food up noses

[Faefriend]

How do you get them to NOT get their formula up their noses and into lungs? My boys are 5 weeks. They just went to the vet for popping sounds. They're on a med right now. They eat like hogs. They climb around me a lot. They just, a couple days ago, got a bit sick. I've had them since they were a week old.

[stepnstone]

How do you get them to NOT get their formula up their noses and into lungs? My boys are 5 weeks. They just went to the vet for popping sounds. They're on a med right now. They eat like hogs. They climb around me a lot. They just, a couple days ago, got a bit sick. I've had them since they were a week old.

What size syringe have you been feeding with, feeding with or without nipple attached?

[Faefriend]

What size syringe have you been feeding with, feeding with or without nipple attached?

2cc with nip. Although, the vet suggested a bottle and they like it more.
I got a new nipple too. It seems that they poked extra holes into their nipple with their teeth. They're not having much problem at all now. Silly little boys!

[kcassidy]

A bottle? That is not the best method to feed baby squirrels. We all recommend using the Miracle O Ring syringes and the Miracle Nipples. Both available for purchase at www.squirrelsandmore.com

[stepnstone]

A bottle? That is not the best method to feed baby squirrels. We all recommend using the Miracle O Ring syringes and the Miracle Nipples.
Both available for purchase at www.squirrelsandmore.com

How do you get them to NOT get their formula up their noses and into lungs?

And this is why you don't use a bottle with a squirrel, Aspiration Pneumonia!
Appears with them having already been on meds for "popping" I suspect you/they have already experienced this once.
Squirrels have a strong sucking reflex, of course they'd like a bottle better, more volume faster and there's the problem.
You can not control the flow, they draw more faster then they can properly swallow, it goes into the lungs, Aspiration pneumonia!
The use of feeder bottles for squirrels is dangerous and an unnecessary risk!

[CritterMom]

The trick is for YOU to control the flow from the syringe, not them, regardless of what they think. Instead of pushing on the end of the plunger of the syringe to push formula out the end, wrap your finger around the barrel of the plunger, and only allow them to suck out what they can swallow. If you hold the plunger back, they can suck themselves inside out and not get any more milk until YOU dispense it.