frankc (09-29-2020)
Hi. Check this link it may helpand explain some very important things. It's Titled 12 common Stool problems in Squirrels.
I hope this helps in some way. It' great info to have on hand. It is a PDF file.
http://www.ewildagain.org/assets/sto...ssquirrels.pdf
Squirrels Do Matter
If you Were Lucky Enough To Have Loved and Taken Care Of A Squirrel Then
You Showed Him Or Her More Love Than They Would Have Ever Known In The Wild
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Member Of WRAM ( Wildlife Rehabbers association Massachusetts)
SammysMom (10-02-2020)
How is his poop today?
I would expect that little by little with a consistent, healthy diet his poop should get better and better. The flora and fauna of the digestive tract need to find a healthy equilibrium.
What means are you using to feed the squirrel?
Young juveniles are inclined to inhale food, literally and figuratively. Both are a problem. If food gets inhaled into the pulmonary system this can lead to inhalation pneumonia, which can turn fatal before you even realize what is going on. They can be inclined inhale rather than swallowing and swallowing rather than inhaling. Both cause problems. Pneumonia on the one hand and bloating on the other.
So, it is critical that the food be provided at a moderate rate to prevent both problems.
Is the squirrel being kept warm? Are you using the recommended heating pad set up?
Squirrels at this age snuggle all day with mom and siblings and have limited body hair and limited capacity to generate their own body heat. So if they are not supplied with supplementary warmth they are much vulnerable to other forms of illness.
Hi Sorry the top link may not work, Please try this one.
http://www.ewildagain.org/assets/sto...ssquirrels.pdf
Squirrels Do Matter
If you Were Lucky Enough To Have Loved and Taken Care Of A Squirrel Then
You Showed Him Or Her More Love Than They Would Have Ever Known In The Wild
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Member Of WRAM ( Wildlife Rehabbers association Massachusetts)
His poop is still light brown and very runny so no improvements there sadly, although it might be getting ever so slightly darker so maybe thats good. And i am using a 3cc syringe with a nipple on it to feed him very slowly. He is laying on a bed sheet that is half way over a heating pad, so if he gets too hot he can climb over to the cooler side.
Are you still feeding him the temporary goat's milk formula?
It might be worth going over the guidelines for formula... no following these guidelines can cause diarrhea too.
1) The temporary HGMF+ is good for about 48 hours after it is combined.
2) Formula should be stored in the refrigerator
3) Never "re-heat / re-use" warmed formula.. if it was warmed for feeding but not used, toss it.
4) Do not microwave formula to warm it for feeding; microwaving destroys the good bacteria that is needed
If you are ordering Fox Valley and have not ordered that yet, I'd recommend ordering some Dia-Stat... I am a big fan of DiaStat for resolving chronic diarrhea issues.
For Treating Diarrhea
DIA-STAT helps normalize stool consistency. Provides energy and electrolytes rapidly to the animal to help restore lost fluids. Mix with water only, not milk or milk formula. Use for all orphaned mammals. Net wt. 200 g.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Sodium, Min. ... 2.20%
Potassium, Min. ... 0.50%
Magnesium, Min. ... 0.06%
Dextrose, Min. ... 40.00%
Ingredients:
Dextrose, Rice Flour, Coconut Oil, Salt, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Calcium lactate, Fructooligosaccharide, Magnesium Sulfate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Streptococcus faecium fermentation product,Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, Amino Acid Blend, Natural and Artificial flavors.
Mixing directions:
Shake 1 teaspoon into 3 ounces of warm (100 F) water. Feed soon after mixing as the liquid will thicken upon setting. Start feeding as soon as possible after indications that the animal needs supplemental energy and electrolytes.
Made inthe USA.
Mel1959 (09-30-2020)
A squirrel fed strictly on formula typically has light gold, soft, well-formed pellets.
As the squirrel gets older and solids begin to get added to the diet, the poop becomes darker in color.
From your description, I would say that color is okay, but consistency is not.
Am I correct in assuming that there is no more bleeding?
To review, what are the components of the formula being currently given?
Can you post a photo of the squirrel?
This helps the members assess the overall health of the squirrel.
Oh ok, so the color is definitely fine, thats good. Thankfully the bleeding is gone. And yesterday i was feeding him a mixture of goat milk heavy whipping cream and yogurt but i took him to the vet and they said that the whipping cream was bad so i removed that from his feedings until this morning when his fox valley formula arrived.
Rock Monkey (09-30-2020)
stepnstone (10-02-2020)
Everything in focus except the squirrel. Always on the move I suppose.
Can you post another that is more of a close up, showing the full length.
Poop pictures will also be useful. (It is part of the job description of being a squirrel caretaker, looking for poop that is.)
Rock Monkey (10-02-2020)
Are both eyes open? Or just one? It is a little hard to tell in the second pic. Also just might be resting.
Any improvement in the consistency today?
Do you have a food scale? If so, is he gaining weight?
(Such a scale can be purchased for under $20 at Walmart and other locations.)
It is always a good idea to review feeding proper techniques since young squirrels are inclined to literally and figuratively inhale the food they are being given. Unfortunately, aspiration pneumonia, which is often fatal, is all too common with novice caretakers. Better to be forearmed with knowledge rather than be behind the curve, which with squirrels is steep. (I intend no offense, but just trying to be proactive. I would just rather not assume.)
Both eyes are open. He made his first succesful jump to my arm today 😀 and no his poop is still pretty runny but i think its starting to solidify very slowly. I dont have a food scale yet, im gonna buy one tomorrow though. I would like to start him on the dia-stat but the vet has me giving him antibiotics so i dont want to overload his system. And he looks like he is gaining a good amount of weight, he's a little chonker now lol
The scale is very important. Especially with formula it is difficult to know how much to feed him if you don't know his weight. Their stomachs are only so big and you don't want to overload their intestinal system. This can cause all sorts of problems.
5% of body weight per feeding is a good conservative starting point. If well tolerated it may over time be increased to 7%.
Beware that squirrels are so eager to eat that they sometimes inhale when they should swallow and swallow when they should inhale.
What size syringe are you using to feed the squirrel?
The antibiotics from the vet will likely kill off the flora and fauna of the intestinal tract, which likely will result in more loose stool.