Nursing On genitals and diarrhea

[Eve]

Hello, I'm from Panama and I really don't know what to do because strangely in my country there are no specialists in wild animals when we are one of the countries with more wild animals. I found a squirrel on a road and it was very small without opening his eyes and barely filled with hair, I went to a local veterinarian and she told me to give him cat milk (KMR formula) and I gave it to him for about 3 and a half weeks, but he always had diarrhea which I thought was normal because of the change to formula. Then the squirrel had wounds on his penis and I started to investigate and it was that he was nurse On his genitals. Currently after going to another veterinarian and being able to find this page for squirrels, I inquired a few days ago before they accepted me to publish and I suspended the cat milk and bought Esbilac powder milk, administering it every 5 hours 14cc because I calculate that it is approximately 6 weeks old already has his eyes open, jumps and explores. I also sold his penis with a cotton and elastic adhesive straps that I change every time he urinates. The diarrhea worried me a lot because it was already a long time and his anus was already swollen and hurt from that; he still has diarrhea, but I don't know if I'm already on the right track. I don't know what else I should give him (water or pedialyte) because I feel guilty and that no "expert" knew how to guide me and I want him to live and be free.
Actualization of his condition: well, he urinates well of transparent color without a bad smell and 1 hour ago he pooped and it is much harder and dark brown, it is no longer yellowish liquid. But I don't know if I should give it water.

[Spanky]

Additional water (hydration) between feedings is always good with diarrhea. If eyes are open and he is about 6 weeks old it is time to introduce solid foods while providing formula for as long as he will take the formula.

The first and ONLY solid food should be a high quality rodent block like Teklad/Envigo or Mazuri. A great supplement block is Henry's Healthy Blocks, but I am not sure if shipping costs make this impractical, but here is the link:
https://henryspets.com/squirrel-blocks/

I'd get the Picky, Wild Bites or Hazelnuts (avoid the healthy as they are not as well liked or as tasty to squirrels as the others).

What type of squirrel is he... I believe Panama has a variegated squirrel that eats more fruit than most of the North American species and whose diet may be more similar to a palm squirrel?

Does he have a name?

[Eve]

I think it's a red-bellied squirrel called Café.
His poop has improved a lot, it is already more whole and brown. So what should I do? Try to get that rodent block and give him milk at that time too?
For how long should I do that process? As long as I give him milk and the rodent block, is it not necessary to give him water?

[Spanky]

I think it's a red-bellied squirrel called Café.
His poop has improved a lot, it is already more whole and brown. So what should I do? Try to get that rodent block and give him milk at that time too?
For how long should I do that process? As long as I give him milk and the rodent block, is it not necessary to give him water?

So his name in Cafe, is that right?

You can introduce a water bottle any time now though it may be a while before he starts using that. A "hamster/rat type" water bottle works well. His Primary source of hydration will be the formula for now.

Place a piece or two of rodent block in his enclosure and allow him to gnaw on it at will. He'll simply chew it up and make crumbs at first before eventually eating it. No other solids until and unless he is eating... actually eating.. the rodent block as this will become the critical nutritional foundation of his solid food diet.

Continue the Esbilac feeding... at this age he should get 5%- 7% of his weight in formula every 4 hours or so... example, a 100gram squirrel would be fed 5ml - 7ml every 4 hours. I am attaching a feeding frequency cheat sheet for reference.
Feeding Frequency.pdf

I *believe* red bellied squirrels' diet include more fruits than the more common (in USA anyways!) grey, fox and red squirrels. But like those other squirrels, it is important to limit (or even not provide any would be better) seeds, nuts, dried corn and other calcium depleting foods when he gets older and ready for other solid foods. If you do feed any seeds, nuts or dried corn it should be treated as "treats"... like gummie bears or cotton candy to a human toddler!!

[Eve]

Yes, his name is Café.
Thank you for the information about his diet, I really appreciate it.
And with regard to the fact that he nurse On his genitals, does it take months to stop doing it? Should I continue to sell it until he stop drinking milk? Or if I neglect it when he already eat something more solid, will he do it again?

[Eve]

He is Café, I would try to post more pictures of him, then you can see his progress.
I’m not sure that he is that type of squirrel. I saw a image of an Centroamerican Squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides) and I think he is one of them.

[island rehabber]

He is beautiful!
You are getting excellent advice from Spanky so I have nothing to add here. Just wishing you good luck with him!

[Spanky]

Yes, his name is Café.
Thank you for the information about his diet, I really appreciate it.
And with regard to the fact that he nurse On his genitals, does it take months to stop doing it? Should I continue to sell it until he stop drinking milk? Or if I neglect it when he already eat something more solid, will he do it again?

If he is self suckling I would increase the amount of formula with each feeding and / or feed him formula more frequently.

[Eve]

Thanks, I’ll do that. Now with the esbilac milk the diarrhea disappeared, but I feel that she is constipated because her poop is very hard and he has a hard time defecating. How can I Help him?

[Spanky]

How's Cafe doing? Are the poos normal or still feeling a bit constipated?

[Eve]

Café is much better and I can say that he is normal for the first time. The only thing is that I feel that now he sleeps too much and doesn't urinate when he should, but I try to get him to exercise and go out to explore and even if I wake him up to eat he doesn't eat much, he only eats well once

[Eve]

I would like advice on starting to give him solid food. I have read that Central American squirrels like mine begin to introduce small pieces of fruit such as banana, papaya, melon, watermelon or mango little by little along with the milk and observe how he process it, but that it is not necessary to give them the rodent block before (it is really not so accessible to make a shipment here) and I wanted to make sure that I would be doing well this alternative

[Spanky]

I would like advice on starting to give him solid food. I have read that Central American squirrels like mine begin to introduce small pieces of fruit such as banana, papaya, melon, watermelon or mango little by little along with the milk and observe how he process it, but that it is not necessary to give them the rodent block before (it is really not so accessible to make a shipment here) and I wanted to make sure that I would be doing well this alternative

I don't know much about red bellied squirrels and if starting solids with fruit is appropriate or note. Definitely continue the Esbilac for as long as Cafe will take it as it is the single best thing for him to eat while under your care!

Generally speaking, not starting off with block.. talking about greys, fox, flyers, etc. usually results in "picky eaters" that refuse to eat blocks later. I call this the "hard path". The easy path is to start with block as the first and only food, then start the day / feeding with blocks before they get anything else. Kind of like a child that learns they only get dessert if they eat their healthy meal.

[Eve]

Café is very good, he recovered, he grew, he lives in the trees of my house, he already eats soft fruits. Now Café has awakened a new concern in me and it's about his teeth. Apparently the ones below are bigger and I don't see the ones above. I'm worried and I don't know if that affects me not eating much.

[island rehabber]

Do you think you can get a picture of his teeth? We might be more helpful to you if we can see exactly what you're talking about.

[Eve]

Those are his teeth, we noticed because we felt he didn't eat well and we checked them. We don't know if they broke or is moving them, but the ones below are very long

[Eve]

He is Café