Advice needed: My 1st Pinky

[GeralynK]

I'm a squirrel rehabber for Gulf Coast Wildlife Resue. This is my 1st pinky. The rehabber that usually takes pinkies will be out of town. It's a 30g female. I warmed her up & have given her 1.5ml of very warm electrostat. She's very healthy & chubby. I have Fox Valley Squirrel formula for less than 3 weeks. I'm starting on 8-1. How often should this baby be fed. My manual says every 2 hours, but from what I've read, they bloat quickly & should go longer between feedings. Any and all advice is very welcome!

[SammysMom]

Oh you are in for a treat! I LOVE pinkies!!! First thing though, please don't give FV 32/40 to a pinkie. We have had many many issues with pinkies and not digesting 32/40. It turns to sludge in their bodies and doesn't digest and they pass away.
I lost to this issue as did several other people here on TSB as well as on other beards. Most rehabbers that I know are no longer using 32/40 at all. We have had wonderful luck with Esbilac puppy formula. The powdered type that says "with probiotics and prebiotics" on the can. Are you somewhere that you could get Esbilac?

[SammysMom]

By the way...that is one adorable chubby healthy baby!

[farrelli]

Yes, Esbilac is the way to go for now. When older, you can switch to FV if you like.

[SammysMom]

When or if you switch when the baby is over 4 weeks old, you will still not want to use 32/40. You may want to use 20/50, but I will tell you that I very successfully changed many over 4 weeks old to a 50/50 combo of Esbilac/FV 20/50.

[island rehabber]

SammysMom is right on the money . I am the "pinky rehabber" for my area (NYC) and I concur with everything she said. DO NOT use the FV 32/40 until they figure out what's wrong with it, if ever. I started all my pinkies -- some as small as 14g -- on the Esbilac with Probiotics. I fed every 2.5 hours, but if I saw signs of dehydration I would give some honey water in between feedings (1/2 tsp organic local honey with 1 cup very warm water). All did beautifully. At 3 wks old I switched to half FV 20/50 and half Esbilac, and then after eyes opened I went to the 20/50 only.

Like SammysMom, I LOVE pinkies!! Feel free to ask us anything about them!

NOTE: 8:1 is WAY too diluted. You'll starve the poor little thing. Start with 3:1, then the normal 2:1. Your pinky appears robustly healthy so there's no worry about severe dehydration or emaciation here. If there were, I would start formula at a 4:1 dilution.

[GeralynK]

Wow! Thank you all for the great advice. I will get the puppy esbilac right away. How often do you recommend the feedings? Woops! Just read your post Island rehabber. Thank you!

[island rehabber]

anytime!

pssssst! SammysMom! You're jonesing for pinkies now, aren't you? Uh-Huh. me too.

[Chickenlegs]

PIIIIIINKY! She's a beauty! SM and IR are pinky queens--the go to folks for raising healthy happy babies. Except for sleep deprivation, pinkies are the sweetest little critters on God's earth. Enjoy! They're worth it! Um--towels--even the microfiber towels can catch their little toenails. Fleece is warm, doesn't catch, and washable. Flannel is good too and very absorbent.

[czarina]

Ha ha ha. Be careful what you wish for.......................

Pinkies will be here before we know it, and then, well, NOBODY sleeps!

Good luck with your little one. It is a chubby little cutie!

[GeralynK]

Ok, got the Esbilac & one more question. Pinkies are fed thru the night, correct? By the way, y'all are so friendly & quick to reply. I can't thank you enough!

[GeralynK]

Chickenlegs, thank you for the blanky talk. The wash cloth in the picture is what the lady brought her in. She had the Pinky wrapped in it stuffed in her bra! Warmest little baby I've ever done an intake on! I had her do a thorough search for any litter mates, nest or mommy & nothing. Just bare trees around. There's two very small scratches or teeth marks, on the scruff of her neck. Maybe mamma got caught transporting to another nesting sight? We'll never know. Thanks again!

[CritterMom]

Oh yes, fed day and night. Welcome to the baggy eyes club!

[Chickenlegs]

Chickenlegs, thank you for the blanky talk. The wash cloth in the picture is what the lady brought her in. She had the Pinky wrapped in it stuffed in her bra! Warmest little baby I've ever done an intake on! I had her do a thorough search for any litter mates, nest or mommy & nothing. Just bare trees around. There's two very small scratches or teeth marks, on the scruff of her neck. Maybe mamma got caught transporting to another nesting sight? We'll never know. Thanks again!

Hahahahaha! Now THAT's a lady after my own heart. How cold is it there? I'm glad she's warm and safe. I hope the rest of her family are.

[SammysMom]

How's it going with this little dollie?

[GeralynK]

Doing great! Good stool & latching onto the nipple really well.
I just got another one in tonight, a 55g female. She's really tubby too!

How's it going with this little dollie?

[island rehabber]

Precious babies! Enjoy them!
You probably won't need to feed the 55g baby every 2.5 hrs. Eventually the two of them will be on the same schedule but it's gonna drive you nuts for a few days.

[Chickenlegs]

Your baby season is starting EARLY!

[SammysMom]

OMGOMGOMG!!! Jealous as all get out!!!

[kcassidy]

anytime!

pssssst! SammysMom! You're jonesing for pinkies now, aren't you? Uh-Huh. me too.

Too funny so am I, plus I can't wait to use my new incubator