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Thread: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

  1. #1
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    Default BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    I found a very young baby squirrel Monday afternoon, by itself in the mud by the road. It was cold, but with a little help he was up and crawling in no time. He’s been doing good, but for the past couple days his stool is very runny and LIGHT YELLOW. His stomach was slightly bloated, and on his right side there was a large yellow patch, I’m guessing his stomach was inflamed or something of the sort. We’ve been feeding him:
    - puppy milk (1 syringe full)
    - salt/sugar solution (1-1.5 syringe full)
    Every 2-3 hours. We are guessing that he is about two weeks old. He is usually hungry, trying to suckle on a finder or side of my hand, but I’m concerned that feeding him too much won’t help his very runny stool. I’m switching to goat milk tomorrow as soon as stores open. PLEASE HELP. I need to know:
    - possible cause of bloating/runny stool (light yellow)
    - how much roughly I should be feeding him and what time
    - how much water should he drink and how much milk
    - how can I stop him from being bloated?? I’ve been cutting down on his milk intake...
    he’s very active and looking for food but I’m scared it’ll only hurt him.
    Please respond when you can, I’m not sure how serious this is but I’m going to prepare for the worst...

  2. #2
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    Also, we’ve done a few rounds of JUST water/salt/sugar solution and still no change.... his belly is slightly rounded but not large, and it’s not hard.
    I think it may be overfeeding. Waiting to goat milk mixture tomorrow. Also, is 1-1.5cc every 3h good? Is that an okay amount???

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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by Cloewagstaffe View Post
    I found a very young baby squirrel Monday afternoon, by itself in the mud by the road. It was cold, but with a little help he was up and crawling in no time. He’s been doing good, but for the past couple days his stool is very runny and LIGHT YELLOW. His stomach was slightly bloated, and on his right side there was a large yellow patch, I’m guessing his stomach was inflamed or something of the sort. We’ve been feeding him:
    - puppy milk (1 syringe full)
    - salt/sugar solution (1-1.5 syringe full)
    Every 2-3 hours. We are guessing that he is about two weeks old. He is usually hungry, trying to suckle on a finder or side of my hand, but I’m concerned that feeding him too much won’t help his very runny stool. I’m switching to goat milk tomorrow as soon as stores open. PLEASE HELP. I need to know:
    - possible cause of bloating/runny stool (light yellow)
    - how much roughly I should be feeding him and what time
    - how much water should he drink and how much milk
    - how can I stop him from being bloated?? I’ve been cutting down on his milk intake...
    he’s very active and looking for food but I’m scared it’ll only hurt him.
    Please respond when you can, I’m not sure how serious this is but I’m going to prepare for the worst...
    What is the "puppy milk" you are feeding? What brand, liquid or powder?
    Babies are fed by 5-7% of body weight, having a scale to weigh in grams is essential.
    Overfeeding and /or improper formula are the number one causes of diarrhea, changing
    formulas won't accomplish anything.
    Can you post a picture for a better assessment on age, condition, etc.
    Step-N-Stone
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    Wildlife Master Rehabilitator


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  5. #4
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    https://ibb.co/4fRJwDW
    https://ibb.co/qx67sGV
    The one where you can see his belly (the bottom one, I think) you can see the large yellow spot on his right side.
    We’ve been feeding him routinely every 3 hours
    And we guess he’s about 2 weeks? Around there
    I feed him usually 1-1.5cc and he’s always VERY hungry. Should I be giving him more? Although I don’t want to overfeed....

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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    I woke up to find his belly like this... am I Over feeding? I feel like I’ve been feeding him so little, and he’s always wandering around and looking for more food!!!
    https://ibb.co/4RvF2xF
    https://ibb.co/6JnZfLm

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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by stepnstone View Post
    What is the "puppy milk" you are feeding? What brand, liquid or powder?
    Babies are fed by 5-7% of body weight, having a scale to weigh in grams is essential.
    Overfeeding and /or improper formula are the number one causes of diarrhea, changing
    formulas won't accomplish anything.
    Can you post a picture for a better assessment on age, condition, etc.
    Knowing exactly what you are feeding and the weight of baby to know how
    much you should be feeding is the first step for us to know how to help you.
    As stated, Babies are fed by 5-7% of body weight.
    Step-N-Stone
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  9. #7
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    We are feeding him Esbilac Puppy milk replacer and a water/salt/sugar solution, and the squirrel is around 50g

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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by Cloewagstaffe View Post
    I woke up to find his belly like this... am I Over feeding? I feel like I’ve been feeding him so little, and he’s always wandering around and looking for more food!!!
    https://ibb.co/4RvF2xF
    https://ibb.co/6JnZfLm
    This doesn’t look like bloat to me. When a baby squirrel is bloated, the whole belly is round and very hard. For bloat just soak the baby is some warm water and give a drop or two of baby gas x. Then stimulate to make it use the bathroom. Like I said though, this doesn’t look like bloat.

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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by Cloewagstaffe View Post
    Also, we’ve done a few rounds of JUST water/salt/sugar solution and still no change.... his belly is slightly rounded but not large, and it’s not hard.
    I think it may be overfeeding. Waiting to goat milk mixture tomorrow. Also, is 1-1.5cc every 3h good? Is that an okay amount???
    Esbilac Puppy Replacer Milk with Probiotics is the way to go. It is a powder. There is a white pup on the front.

    Is he hydrated okay? Pull the skin up on the back of the neck. If he is hydrated well, the skin will go back in place fast. I know you said you are giving him some kind of hydrating solution. I’ve always given mine plain Pedialyte, so I’m not familiar with the one you are doing.

    I found this online. It’s a good guide for reintroducing formula. I always started introducing the formula a little at a time.

    Feeding #1
    Put the tip of the syringe in the jar of formula and pull into it 1/2 cc of the formula. Take the syringe to the sink and add 2 and 1/2 cc's of plain water. Give the baby all it wants.
    Feeding #2
    Into the syringe put 1 cc of the formula - add 2 cc's of plain water.
    Feeding #3
    1 and 1/2 cc's of the formula - add 1 and 1/2 cc's of plain water.
    Feeding #4
    2 cc's of the formula - add 1 cc of plain water.
    Feeding #5
    2 and 1/2 cc's of the formula - add 1/2 cc of plain water.
    Feeding #6
    You have reached full strength formula which you will continue to feed.

    I know this isn’t answering your question about his stomach on his left side. I wish I could help you there, but someone with a more professional opinion will have to help you with that. Taking him to a vet may be your best option just to get him checked out, especially because you found him where you did.

  12. #10
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    If your little one is 50 grams, he should be eating between 2.5 and 3.5 ml/cc about every 3 hours (that is feeding between 5 to 7 percent of body weight).
    50x5%=2.5
    50x7%=3.5
    Don’t skip night feedings either. Some people say it’s okay, but in my opinion it’s not. He will be starving to death and will want to overeat.

  13. #11
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    Okay, but what is causing the runny stool? Is the formula??

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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by Cloewagstaffe View Post
    Okay, but what is causing the runny stool? Is the formula??
    Is the Esbilac liquid or powder? Does it look like picture below?
    Name:  formula sm.jpg
Views: 83
Size:  32.4 KB
    Step-N-Stone
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    It’s canned, but we just got a powdered puppy milk replacer, brad is Petlac and it says “contains FOS and live naturally occurring microorganisms”
    https://ibb.co/6Ff13w2

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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    We’re using water with salt and sugar currently, but will be switching to pedyalite once stores open. Just bought powdered puppy milk and will be using those guidelines. Thank you

  17. #15
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    Quote Originally Posted by Cloewagstaffe View Post
    It’s canned, but we just got a powdered puppy milk replacer, brad is Petlac and it says “contains FOS and live naturally occurring microorganisms”
    The canned (liquid) formulas are never recommended and is the reason these babies have had a problem.
    Again wrong formula, not the correct nutrition for a squirrel. If it's not the powered Esbilac pictured
    with the pre and probiotics it's not going to be any better then the canned.
    Step-N-Stone
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    It has the exact same ingredients, we checked. Just a smaller box

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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    It has to be POWDERED Esbilac puppy formula. No other formula that you can buy in the store will do. You can’t substitute another formula even if it’s made by the same company and the ingredients are the same. The proportional amounts of the ingredients can be different.

    Get the correct powdered Esbilac formula and transition your little one over to the correct formula. The diarrhea is a direct result of feeding the incorrect formula.

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  21. #18
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    Changed formula and he hasn’t pooped for the last 3 feedings... is his digestive system just reversing the effects of the last formula, or am I doing something wrong?

  22. #19
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    You have POWDERED PUPPY ESBILAC, right? If so, continue to feed the correct formula on schedule, every 2-3hrs. Offer slightly sweetened water IN BETWEEN feedings to help hydrate after the diarrhea. It may take a couple of days for enough food to build back up in his digestive track to produce stool. Make sure you’re stimulating before and after feedings. Sometimes they will concentrate on eating better if they have been pottied first.

  23. #20
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    Default Re: BABY SQUIRREL - PLEASE HELP

    So, after a lot of time, effort and money, I’m very glad to announce that Stewart is back to normal, eating well and his stool is a gold-yellow and solid.

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