Skip to the bottom if you don't care about back story.
Long time reader, first time poster. Not a licensed rehabber but over the years I have had nearly 20 babies that I've successfully cared for and released on my own. All were female and all were 4-6 weeks old and abandoned by the mother.
I found a pair of pinkie twin boys 3 and a half weeks ago with slight fuzz starting to grow. Both boys -- my first males and also youngest -- squirrels as well as the first time I had two at once.
One had apparently fell from the tree and landed on his face. Nose bloodied and a huge gash like a snake tongue from bottom lip nearly to his neck.
I was able to heal his nose and shrink his lip gash, neck to chin closed up cleanly without infection and the lip opening was carefully treated several times daily and no signs of infection, he seemed to be doing great aside from that cut, but the day he finally opened his eyes he refused to eat at his last feeding. Every feeding would reopen the wound along the lip to the chin no matter how small a nipple I used or how hard I tried to feed through the side of his mouth by the cheeks. He died in a 1 hour time frame as I napped, both boys were on different feeding schedules and I was woken by his brother for feeding only to find my injured baby dead. I was so sure that I had gotten enough food in him to last that 1 hour. He was gaining weight steadily, engaging in exploration and light play. The only indication that anything was truly wrong at any point was during that final feeding when he resisted more than ever before. Needless to say I was devastated. His name was Cox, short for Copper Socks (named after enough hair grew in).
He is survived by his brother Sterling, who is doing well. Healthy appetite and growth, curious and playful, energetic but also sleeps quite a bit still.
Despite what anyone here may say I have already concluded and resigned myself to the fact that it's extremely unlikely that he will be a candidate for release so I have already spent the money on an appropriately sized cage for long term, though he will not be spending much time in it as he prefers to be ON or nearby me or the dogs. He has his potty crate that he goes to on his own and since he's learning to walk he just follows me around. He is kept tethered to me with plenty of reach so he can't get stuck or lost (even though he did escape his new cage as he's still too small for it, but he made his way to my spot on the couch and started crying for mommy). He has been mimicking dog behavior (wags his tail deliberately side to side in an un-distressed manner while playing or eating, this tail motion I've never seen in any other babies I've had so I am assuming it's learned behavior, unless it's an innate male thing that someone can educate me on). Obviously if he seems unhappy when full grown I will relinquish him to the local rehabber and let her decide what to do but I've been dealing with this woman for years and know that she euthanizes babies and adults that are too injured or unreleasable, and this is why I'm not contacting her now and didn't contact her over Cox. I knew she would put Cox down immediately and send me home with Sterling and demand that I hand him over after however many weeks. Maybe that was the right thing to do (let Cox be euthanized) but I prefer to believe that he was happy in his final weeks and had a bit of a life. Anyway....
Important part The past 4 days Sterling has had diarrhea. This is the first time I've encountered diarrhea that's lasted longer than 2-3 individual poops. He is on the goats milk formula. I have tried adding water to his formula, and have also tried just a little yogurt with plain water because he will not drink plain water. He likes to lick me a lot all over so I have also been dribbling little drops of water on me where and when he's licking but after a few licks he moves to a dry spot.
I'm concerned and not sure how to remedy this. If anyone can advise me I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you in advance. And I beg that you spare me the lectures and judgment over my assessment and choice to potentially keep him long term (yes, I know it may be 20 years and that it's a huge commitment and that he will be high maintenance and I am capable and prepared for all that lies ahead, including driving hours into another state for a vet if needed).