after each feeding. "Tiny brown pellets' sounds ok but slightly dehydrated. Adequate amounts of formula should correct this, but it's hard to give you feeding advice without knowing exactly how old he is. Is his tail skinny or starting to fluff out?

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

They will apreciate anything they can crawl under & snuggle against..also some fleece blankies to cover with they like to burrow.

[momoftooie]

Oh, I still haven't left for errands...to worried about Tooie. His tail is pretty fluffed out. Maybe he's older than 6wks. Maybe 7? There was a nest in a tree close to where we found him. Maybe he fell out. It was to high for us to get to. His weight seems healthy...I'm buying a scale TODAY and some Esbilac. How much Esbilac should he have, any guess?

[momoftooie]

Thanks. He is sleeping right now with a stuffed animal and fleece blankie on top of heating pad set on low. Seems to be content. I did notice on some breaths he takes, there is a clicking noise. Just every few breaths. Could he have gotten some yogurt in his nostril or do you think he could have pneumonia?

[momoftooie]

no, not that I noticed. He changed sleeping postions and the clicking noise stopped.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

He needs the esbilac a.s.a.p. if he hasnt had any yet he is probably very weak.

[momoftooie]

leaving right now to get it...and a scale. I've got to save my baby!

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I forget what you are feeding him with but see if you can get a syringe.

[thundersquirrel]

IMO, the only problem may be a lack of esbilac. babies his age eat formula, primarily. if all he's had is nuts and water, he hasn't been getting the nutrients he needs to grow.

make sure he's warm and hydrated, and then start the esbilac ASAP. mix it one part hot/warm water to three parts powder- we will increase the strength in a day. ;)

while you're feeding, please be VERY slow to feed- use a syringe if you have one. the baby should be upright, lying on his belly with head up to eat the formula. he will be extremely eager to eat, but you must go slowly or he will breathe in the formula, leading to pneumonia. if he does breathe it in, he may shake his head, sneeze, and formula will probably come out of his nose. if this happens, stop the feeding and gently tip him forward to encourage the formula to come out.

if you hear the clicking again, we MUST get him antibiotics. have you considered contacting a local rehabber to raise this little one? a rehabber would have meds and probably other squirrels his age to raise him with. they would probably be willing to release him into your backyard. it's the safest way to go, so please consider it. :peace

[thundersquirrel]

CORRECTION- one part formula to three parts very warm/hot water.

[Gabe]

I think Thundersquirrel is right, he is just starving. Esbilac will make a difference.

[momoftooie]

OK, I bought the Esbilac powder. I didn't have time to drive to Walmart for the scale. Checked w/Target and they did not carry one. How much should i feed Tooie in the meantime? I know he needs the Esbilac now. I also bought a PetAg Nursing Kit w/5 nipples. Any idea which nipple he would take best?

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

I would give him 6cc. Good luck! Please let us know how he took it.

[LynninIN]

What size (cc/ml) syringe do you have?

[Apple Corps]

Have you fed the lil fuzzer yet? How is he doing???

I would just get some Esbilac in him now - a tablespoon worth to put it in simple terms.

[momoftooie]

Oh ya'll !!! Thanks for the help. I've been feeding him today with a 1.875 ml syringe and pushing the plunger VERY slowly and not letting him suck on the syringe. Well, just a few minutes ago, as I was feeding him, extremely slowly(so slow my hands were cramping), he began gasping for breath. He was opening/closing his mouth as if he could not breath. I was so scared, I almost did CPR! I did tilt his head down and he finally caught his breath. What in the world do you think caused this??? I was scared to death!! I could not have been feeding him any slower. He was drinking his warmed formula 3/1. Please, if someone knows what could caused this, please let me know.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

They sometimes get into a transe doing a gaping like motion, repetative....
almost like a fish, is that how it looked to you?

[momoftooie]

Oh, thank you for your reply! yes, he did look like that! Is that normal? Also, he is asleep now and I hear a clicking noise, but I think it's coming from his nose. Could it be pneumonia? should I put him on antibiotics???

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Listen closely, is it coming from his nose or chest?
If it is coming from his chest, he needs to be in a rehabbers care tonight to save his life.

[momoftooie]

Thundersquirrel,

"If you hear the clicking again, we MUST get him antibiotics." How do I get the antibiotics for him????

[momoftooie]

Listen closely, is it coming from his nose or chest?
If it is coming from his chest, he needs to be in a rehabbers care tonight to save his life.

The clicking noise has stopped(his is sleeping). Does it come and go when they have pneumonia? Also, can you tell me why he would suddenly be sleeping more today than the last two days? Sound normal?

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Well it could be that the last 2 days he's had no calories in his tummy, today he has the nourishment he needs and is at peace?
They do sometimes make little ticking noises, it would be more of a clicking coming from within.

[momoftooie]

Should I take a chance or get him on antibiotics? Where do I get them prescribed for a squirrel?

[Mountain Mama]

:Welcome Hello Tooie and Tooie's Mom...welcome to TSB...let us know how the baby is doing...

[momoftooie]

Hi, Mountainmama!
Tooie is doing much better, I believe. :crazy He is currently sleeping. He's been sleeping most of the day. Does that seem normal to you? He was very active yesterday and Sunday. I'm in love.....he is so precious!!! Thank you for your concern! I'll check back on the board tomorrow a.m.

[Mountain Mama]

Leo is about the same age as Tooie. He is active for about an hour in the morning and evening, but still spends a lot of time sleeping. Tooie may well just be recuperating from his trauma.

Do let us know how he is doing in the morning.

[momoftooie]

Leo is about the same age as Tooie. He is active for about an hour in the morning and evening, but still spends a lot of time sleeping. Tooie may well just be recuperating from his trauma.

Do let us know how he is doing in the morning.
Mountainmama,
Tooie is doing much better! Today, he looks like a new squirrel. I am sooooooooo excited to see him jumping around. :wahoo

Does anyone know if I should be concerned about mites or parasites? :dono

[Buddy'sMom]

:multi :multi That's great news that he is acting more energetic today!! :multi :multi Is he taking the Esbilac OK? (sounds like he must be as he's now got calories to burn :D ) How is his breathing? Keep on feeding him very slowly, even if he wants it faster.


....
Does anyone know if I should be concerned about mites or parasites? :dono

Do you ask because you have seen anything on his fur or just being cautious? Fly eggs (resulting in maggots) can be very serious, so it would be a good idea to closely examine his fur (brush it back the "wrong" way to look closely) and remove anything you find. Esp. look around all openings. If you find anything, we can tell you how to treat him with something that won't hurt him.

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[momoftooie]

:multi :multi That's great news that he is acting more energetic today!! :multi :multi Is he taking the Esbilac OK? (sounds like he must be as he's now got calories to burn :D ) How is his breathing? Keep on feeding him very slowly, even if he wants it faster.



Do you ask because you have seen anything on his fur or just being cautious? Fly eggs (resulting in maggots) can be very serious, so it would be a good idea to closely examine his fur (brush it back the "wrong" way to look closely) and remove anything you find. Esp. look around all openings. If you find anything, we can tell you how to treat him with something that won't hurt him.

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

No, not as of yet, only a few fleas~which I immediately removed. Just wondering if there could be anything else on him which could harm baby Tooie. I know he has been through too much in his tiny little life already. My heart:Love_Icon is full of love for this teeny weeny creature.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Do you have any Adams fleas powder or something similar for (kittens or puppies only strength)? You could put some on a paper towel and dab on him.
I am so glad he feels better today.:wahoo

[Secret Squirrel]

I had two kids that came in loaded with fleas and chiggers....since you are in the South I thought I would pass that on too. Chiggers are worse than fleas to me !!!!!
The Adams kitten flea powder took care of the fleas and the chiggers.
If there are only a few fleas I usually just hand pick those off.

When do you plan to go full strenght on his formula? 2/1 mixture.
Post some pictures when you can....:wave123

[momoftooie]

I had two kids that came in loaded with fleas and chiggers....since you are in the South I thought I would pass that on too. Chiggers are worse than fleas to me !!!!!
The Adams kitten flea powder took care of the fleas and the chiggers.
If there are only a few fleas I usually just hand pick those off.

When do you plan to go full strenght on his formula? 2/1 mixture.
Post some pictures when you can....:wave123

HELP: When should I go full strength?...I'm new at this!
I will post some pics when I can....he seems to be taking ALL my free time(as if I had any!)

[Mountain Mama]

Mom of Tooie, please check your private messages...

[Kahn]

It's amazing how quickly these little guys can bounce back from something. Talk about resilience. They make the Energizer bunny look like a Walmart rechargeable toy! LOL! Glad to hear this one is on the up side now.

[momoftooie]

It's amazing how quickly these little guys can bounce back from something. Talk about resilience. They make the Energizer bunny look like a Walmart rechargeable toy! LOL! Glad to hear this one is on the up side now.

Exactly! He also seems a lot more independent. :wahoo

Now that Tooie is doing much better, WE are jumping to another thread....hope we do not have to visit this one again any time soon! (meaning his condition is continuing to improve~not that ya'll haven't all been the bestest buds ever!!!! :thankyou )

[Secret Squirrel]

Exactly! He also seems a lot more independent. :wahoo

Now that Tooie is doing much better, WE are jumping to another thread....hope we do not have to visit this one again any time soon! (meaning his condition is continuing to improve~not that ya'll haven't all been the bestest buds ever!!!! :thankyou )

....and what thread might that might be ????? I don't want to miss out on his progress:peace

[momoftooie]

....and what thread might that might be ????? I don't want to miss out on his progress:peace

[SIZE="3"]Not real sure at this point:help [/SIZEAny suggestions?

[island rehabber]

Why don't you create a thread for Tooie in the "Nursery" section?

[momoftooie]

Ok, he's in the nursery now(shhhhh):D Through all the turmoil, I forgot to mention Tooie has a bend in his tail halfway down. He was like that when I found him in the park. Could it be broken and if so, can it be fixed???