Hello. I aquired a squirel a month ago and was wondering if I post a picture if someone can tell me about how old they think it is?
Hello. I aquired a squirel a month ago and was wondering if I post a picture if someone can tell me about how old they think it is?
RockyPops (06-09-2020)
Sure
RockyPops (06-09-2020)
We also like the back story. How'd you come by him, what do you feed him, are your plans eventual release? Just curious.
And lots of pictures and/or videos are welcome.
So i was watering the grass and i saw a little squirel walking in the rain gutter in front of my house. I picked it up and started learning how to take care of it. I think it was signed l around 6 weeks old. We have bottle fed it and trained it. It now eats veggies, nuts, comes out and runs around the house. It lives in a 7 foot tall by 4 foot wide cage with branches, and a rope climb. It seems very happy i just am not sure how old it is. Im posting a pic.
That is a beautiful little fox squrrel (sciurus niger) and I am going to say 8 weeks old? I have never raised a foxer, we don't have them in NY, but judging by the still-sweet baby face I am thinking 8 weeks.
Not sure about wildlife laws in Montana, but most states do not allow keeping wildlife as pets. You of course will do what seems right to you, but remember that keeping him/her presents a whole new world of problems that you should be prepared for. Most important is diet: squirrels have a huge calcium requirement that is difficult to replicate in captivity, so nutrition becomes Job One. We can help you either way -- but we hope you let the squirrel decide which path to take!
Do you know if you've got a male or female? Males are right out there for the world to see, with penis fairly far up the abdomen ....females have an "outie" as well but it is very low, between legs. And what is this cutie's name?
Island Rehabber
NY State Licensed
Wildlife Rehabilitator
"Ancora Imparo" (I am still learning)
Michelangelo
*
If you can't afford the vet,
You can't afford a pet.
NEGLECT IS ABUSE.
"Better one day in the trees, than a lifetime in a cage."
'...and the greatest of these, is Love. '
Lighten-Up (06-10-2020), RockyPops (06-10-2020)
Very cute!
As IR said, diet is super important. Is this little one still on formula? Which one? If not, it probably should be. It’s best nutritionally for them to stay on formula for as long as they want. Because it has all the proper nutrients it helps keep their bones strong.
Metabolic Bone Disease is caused from an insufficient amount of calcium in the diet. Too many nuts and seeds can deplete their bodies of calcium. For this reason they need to learn to eat some type of rodent block. Many on here use a Henrys Healthy Blocks purchased online from Henrys Pets. The picky eater and hazelnut blocks are usually accepted very well. The other alternative is Harlan Teklad 2018 block. It’s not nearly as tasty as the Henrys but some squirrels like them. It can also be ground and you can add things like baby food, coconut oil and ground nuts to it to make it more yummy.
Here’s the link to the healthy diet. https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-Pet-Squirrels
We’re here to help however we can.
RockyPops (06-10-2020)
Thank you for the info. Yes it is still getting a bottle twice a day of petag puppy milk replacer plus and it eats veggies and nuts. It seems very healthy and playful. I also bought the henrys blocks online.
RockyPops (06-10-2020)
So is the formula im feeding him good and how often? Right now he is eating veggies, and nuts and getting his bottle twice a day.
RockyPops (06-10-2020)
Someone else will chime in with more accurate info. Little one should stay on formula as main diet until 10-12 weeks old or as long as they will take it. Let them self wean.
I don't know about PetAg but recommended formula is fox valley 20/50. Obtained from Henry's Healthy Pets. You can give him blocks to nibble on but formula is a must.
And limit the nuts to one a day or less. They can cause calcium problems.
Is the PetAg product called Esbilac or PetLac? In general, there have been some problems with PetAg’s products. They changed the formulation and the calcium they started using was not being absorbed. The products with an expiration date of Oct 2021 or later seem to be Ok, but I’d still be careful.
Make sure she eats her Henrys blocks.
RockyPops (06-11-2020)