March 15 diary

03-15-2011, 11:55 AM

Akk!! Ok I had it in my notes but didn't post here, he had been weighed March 14 at 9:40 am and was 72 grams. Why I forgot to post that I don't know  

Weighed again March 15 at 10:12am 70 grams shoot so he lost or my scale was acting up(or operator error)? He looks bigger and is nice and round after feedings. Dang. I believe his first weight on March 13 was 68 or 69 grams. He gets 3cc's every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. I weigh him before feedings usually yes (I believe his first weigh in was after a feeding but since then I weigh before), and have been keeping notes. What time fed, how much takeen, if he pees/poos and how much and what poo looks like etc. Also how I feed or anything done differently. If he doesn't take 3cc's I will often try again an hour or two later. Example He took maybe 1 1/2cc at 3pm yesterday so I offered again at 4:15 after getting the nipple and he took 3cc's. Also if he didn't eat well on a previous feeding he takes more the next.

Should I add more cream? How to get his weight to go up? Should I go for two hour feedings? 

03-15-2011, 01:11 PM

I did order some 1cc o-ring syringes. Tried to get some yesterday but vet didn't have the right kind and the pharmacy at the grocery store wouldn't sell me any without prescription (perhaps she thoughted I wanted the ones with needles because she asked me if I was diabetic; I was wanting to get back home to feed him again, so didn't press the matter). I use the bigger syringe because its the only o-ring one I have, and fill it with 3 or 4 cc's at a time. The 1cc syringe I have is plunger style and is too quick to jam up now so I don't trust it. Sometimes I use the eyedropper later in the feeding because he drinks drop by drop when he is filling up. I can get that last cc in him, like I did just now. When he first starts out he grabs the syringe with his paws and really sucks on the nipple,but he never gets the eyedropper then.

I can work out from my notes to 6 feedings and 20cc that makes sense. Even if I wait 3 hours all he will take is 3cc's at one time, rarely more and then he looks uncomfortably full? Maybe he is closer to three weeks? What age do they open eyes? Right at week five (45 days?). I know with mice etc their eyes open right at day 13 or 14, so I can get a good estimate of age if I didn't know what day they were born. I'd love to be able to get a better idea of age.

Thank you for the tips! 

edit:

snapped a quick picture with my phone, kinda fuzzy but him right after feeding:

03-15-2011, 01:54 PM


I worry about the releasing too; the neighbor cats ARE squirrel hunters, at least two of the five are, and another two may also if given a chance. I am sure any cat would try for a baby. One almost got close to Butchie before I found him; he was maybe 20 feet away and probably smelled him and was looking.

I have former co-worker who adopted a baby her husband found and brought home (I think I posted here but never updated, bad me  ). Circumstances with him being so small (I think he had early on balance/perception problems as well) and non fearful of dogs, cats, and people so she decided to keep him. His name is Munchie and they have a HUGE cage (she sent me a picture last night) that is I think she said 12 feet by 6 feet by 4 feet? Can't remember exact dimensions but she said it takes up most of her living room! She researched his diet online and has a list of good foods and no-no foods on the fridge for everyone to see. He gets to run around when they are home (she tries for at least two hours a day). She says he goes back to his cage to potty; I thought they coldn't be trained (kinda like boy rats who need to mark everything as they go), but then read someone here has theirs trained to use wee wee pads? Not sure I could be able to keep him as a pet but the cats outside frighten me; I have seen the results of their hunting. I have two cats of my own (all our cats live inside). One is a hunter from living on the streets and she was also one of the cats who grabbed baby Calvin and his sibling last time I found babies (link here). She used to live next door but I took her in. (I have rescued two other street cats. Rehomed one and kept an older boy who I just lost in January). I do have two feral pigeons I could not release, and have made accomodations for them. Worse comes to worse I could try and find a rehabber here to release outside this neighborhood with others his age. Older squirrels like Star are aware of the cats and do ok, and I see Star pretty much every day, and have for years. She nests in our maple. I wonder too if she has little ones yet? IF I had to keep him I could make arrangements and figure something out. I don't know if I live in a squirrel friendly state but I think my vet MIGHT help if I needed it. We have known her for over 25 years and she does specialise in small pets. Not sure how well vesrsed she would be with squirrels.

Anyway, one stressor at a time. Right now I just want to get him to gain weight and grow properly then take it from there. I'd miss him if I had to give him up, but I have to think rationally on what's best for him. (I've gone through this rehoming found dogs we couldn't keep; most ended up in a great home with better then what I could provide them).

Course my heart says keep him in his warm soft little makeshift nest forever to keep him safe from harm!!  . I just want him to be healthy and happy and have a chance at the best squirrelly life .







03-15-2011, 02:26 PM


I am using Mountain High Vanilla; figured flavored would be better . He likes it very warm, not quite hot. I sometimes have to rewarm what's in the syringe. I have the feeding jar in a bowl of hot water, but what's in the syringe cools down pretty fast.




03-15-2011, 06:29 PM

Wow!! I wish I had that problem (**member posted their baby eats too fast**)!! Well, almost, lol. He really sucks the first few seconds he has the syringe then after maybe 1cc I have to kinda play around to get him to stay interested. He ate better today after going potty so I may go back to that before feeding, see if it helps. He pees every meal, poos almost every time. When he hears me he gets restless and shuffles about making sounds till I get him out. Then when he is done he crawls back under his "blanket" and curls up and is asleep in no time. Oh! and earlier he twitched his little ears when he heard me talk to him. Soooo cute!!  .

But yeah It's been since Saturday afternoon since I had him, and I think this is only his second full day of getting formula, so if it takes a bit to get going, I am ok with that. Takes maybe half hour start to finish, including heating the water, mixing the food (fresh for every batch cause it's easier that way), getting him out, feeding, potty time, cleaning him off, drying him, and tucking him back in. Then I clean and sterilise everything with the hot water that's left in the electric kettle and have everything all ready for the next feed. I check him again too, cause sometimes if he doesn't settle down and fall asleep right away it's cause he still needs to potty. Sometimes too I like to snuggle him up in a towel and hold him for a few minutes. He gets snuggled briefly every time and I tell him he's a good boy and stroke his head, which he seems to love .