new baby - need help

[Nancy in New York]

I am not sure if I need to start a new thread but I have several questions and thank goodness they are not life threatening. Miss Mavis has tiny tiny teeth coming in and has a MAJOR attitude. Thursday she started having less poop. Friday she was constipated all day. I gave her watered apple juice and even soaked in warm water and massaged her. Finally we had poop! Since then, she is pooping but not the amount she has been before. I am not sure if it is because she is growing so much or what. She lives in our bathroom in her box. (We have other pets and its the warmest room in our house; we keep it cool) I run warm water for pottying time. It is to the point that if someone turns the water on to wash their hands she starts making chirping and squealing noises; I guess she thinks its potty time??? She puts up a MAJOR fight when it really is pottying time. I think that is why she is not having normal amounts of poop. I've tried to be super easy, thinking she may be sore; that doesn't help. She is up to 40 grams today (She is gaining several grams each day) and I have been feeding her 2cc. She still acts hungry but I'm scared to feed her 6% or 7% because of constipation or getting bloat. Any pointers would be great! I didn't know if this is kind of llike the squirrel terrible two's or what.

I use a little makeup BRUSH not the sponge applicator, something soft that you would apply eye shadow with. OR a little paint brush that comes with the water color kits.
She is such a tiny little girl, I wonder why she isn't gaining more.
Did you open new formula or anything?
Can you tell me again, exactly what you are feeding, I forgot.
Is there any chance that she is pottying by herself?
Can you post a picture of her butt?
When you are done feeding, is her tummy hard, or like a balloon where it's
still pliable?
One more thing, how old is she again?
Is the poop hard, and can you post a picture?
Most of the time, the older they get the more they poop.
I'll be thinking about this one.................

[IncrediblyPink]

I use a little makeup BRUSH not the sponge applicator, something soft that you would apply eye shadow with. OR a little paint brush that comes with the water color kits.
She is such a tiny little girl, I wonder why she isn't gaining more.
Did you open new formula or anything?
Can you tell me again, exactly what you are feeding, I forgot.
Is there any chance that she is pottying by herself?
Can you post a picture of her butt?
When you are done feeding, is her tummy hard, or like a balloon where it's
still pliable?
One more thing, how old is she again?
Is the poop hard, and can you post a picture?
Most of the time, the older they get the more they poop.
I'll be thinking about this one.................

I have been using Q-tips. Her tummy is like a balloon. It's soft, not hard. She is eating Esbilac with probiotics; still using the same can. I don't think she is pottying by herself. If so, I'm not seeing it in her box. I am going to take some pictures right now. Her poop has also changed colors the past few days as well. It's still gold but not bright gold like it had been before. It doesn't seem to be any harder than usual.

[Nancy in New York]

I have been using Q-tips. Her tummy is like a balloon. It's soft, not hard. She is eating Esbilac with probiotics; still using the same can. I don't think she is pottying by herself. If so, I'm not seeing it in her box. I am going to take some pictures right now. Her poop has also changed colors the past few days as well. It's still gold but not bright gold like it had been before. It doesn't seem to be any harder than usual.

Are you using the premixed Esbilac or the powdered?

[IncrediblyPink]

It is the powdered Esbilac. I mix it; 1 part powder to 2 parts water. She just ate and pottied about 45 minutes before I took these. I will have to get a poop picture later; I did try though. She also has dry skin on her tummy around her butt. Sorry about the neosporin. It was the quickest thing I could find for reference. On 8/18 she was 23 grams; she is 40 grams today. No one has mentioned her age. From other pictures people have posted I'm guessing 3-4 weeks? I ran the pictures through photobucket first so hopefully they won't be huge. Thank you all so much!!!!

[Nancy in New York]

Her butt looks really good.
Is she in a cardboard box?
If so, that will cause dryness.
Also, get a baby food JAR,
cut a little piece of sponge, wet it and stick it
in the jar with the top off, that will create moisture.
Just remember to keep wetting it or checking it every other
day.
Oh, and place it on the side where the heating pad is.
She's on a heating pad, correct? Half UNDER her container?

[IncrediblyPink]

Her butt looks really good.
Is she in a cardboard box?
If so, that will cause dryness.
Also, get a baby food JAR,
cut a little piece of sponge, wet it and stick it
in the jar with the top off, that will create moisture.
Just remember to keep wetting it or checking it every other
day.
Oh, and place it on the side where the heating pad is.
She's on a heating pad, correct? Half UNDER her container?

Glad the butt looks good! She is in a plastic shoebox/sterilite container with TONS of holes in the lid. Yes, still on a heating pad half under. She typically crawls off and on throughout the day but several times today she has felt very warm and I moved her. Within a few minutes she was back on. Put the jar inside the box or next to the box? She is scooting and crawling like crazy. She will climb in the jar!

[Nancy in New York]

Glad the butt looks good! She is in a plastic shoebox/sterilite container with TONS of holes in the lid. Yes, still on a heating pad half under. She typically crawls off and on throughout the day but several times today she has felt very warm and I moved her. Within a few minutes she was back on. Put the jar inside the box or next to the box? She is scooting and crawling like crazy. She will climb in the jar!

I put it inside the container on the warm side. It keeps the container moist. You have the pad set on low, right.
I know we have been through all this before, it's just so much easier for me not to reread,
and I get confused with the different posters. I DO know you though , just not all the little details.
I thought the same thing, they will crawl in it and aspirate from the water. .
BUT you squeeze most of the water out, so it is just dampish, sort of so you couldn't squeeze more out, almost.
Does that help?

[IncrediblyPink]

Yes it is set on low. I totally understand. You guys do an awesome job of keeping up with everyone!
Thank you so much!

[ALittleNutty]

It is the powdered Esbilac. I mix it; 1 part powder to 2 parts water. She just ate and pottied about 45 minutes before I took these. I will have to get a poop picture later; I did try though. She also has dry skin on her tummy around her butt. Sorry about the neosporin. It was the quickest thing I could find for reference. On 8/18 she was 23 grams; she is 40 grams today. No one has mentioned her age. From other pictures people have posted I'm guessing 3-4 weeks? I ran the pictures through photobucket first so hopefully they won't be huge. Thank you all so much!!!!

You might want to go to a 3:1 mixture and start adding a small amount heavy whipping cream. You could then gradually ease back down to a 2:1 ratio as long as you are getting good potty results. Mine are about the same age and I am using a 2:1 ratio plus a couple of extra tablespoons of water when I make up a 1 cup batch of formula. ( 1/3 c formula, 2/3 c + 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon cream). I make up a double batch of this but I am feeding 8 right now.

You might also need to consider putting her in a deeper container than the shoe box size since she is getting really mobile. I have two that are about the same size and I have had to switch to one that is about 15 inches deep. You could put the sponge into a taller container like a mason jar, so she can't climb in it.

Don't know what to do about they crying when she hears the water. She may just relate that to someone coming in. Does she have a small stuffie to snuggle with? She may just be lonely. Maybe someone close by has a her size.

[IncrediblyPink]

You might want to go to a 3:1 mixture and start adding a small amount heavy whipping cream. You could then gradually ease back down to a 2:1 ratio as long as you are getting good potty results. Mine are about the same age and I am using a 2:1 ratio plus a couple of extra tablespoons of water when I make up a 1 cup batch of formula. ( 1/3 c formula, 2/3 c + 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon cream). I make up a double batch of this but I am feeding 8 right now.

You might also need to consider putting her in a deeper container than the shoe box size since she is getting really mobile. I have two that are about the same size and I have had to switch to one that is about 15 inches deep. You could put the sponge into a taller container like a mason jar, so she can't climb in it.

Don't know what to do about they crying when she hears the water. She may just relate that to someone coming in. Does she have a small stuffie to snuggle with? She may just be lonely. Maybe someone close by has a her size.

I will try that. I am so scared of watering it down now because I had her in such a predicament a few weeks ago from watering down. I am still feeding her every 3 hours. Is that right? Age wise how old is she? 3 weeks? 4 weeks? I worry about her getting cold if she climbs in with the sponge; not so much aspirating. I will get her a deeper container tomorrow. Mason jar is a good idea. She has 2 small stuffies in there that she piles up on. I know she wants to be snuggled. When I put her back in she tries to climb back in my hand or holds on to my fingers. I don't know how to be cuddly with her and keep her warm enough too. I also don't know how to find her a friend. The squirrel thing is kind of a hush hush deal in these parts...or so it seems. Thank you so much!

[Nancy in New York]

I will try that. I am so scared of watering it down now because I had her in such a predicament a few weeks ago from watering down. I am still feeding her every 3 hours. Is that right? Age wise how old is she? 3 weeks? 4 weeks? I worry about her getting cold if she climbs in with the sponge; not so much aspirating. I will get her a deeper container tomorrow. Mason jar is a good idea. She has 2 small stuffies in there that she piles up on. I know she wants to be snuggled. When I put her back in she tries to climb back in my hand or holds on to my fingers. I don't know how to be cuddly with her and keep her warm enough too. I also don't know how to find her a friend. The squirrel thing is kind of a hush hush deal in these parts...or so it seems. Thank you so much!

Just a little suggestion, if you are concerned with watering it down too much, you can just hydrate in between feedings. The apple juice should have helped some, but perhaps just extra water in between will also help.
You know I wouldn't use a mason jar, only because that is heavy, and God forbid she tip it over and she is under.
Just put a little bit of baby oil on her, not much.....just a drop and rub it in as good as you can.

[tap31974]

She is just a darling little girl. You have done such an amazing job bringing her back like you did . I know you are worried about her warm when you're holding her I'm not a rehabber and look for advice on raising my lil girl Isis from the wonderful people here but what I did when she was small was took a piece of fleece layed it over my hand put her on top wrapped it around her and held her like that I also snuck my fingers under the fleece with her so I could rub her back and belly and not expose her to the air. I would cuddle her for hrs like that. Now my lil girl wasn't as small as yours and wasn't in a critical condition so if someone here thinks this is a bad suggestion but I hope not and I know how much I loved holding her all the time. Good luck with your lil princess

[Nancy in New York]

She is just a darling little girl. You have done such an amazing job bringing her back like you did . I know you are worried about her warm when you're holding her I'm not a rehabber and look for advice on raising my lil girl Isis from the wonderful people here but what I did when she was small was took a piece of fleece layed it over my hand put her on top wrapped it around her and held her like that I also snuck my fingers under the fleece with her so I could rub her back and belly and not expose her to the air. I would cuddle her for hrs like that. Now my lil girl wasn't as small as yours and wasn't in a critical condition so if someone here thinks this is a bad suggestion but I hope not and I know how much I loved holding her all the time. Good luck with your lil princess

Perfect suggestion!!!!!!!

[IncrediblyPink]

Just a little suggestion, if you are concerned with watering it down too much, you can just hydrate in between feedings. The apple juice should have helped some, but perhaps just extra water in between will also help.
You know I wouldn't use a mason jar, only because that is heavy, and God forbid she tip it over and she is under.
Just put a little bit of baby oil on her, not much.....just a drop and rub it in as good as you can.

YIKES! I didn't even think of that with the mason jar. I watered it down just now for this feeding. I trust everyone here to not lead me astray!!!! At least this time when we pottied she did not fight so bad. You can see her little tummy flexing as I stimulate her but nothing is coming out. Can poop get hung but other small pieces are going around it???? Can you do apple juice once a day to help or as a possible preventative? Just trying to think of something. It's pitiful she is flexing so hard and not much is coming.

[ALittleNutty]

Just a little suggestion, if you are concerned with watering it down too much, you can just hydrate in between feedings. The apple juice should have helped some, but perhaps just extra water in between will also help.
You know I wouldn't use a mason jar, only because that is heavy, and God forbid she tip it over and she is under.
Just put a little bit of baby oil on her, not much.....just a drop and rub it in as good as you can.

Sorry, I was thinking at this age a heavy quart jar with the squared sides might be a good thing. Tall enough that she couldn't reach up and grab it to tip it over or get inside it. It could even be taped in a corner to secure it. I should have been more specific. Maybe just poke tiny holes in the lid of the baby food jar to keep her out of it but still allow the moisture to escape would be a better solution.

It may take a couple of watered down feedings to get things moving good. I would continue with warm water soaks and massaging.

[IncrediblyPink]

She is just a darling little girl. You have done such an amazing job bringing her back like you did . I know you are worried about her warm when you're holding her I'm not a rehabber and look for advice on raising my lil girl Isis from the wonderful people here but what I did when she was small was took a piece of fleece layed it over my hand put her on top wrapped it around her and held her like that I also snuck my fingers under the fleece with her so I could rub her back and belly and not expose her to the air. I would cuddle her for hrs like that. Now my lil girl wasn't as small as yours and wasn't in a critical condition so if someone here thinks this is a bad suggestion but I hope not and I know how much I loved holding her all the time. Good luck with your lil princess

Thank you so much! She is definitely a princess and it is going to KILL me when it is time to even think about a release. That's a great idea and I will try it. I wrap her in small pieces of tshirt to feed her (just easier) and I feel like long term its not warm enough. I'm thinking she needs some snuggles. I'm sure it gets very lonely crawling/napping around in a box by yourself all day.

[tap31974]

Thank you so much! She is definitely a princess and it is going to KILL me when it is time to even think about a release. That's a great idea and I will try it. I wrap her in small pieces of tshirt to feed her (just easier) and I feel like long term its not warm enough. I'm thinking she needs some snuggles. I'm sure it gets very lonely crawling/napping around in a box by yourself all day.

I completely agree with the being lonely and each squirrel I have had (2) loved being loved on and kissed and played with and my first squirrel chip he would yell at me from in his cage if I didn't take him out on time and miss Isis here she gets mad at me. if I don't play with her long enough the next time I go to get her she literally turns her back to me and won't even look at me lol.they have such awesome personalities and When they get older their play reminds me of a cat. it's just so rewarding and I feel such a privilege to be a squirrel mommy !!

[IncrediblyPink]

Well, little girl was still having potty issues this morning. I fed her at 6:30am (as usual) the 1 part powder 3 part water mixture. At 9:00am (I usually don't feed her until 9:30am) she begins screaming this ear piercing scream; I have never heard her do this. I check on her and her belly is very distended but it was still soft. She screamed on and off for about 5 minutes; I had no idea what to do.I was at work so I made some sugar water without salt because I didn't have any. I just knew she was going to die on me today after all the screaming. I fed her sugar water at feeding times until her 3:30 feeding because her belly had went down some and I knew she was starving. I gave her 1cc of extra water esbilac and then tried to get her to potty. Poop came from everywhere. It was not diarrhea, it was formed but there was tons! She is much much better now and seems to feel way better.
With all that said my question is: Is there some way to prevent constipation if a baby is prone to it? Can you give them some apple juice each day or something to keep all this from happening?
The other thing is she has started chewing on her hands and feet. I don't know if that is from all of the discomfort or if its something else. Is that a normal thing at this age?
Thanks in advance. I don't see how you all do this with MULTIPLE babies ALL the time! The stress that goes with these delicate little angels is EXTREME!!! My hats off to all of you!

[IncrediblyPink]

Stomach is very distended again today. Looks like bloat but stomach is still soft. Not much poop and when there is some it's very slimy. Any suggestions? Go back to sugar water only forr now???? I will try to post a picture this evening once I am at home. I am very worried since this keeps happening. Help!

[ALittleNutty]

Stomach is very distended again today. Looks like bloat but stomach is still soft. Not much poop and when there is some it's very slimy. Any suggestions? Go back to sugar water only forr now???? I will try to post a picture this evening once I am at home. I am very worried since this keeps happening. Help!

Not sure what is going on with the screaming, it could just be gas pains. Glad to hear you got good poop yesterday. If you give any hydration in between feedings just use the sugar and water, no salt. We only use that up to 24 hours when we first start re-hydrating. It may take several potty breaks before things normalize as she works everything through her system. As to the chewing, are you cleaning her paws really well after feeding? She may just be sucking formula off of them. I swear they can smear that stuff everywhere! Hang in there! Can't wait to see new pictures.