Most
baby animals can not take cow's milk. Use Esbilac puppy formula. It
is great for taking care of baby possums, raccoons, skunks and other
small mammals. Esbilac can be bought at a pet store. If you can't get
it then try the following:
Goat's milk with mashed bananas and liquid lactate drops (lactate
can be bought at a pharmacy and is used for animals or people who have
lactose intolerance, see directions on the package). Use a plastic syringe
and put a baby nipple on the tip (left photo), or use a baby bottle.
Make sure that the nipple is clean and doesn't clog up with banana seeds.
Remember that heat has a calming effect and reduces pain. In addition,
touch is an important component: Orphaned mammal babies like to be touched,
especially on the neck area.
It is important that baby animals eliminate properly. Their mothers
would lick their hind area, but you should take a warm cloth or paper
towel and wipe their hind area in order to stimulate elimination.
When they try to bite you, that’s the time to
get food into them, you might want to use a spoon.
Ricotta cheese is a favorite of possums. That mixed with baby squash
or carrots and Nutrical (pet vitamins and minerals) provide
good nutrition. Moistened Puppy Chow will do just fine also.
