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Thread: Weaning too early?

  1. #1
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    Default Weaning too early?

    My little girl Henny is about 10-11 weeks I believe. I’ve had her 7.5 weeks. She’s been eating some solid foods for many weeks and beginning last Thursday will basically have no formula. 2ml at best. She’s eating Henry blocks 1-2 per day, fresh vegetables and some fruit. She loves sweet potatoes apples banana radish cucumber and blueberries. I also put in arugula kale spinach dandelion leaves and broccoli slaw mix. She’s been eating fiesta rat chow also but I was advised to discontinue that so I have ordered envio rodent food. She also had a dish of water she drinks from and her treat is 1/4 walnut or pecan twice a day. I just want to be sure she is getting good nutrition. I read a post yesterday about a seizure and MBD and it scared me. She’s very active in and out of cage and climbs the tree in her cage, jumps plays and wrestled with her stuffed toy. I also got her a hanging hammock yesterday to explore in.
    Wondering if she’s stopping formula too soon. I still offer at 7am and 8pm daily but she’s not interested. She just licks at it a little not even really sucking anymore. Thank you for any advice. Want her to be a healthy little baby

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    bre (09-08-2020)

  3. #2
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    Default Re: Weaning too early?

    Most squirrels do seem to wean themselves around 12 weeks of age. You can continue to offer it and she may or may not drink any. Some squirrels also like yogurt, but it can be messy. I put a shallow dish in with my rehab guys and a dish for my flyer everyday. I use a full fat vanilla yogurt, but I’ve heard of others that use blueberry and strawberry.

    Her diet sounds good to me. The best way to prevent MBD is to limit the nut intake, which it sounds like you’re doing.

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    bre (09-08-2020), Newbiewnc (05-06-2020), RockyPops (05-06-2020)

  5. #3
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    Default Re: Weaning too early?

    Thank you. I’ll try a little yogurt too and maybe she’ll like that. I appreciate your suggestions yesterday on the food too. I’ll keep up with the Henry blocks which she’s loving and supplement with the rodent food when it arrives.

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  7. #4
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    Default Re: Weaning too early?

    My four ~10 week squirrels are pretty much refusing formula for the most part. The smallest female will still take it and my larger female will take a bit but my two males are not interested anymore. They seem to have forgotten how to suckle, they try to bite the nipple and chew the formula which does not work out all that well. I still offer them formula in the morning and evening but they are eating Henry's and veggies mainly. Sometimes, they will take a syringe or two (3ml syringe) if I offer it through the bars of their cage but if I take them out, they get too excited and distracted to drink formula.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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  9. #5
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    Default Re: Weaning too early?

    Also try to offer formula first thing in the morning, before they get block and veggies. Mine will take some formula this way but if I give block and/or veggies first, they show no interest in formula afterwords.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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    Newbiewnc (05-11-2020)

  11. #6
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    Default Re: Weaning too early?

    I thought I’d update this to say that I tried the yogurt. I started with stonyfield strawberry organic and she loved it. Today I finely minced kale and arugula and mixed it in with a spoon of yogurt and she gobbled it all up then went to the Henry block. This is great for us because Henny doesn’t luv greens. Good way to sneak them in. Gonna try the plain flavor next to cut out extra sugar. thanks for the nut butter idea. I think she’d like that too.

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