5 week old bleeding from butt. Please help!

[Rock Monkey]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLjR...relsandmorellc

Here is a good video for showing feeding technique, with a number of good pointers.

Note, using 1 cc, 1 ml syringe helps to reduce the chance of the baby aspirating.

[jpars]

The scale is very important. Especially with formula it is difficult to know how much to feed him if you don't know his weight. Their stomachs are only so big and you don't want to overload their intestinal system. This can cause all sorts of problems.

5% of body weight per feeding is a good conservative starting point. If well tolerated it may over time be increased to 7%.

Beware that squirrels are so eager to eat that they sometimes inhale when they should swallow and swallow when they should inhale.

What size syringe are you using to feed the squirrel?

The antibiotics from the vet will likely kill off the flora and fauna of the intestinal tract, which likely will result in more loose stool.

I am using a 3cc syringe. I fill it up twice and he's been doing really well with that amount. His poop is still a little soft but its getting some shape to it so thats something. If the diarrhea isnt gone completely by the end of his antibiotics then ill start him on the dia-stat.

[jpars]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLjR...relsandmorellc

Here is a good video for showing feeding technique, with a number of good pointers.

Note, using 1 cc, 1 ml syringe helps to reduce the chance of the baby aspirating.

Thank you for the link. If he is sucking the syringe down thats ok as long as i control the speed to make sure he doesnt get pneumonia right?

[Rock Monkey]

Thank you for the link. If he is sucking the syringe down thats ok as long as i control the speed to make sure he doesnt get pneumonia right?

I am glad to hear that he is doing better.

A one CC syringe with an o-ring will give much more precise control. The chances of aspiration will be much lower.

With a 3 cc syringe a lot of fluid can come out when the plunger is pushed, especially if it does not have an o-ring. With these type of syringes the plunger can hang up then you push hard and too much fluid comes out.

The squirrel may be getting diarrhea because it is being fed too much. They are gluttons. They are wired to eat fast, to compete with siblings for food. They are not the best judge of how much they should eat.

You really need a scale to weigh the squirrel to determine the appropriate amount of formula to be given or you are playing with fire, rolling the dice with the squirrel's life. (The number one cause of death for squirrels being taken care of by first time caretakers is inhalation/aspiration pneumonia and it acts so fast that you probably won't recognize the symptoms fast enough and treat it fast enough.)

Do you use a nipple with the syringe?

[Rock Monkey]

A food scale will set you back less than $20, certainly a lot cheaper than a visit to the vet.

[Rock Monkey]

A food scale will set you back less than $20, certainly a lot cheaper than a visit to the vet.

After writing this I subsequently remembered that you said you going to go out and purchase a scale. I don't know if you have. It is a critical tool.

[jpars]

I am glad to hear that he is doing better.

A one CC syringe with an o-ring will give much more precise control. The chances of aspiration will be much lower.

With a 3 cc syringe a lot of fluid can come out when the plunger is pushed, especially if it does not have an o-ring. With these type of syringes the plunger can hang up then you push hard and too much fluid comes out.

The squirrel may be getting diarrhea because it is being fed too much. They are gluttons. They are wired to eat fast, to compete with siblings for food. They are not the best judge of how much they should eat.

You really need a scale to weigh the squirrel to determine the appropriate amount of formula to be given or you are playing with fire, rolling the dice with the squirrel's life. (The number one cause of death for squirrels being taken care of by first time caretakers is inhalation/aspiration pneumonia and it acts so fast that you probably won't recognize the symptoms fast enough and treat it fast enough.)

Do you use a nipple with the syringe?

I finally was able to get a scale and he weighs in at 120 grams. And yes he has been feeding from a nipple, its a rather long one so i put it in between my fingers so that he doesnt try to force the whole nipple down. I would like to get a better syringe though.

[jpars]

After writing this I subsequently remembered that you said you going to go out and purchase a scale. I don't know if you have. It is a critical tool.

I went and got an analog scale. He weighs exactly 120 grams. Im not sure if that is average for his age though

[Mel1959]

At 120gr. he should be eating between 6cc-8.5cc at each feeding.

Squirrels weights vary depending on the part of the country you’re in. Northern gray squirrels weigh much more than a Florida grays. What you want to see is a steady weight gain, which is why a scale and weighing them on a regular basis is so important. Keep a log of how much he eats at each feeding and weigh him at the same time each day, preferably after pottying him.

[jpars]

At 120gr. he should be eating between 6cc-8.5cc at each feeding.

Squirrels weights vary depending on the part of the country you’re in. Northern gray squirrels weigh much more than a Florida grays. What you want to see is a steady weight gain, which is why a scale and weighing them on a regular basis is so important. Keep a log of how much he eats at each feeding and weigh him at the same time each day, preferably after pottying him.

Thank you so much for that. I was unsure how he was doing for weight. What should i be giving him to keep his teeth from overgrowing?

[Mel1959]

You can give him an occasional nut in a shell, antlers, calcium chews, dried marrow bones. I buy the marrow bones for my dog. Once he’s eaten the marrow out and they dry out some I put them on broken limbs in my oak tree and in my release cage. The wilds and my babies all chew on them. It’s a win-win....they wear their teeth down and they get calcium in the process.

[jpars]

You can give him an occasional nut in a shell, antlers, calcium chews, dried marrow bones. I buy the marrow bones for my dog. Once he’s eaten the marrow out and they dry out some I put them on broken limbs in my oak tree and in my release cage. The wilds and my babies all chew on them. It’s a win-win....they wear their teeth down and they get calcium in the process.

Does it matter what kind of nut? Ill have to let squirrely dan have a go at the calcium chews as well

[Mel1959]

It doesn’t really matter what type of nut. Almonds have a softer shell and Hickory nuts have a very hard shell. Walnuts are fairly hard and thick and pecans and hazelnuts medium hardness.

[Rock Monkey]

Does it matter what kind of nut?

Preferably the nut should be a shell. Learning the best way to open one is learned skill.

Black (American) walnuts can often be found on the ground, most people are happy to give them away. It will probably be a while before he can manage one of those. The shell is super thick. But one will make a good toy in the meantime.

Certainly no nuts with added anything, like you usually find in the grocery store.

Avoid acorns or Brazil nuts.