Choking?!

[Blue Fantasy]

I think our little flying squirrel is choking! He keeps opening his mouth wide and heaving. We've tried patting his back, massaging his throat, giving him water and yogurt to wash it down, and using a dropper and baby bulb thing to suck it out. Nothing is working, but he is still running around and cleaning himself so I don't think it's restrictin airflow. I think it might have been a piece of apple cause he had some, but we gave him a big piece that he just nibbled a bit off of. How can we help him? Can flying squirrels vomit? Is that what he's trying to do? HELP!!

[Blue Fantasy]

At first it wasn't but when I noticed him nibble it and then heave a little, I peeled it (my husband didn't and he gave it to the squirrel). So then I peeled it and he didn't seem to have any more trouble, heaving or anything. But about 20 minutes later when we brought him home he began heaving pretty hard!

[muffinsquirrel]

I think our little flying squirrel is choking! He keeps opening his mouth wide and heaving. We've tried patting his back, massaging his throat, giving him water and yogurt to wash it down, and using a dropper and baby bulb thing to suck it out. Nothing is working, but he is still running around and cleaning himself so I don't think it's restrictin airflow. I think it might have been a piece of apple cause he had some, but we gave him a big piece that he just nibbled a bit off of. How can we help him? Can flying squirrels vomit? Is that what he's trying to do? HELP!!

If someone/something is choking, never give them liquids to 'wash it down'. If it could go down, it would have in the first place, and a liquid might wash it down just a little bit and make it more difficult to get out.

First, hold your flyer securely, but not too tight. Now, look in his mouth and see if you can see anything in his throat. If necessary, use something to hold his mouth open while you look. If you can see anything, get some tweezers and CAREFULLY remove it - make sure you do not grab his tongue or any skin. If it is a piece of apple, it will be easy to see, and easy to remove. Also try holding him head down and patting his back. If these don't work, as long as he can breathe, he should be OK for the night, and you can get him to a vet tomorrow.

Let us know if you get it out.

muffinsquirrel

[Blue Fantasy]

I'm so sorry! I've never had such a small pet before, and I couldn't tell whether he was trying to get it up or make it go down.

I couldn't see anything in his throat and patting his back while holding him down didn't seem to make any difference. We can't really afford a vet visit, but maybe my mother-in-law will be willing to help out. I know it's bad to have a pet when you can't afford medical care for it, but nobody else wanted him when he came out of the cut-down tree. We just wanted to help the little guy.

Thank you for the advice.

[foxsquirrels]

TSB has really great people in Florida. Would you like us to find a rehabber in your area or would you like to keep him?

[Blue Fantasy]

Oh we're going to keep him. ^-^ My husband is too attached. He was so worried last night.

Oh, thank you all for the concern. This morning I had to be at work at 6am but I set the alarm for my husband to get up and take the squirrel (who we've named Icarus by the way) to the vet. Our checks were good enough we should have been able to cover it. I called at around 8am and he said that Icarus was fine, that he had stopped gagging/heaving. I saw him as well at lunch and he was as happy as ever! So I guess he must have worked whatever it was up or down. I considered this morning that he might have had a reaction to the skin-so-soft my mother-in-law had on her hands when he jumped from me to her and she put him back in his cage and then he cleaned himself. So either way he's gotten over it and is doing just fine! Thank you so much!