PROPER FEEDING TECHNIQUE!!

[island rehabber]

This video, of Costa Rican member stosh feeding his adorable baby Luna, is an excellent example of correct feeding technique. Please watch, note, and remember:

* 1cc syringe, until babies are at least 5-6 weeks old, eyes open

* Baby is held upright - after eyes open they may be fed on all fours if they prefer, on a table or your lap. ALWAYS keep one hand on the baby.

* syringe is angled approx. 45* UP toward baby's mouth

* feed SLOWLY....allow baby to swallow....push, then wait

VIDEO:

[grratu]

Hello,

I notice you are in the Bronx? I have a baby squirrel that I am having trouble placing with a rehabilitator, as a good licensed one here is apparently very hard to find. I only found an unlicensed one that doesn't feed correctly so I decided to keep the baby longer until I find someone good.

Might you be interested in taking her from me?

Thanks a lot,
Kate

[island rehabber]

hi Kate. The reason you can't find a licensed rehabber in the Bronx because I'm it, just me. Oh, there are four or five LISTED but they never take a single animal in......they got the license so they could sound cool at parties, I guess.

Can you get him to me on City Island? I will private message you.....

[AliciaintheSC]

Love the feeding video!

My question is about preparation more than technique. I am wondering how to keep the formula warm for the entire feeding. Right now, I have it in a medicine cup on top of a plate that is on top of a coffee cup of water over a single cup warming plate. It isn't a great set-up, but it works. Sometimes, it can get too hot, though and I find myself plugging and unplugging the warmer plate during the feeding of the 3 squirrels. Then, I refill the syringe each time I empty one out. Do-able, but annoying. I saw on your video that it looks like you have your syringes all prefilled and ready to go in a cup. Is there warm water in the cup to keep them warm? How do you keep the water from mixing with the formula in the syringes when you do that? I tried doing that in the beginning, but by the time I got to the 3rd syringe, it looked like there was mostly water in the syringe and the warming water was cloudy with formula.

[farrelli]

Many people will float a small plastic cup of formula in a bath of warm water. Some people use candle warmers or mini crockpots for the water. Other people will fill several syringes, put them in a plastic bag, and submerge them in the water, taking them out one at a time.

[MJS]

...OR PUT SILICONE NIPPLES ON THE SYRINGES WHICH PREVENT THE WATER FROM SEEPING IN.

[stosh2010]

...OR PUT SILICONE NIPPLES ON THE SYRINGES WHICH PREVENT THE WATER FROM SEEPING IN.

Yes the silicone nipples do NOT allow water intrusion. What I did was fill the syringes, with nipples attached, place in a tall glass of warm water,and I keep a small open thermos of HOT water on the table, close by. I add a little hot water --as needed--throughout the feeding. ALSO...I take the first "taste" of almost every syringe to insure it is the correct temperature...and to be sure it is flowing smoothly out of the syringe. If a syringe feels like it is backed up--STOP,put it down, or turn it away from your squirrel and push harder. to free it.NEVER push hard on a syringe if it is still in the baby's mouth. THAT is a sure way to aspirate (choke) a baby.
REMEMBER-this is all done wiht one hand , because the other is holding a baby squirrel.

[Mennome]

I'd love to watch this feeding technique, but the link keeps taking me to cruiser playing. Fun to see, but how do I find the correct video? Thks for any help!

[Nancy in New York]

I'd love to watch this feeding technique, but the link keeps taking me to cruiser playing. Fun to see, but how do I find the correct video? Thks for any help!

Try this one.

[Mennome]

Must just be me.... does it work for you? Still takes me directly to cruising dude. loo

[Nancy in New York]

Must just be me.... does it work for you? Still takes me directly to cruising dude. loo

Yes, it works for me.
How strange is this?

[Mennome]

It's ok. I appreciate your effort!

[Nancy in New York]

It's ok. I appreciate your effort!

Email this link below to yourself, and see if this works.
This is the link that should work in emails.
If this doesn't work, tomorrow I will take one of my babies,
and show you the proper feeding technique!

Wait, I just tried this link and it works on the board as well as in emails.


http://s990.photobucket.com/user/sto...0be10.mp4.html

[Mennome]

I will try it!

[stosh2010]

sometimes the video is buffering and doesn't play "smoothly"
if that happens, just let it play through--once, without listening...--and the second play should be easier to understand.

[awolf]

I will add my experience on feeding as a new squirrel care giver that started with a 1 week old.

1. Not all syringes and nipples are equal. My poor squirrel end up numerous times with a face full of milk, and she is dang lucky to not have inhaled or choked to death due to my lack of experience. I started off with what I could find at the pet store. Well let me tell you, those dang nipples that they sell, dont come with holes, so you have to make them yourself. Seriously how hard can it be to make a hole in rubber....LOLOL, a lot harder then you think apparently. Worst experience - ever.

That being said, and three days of intense stress, I rush ordered Lub Loc syringes and these strange little nipples.

Imagine dark clouds parting and sunshine beaming through, because that is what happened.

2. Formula. I read up, I am educated and smart so I know how to follow directions. LOLOLOLOL Who knew that getting the same exact formula in ready-made could make that big of a difference. It does and my poor squirrel ended up with diarrhea. Not an amazing occurrence on your first week. Ironically my youngest daughter identified the problem quickly by associating the same reaction from my granddaughter. Yea issue resolved!!

3. Night time feedings. Girl Squirrel (that's her name) was not fed after mid night until I woke the next morning. While I squeaked by on that, reality is if she would have been a weakling it could have actually killed her. Hats off to those who get up every 3-4 hours as required.

4. I now know that squirrels can really pee, and I mean a lot. Not the frequency mind you, but the volume. I can officially add to my list of experiences that I, my family members, and bedding have all been marred by squirrel pee. As a result, I now keep a roll of paper towels with me for every single feeding. That way when the feasting is done, she can wee all she wants with out humans being caught off guard. I'm not even going to mention some of the places I have found pellets.

I am sharing my failures for your successes, because even with all the reading and research, sometimes you have to except your failures as learned experiences.

[stosh2010]

I am sharing my failures for your successes, because even with all the reading and research, sometimes you have to except your failures as learned experiences.

Great stuff....
We have ALL>>>> BEEN there DONE that.....
Knowledge is one thing.....but
EXPERIENCE is what you remember even more.
__________________________________________________ _____________

Baby LUNA---(from the feeding video) all grown up:





977

[island rehabber]

I am sharing my failures for your successes, because even with all the reading and research, sometimes you have to except your failures as learned experiences.

awolf! The reason you are a success now, raising a squirrel, is because you recognized your errors, CORRECTED them immediately, and stuck with the new program without letting your ego get in the way. Some of us here will remember a particularly annoying individual who came on here for the first time asking for help, with the phrase: "...and DON'T give me all that CRAP about mixing formulas and bla bla bla just tell me what I can buy at the grocery store to feed this thing."

If we'd had his address we would've done an intervention on his sorry a** SO fast......

Anyway, YAY to you for learning and acknowledging and seeking the best possible way to do this. Welcome to TSB!!

[NewSquirrelParents]

Hello everyone we are new "parents" to a baby boy squirrel we are wanting to know exactly which formula to use to feed him we've had him for 5 days now I'm guessing he is only a week old he still had part of his umbilical cord when my husband found him weve been using the Esbilac puppy already made formula in a can and I wanted to make sure that was right he is eating every 2 to 3 hours we have a heating pad on low only for half his little box and blanket I just want to make sure we do this right I would have had my dad help me but he passed away and luckily I found this place any help would be very appreciated we want to do the very best for our little boy

[island rehabber]

Hi and welcome to The Squirrel Board -- glad you found us.
First of all, if there is an experienced squirrel rehabilitator near you (we can help you look for one), I strongly urge you to bring the baby to them. Pinkies (1-3 weeks old) are very hard to keep alive and they should be raised with other babies.

If that is not possible, first of all get rid of the canned Esbilac. It is different from the powder and is not digested well by baby squirrels. You need the Powered Esbilac in the can with the white puppy on front, and a blue line around the top saying "with probiotics"...You also need a 1cc syringe without needle to feed him, and a nipple attachment suitable for tiny babies. I like the mini-Miracle nipples myself.

There is a wealth of information here at this link. Be sure to click "Next" on the upper right part of the page to continue!

https://www.henryspets.com/baby-squirrel-care/