March 18 diary

03-18-2011, 09:50 AM


So first baby and looks like you have your own foxie already . Butchie just moves his face so I can't feed him, but if I keep at it I can eventually coax him. What a bugger though! Maybe the boys have more attitude? Are the girls the same?

Butchie fell 9 to 12 feet. How he did that without getting seriously hurt I shall never know  . My mom says maybe he was relaxed when he fell (not bracing for a fall) and maybe that helped. Plus it was ground and not cement/concrete. I scan every day to see if any others fall, but Butchie was out of the nest on just the branches when I first heard him. Actual nest is much higher. Do squirrels take other squirrel's babies?? I almost wonder if his was an attempted squirrel napping?? There was a lot of chaos and mommy did chase another squirrel away. She is really aggressive to any squirrel who goes in that tree (good sign meaning she still has Butchie's littermates ) and she is yelling scolding biting and chasing  . I wouldn't want her mad at me!! Star isn't as aggressive I don't think but then again maybe no one dares goes in her tree anymore . I did see Star a couple years ago with a baby she took to her nest and now to think about it that was weird, cause she always has hers in the maple as far as I know, so why would she move them somewhere then back? Baby was tiny and maybe the size of Butchie so not very old. Could she have stolen that one?

Oh and to make matters more confusing there are TWO squirrels with white markings. Imagine my surprise to feed Star then turn around and see a look a like on the neighbor's shed (who later got chased by Butchie's mommy).

See? I'm squirrel obsessed now  !! It's all Butchie's fault!! I told my mom I am raising a future apple thief! He may turn out to be the biggest, baddest apple tree raider west of the mississippi!!  .


Butchie's weight at 8:58am is.......72 grams!!   



So now the poor boy is the weight he was when this all started. Akk! I hope I didn't stunt his growth or anything? His littermates are probably huge now. How much will/should he gain every day do you think? I counted out total cc's taken yesterday and came up with 25! Sound ok? He has taken 10 1/2 already today. Eating about every three hours. He woke up before I went to bed (I always have to check him umpteen times when I am awake), and he woke up when he heard me and was practically climbing the sides of his nest, so I fed him again. (he had been fed at 1:45am, and again at 3:15am). Bad me has been sleeping through my alarm in the morning, so even though I had it set he didn't get fed again till 9a.m. He took 3cc's his 1:45 feeding, 3 1/2 at 3:45am, and 4 at (am . Took a bit of coaxing this morning; he takes the first cc or so really well then I kinda have to sweet talk him for the others. Number 3 was the hardest dang he is wiggly!! Glad to know that is a foxer trait and normal .




03-18-2011, 11:29 AM


I think he's interested just gets sidetracked a bit. When he does get it in his mouth and tastes the formula he drinks it well. He is really active today poor baby! Didn't realise I was practically starving him before  . I am sterilizing a five gallon tank. He is so active and trying to climb out of his box. I meant to transfer him to the smaller tank but didn't then ended up using that for a mouse. But in light of him being so active I think the bigger tank might be best. Then I can have part of it off the heating pad more ifn he wants.

Glad they don't get hurt more too. Still hurts me just thinking about it though, lol.




03-18-2011, 12:47 PM


I went to feed Butchie his 12:30pm feeding and he was still asleep and didn't wake right away when I touched him. It took him a few seconds and he was just not as wiggly when I lifted him out. He took two cc's ok, but that's all he wanted. He hasn't pood since his 10:15 feeding last night (almost 15 hours). This started around the time he started the transition (started at his 4pm feeding); should I back off and feed the goat's milk recipe only? Really worried. I did the dipping his back end in warm water (he didn't like that!). Massaged his belly and back lightly for a few minutes but he squirmed. He doesn't LOOK bloated, and his tummy is soft, not hard or tight. He scared me being so quiet should I panic now?! Breathing sounds fine best I can tell, and he did pee a bit, but no poo and not as much it seems as he used to before the formula change. He is getting 1/4 new to 3/4 old.

edit:

Ok, reread my notes, Butchie had previously not pood for a few hours BEFORE getting the new formula. But still, should I be worried? I massaged him a tiny bit again his tummy isn't that full since he only took two cc's. Maybe he is just feeling more caught up? But he seems quieter then before he started going crazy for food. Akkkk!! I can feel the grey hairs coming in!!






03-18-2011, 02:55 PM

Butchie ate at 2:25pm and FINALLY poo'd!! 10 to 11 tiny bits stuck together, with a reddish tint on the tip of one. Hoping that is normal? He had one like that a few days ago, but just those two times that I have noticed.

He took 3 1/2 cc's. Was a bit hard to wake up (maybe he was still sleepy because he had been shuffling around earlier, and usually he sleeps all the time between feedings?). Wasn't as squirmy with food, though he was a bit between the first and second syringe. Then he settled down on his belly and nursed with his little paws on the syringe/nipple  . The sounds he makes in between are priceless, though ifn a baby this young can swear then he has been doing that too  .

I don't know how those of you who do this full time during squirrel season with multiple babies SURVIVE . I have heard baby bunnies are even harder, because they can go into shock so easy? He's a great little tyke, but I will be glad when he is a bit older and at least has his eyes open. Somehow that sounds much less scary, an eyes open baby .

03-18-2011, 05:34 PM


That's right, I remember now mommy rabbits only nurse once every 20-24 hours. Crazy. I have had domestic bunnies but never bred them; we have a snake feeder rescue right now who is around 7. Tube feeding? So you can't raise them with a syringe and nipple like squirrels? Wow. I suppose once you learn tube feeding it wouldn't be so bad.



30 babies at ONCE?!?! 

I guess I am just a worrier. I worry about Butchie and my gazillion domestic pets. I worry about the birds and squirrels outside because there are so many neighbor cats. And I worry about non-critter stuff too, especially lately.

I am sure in a week or so I will be asking for advice on how to slow Butchie down . I can't wait to see his little eyes open. It'll be like waiting for Christmas . When I had my oops baby parakeets last year every sprouting feather and opening eye was a cause to celebrate, and in my case times 11 . It was great. Each one was a different color or shade of color or pattern of color. Each developed their own personality. I loved watching them explore and play. Of course now they are hormonal brats, lol, but they are still good birds .

Oh! did I mention about Butchie's teeth? I saw and felt them a couple of days ago  . So cute (yeah I am sure in a few weeks I won't be so smitten with squirrel teeth, but hey, right now it's another milestone, another first)  . Just the upper teeth so far I think. He must be around the 4 week mark now, cause his fur is way thicker then last week, especially on his tummy.