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Thread: Rescued a young squirrel during tree removal - What now?

  1. #1
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    Default Rescued a young squirrel during tree removal - What now?

    How do we determine how old and what to feed her? Starting with esbilac (with probiotics) 1:4 part water in a nipple, 1:4 parts because first feeding, and she started to try it but then buried back under the covers.
    What should we do to get her to eat?
    Her eyes are open, has her hair, tail still out straight, very sweet and curious. Guessing 7 weeks?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Rescued a young squirrel during tree removal - What now?

    Also - Have a heating pad under half of her crate, under the crate, and a fleece blanket inside.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Rescued a young squirrel during tree removal - What now?

    First, read this: https://henryspets.com/1-baby-squirrel-care-guide/ It is 6 pages and an excellent primer. Disregard the formula information, manufacturers change formulas so frequently it is hard to keep up but the rest of the article is gold.

    You have to follow an order: First, you need to warm the baby, slowly, but thoroughly. They cannot process food or water without being warmed. Then you need to hydrate. You can use Pedialyte, or a homemade mixture of 1 teaspoon salt, 3 teaspoons sugar and 4 cups water to do so. Hydration should be warmed to 105-108 degrees. Hydrate until if you pinch the skin on the back and pull it up and release it, the skin snaps immediately back to shape. A baby that isn't hydrated can't digest formula.

    THEN, you start to feed. It sounds, I hope, like you have the Esbilac powdered puppy formula. If not, you need to get it - other brands, the Esbilac liquid, are all not good and likely to cause stomach issues. If so, I would move directly to 1 part powder to 3 parts water, and once you have a few feedings at that, continue moving toward 1 part powder and 2 parts water. The 1 to 4 you are using is probably like watered down skim milk - yuck. If you have properly hydrated the baby before beginning formula, you don't need to add a ton of extra hydration to the formula.

    Babies begin to curl their tail over their back at about 6 weeks.

    Since she has open eyes she knows you are NOT mom so it may take her a bit to get the hang of eating from you. Often cuddling her in a little blanket that you can pull a bit of a flap up and cover her face with it - so she can't see you and is kind of dark and snuggled in like she would have been in the nest, will help them to chill out. She will come around.

    Congratulations! Keep asking questions. Stay on this thread so people can read the origin of the baby if they come in to the story late.

  4. Serious fuzzy thank you's to CritterMom from:

    WittyKitty (03-21-2024)

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