Clicking baby flying squirrels

[Squirrel Girl]

Have rehabbed several gray squirrels. Just received our first flying squirrel. It has fur all over and on belly, eyes open, weighs 17 grams, feels very bony, clicking sometimes when it breaths. Have a 1ml syringe, has taken 2 feedings of pedialyte. Can it eat 20/50 fox valley squirrel milk? If so, how much per feeding? Is it old enough for solids yet? And I’m thinking it needs an antibiotic due to the clicking (possible pneumonia). What antibiotics are good?, dose age?, administer in milk?.

[Spanky]

Can it eat 20/50 fox valley squirrel milk? If so, how much per feeding? Is it old enough for solids yet?

Yes, Fox Valley 20/50 is the right formula.

Feed 5% - 7% of weight per feeding, just like gray squirrels. So at 17grams that would be 0.85ml - 1.2ml per feeding.

Make sure she is well hydrated before starting the formula. If using human Pedialyte, I'd suggest diluting it 1/2 part water to 1/2 part Pedialyte.

Not quite ready for solids, but I'd start placing a bit of rodent block into her enclosure to start getting familiar. It won't be long before she is shredding it and then eventually eating it. No other solids until and unless she is eating.. actually eating.. the rodent block.

...feels very bony, clicking sometimes when it breaths.

And I’m thinking it needs an antibiotic due to the clicking (possible pneumonia). What antibiotics are good?, dose age?, administer in milk?.

No, antibiotics should NOT be mixed into the formula.

Is she clicking persistently, or maybe just after getting the pedialyte or formula? All babies will "mouth click" at times right after drinking. Are there other signs of Aspiration Pneumonia (AP)? Did she aspirate (choke on or smooth the liquid through her noise)? Is she taking fluids well or does she seem to have not desire to drink or eat?

Baytril, Cipro, Augmentin, Clavamox, SMP/TMX are some of the best antibiotics for AP. The strength and name of the medication would be needed to provide dose IF antibiotics are warranted.

[Mel1959]

Can you post a picture? It would be easier to determine age if you can. I’m also in Florida, would you like me to help find a rehabber to take her?

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