Common Mistakes and fixes

[Pointy Tale]

What type of rodent blocks? hamster, rat, rabbit? What brand is most recommended?

Also, if when they are older and don't take to rodent blocks could you still feed them esbilac once a day as a supplement?

littlesquirt—Henry's Healthy Blocks: The Squirrel Board > Help Needed! > Squirrel Nutrition > Henry's Healthy Blocks

I am the worst linker, so Henry's Healthy Blocks can be found here: http://healthyblocks.com/index.html

[GuardianEarth]

Using the liquid form of Esblilac beyond it's use by date.

Actually this is just 72 hour after you open the can. And you may not think it is spoiling but trust me it is.

Easy fix - liquid Esblilac can be frozen. Use an Ice cube tray and then thaw out only what you will use each day at a time. Agian do not use the mirco wave to thaw with.

Powder doesn'tvdo that does it???
Cause we bought a rather large can and it says it keeps for 3 months in the fridge

[Mars]

Powder doesn'tvdo that does it???
Cause we bought a rather large can and it says it keeps for 3 months in the fridge

The Powder keeps very nicely in the refrig. It can also be frozen to extend the use by date for up to 6 months. It is also easy to mix up only the amount you need for each feeding so it is always fresh.

[GuardianEarth]

awesome thanks

[Stefalicious]

When I get the Fox Vally formula will I still need to mux it with yogurt or is that everything that mine needs for the time being?? I have 3 males and they are about 3-4 weeks old, they are grays. And if I do need to get yogurt do I mix it with the formula or do I feed it to them by its self, and also is it just plain yogurt or some kind of flavor?? Also I am bringing them to the vet tomorrow to be weighed, how much are they suppost to weigh at about 4 weeks old?? Thanks.

[spykitten01]

Im not positive about the weight - but I continued to mix yogurt and a little heavy whipping cream into my formula once I got the FV. Probiotics from the yogurt are ALWAYS a good thing. Plain is best, as it has no artificial sweeteners or too much sugar, but you can use vanilla or banana if you cant find any plain. You also want it to be full fat yogurt. A lot of people here use the yobaby yogurt, Ive used the Dannon or Old Home plain yogurt and mine like that just fine.

[spykitten01]

Another add-on for the thread:

NEVER USE TOWELS AS BEDDING FOR YOUR SQUIRREL!


They can catch their little toes and claws in the weave and have been known to break toes, feet, and even legs when they struggle to free themselves. By far the best and most widely used material is fleece. If you dont have any fleece, you can use a few t-shirts until you can get some.

[Stefalicious]

Im not positive about the weight - but I continued to mix yogurt and a little heavy whipping cream into my formula once I got the FV. Probiotics from the yogurt are ALWAYS a good thing. Plain is best, as it has no artificial sweeteners or too much sugar, but you can use vanilla or banana if you cant find any plain. You also want it to be full fat yogurt. A lot of people here use the yobaby yogurt, Ive used the Dannon or Old Home plain yogurt and mine like that just fine.

And by whipping cream you mean the kind in the cans that you put on icecream???? May be a stupid question but Im just making sure. lol

[Mars]

Heavy whipping cream is in a carton ready to be whipped or cooked with. Check the carton to make sure it doesn't have any added sugars you want real cream.

[spykitten01]

Yup - the heavy whipping cream in the little cartons - Thanks for clarifying Mars

[Stefalicious]

Heavy whipping cream is in a carton ready to be whipped or cooked with. Check the carton to make sure it doesn't have any added sugars you want real cream.

ok, gotcha. Thank you. So would I use something like 1 part FV, 1 part cream, 1 part yogurt and like 2 parts water per feeding??

[bellabella05]

Exactly

Aspiration caused by feeding baby either too fast or in a improper position.

Your baby should be held as a baby squirrel would naturally feed belly down with the syringe held at an angel coming up from below or held slightly upright and again the syringe comes up to the mouth.

AND SLOWLY Remeber baby must be given a chance to swallow. With an eye dropper the method is to place one drop just inside the lips and let the baby swallow then repeat. With a syringe it's tap swallow, tap swallow pointing the syringe at a slight angle into the cheek and never directly down the throat. If the plunger gets stuck DO NOT just push harder. Clear it into a cup and then start over.

I think its important to stress the difference between apspiration and asphixiation. Also, that aspiration doesn't IMMEDIATELY kill, but comes back later as pneumonia, so if anyone has ever seen formula/liquid come out of the baby's nose, they should IMMEDIATELY seek the help of a rehabber or someone who can get the baby medication. I don't think I was aware of these differences until after Munchkin's death. I don't think this is stressed enough. I figured its like with humans, you choke/get some liquid up your nose, you give it a second and life goes on. Its NOT like that with baby squirrels. I was always very careful with feeding him, always in right position and very slowly, but he loved to eat and ate so fast, if I had known how dangerous aspiration can be, I would have taken the syringe out of his mouth and given him little bites and LOTs of time to swallow his food.

[pappy1264]

Actually, just because it comes out their nose, does not necessarily mean they will get pneumonia. You have to be prepared in case it does (have meds on hand and know babies weight or know where you could get them at a moments notice). You should not just automatically give meds because it came out their noses, but you have to watch closely, listen even more closely, for signs of pneumonia (clicking heard with breathing, loss of appetite, lethargic.) Sometimes for a while afterwards, they will sneeze, this does not mean they need meds, their nasal cavities can/do get irritated from the milk coming out and they can sneeze for a while afterwards. But you listen for breathing, watch for them to be acting 'different', it is subtle at first, but tends to come on pretty quickly (hence having meds ready just in case) but to give meds when not needed can make the meds not work down the line if/when you do need them.

And while on this subject, knowing you have a vet (or vets) you can go to that will help before you are facing an emergency. Call around BEFORE you even have babies, and just ask. Have a list of rehabbers who are near you you can call, night or day, if you have a problem. All this should be in place before you need it, if possible. (A little black book just for squirrel stuff!)

[bellabella05]

Actually, just because it comes out their nose, does not necessarily mean they will get pneumonia. You have to be prepared in case it does (have meds on hand and know babies weight or know where you could get them at a moments notice). You should not just automatically give meds because it came out their noses, but you have to watch closely, listen even more closely, for signs of pneumonia (clicking heard with breathing, loss of appetite, lethargic.) Sometimes for a while afterwards, they will sneeze, this does not mean they need meds, their nasal cavities can/do get irritated from the milk coming out and they can sneeze for a while afterwards. But you listen for breathing, watch for them to be acting 'different', it is subtle at first, but tends to come on pretty quickly (hence having meds ready just in case) but to give meds when not needed can make the meds not work down the line if/when you do need them.

And while on this subject, knowing you have a vet (or vets) you can go to that will help before you are facing an emergency. Call around BEFORE you even have babies, and just ask. Have a list of rehabbers who are near you you can call, night or day, if you have a problem. All this should be in place before you need it, if possible. (A little black book just for squirrel stuff!)

I completely agree. I never implied that babies should be given meds without illness, but that one should be watchful and expect the baby to get sick if aspiration occurs, so that they are prepared with meds on hand.

[vickyjhnsn]

This thread has been so helpful. I am learning and getting ready to start some serious rehabbing. Most of you probably know I'm new at this and just lost my first little baby and was devastated. Since I've got some training with a local girl here and she has been wonderful. She has given me one to start with and she is monitoring me to check progress and I'm glad I get to start off slow and have her help. You guys have been wonderful. I just got this little boy. Eyes just opened and I've only had him a couple of hours but he is wonderful. He has diarrhea and its yellow but I think after reading its because she was giving it Esbilac formula mixing it with pedialyte every day. She did not mention to me that he had diarrhea but overall he seems like he is in good health. Very active and strong. He is peeing clear and does not seem dehydrated. If anything I think he may be over hydrated.

I have the FV here and am weening him from puppy formula to FV. My question here for this post is do you have to mix whipping formula? Also, I have not heard about the yogurt. What is the suggested mix for the FV. I thought you could just give that alone. Should I be adding whipping formula with the FV and yogurt? Want to clear this up I'm confused by the suggestions on this thread. Thanks.

[astra]

This thread has been so helpful. I am learning and getting ready to start some serious rehabbing. Most of you probably know I'm new at this and just lost my first little baby and was devastated. Since I've got some training with a local girl here and she has been wonderful. She has given me one to start with and she is monitoring me to check progress and I'm glad I get to start off slow and have her help. You guys have been wonderful. I just got this little boy. Eyes just opened and I've only had him a couple of hours but he is wonderful. He has diarrhea and its yellow but I think after reading its because she was giving it Esbilac formula mixing it with pedialyte every day. She did not mention to me that he had diarrhea but overall he seems like he is in good health. Very active and strong. He is peeing clear and does not seem dehydrated. If anything I think he may be over hydrated.

I have the FV here and am weening him from puppy formula to FV. My question here for this post is do you have to mix whipping formula? Also, I have not heard about the yogurt. What is the suggested mix for the FV. I thought you could just give that alone. Should I be adding whipping formula with the FV and yogurt? Want to clear this up I'm confused by the suggestions on this thread. Thanks.

this thread is not intended as a "live" thread, to which people respond regularly and which they check out regularly.
The reason it might seem so confusing is because it deals with "Common Mistakes and Fixes", it's a "sticky" - means, it contains important information for references. But again, it's not a "live" thread.

It might be better if you post your question either in Nutrition forum, or Non-LIfe Threatening forum, depending on the urgency of your situation.

As far as I know, it's very hard to "overhydrate" a baby, especially, when they have diarrhea.
Mixing formula and pedialyte is a no-no. They can be alternated, but never mixed.
As for specifics of how to mix FV and what to add to it - I will let experts speak. Most likely, you will have to use a diluted FV for the first few feedings and gradually bring it to full strength. So, re-post your question as a separate thread in Nutrition forum, or Non-Life Threatening forum, and experts will advise.

[island rehabber]

Good advice from astra. I will put my two cents in right here: you don't need to add ANYTHING to the FV, especially for an eyes-opened baby. Keep it simple, and he will thrive.

[Nelly's mama]

Never Microwave your formulas to warm them

The micro wave oven messes with the structure of the protein molecules in the formula changing their bioavailabilty. In other words it screws with them to the point the body no longer recognizes them as proteins and does not know what to do with them.

Fix - make your formulas fresh each feeding using warm water or, barring that, use a hot water bath to reheat your formula.

How should the milk be warmed?

[CritterMom]

If you put the formula in a little plastic cup and float it in a custard cup of hot water, it will warm up quickly and stay warm for quite a while - like a tiny double boiler.

[island rehabber]

Just for argument's sake here, since we are updating this thread, I posed the question a few months ago to a group of the BF's fellow engineering types: "Can microwaving formula really mess up the molecules?"

They unanimously snickered at me. NO.
The amount of time you would have to microwave the formula in order to do that would turn it into cheese. Basically, nuking for 10-15 seconds will not change any molecules whatsoever.