Flying Fox Milk Replacer

Milk substitute for orphaned flying fox (fruit bat) pups.

Key Features

  • Like Mother’s Milk – Formulated to match the composition of flying fox milk.
  • Protein for Growth.
  • Calcium for Bones.
  • Stabilised Vitamin C – for healthy skin & joints.

Ingredients

Whole milk solids, whey protein, casein, glucose, vegetable oils, omega-3 & 6 fatty acids, taurine, stabilised Vitamin C, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, D3, E, K, biotin, choline, inositol, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, iodine, selenium.

 Typical Analysis

 Protein 27%
 Fat 15%
 Ash 6%
 Moisture 4%
Energy (ME) 18 MJ/kg

Pack Sizes

140g, 1kg, 5kg & 10kg.

 

Use Flying Fox Milk Replacer for orphaned flying fox (fruit bat) pups. Newborns that did not receive colostrum from the mother may benefit from Impact Colostrum Supplement. 

Making up Milk

To make 100mL of milk: Mix 14g of powder (2 scoops) with 90ml of warm water.

To make 1 litre of milk: Mix 140g of powder with 900ml of warm water.

Add about half of the water to the powder first and mix to a paste. Then add the remaining water and mix thoroughly. Pre-boil the water to ensure that it is sterilised. If the water is too hot it can cause the milk to curdle. If it is too cold then it will be difficult to disperse the powder. An electric whisk can be used for mixing larger quantities. Milk can be stored in the fridge for a day or can be frozen for up to two weeks. It is useful to make up milk in larger quantities and store it frozen in small portions (e.g. ice cube trays), so that the required daily feed volumes can be easily thawed out. Once thawed out, discard any unused milk, and wash feeding utensils thoroughly.

Feeding Guide

Warm milk to about 35°C. Feed from either a bottle and teat or a 10mL syringe with teat pulled over the end. An F Teat is recommended, as this replicates the natural shape of a flying fox nipple. Feed 5 times per day for the first 3 weeks, reducing this to 4 times per day by 4 weeks of age. Stimulate pups to defecate and urinate after each feed. To avoid dehydration during periods of hot weather provide drinks of pre-boiled water between feeds. Always provide access to drinking water once pups become mobile. Consult your veterinarian or specialist wildlife carer for particular advice about caring for flying fox pups.

Growth

Different species of flying fox have different growth rates. Refer to the growth chart for Grey-headed Flying Fox, which may also be used as a guideline for similar-sized species such as Black or Spectacled. It is important to weigh pups regularly to verify weight gains and determine the daily feed volume. Overfeeding milk can cause diarrhoea so feed the suggested volumes in our tables.

Weaning

When pups are about 6-7 weeks old introduce pureed or steamed apple between milk feeds. By 8-10 weeks they should be eating diced fruit (non-fibrous fruits such as apple or pear) coated with High Protein Supplement. Offer as much native fruit and blossom as possible to adjust the young to a wild-type diet. Once they start to eat sufficient solid food continue to increase the solids and reduce the milk in their diet until they are fully weaned by 12 weeks.