Raymond's Rickets?

[TinaChastain]

So the most traumatic thing happened a few nights ago and I was completely stunned. My baby, Raymond, a southern flying squirrel, showed signs of a calcium deficiency when he started to glide, but instead plummeted to the floor and his body contorted in an adverse way, almost like he does when he yawns, but his eyes opened and his teeth were bared. I panicked in a way I never have before. My mother (a nurse) picked him up and began to give my tiny tot mouth to mouth. He woke up startled and latched on to her lip, but soon released. She's okay, thanks for asking. I went Googling about what could have caused this. The result was calcium deficiency. He is such a picky eater I wasn't surprised. I went, bought a calcium block (which he wont touch), vita drops for his water (which again he hates and now will barely touch), will be on my way to get calcium powder for his veggies after I post this. In the evenings he seems okay, wants to play and run, but not as loving. He is now barely eating, so I tried formula. He isn't wanting to take that, water, or any of his normal things and Mama Tina is starting to get lost in the weeds for what to do! Please help me!

[Milo's Mom]

I am not one of the Flyer folk but I do know they MUST have a good diet and blocks are part of that diet. The best blocks (which are made specifically for flyers and their dietary needs) are at Henry's Healthy Pets.

Here is a link to the specific blocks: http://www.henryspets.com/hi-protein-blocks/

[CritterMom]

They are very prone to MBD.

Yes, you need to increase the calcium in his diet immediately. It s hard to find calcium powder that does not have a ton of Vitamin D in it anywhere but online, but an excellent source are Tums! Buy a bottle of the fruit flavored Tums. He may actually like them. Come back on and tell us which size you got an we can tell you how much of the tablet he needs per day immediately.

Are you trying to syringe feed him formula? What formula?

[TinaChastain]

They are very prone to MBD.

Yes, you need to increase the calcium in his diet immediately. It s hard to find calcium powder that does not have a ton of Vitamin D in it anywhere but online, but an excellent source are Tums! Buy a bottle of the fruit flavored Tums. He may actually like them. Come back on and tell us which size you got an we can tell you how much of the tablet he needs per day immediately.

Are you trying to syringe feed him formula? What formula?

Tums? Yes. Tums dissolved in water and syringe fed? Yes. Does he like them? No.. Will a calcium powder with vitamin D hurt him?

[Milo's Mom]

Did you try the flavored ones? I believe the red ones (berry) are well received by most. If you have the flavored ones, try different flavors.

[TinaChastain]

I have also tried to feed him formula, which he usually adores, however eating just hasn't been appealing to him the past few days. I've been feeding him pecans just to keep something on his stomach.

[TinaChastain]

We tried red, yellow, and green...do you just give it to him or do i crush it? Is there some other way?

[Milo's Mom]

You may try giving him one to chew on himself, especially if he won't take it by syringe.

[CritterMom]

Sometimes they will just take little pieces of the tablet and eat them like they are a treat. By the time you see symptoms of MBD though, they feel pretty crappy and don't want to eat. They have to, though.

Ensure - the meal replacement "shakes" may be acceptable to him and they have a lot of nutrients in them. They aren't a bad stopgap when you can't get anything else into them. They are sweet.

The amount of D in calcium supplements for humans is a LOT more than the amount of D that rodents need to utilize calcium. What you can do is use the Tums for about 80% of the calcium and use the supplement you have with the D in it for the remaining 20%. However if you are able to get either his formula, or some Ensure into him, those things will have plenty of D in them.

What size are your Tums?

[TinaChastain]

They're about the size of quarters

[CritterMom]

They're about the size of quarters

LOL! Do you have the bottle they came in? Look at the back - there is a little box on the back that says "Supplement Info" - tell me what the milligrams of calcium are and also the serving size - it probably says 2.

[TinaChastain]

I do have it, but not with me currently. Buuuut, Breakthrough. FINALLY I was able to get a syringe of formula in that kid!

[TinaChastain]

and a few bites of an apple!

[TinaChastain]

And now some chicken breast

[CritterMom]

It is good that she is eating.

At the most, in the beginning of the MBD treatment, you would not need to give her more than 1/2 of one of the Tums tabs, and that should be spread out through the entire day. Do get the info as far as milligrams are concerned. The calcium dosage is very, very slowly decreased as the squirrel gets better.

You had a block suggested and I very strongly suggest you try a bag of the Henry's Picky Bites: http://www.henryspets.com/picky-blocks-adult-formula/ . If you go into the Supplements section, you can buy calcium carbonate powder without D for just a couple dollars.

[TinaChastain]

I just ordered the MDB Treatment pack http://www.henryspets.com/mbd-treatment-kit/

[CritterMom]

I just ordered the MDB Treatment pack http://www.henryspets.com/mbd-treatment-kit/

Excellent!

[Kristi S]

I've used a product called Rep-Cal for years for my lizards, which are also prone to MBD. It does have some D3 in it, but D3 is needed, anyway, and I don't use it with every feeding. It comes in a very fine power that sticks to food (I shake my crickets in a pinch of it) and apparently doesn't make it any less palatable. If you haven't been providing D, the Tums won't be very effective anyway. Or put some mushrooms on a sunny windowsill (outside) for a day to provide D that way.

Will flyers chew on bones and antlers like other squirrels do? Good for keeping their teeth in check.