Very runny diarrhea, lethargic and shaking, PLEASE HELP

[Sroth01]

Ok, I am new to this squirrel thing but am in need of some advice. I have a 6-7 week old squirrel that is all of a sudden lethargic, shaking and now has very runny diarrhea. He is on Pedialyte and puppy powder which is a pre and probiotic. I started a ratio of 3.1 but within the past 2 days I switched to a 2.1. I finally was able to get him to eat 4ml of the mixture. He's been an amazing eater and very energetic until this morning. Please help!

A little back ground, 2 weeks ago while on a job site this little guy started crawling up my husbands leg. We knew something was abnormal because it is definitely not normal! He curled up in a fleece blanket (which he now loves) and we took him home. I did some searching with my good friend GOOGLE and found the Pedialyte and puppy powder formula. He loved it! I began feeding him every 4 hours, 1.5 tsp Pedialyte and .5tsp powder through a 1ml syringe. He quickly figured out that this syringe meant food.
Last week I gave him a nibble of a banana, which he really liked. The next day he had loose stools which resembled the banana so I decided not to try that again. 3 days ago I bough rodent block from a local PetSmart while I wait for Hi-Protein blocks to come in the mail. He didn't like them.
This morning, everything changed and I don't know what to do. Thank you for your help!

[Nancy in New York]

Ok, I am new to this squirrel thing but am in need of some advice. I have a 6-7 week old squirrel that is all of a sudden lethargic, shaking and now has very runny diarrhea. He is on Pedialyte and puppy powder which is a pre and probiotic. I started a ratio of 3.1 but within the past 2 days I switched to a 2.1. I finally was able to get him to eat 4ml of the mixture. He's been an amazing eater and very energetic until this morning. Please help!

A little back ground, 2 weeks ago while on a job site this little guy started crawling up my husbands leg. We knew something was abnormal because it is definitely not normal! He curled up in a fleece blanket (which he now loves) and we took him home. I did some searching with my good friend GOOGLE and found the Pedialyte and puppy powder formula. He loved it! I began feeding him every 4 hours, 1.5 tsp Pedialyte and .5tsp powder through a 1ml syringe. He quickly figured out that this syringe meant food.
Last week I gave him a nibble of a banana, which he really liked. The next day he had loose stools which resembled the banana so I decided not to try that again. 3 days ago I bough rodent block from a local PetSmart while I wait for Hi-Protein blocks to come in the mail. He didn't like them.
This morning, everything changed and I don't know what to do. Thank you for your help!

Are you mixing the Pedialyte and the puppy formula together?
If so stop immediately.
He should never be on Pedialyte for more than 24 hours,
and we never mix formula and the pedialyte together.
Mix the formula 1 part powdered puppy Esbilac to 2 parts HOT water,
Let it sit for ~ 4-6 hours in the refri. stirring occassionally so it all
gets dissolved.

Could he have something stuck in his throat?
His very first food should be the rodent block.
Which one do you have coming, is it from Henry's.
How often are you feeding, and what amount?
How much does your little one weigh?

For the diarrhea, try giving him a drop or 2 of pepto bismol.

Try giving him a little bit of molasses or maple syrup on his gums
to get his blood sugar levels up.

Is this what you are using?

[Nancy in New York]

One more thing.

I'm not sure if you got this link yet, but
it's an excellent SHORT, concise
read about Baby Squirrel Care.
It's 6 pages long with the next button at the
top right corner.

https://www.henryspets.com/1-caring-...baby-squirrel/

[CritterMom]

First, is the formula you are using the Esbilac powder? And how have you stored it. The entire can of powder should be stored at least in the refrigerator and best in the freezer. You don't have to thaw it to mix it into formula, and the unmixed powder will spoil quickly at room temperature.

So first you need to increase the hydration and stop the runs. Diarrhea will dehydrate them quickly. Give additional hydration IN BETWEEN feedings - you can use plain water or water with a bit of sugar to make it more attractive.

Give him 2 drops of Pepto Bismol and start watching his poop. When it turns black - and it will, it is just what Pepto does - you will know that the dose has gone entirely through his system. ow are the poops? Still wet and runny? Give another dose. If they are starting to thicken up and beginning to form, wait and see what the next poops look like. If they are still bad, give a second dose. If they continue to improve you likely won't have to. This is the best way I have found to dry up the runs without giving too much and causing constipation.

I would wait for the Henry's food. Babies this age would never eat solids in the wild, and the reason we put them into the cage at 6 weeks is to get them used to seeing it and to start exploring it with their teeth so it becomes familiar to them.

[Sroth01]

I wasn't aware of needing to refrigerate the powder. Should I throw it out and buy new? When he was active he was eating 10-12ml 3-4 times daily. He is dehydrated as i pulled on his skin and it did not bounce back! I did give him 2 drops of Pepto. His last stool was formed but stuck so he kept "scooting." I pulled it out and he seemed much happier after that, however there was a lot of liquid with the stool. He is also shaking so I have a heating pad under his fleece blanket checking periodically to make sure things are not too hot. Am I doing the right thing?

[Spanky]

That formula is not suitable for squirrels and will cause many of the problems you are currently experiencing. We realize the pet store people often tell everyone they are all they same, but they are not especially when feeding squirrels. The Esbilac is made by the same company and looks similar with the baby blue on the can, but here is the formula you need for squirrels:



The heating pad should be underneath 1/2 the container and not in the container. Being under only 1/2 allows the baby to crawl away from the heat should they become overheated. Here is a 6 page primer on baby squirrel care, after reviewing this please ask any questions you might have!

https://www.henryspets.com/1-caring-...baby-squirrel/