Page 1 of 10 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 188

Thread: Rocky Is Bloated

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    98
    Thanked: 150

    Default How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    I was told on here that the little guy I rescued looked under fed, which I agree with. I had been feeding him 2cc every 3 hrs. He is about 3 wks old and I have had him for 8 days now. Everyone on here has told me to feed him by his body weight. According to your feeding chart by weight, he only weighs 18 grams, which I know is quite skinny for his age, feeding him at 7% his body weight would be about 1.40cc, which is less then I feed him now. So what I am asking what do you all suggest I do to help him put on weight? I am feeding him the Esbilac with the whey protein and adding whipping cream to the mixture. Any help would sure be appreciated.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    SC (Madison)
    Posts
    7,177
    Thanked: 6807

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by awhelchel View Post
    I was told on here that the little guy I rescued looked under fed, which I agree with. I had been feeding him 2cc every 3 hrs. He is about 3 wks old and I have had him for 8 days now. Everyone on here has told me to feed him by his body weight. According to your feeding chart by weight, he only weighs 18 grams, which I know is quite skinny for his age, feeding him at 7% his body weight would be about 1.40cc, which is less then I feed him now. So what I am asking what do you all suggest I do to help him put on weight? I am feeding him the Esbilac with the whey protein and adding whipping cream to the mixture. Any help would sure be appreciated.

    Please check your scale. Grey squirrels typically weigh 13 - 18 grams when they are born! At 3 weeks they should be around 50grams (give or take). Can you post a picture of him next to something for reference (like a writing pen, or soda can, soup can.. something to give comparison).

    How often are you feeding this little one?

    Here is a product you can add to the formula to help with weight gain if that is needed.


    https://www.henryspets.com/fox-valley-ultraboost/

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    SC (Madison)
    Posts
    7,177
    Thanked: 6807

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by Spanky View Post
    Please check your scale.
    Weight something like 4 quarters (that weighs 22grams on my scale). If you do not have 4 quarters handy, weigh something standard and someone will compare with their own scale...

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

    redwuff (08-21-2018)

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    eastcoast
    Posts
    4,810
    Thanked: 5578

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Hi

    You have a beautiful fox squirrel there. I went back to see your other posts and saw the picture of your little guy. In that picture I would take a guess and put him at 28 to 32 grams. Pinkies come in at 3-4 days old weighing 17-18 grams. Your baby is much bigger. Please check and make sure your scale is measuring correctly.

    I agree that in that picture he is too thin. Get his correct weight and feed him at 5%. He will gain all his wt he needs to gain feeding him at 5% for now. In fact, if you feed him too much, he can develop diarrhea. He needs to be fed six times a day. He is old enough that you can skip the night feeding, but he needs six feedings.

    In your last thread you mentioned that you will pop in periodically. I invite you to update daily and post pictures regularly so we can help you the best. Even raising a healthy baby squirrel takes a lot of knowledge and you will find that here.
    redwuff
    State Licensed
    Master Wildlife Rehabilitator

  6. 3 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to redwuff:

    DanC (09-25-2018), Spanky (08-21-2018), UDoWhat (04-08-2019)

  7. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    98
    Thanked: 150

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by Spanky View Post
    Weight something like 4 quarters (that weighs 22grams on my scale). If you do not have 4 quarters handy, weigh something standard and someone will compare with their own scale...
    On my scales 4 quarters weigh 22 grams as well

  8. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    eastcoast
    Posts
    4,810
    Thanked: 5578

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Let's see what we can figure out then. Is he eating eagerly each time you feed?
    redwuff
    State Licensed
    Master Wildlife Rehabilitator

  9. Serious fuzzy thank you's to redwuff from:

    UDoWhat (04-08-2019)

  10. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    98
    Thanked: 150

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by redwuff View Post
    Let's see what we can figure out then. Is he eating eagerly each time you feed?
    Yes he is

  11. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    98
    Thanked: 150

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by Spanky View Post

    Please check your scale. Grey squirrels typically weigh 13 - 18 grams when they are born! At 3 weeks they should be around 50grams (give or take). Can you post a picture of him next to something for reference (like a writing pen, or soda can, soup can.. something to give comparison).

    How often are you feeding this little one?

    Here is a product you can add to the formula to help with weight gain if that is needed.


    https://www.henryspets.com/fox-valley-ultraboost/
    I did check my scale and they are correct. One person told me to check the weight of 4 quarters that his scales read 22 grams for 4 of them, my scale read the exact same. I reweighed the squirrel and I got 18 grams for him again. I am feeding him 2cc every 3 hrs and he takes that well. Here is his picture compared to a pen:
    Attached Images Attached Images   

  12. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    eastcoast
    Posts
    4,810
    Thanked: 5578

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    I just want to cover basics, which I know has been covered before, so please bear with me. Just to be sure, is this what you are feeding


    feedingName:  IMG_4597.JPG
Views: 367
Size:  157.8 KB
    redwuff
    State Licensed
    Master Wildlife Rehabilitator

  13. Serious fuzzy thank you's to redwuff from:

    UDoWhat (04-08-2019)

  14. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    98
    Thanked: 150

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by redwuff View Post
    I just want to cover basics, which I know has been covered before, so please bear with me. Just to be sure, is this what you are feeding


    feedingName:  IMG_4597.JPG
Views: 367
Size:  157.8 KB
    This is what I am feeding him, along with a little whipping cream mixed in.

  15. Serious fuzzy thank you's to awhelchel from:

    redwuff (08-21-2018)

  16. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    eastcoast
    Posts
    4,810
    Thanked: 5578

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Hold your course. If he is eating 2 ccs every 3 hours then stay steady at that and check every day for a wt gain. 2 ccs is a good amt of formula for a 40 g baby. I still think your baby weighs more than 18 g but I don't want to get stuck on that. If you see his stool start getting soft, pull him off of 1 feeding and hydrate him for the that next feeding and let us know.

    Weigh the same time every morning and write down his weight. He should be gaining .5 g every day at this age. He will gain more as he gets older.
    redwuff
    State Licensed
    Master Wildlife Rehabilitator

  17. 3 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to redwuff:

    DanC (09-25-2018), Mel1959 (08-21-2018), UDoWhat (04-08-2019)

  18. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Planet Earth
    Posts
    17,915
    Thanked: 13299

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Baby is very underweight but I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the weight.
    How about a picture of the scale and a picture of baby on the scale.


    If the weight is correct he's 2 grams smaller then a baby bat I had and they are tiny!
    If correct obviously he is not thriving on the esbilac formula and I'd change it asap.
    Keep in mind that although adding whipping cream can in most cases add on some
    weight, it also can hamper proper digestion in young babies.
    Step-N-Stone
    State Licensed
    Wildlife Master Rehabilitator


  19. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to stepnstone:

    cava (08-21-2018), Diggie's Friend (08-21-2018)

  20. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    SC (Madison)
    Posts
    7,177
    Thanked: 6807

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by stepnstone View Post
    Baby is very underweight but I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the weight.

    I believe we are struggling with this... how little this one weighs with the development (furred, several weeks old and not a pinky at 18grams).

    When was the first time you weighed him, how many days ago and what was his weight at that time?

  21. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Planet Earth
    Posts
    17,915
    Thanked: 13299

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by Spanky View Post

    I believe we are struggling with this... how little this one weighs with the development (furred, several weeks old and not a pinky at 18grams).
    Yeah, I got that!
    Step-N-Stone
    State Licensed
    Wildlife Master Rehabilitator


  22. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    98
    Thanked: 150

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by Spanky View Post

    I believe we are struggling with this... how little this one weighs with the development (furred, several weeks old and not a pinky at 18grams).

    When was the first time you weighed him, how many days ago and what was his weight at that time?
    I weighed him today

  23. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    KY
    Posts
    4,343
    Thanked: 6130

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Taking a photo of him on the scale would be a great way to put everyone's mind at ease and get to the bottom of it. I'm perplexed as well. Thanks for working with him.

  24. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    98
    Thanked: 150

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by redwuff View Post
    Hold your course. If he is eating 2 ccs every 3 hours then stay steady at that and check every day for a wt gain. 2 ccs is a good amt of formula for a 40 g baby. I still think your baby weighs more than 18 g but I don't want to get stuck on that. If you see his stool start getting soft, pull him off of 1 feeding and hydrate him for the that next feeding and let us know.

    Weigh the same time every morning and write down his weight. He should be gaining .5 g every day at this age. He will gain more as he gets older.
    I will give this all a try. What is a normal number of bowel movements a baby squirrel normally has a day? He has been going about twice a day. And I ordered the Fox Valley Ultra Boost. Could the scale keep reading 18 grams because he is wiggling so much, because he is all over the place. Rocky is a very active little guy!

  25. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    98
    Thanked: 150

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by cava View Post
    Taking a photo of him on the scale would be a great way to put everyone's mind at ease and get to the bottom of it. I'm perplexed as well. Thanks for working with him.
    I tried taking a picture and putting the picture on here but getting the picture on here is giving me fits and not working right. As soon as I can get it I will post it.

  26. Serious fuzzy thank you's to awhelchel from:

    redwuff (08-21-2018)

  27. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    East coast of Florida
    Posts
    9,781
    Thanked: 12707

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Try weighing a small plastic food container, with a small piece of fleece inside it in grams. Then weigh Rocky inside the container and subtract the previous weight of the container. The container and fleece should help keep him from wiggling around so much.

    Ultraboost works great for weight gain and the squirrels seem to really like the vanilla flavor!

  28. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Mel1959 from:

    DanC (09-25-2018)

  29. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    SC (Madison)
    Posts
    7,177
    Thanked: 6807

    Default Re: How Much Should I Feed This Little Guy

    Quote Originally Posted by stepnstone View Post
    Yeah, I got that!
    Sorry, I was meaning to emphasize to awelchel that we trying to help her are all befuddled.

Page 1 of 10 123 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •