Little Rocky

[redwuff]

Please let us know how Rocky is doing this morning. We are here for you

[Shanaboohead]

Hello everyone rocky is doing really good. I am sorry I have not responded sooner. He has been keeping me busy. He is eating like a champ and his eye opened on Saturday. I may have cried a little when he looked at me for the first time. He wants to climb on everything and I do mean everything. I posted a new thread just a bit ago. He took a little tumble today as I was not quick enough to catch him when he went to climb up my pant leg. He is acting fine, did not seize and does not have blood any where around his nose or mouth. I think he may have bitten his tongue just because he kind of licked his lips. I’m going to try to upload pictures so you ca. See how much he has grown.

[Shanaboohead]

Let me know if you can see the picture

[redwuff]

What formula are you feeding. There are major issues with powdered Esbilac. Is Rocky on this formula?

Very cute boy!

[Shanaboohead]

What formula are you feeding. There are major issues with powdered Esbilac. Is Rocky on this formula?

Very cute boy!

No we are using Fox Valley 20/50. I saw the thing about Esbilac. Thankfully we have been using the Fox Valley and had no issues.

[CritterMom]

Right now is a very vulnerable time for him regarding falls. I have always sat on the floor and fed babies in my lap so their max fall was a few inches. Your picture perfectly illustrates why, too - they are ALL head right now and so any fall is going to be face first. Tooth damage at this age is a bad thing. He is adorable.

[Shanaboohead]

Right now is a very vulnerable time for him regarding falls. I have always sat on the floor and fed babies in my lap so their max fall was a few inches. Your picture perfectly illustrates why, too - they are ALL head right now and so any fall is going to be face first. Tooth damage at this age is a bad thing. He is adorable.

He only fell a few inches luckily. He seems to be okay. He ate perfect these past 2 feedings. Nothing seems off.

[Shanaboohead]

Hey guys just a quick question! Rocky is doing great! He is up to 152g is that a good weight for him? He is eating about 9cc each feeding which is every 4 hours. Should I feed him more? I’ll try to post a picture

[Shanaboohead]

[HRT4SQRLS]

He is precious. The 5-7% guideline is between 7.7-10.6ml per feeding. You are right in the middle. Remember it’s guideline not a hardened rule. As they get older you can let them have more than the 7%. An older, growing baby often will eat up to 10% their body weight. You work up to that. Don’t just go from 6% to 10%. That wouldn’t be good. It varies from baby to baby. You can also stretch the interval by an hour. Go to 5 hr feedings. The increased interval gives more time for the formula to move through the GI tract.

I wouldn’t start changing anything until he is stable for a while. If I remember right he was started on Esbilac but switched to Fox Valley.

[HRT4SQRLS]

He has a precious smile on his face.

[Shanaboohead]

He is precious. The 5-7% guideline is between 7.7-10.6ml per feeding. You are right in the middle. Remember it’s guideline not a hardened rule. As they get older you can let them have more than the 7%. An older, growing baby often will eat up to 10% their body weight. You work up to that. Don’t just go from 6% to 10%. That wouldn’t be good. It varies from baby to baby. You can also stretch the interval by an hour. Go to 5 hr feedings. The increased interval gives more time for the formula to move through the GI tract.

I wouldn’t start changing anything until he is stable for a while. If I remember right he was started on Esbilac but switched to Fox Valley.

Correct. He has been on fax valley for a couple of weeks now. He does nibble on his squirrel block and his veggies and walnuts. Is there a post any where with a list of what he can eat as far as veggies and nuts?

[HRT4SQRLS]

This the link to the healthy diet. He is too young for nuts. Nuts are unhealthy. When he is older he can have a nut treat.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-Pet-Squirrels

[JLM27]

What a little fuzzball of personality! I'm in love.

[Shanaboohead]

This the link to the healthy diet. He is too young for nuts. Nuts are unhealthy. When he is older he can have a nut treat.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-Pet-Squirrels

It’s funny you say that. I have been talking with a woman who is a rehabber and she is the one who told me to introduce the walnuts. She also suggested spinach which I see is on the list to avoid.

He is not a huge fan of his squirrel block. I removed the nuts from his cage. He has block and broccoli.

[HRT4SQRLS]

It’s funny you say that. I have been talking with a woman who is a rehabber and she is the one who told me to introduce the walnuts. She also suggested spinach which I see is on the list to avoid.

He is not a huge fan of his squirrel block. I removed the nuts from his cage. He has block and broccoli.

That’s too bad that the rehabber recommended walnuts because that is totally wrong for babies. When they get older they can have a nut as a treat. I have a group that is 12 weeks old. They just got their first nuts this week. Before release we do give them an in shell nut (walnut) to make sure they can crack a nut with their teeth. Actually, all nuts are unhealthy. They are high phosphorus foods. The body has a delicate balance of calcium to phosphate. That ratio is approximately 2 calcium to 1 phosphorus. If high phosphorus foods are given in abundance, the body will try to reestablish that balance by pulling calcium from the stored calcium in the body. Stored calcium in the body is in the bones. Pulling calcium from the bones due to improper diet is what causes Metabolic Bone Disease. It is deadly and can be avoided with a proper diet and minimal nuts. When they are released they can have nuts because they are able to balance their own diet with native foods. In captivity we have to control those things.

They can have a ‘little’ spinach. The reason it’s on the avoid list is due to high oxalates.

[Shanaboohead]

Rocky is doing great. Up to 280grams. He has started refusing to eat his formula. He eats his veggies and his squirrel block ( he now loves his block) but it refusing his formula or only eating a little bit and then not wanting anymore. Is this normal. He is between 10-11 weeks

[HRT4SQRLS]

Rocky is doing great. Up to 280grams. He has started refusing to eat his formula. He eats his veggies and his squirrel block ( he now loves his block) but it refusing his formula or only eating a little bit and then not wanting anymore. Is this normal. He is between 10-11 weeks

Completely normal. Often they will start self weaning around that time. I am thrilled that Rocky is eating his healthy food. You have done a great job with him.

[Shanaboohead]

Completely normal. Often they will start self weaning around that time. I am thrilled that Rocky is eating his healthy food. You have done a great job with him.

Okay I just wanted to make sure it didn’t mean something was wrong. He is a character haha. He loves his healthy foods especially his block now which makes me very happy so I know he is getting the nutrients from the block he needs . I am still offering his formula to him as if he was still eating it every feeding. Sometimes he takes it all sometimes he takes a little sometimes none at all.

[RockyPops]

He is a little darling! Have any short video's?

When I had a little one, (He was Rocky also), I was so desperate to keep formula in him for health benefits I would follow him around and stick a syringe in his mouth every time he stopped. That tactic worked more or less until he was like 16 weeks old.