I have a new baby.

[beanietalenie]

I received a baby squirrel from a friend that is a grounds keeper in a park. He found the baby in the parking lot covered in blood. He though he was dead but the little guy was still breathing so he called me. I have hand raised kittens puppies and raccoons so he figured I was the best option the little guy had.
Dean (as he is being called) is as far as I can tell about 6-7 weeks old. He had one of his eyes damaged and I believe he is partially blind in that eye. All of his other wounds were superficial and he is now an active baby doing very well eating and climbing all over. He has been with me a full week now.
I am hoping that I was the right choice and this little guy will thrive!

[DarkLies212]

Welcome to TSB and thanks for saving this baby!! Dean is adorable!! What's his diet like?

[Rhapsody]

Keep him warm in fleece placed on a heating pad set to low.
Hydrate with pedialyte prior to feeding any powder formula.
Feed him Esbilac with Probiotics @ 5-7% of body weight.

[Chickenlegs]

Lucky lucky baby to be rescued and in loving hands. Check out the nutrition section for foods that will keep that sweetie strong and healthy.

[beanietalenie]

Welcome to TSB and thanks for saving this baby!! Dean is adorable!! What's his diet like?

Right now he has been eating KMR (kitten replacement powder) which is what my vet suggested to me. He eats every four to five hours and he eats 4-5 ccs. I have put other things in his cage like rodent blocks and some dry kitten food but so far he shows no interest in anything except his formula. He has a nesting box in his cage that is on a heating pad (one made for baby animals) . I have been reading that the puppy formula may be better so I am probably going to get that. I am mostly concerned with his eye.

[kendradfw]

Right now he has been eating KMR (kitten replacement powder) which is what my vet suggested to me. He eats every four to five hours and he eats 4-5 ccs. I have put other things in his cage like rodent blocks and some dry kitten food but so far he shows no interest in anything except his formula. He has a nesting box in his cage that is on a heating pad (one made for baby animals) . I have been reading that the puppy formula may be better so I am probably going to get that.

Yes, please, switch to Esbilac right away, kitten formula is not good for them at all, he should be eating 5-7% of body weight. Easiest way to do that is pick up a kitchen scale at walmart to weigh him. At around 7-8 weeks you can put rodent block in with him, but no other foods until he is eating his blocks, and let him have formula as long as he wants.

This thread is helpful when trying to figure of what to feed your little guy.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

[DarkLies212]

I agree with kendradfw. You'll want POWDERED Esbilac Puppy formula with pro/prebiotics. The can will look like this (blue band on top). If it doesn't, check the ingredients and ensure that "dried whey protein" is the 3rd ingredient.




Stop the kitten food and just stick with the rodent blocks. Once he's eating those, you can order some better quality ones from henry's pets http://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-diet/

Once he's eating those, then start with veggies in the healthy diet thread postive above


Some issues resolve themselves with a better diet, so I'm hoping his eye is one of them! Does it appear to be able to see out of it at all?


Also, instead of the nesting box, you can use ferret cubes and hammocks. Please make sure where ever the heating pad is is HALF UNDER it so he's able to climb off onto a cooler spot.

[beanietalenie]

I work for Pet Supermarket so I can get the Esbliac that isn't a problem and we can switch today. It doesn't seem like he can see out of his eye. He always seems to turn his head so he can look with his other eye. And I also am concerned about that sides teeth growing in straight since he seems to have had damage on that side. But he wont let me open his mouth to see in there. He bites.

[Nancy in New York]

Can you tell us the city and state that you live in, perhaps we can find a rehabber to help you,
or to at least take a look at him.
His little eye looks bad.
He also looks like he may have some dried formula under his chin. I know they can be
such messy eaters. BUT you will want to take a warm, damp cotton ball to that and get it
off. Otherwise he will lose his fur, because the formula can cause "milk burn".
How much is he eating at every feeding, and how much does he weigh?
He's adorable by the way.

[Sara in NW MS]

to TSB and thanks for saving this baby. I won't comment on the formula, you are getting great advice from these guys. I have a question about his ears though. They look like they have bumps on them, can anyone tell what that might be? Have you seen any fleas or anything like that on him?

Dean is super cute and looks like a really sweet guy. He can't bite really hard at this age right now so don't worry so much about that. He could very well be blind in that eye, time will tell.

[Nancy in New York]

to TSB and thanks for saving this baby. I won't comment on the formula, you are getting great advice from these guys. I have a question about his ears though. They look like they have bumps on them, can anyone tell what that might be? Have you seen any fleas or anything like that on him?

Dean is super cute and looks like a really sweet guy. He can't bite really hard at this age right now so don't worry so much about that. He could very well be blind in that eye, time will tell.

Sara do you mean in the second photo, his right ear?
I wonder if that could be lice?

I see a few white looking specks on the scruff of his neck as well.

[Rhapsody]

You need to flush the KMR out of the squirrels body with pedialyte before you start feeding Esbilac with Probiotics. Please let your vet know that kitten formula should never be given to squirrels, dog formula only (powder).

Homemade Pedialyte
1 cup hot water
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

*keeps in frig for three days
*warm before feeding

[Sara in NW MS]

Sara do you mean in the second photo, his right ear?
I wonder if that could be lice?

Yes, the second photo, his right ear. You can see bumps down inside the ear and around the surrounding area. If you look at the backside of his left ear you can see the same bumps although the pic isn't as clear for that ear.

[beanietalenie]

to TSB and thanks for saving this baby. I won't comment on the formula, you are getting great advice from these guys. I have a question about his ears though. They look like they have bumps on them, can anyone tell what that might be? Have you seen any fleas or anything like that on him?

Dean is super cute and looks like a really sweet guy. He can't bite really hard at this age right now so don't worry so much about that. He could very well be blind in that eye, time will tell.

He does have little bumps on his ears. But no fleas or other parasites that can be seen. And he doesn't scratch at them. His skin under his fur is very dry and flaky though.

If he is blind would it still be safe to release him when he is older?

[beanietalenie]

You need to flush the KMR out of the squirrels body with pedialyte before you start feeding Esbilac with Probiotics. Please let your vet know that kitten formula should never be given to squirrels, dog formula only (powder).

Homemade Pedialyte
1 cup hot water
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

*keeps in frig for three days
*warm before feeding

How long should I give him this before starting the Esbilac?

[Rhapsody]

How long should I give him this before starting the Esbilac?

I would flush for rest of the day, then start new in the morning.
Give fluids @ 5-7% of body weight every 4 hours.

[Rhapsody]

That ear looks like a possible bad case of ear mites.
I would apply mineral oil to remove the crust and mites.
If they don't go away apply a dose of kitten Revolution.

GOOD LUCK.

[beanietalenie]

That ear looks like a possible bad case of ear mites.
I would apply mineral oil to remove the crust and mites.
If they don't go away apply a dose of kitten Revolution.

GOOD LUCK.

Okay I will do that. Thank you guys. I will be switching everything including his vet. And ill keep updating.

[beanietalenie]

UPDATE: he is eating his rodent blocks yay!!!

[Nancy in New York]

Okay I will do that. Thank you guys. I will be switching everything including his vet. And ill keep updating.

Why will you be switching vets?
Did I miss something?