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Thread: Worried 1st time squirrel mom

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
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    Wyoming
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    Default Worried 1st time squirrel mom

    Hello,
    Just a back story before my question. I have rescued just about everything but a baby squirrel. My college is a doctorate in zoology. I found Nibbles in our yard. There has been a Barred Owl in our neighborhood recently and my husband and I have noticed all the squirrels are mostly gone. In our tree, right next to our deck is a maple tree where several families live (or used to live). While my husband was mowing the lawn he saw a baby squirrel and called me to come get it. Its eyes were closed at the time and I weighed her and determined her age to be around 4-5 weeks old. I have had her for a week. I have been feeding Esbilac and ordered Fox Valley 20/50 right way (it just came in today). I also ordered a miracle nipple and a 3ml syringe as by my calculations she is taking around 8.5 - 9ml every four hours. ( i have also bought some Mazuri Rodent block and have started to introduce her to that for the last couple of days.

    NOW to my Question. - I have been using my needles (I am a diabetic) , I cut out the needle and she has been doing awesome on those needles (1cc syringe). She has never aspirated at all as I am very careful and go really really slow. However, her new nipple and syringe from Henry's came in and I fed her with this device and she aspirated right away, nothing coming out of nose but lots of sneezing. I stopped it right away, wiped her nose and let her take a minute, then continued with her familiar needles that I have been using all along and no aspiration.

    Should I be worried about Aspiration Pneumonia just from one syringe (not a whole feeding)?
    I know this is odd that I am so worried but I just get so worried, I am a major worry wart!! I want her to survive and set her free and live the best possible life. Thanks to anyone who helps!!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
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    East coast of Florida
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    Default Re: Worried 1st time squirrel mom

    Hi . Just because formula comes out their nose it doesn’t mean they will develop aspiration pneumonia. Be on the lookout for a decrease in appetite, lethargy and a clicking noise in her chest. Hold her up to your ear periodically and listen for a clicking with each breath. It wouldn’t hurt to start trying to locate an antibiotic now in case you should need it. Check your medicine cabinet and call family and friends. You just need one pill. Drugs to look for are Clavamox (animal)/Augmentin (people), Baytril (animal)/Ciproflaxin (human), but if you can find another antibiotic let us know, it may work.

    Did you happen to look around for other babies? Most times there’s more than just one. No doubt something happened to the mom and the baby came looking for help.

  3. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Mel1959:

    gunpackingrandma (05-02-2019), nightingale1703 (05-01-2019)

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Wyoming
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    Default Re: Worried 1st time squirrel mom

    Thank you so much for your response! Yes we looked for other babies but we found only one other, it was blind and coming out of the tree and screaming distress signals. I tried so hard to rescue it but it was 40 feet up in the tree and our ladder was not that high. I watched it with binoculars and felt horrible that I couldn't do anything. I kept an eye out for mom, literally sat outside on my deck for a day straight then hours the next day as well. Mom never came and the other squirrel probably starved to death.

    As far as Nibbles goes, she has no drag in appetite, I think she may be a cow! She drinks great and tries so hard to gulp it all down, but I go really slow, it probably frustrates her but its for the best. She is about 6 weeks and weighs 175 grams. She is gaining weight every time I weigh her. No clicking noises. She is the most adorable little creature EVER. I have rehabilitated baby lions, bears, birds. At the Zoo I worked at I rehabilitated a baby crane and had to dress up in a crane suit, lol. But out of every animal I have ever helped, this squirrel is the darn cutest thing ever. Name:  IMG_0378.jpg
Views: 41
Size:  105.7 KB

    well not as cute as my Human Babies though, but pretty darn close

  5. Serious fuzzy thank you's to nightingale1703 from:

    Nancy in New York (05-03-2019)

  6. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
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    Default Re: Worried 1st time squirrel mom

    She is pretty cute...and you have definitely been touched by squirrel magic!

  7. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Mel1959:

    gunpackingrandma (05-02-2019), nightingale1703 (05-01-2019)

  8. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
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    Tn
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    Default Re: Worried 1st time squirrel mom

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    She is pretty cute...and you have definitely been touched by squirrel magic!
    I think it has happened to everyone at least once. I turn my little one upside down and pat their back for a minute. Miracle nipples and their syringes are amazing. She is so cute too.

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