Found a 12 day old squeaker on the loft floor this morning. Cold but alive. Parents are ignoring it now.
Put it back in nest but they kicked it out again. Do I hand raise or try to foster?
Fostering is better than hand raising if you have the option.
Do you have another pair with similar aged youngsters? Or a pair that just lost eggs? They might accept it.
If fostering isn’t possible, hand raising at 12 days is doable:
- Kaytee exact or similar hand feeding formula
- Feed every 4-5 hours during day
- Keep warm (not hot)
- Should be eating on own by 25-28 days
Warm it up first before feeding. Cold crop doesn’t digest.
Why did parents reject it? Check if something’s wrong with the squeaker. Sick or deformed youngsters often get pushed out.
If it looks healthy, try fostering. If something’s obviously wrong, nature might be taking its course.
Good news - found a pair that just lost their eggs and they adopted the squeaker! Feeding it like their own.
Nature sorted it out. Thanks for the advice on fostering.