Neonate Success Story!

[SophieSquirrel]

I received 6 Neonates 2 days ago. Warmed, hydrated and started on Esb puppy w/probiotics. First few feedings 3:1 then 2:1. Started every 2 hours with 1 mL now doing up to 3 mL's every three hours. All readily taking formula but not thriving. Stool OK. I have not done pinkies in a while other then triage and hand off to a rehabber - none available right now. Last time I did pinkies was with the old Esbilac formula (that's how long ago it was) and I always had nice healthy babies. In my feeding kit I have 32/40, ultra boost. I don't want to upset the intestinal balance by changing diets too much but somehow I think they would do better on well blended 32/34 or mixed in with the Esb. I have used ultra boost on older squirrels when necessary but never on pinkies, worried about diarrhea in babies this small. Most of my experience is long term NR care, behavior and raising squirrels over 3 weeks, not neonates.

All babies are around 15 Grams

Any help from senior rehabbers who have nice healthy pinkies would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a post with opinions all over the place: https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-vs-Fox-Valley

[HRT4SQRLS]

Sophie, I'm most definitely not a pinky rehabber. I have raised ONE!
Are you sure you're giving them 3 ml? That is way too much. At 7% the amount would be 1ml. 5% would only be 0.75ml. I'm sure a pinky would be down around the 5% to start.

Edit... sorry Sophie. I saw FV and thought you were feeding that. I wouldn't use the FV 32:40 for pinkies.

[Spanky]

All readily taking formula but not thriving. Stool OK. I have not done pinkies in a while other then triage and hand off to a rehabber - none available right now.

Does not thriving mean not gaining any weight at all? If not, what?

[SophieSquirrel]

Does not thriving mean not gaining any weight at all? If not, what?

Spanky I will re-post a correction in the amount of formula per feeding when I get back from the store

[SophieSquirrel]

Sophie, I'm most definitely not a pinky rehabber. I have raised ONE!
Are you sure you're giving them 3 ml? That is way too much. At 7% the amount would be 1ml. 5% would only be 0.75ml. I'm sure a pinky would be down around the 5% to start.

Edit... sorry Sophie. I saw FV and thought you were feeding that. I wouldn't use the FV 32:40 for pinkies.

Meant to say between 1 and 1.3 mL (not 3) - a little tired from night feedings! Two of them are teetering on 17 Grams so they get a little more. My MI rehabber friend feels that Esb does not have enough fat and she has been using 32/40 for years without issues.

They just look a little underweight to me. They arrived in rough shape so hopefully they are catching up.

[Spanky]

Are they gaining weight? I am not a fan of FV 32/40, but I am a fan of Ultraboost and 20/50.

Edit: But I have not used 20/50 until at least 3 weeks (half n half with Esbilac). I have stuck with Esbilac with little ones like these and have no regrets.

[SophieSquirrel]

Are they gaining weight? I am not a fan of FV 32/40, but I am a fan of Ultraboost and 20/50.

Edit: But I have not used 20/50 until at least 3 weeks (half n half with Esbilac). I have stuck with Esbilac with little ones like these and have no regrets.

They are gaining weight but is not as pronounced as other pinkies I have raised. I am waiting on a callback from a rehabber friend that can take them up to release.

Do you think it would hurt to add 10% Ultraboost to the Esbilac for squirrels of this age?

Thanks!

[island rehabber]

SS, I would not do UltraBoost at this age yet. To me, your kids look dehydrated. Although I am sure you are beat by now already, I would personally try hydrating them (homemade Pedialyte or even warm water with a drop of honey) IN BETWEEN feedings for at least one day. It's amazing how extra hydration will plump these little guys up and you don't have to do it forever. I would not let FV 32/40 near anything living under my care, but that's just me. Try the in-betweens.

Also: if they are greys, six is an unusually large litter for a grey mamma. These poor kids may not have gotten enough nourishment from her in the short time they were with her, so as you said they were in rough shape. Have patience, be consistent, and hydrate.

[SophieSquirrel]

SS, I would not do UltraBoost at this age yet. To me, your kids look dehydrated. Although I am sure you are beat by now already, I would personally try hydrating them (homemade Pedialyte or even warm water with a drop of honey) IN BETWEEN feedings for at least one day. It's amazing how extra hydration will plump these little guys up and you don't have to do it forever. I would not let FV 32/40 near anything living under my care, but that's just me. Try the in-betweens.

Also: if they are greys, six is an unusually large litter for a grey mamma. These poor kids may not have gotten enough nourishment from her in the short time they were with her, so as you said they were in rough shape. Have patience, be consistent, and hydrate.

Thanks IR, I thought a little dehydrated too and started on several hydrations in between feedings last night. That photo was from yesterday and looking a tad better after the last 2 feedings. I have not used the 32/40 just putting the idea the idea out there. Sill on Esbilac, will keep updated.

What do you think every 2 or ever 3 hours? I know rehabbers like the one in MI that do every 3 hours and only 2 feedings overnight. I was doing every 2 but the rehabber that is going to take them won't be available for a few more weeks so I switched to every 3 at night.

Sorry IR 5 neonates not 6, again a little bleary eyed,

I called the finder to update and he said they could be Reds or Grays since both come to his feeder. They were in the hollow of a cherry tree when the tree company cut it down.

Any opinions Red or Grays?

[redwuff]

My guess at that weight they are greys. I agree with IR, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I have had a lot of bloating issues with esbilac. Bloating in a pinky is life threatening and often fatal so I love feeding the pinks up to three weeks on the goats milk formula. After three weeks I transition to either 50/50 GMF and 20/50 or 20/50.

5. Five. Wow, Better you than me. I am taking this fall season off !

[SammysMom]

Esbilac is 33/40 so the fat is exactly the same as fv 32/40 and I wouldn't even consider giving fv 32/40. It sounds like you've decided that anyway, but had to weigh in.
Remember that pinkies gain slowly because it is percentages. Hydration is key as always.

[Chickenlegs]

Beautiful baby. I don’t have reds in my neck of the woods but that looks like the gray pinkies I’ve had. How about half full fat goats milk and half Esbilac. Of course if they do well on the Esbilac, that’s good—don’t mess with success, but I do like goatsmilk for any baby I’m just not sure of. Goatsmilk is very digestable and makes a more robust formula more palatable for a dicey tummy. I think the pinki queens will chime in about that.

Oops—they already have.

[island rehabber]

My guess at that weight they are greys. I agree with IR, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I have had a lot of bloating issues with esbilac. Bloating in a pinky is life threatening and often fatal so I love feeding the pinks up to three weeks on the goats milk formula. After three weeks I transition to either 50/50 GMF and 20/50 or 20/50.

!

Just to clarify, trysh -- you feed the goat's milk formula up to three weeks that originally was developed by Jackie in Tampa, right?


3 parts goat’s milk
1 part heavy whipping cream*
1 part vanilla yogurt

The reason I ask is that I don't think straight goat milk is very good for babies for longer than a day or two; lacks essential ingredients, so I didn't want anyone to go that way.

[redwuff]

Yes, I feed goats milk formula from Jackie in Tampa to newborns and about 14 to 18 days I very slowly start adding 20/50 to the formula and have a full switch by 4 weeks. Thanks for clarifying that.

[SophieSquirrel]

Not using any GM just straight Esb. I do have Esb powdered GM in case there are issues with Esb but so far so good with no bloating. Huge improvement this morning and all are doing well. Thanks all...

[SammysMom]

It was suggested to me that esbilac mixed 1 part powder to 1 1/2 water with a dash of heavy cream is good. I dont add the cream, but once they are eating well I do decrease the water. It seems to work for me up to 3 to 4 weeks when I gradually work up to half fv 20/50 and half esbilac.

[redwuff]

It was suggested to me that esbilac mixed 1 part powder to 1 1/2 water with a dash of heavy cream is good. I dont add the cream, but once they are eating well I do decrease the water. It seems to work for me up to 3 to 4 weeks when I gradually work up to half fv 20/50 and half esbilac.

Gayle, are you talking about using 2.5 water instead of 1.5 water?

[SophieSquirrel]

A little bloating on 2 this afternoon. Skipping a feeding and hydrating instead.

En-route to get 2 more of the same age found on a sidewalk

[SammysMom]

No, I'm talking about 1.5 instead of 2 water with one of scoop of esbilac formula. I only do this once they are stable though.

[redwuff]

No, I'm talking about 1.5 instead of 2 water with one of scoop of esbilac formula. I only do this once they are stable though.

How does this help you and the babies? I have never heard of doing this. So it sounds like you eventually get close to or at a 1:1 powder to water ratio?