Babies Not Thriving

[JLM27]

The baby sock ploy?

[island rehabber]

I think you may have to go with Jill's suggestion -- the baby sock peepee protector. At least then they can still be together....

[Milo's Mom]

Those sock things are stupid and they do not work. Last time I tried it I had to cut it off a baby that was being strangled. I'd rather separate them.

Next?

[Milo's Mom]

This is so irritating. They are big beautiful babies.
Has anyone designed a "pacifier" for squirrels? How could a nipple be safely plugged so they aren't sucking air?

https://youtu.be/-jlpCfS38YM

[Charley Chuckles]

I remember somewhere I saw that someone made this board thing with syringe nipples attached that the babies latched onto instead of each other.
That said I don't know how safe it could be as I wouldn't want to leave nipples with babies untended 🤔

[BCChins]

OK I know nothing about raising squirrels but the only thing I am wondering is can you leave the 2 mixtures of formula to the ratio before they started sucking on each other?

And this may be a dumb question (sorry learning just in case I ever find a needy baby. Why switch formulas if they are doing so well? Sorry again learning.

[Mel1959]

GMF doesn’t contain nearly enough nutrients to sustain growing squirrels. It’s a temporary formula.

I’m surprised about the suckling.....I would have expected it to happen with the GMF and not the Esbilac. The GMF is so lean I wouldn’t think it would hold their tummies over to the next feeding very well.

Try adding the heavy cream or the yogurt to the Esbilac and see what happens.

[Nancy in New York]

MM, I bet you could whip these up in no time. Minus the catnip.
AND when you have free time () you can make some to sell.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/6213981...MaAgYrEALw_wcB

https://www.etsy.com/listing/8168225...rganic=1&frs=1

[CritterMom]

MM, I bet you could whip these up in no time. Minus the catnip.
AND when you have free time () you can make some to sell.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/6213981...MaAgYrEALw_wcB

https://www.etsy.com/listing/8168225...rganic=1&frs=1

So am I the only one here that wonders exactly what Nancy's search criteria was on ETSY when she stumbled on "cat nipple pillows"? I am tempted to drop that into google but then again, it isn't really a good thing to have show up in your search history...

[Milo's Mom]

OK I know nothing about raising squirrels but the only thing I am wondering is can you leave the 2 mixtures of formula to the ratio before they started sucking on each other?

And this may be a dumb question (sorry learning just in case I ever find a needy baby. Why switch formulas if they are doing so well? Sorry again learning.

The HmGMF isn't a full formula, it's a rescue formula and is meant to be temporary. It is easily digested so it keeps calories going in while other things straighten themselves out.

Momma's milk changes as the baby grows and its nutritional requirements change. We try to replicate that. All very good questions!

I thought about going back a step, which is the golden rule when something goes wrong...go back to when it was good. But it started AS SOON AS I added the Esbilac, which would mean that I need to go back to the HmGMF only, which takes us right back to the first paragraph...

[Milo's Mom]

GMF doesn’t contain nearly enough nutrients to sustain growing squirrels. It’s a temporary formula.

I’m surprised about the suckling.....I would have expected it to happen with the GMF and not the Esbilac. The GMF is so lean I wouldn’t think it would hold their tummies over to the next feeding very well.

Try adding the heavy cream or the yogurt to the Esbilac and see what happens.

Thank you Mel. My HmGMF is a 3.2.2 ratio...3 fresh GM, 2 fresh Greek GM Yogurt, and 2 commercial HWC. So with that info are you saying to add MORE fat?

Right now, their formula is:
3 Esbilac
6 water
3 Fresh GM
2 fresh Greek GM Yogurt
2 commercial HWC

My next move was to start removing the fresh GM, but the sucking got out of hand so I'm at a stand still trying to decide what to do. These babies are broken, may I trade them in for new models!? (j/k)

[Milo's Mom]

So am I the only one here that wonders exactly what Nancy's search criteria was on ETSY when she stumbled on "cat nipple pillows"? I am tempted to drop that into google but then again, it isn't really a good thing to have show up in your search history...

Jesus, hot coffee in mouth, reading your post...NOT a good combo. But holy heck funny.

[Milo's Mom]

MM, I bet you could whip these up in no time. Minus the catnip.
AND when you have free time () you can make some to sell.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/6213981...MaAgYrEALw_wcB

https://www.etsy.com/listing/8168225...rganic=1&frs=1

Soooooo, I have been thinking about this, for a while actually. My hesitations....is it ok for me to plug the nipple with a spot of silicone caulk? I have to figure out the safest method for plugging the nipple so they don't suck all that air.

Out of desperation and after talking to another rehabber, I put nipples on 3cc syringes and placed them in the bin. The syringes are closed, so there's no air. If this works, I will try the caulk and experiment a little. (gosh I hate using live babies to experiment)

This morning while feeding Mouse, the girl was sucking on the other boy, I pinched her ear. She sucked, I pinched, suck pinch, suck pinch, then as she was going in and she saw my hand coming she wiggled away growling at me (the ferocious baby growls). We did that a few more times and she went to her own corner and fell asleep. When I woke her to eat she was FURIOUS with me. Ooops, I think I wrecked her squireliness.

[Tuff]

Soooooo, I have been thinking about this, for a while actually. My hesitations....is it ok for me to plug the nipple with a spot of silicone caulk? I have to figure out the safest method for plugging the nipple so they don't suck all that air.

Out of desperation and after talking to another rehabber, I put nipples on 3cc syringes and placed them in the bin. The syringes are closed, so there's no air. If this works, I will try the caulk and experiment a little. (gosh I hate using live babies to experiment)

This morning while feeding Mouse, the girl was sucking on the other boy, I pinched her ear. She sucked, I pinched, suck pinch, suck pinch, then as she was going in and she saw my hand coming she wiggled away growling at me (the ferocious baby growls). We did that a few more times and she went to her own corner and fell asleep. When I woke her to eat she was FURIOUS with me. Ooops, I think I wrecked her squireliness.

I’m not an expert by no means but is it possible that you can separate them in the same cage. Just put up a barrier between the suckling partners, so they can still see each other but it would offer protection for the little boy.

[Milo's Mom]

They have been paying attention to the empty syringes/nipples. I have 2 younger little girls and they were due for a feeding...the big kids woke up and started sucking. So, I fed them too. I am risking over feeding poop, but, I fed them less than a usual feeding...soooo, I'm gonna try lesser amount more frequently and see where it gets us.

They were every 4 hours, I moved them to 3 hours. If I keep them drunk on milk they can't suck, right?

[Milo's Mom]

I’m not an expert by no means but is it possible that you can separate them in the same cage. Just put up a barrier between the suckling partners, so they can still see each other but it would offer protection for the little boy.

This is actually a very good idea and I've done it very successfully with smaller kids. (great minds!!) These guys are a little too big and they just shove through barriers. I will see if I can rig something up a little stronger.

[Milo's Mom]

I added a snuffle mat...calling them "snuffle nips"! LMAO!

[Charley Chuckles]

Awwww is the "snuffle nips" working🤔😁

[Mel1959]

Thank you Mel. My HmGMF is a 3.2.2 ratio...3 fresh GM, 2 fresh Greek GM Yogurt, and 2 commercial HWC. So with that info are you saying to add MORE fat?

Right now, their formula is:
3 Esbilac
6 water
3 Fresh GM
2 fresh Greek GM Yogurt
2 commercial HWC

My next move was to start removing the fresh GM, but the sucking got out of hand so I'm at a stand still trying to decide what to do. These babies are broken, may I trade them in for new models!? (j/k)

I was suggesting adding whipping cream or yogurt to the Esbilac in place of the HMGF. I thought you were trying to wean them off the goats milk portion of the formula.

Sometime ago I found a terrific bin made by Hefty at WalMart that came with a removable divide so you could store two different things in it. It works great for suckling babies because the divide has holes in it. It’s plastic so when they begin their determined chewing stage it’s problematic, but until then you just have to keep the lid on the bin because the divide is easy to climb.

[Mel1959]

This would be perfect for your little sucklers....but it’s out of stock.