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Thread: found a baby, could use some help

  1. #1
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    Default found a baby, could use some help

    hi,
    i found a baby squirrel - or rather he ran right up to me and climbed my leg. not injured, just hungry and all alone.
    not an infant, but still pretty small. definitely seemed desperate for care, and the wildlife rehab wouldn't take him.

    he was s bit skinny, but has plumped up the last few days. i've had him since Friday.
    he just stopped taking formula but will eat some solid foods. just mad for avocado!

    i am having a hard time figuring out how old he is. he has his upper and lower teeth. weighs about 100g.
    i want to make sure he's ready to wean himself and that it's not some other issue.

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    Quote Originally Posted by corina View Post
    hi,
    i found a baby squirrel - or rather he ran right up to me and climbed my leg. not injured, just hungry and all alone.
    not an infant, but still pretty small. definitely seemed desperate for care, and the wildlife rehab wouldn't take him.

    he was s bit skinny, but has plumped up the last few days. i've had him since Friday.
    he just stopped taking formula but will eat some solid foods. just mad for avocado!

    i am having a hard time figuring out how old he is. he has his upper and lower teeth. weighs about 100g.
    i want to make sure he's ready to wean himself and that it's not some other issue.
    When a baby runs up to a human they have been orphaned and need care and would still need formula.
    Not likely it's anywhere ready to wean.
    I'm attaching a link on baby squirrel care and will move your thread to non- emergency for more eyes
    on the subject.
    Posting a picture can be very helpful with determining condition and possible age.
    https://www.henryspets.com/1-baby-squirrel-care-guide/
    Step-N-Stone
    State Licensed
    Wildlife Master Rehabilitator


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  5. #3
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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

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    here's a photo.
    he's energetic and playful. i got a little formula in him by smushing it up with a bit of banana.
    i just can't imagine that he's ready to wean, but he won't take it from the syringe anymore.

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  7. #4
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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    Poor little baby. At 100g he could be as young as 7-8 weeks. He has a lot of fur so he wouldn’t be younger than that. Due to starvation, the weight is probably off so he could be older but not more than 10 weeks. I think closer to 8.

    If you plan to rehab him, you should buy the baby squirrel block sold by Henry’s Healthy Pets. Which formula are you using?

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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    thank you - yes, that was my estimation as well, about 8 weeks or so.

    for a couple days, i used Esbilac - i know it's not the right stuff, but i had immediately ordered Fox Valley and needed to sustain him until it arrived. i got the baby kit that came with the block from Henry's Pets.
    he seems to like that enough to turn it into sawdust at least. i think he eats a bit of it.

    i don't know why he stopped wanting formula- it happened right before the Fox Valley arrived. he wanted less and then none.
    but otherwise, he has an appetite.

    i may start making him tiny squirrel milkshakes to trick him into taking the formula.
    i am really worried about him getting the right nutrition.

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  11. #6
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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    Quote Originally Posted by corina View Post
    thank you - yes, that was my estimation as well, about 8 weeks or so.

    for a couple days, i used Esbilac - i know it's not the right stuff, but i had immediately ordered Fox Valley and needed to sustain him until it arrived. i got the baby kit that came with the block from Henry's Pets.
    he seems to like that enough to turn it into sawdust at least. i think he eats a bit of it.

    i don't know why he stopped wanting formula- it happened right before the Fox Valley arrived. he wanted less and then none.
    but otherwise, he has an appetite.

    i may start making him tiny squirrel milkshakes to trick him into taking the formula.
    i am really worried about him getting the right nutrition.
    Perfect.

    At first they do crumble to block. Eventually they do start eating it.

    Sometimes they will try to self wean early. Do all you can to encourage him to take the formula. You might even try dripping the syringe tip in syrup. They love sweet things so it might stimulate him to suck. You can also try offering YoBaby vanilla yogurt or even add a little to the formula. Those that like it really LOVE it. Others won’t touch it.

    It appears you have done your homework. One thing I like to tell people is, do NOT give him a nut. Of course he would love it but they are terrible unhealthy and you don’t want him hooked on junk food. When he is eating the block well you can offer a healthy veggie like kale. I would still encourage the formula though.

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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    thanks for your help!
    i would like to report that operation milkshake was a success.

    while i was heating the water on the stove, i threw a few sprigs of watercress in there - hoping to give him a taste for some veggies.
    i mixed the formula a little thicker. essentially, i backed out some water and replaced it with some avocado, which i pushed through a fine mesh strainer (after i mixed the formula).
    i had to use a bigger syringe without a nipple on it because the mixture was pretty thick, so i was careful to go slow and steady on the plunger. i'm not real worried that he'll aspirate since he pretty much just slurps it from the tip of the syringe, as opposed to trying to suck from it.
    since he thinks he's such a bigshot now anyway.

    he slurped around 5ccs which is about 5% of his body weight. (i did weigh the milkshake for reference.)

    next time i think i won't back out the water, just add avocado.
    i might try banana next time.

    an observation: the formula is already pretty perishable, and i feel adding the avocado to it would make it doubly so. so that is a concern. banana would be slightly less perishable but probably not as nourishing, especially for a baby who could use the lipids over the starches and sugars.

    i read that it is not a good idea to add Pedialyte to formula because the salts will be degraded and only contribute to dehydration. is this true even if it's added to the formula right before feeding?

    not trying to over-share, but there's always that chance my experience will help someone else, OR that i am doing something wrong and someone else's experience will help me correct it.

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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    I would go easy on the avocado. A little is fine but I wouldn’t overdo it. Avocado has persin toxin in low levels. It leeches into the pulp from the seed. The low levels are usually considered safe but I would go easy on it with a baby. By mixing it into the formula you are concentrating the toxin and potentially making it risky. You can crush a block and put it in the formula. That would be more ideal.

    No, we don’t mix Pedialyte in the formula. The salt is counterproductive.

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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    ok, thanks for the info on the avocado - it's his favorite, so it seemed most likely to work!
    next time, i will try the formula by itself or with a little block in it. and if he requires further bribery, i will add a little banana. he is not so enthused by much else. i think i've got a picky eater.
    so relieved to know he has a full belly right now.

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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    May try going a little longer between feedings. Let that little stinker get hungry. He may take the formula better. I'm a believer in formula as long as they will take it.

    I practically force fed Rocky til he was 16 weeks old. He started weaning at 10 - 12 weeks. I would chase him around the house with a loaded syringe. Every time he stopped I'd poke it in his mouth.

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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    It's possible he may prefer to drink his formula than get it from a syringe if he's not sucking it. Maybe a little in a small bowl or even on a flat dish/plate. My baby was about his age (I think) when she started destroying syringes so she graduated to drinking from a tiny bowl. If he ends up liking it better that way the main concern is it's not deep at all so he doesn't stick his face in too far while he's figuring out how to lap or suck it up or whatever they do. (Still not sure after much observation but leaning to lapping.)

    If you try that use the tiniest dish you can find, like an 8-ounce yogurt lid, so he doesn't put his feet in it. Thinking this in hindsight. My baby put her front paws in the little bowl I used.

    He is adorable!

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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    Quote Originally Posted by RockyPops View Post
    May try going a little longer between feedings. Let that little stinker get hungry. He may take the formula better. I'm a believer in formula as long as they will take it.

    I practically force fed Rocky til he was 16 weeks old. He started weaning at 10 - 12 weeks. I would chase him around the house with a loaded syringe. Every time he stopped I'd poke it in his mouth.
    i laugh because i can imagine myself doing this! but thankfully, he is back to his glutinous self.

    RE:Chirps
    he's just figuring out how to lap fluids. i caught him dunking his nose a couple of times.

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  25. #13
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    Default Re: found a baby, could use some help

    Aww thanks 4 shareing. My just passed from a twisted colon . Maybe one day there will be a nonrelease available in sc

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