Losing weight and not eating pinky! Help.

[Jokev999]

Hi, I'm currently looking after 3 pinkies. 2 girls and 1 boy. The boy was the heaviest and since weighing them every day for the past 4 days he's put on a bit of weight. Yesterday he dropped from 21.2g to 20.6g. This morning he's at 20.2g and doesn't seem to have much appetite. I feel like I'm trying to force feed him so I'm stopping.

What do I do? I've tried with a bit of home made rehydration this morning to see if that helps. If not? What else do I do? Should I try and force him to eat?

The other girl is still putting on a little bit of weight but not at the same pace and she's losing her appetite too.

The smallest of the litter has now caught up to them at 20.1g and feeding ok.

I estimate they are just over 1 week old.

I can't hear any clicking when they're breathing.

[island rehabber]

Several things can put pinkies off their feed:

1. (most critical) aspiration pneumonia. Listen carefully for any clicking or popping sounds when they breathe. It will be on both the inhale and exhale. When babies can't breathe properly they don't want to eat because they can't breathe well while eating. AP requires antibiotics, immediately.

2. Formula is too cold. Mamma squirrel's body temp is about 102*, and so is her milk. If you are feeding them formula that is cooler than that they do not recognize it as food.

3. DEHYDRATION. Dehydration causes lack of appetite, which then causes more dehydration, which then causes death. Adding hydration IN BETWEEN feedings, as you have done, is an excellent way of preventing this. Hopefully one day of extra fluids will turn your little guys around.

[Jokev999]

Thank you. I can't hear any clicking except when they're feeding and they've done that since I found them and their first feed. It's more an excited clicking. It stops once they go to sleep or settle down from feed. Is that normal?

I'm doing the hydration in between feeds. How much should they have? They're having 1ml formula every feed so do I give the same amount in hydration?

Thank you again for your help!

[Javarat]

Give up to half the amount of a feeding of hydration between meals. You are feeding 1ml (20 grams weight /20) so up to .5ml of hydration.
Make sure you give him extra stimulation to pee after a meal. The purpose of hydration is both to increase his fluid levels and flush out toxins with extra urine.

If he is reluctant to finish his 1ml, and acts like he is refusing it less than halfway through.. I would do a feeding of just hydration, and check for any abnormal feces (consistency, color, smell, etc)

Yes, they will often click after a meal because of fluid in the nose. This will fade away about half an hour afterwards as the nose dries out. I always listen for clicks before a feeding. Plus it is easier to get medicine in them before giving formula and it makes sure it gets swallowed.

You are right on the nose with the amount being fed.. but how often are you feeding during the day and night?