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Thread: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

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  1. #1
    T.L.Smith Guest

    Question male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    I have 3 baby male squirrels ( 2 weeks) from a downed tree. They eat well and take small amounts of water, we have hade no trouble getting them to potty until today. One has a swollen penis with blood pooled @ the tip and one of the others has a small spot of white @ the tip. What should I do? We wiped very gently for along time with warm water, removed the blockage and reduced the pooled blood, applied a small amount of triple antibiotic in hopes of helping. We change the bedding daily, fresh water, and feed and potty every few hours. There eyes have been open for 3 days.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    It sounds like they may be sucking on their own or each others' penises.

    An experienced rehabber will be here shortly. Just hang tight.
    + =

    "Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm... except the consistency of squirrel droppings?"
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  3. #3
    T.L.Smith Guest

    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    Yes they have but I thought they had stopped as I haven't seen them doing it but who could tell with that knot of fur. Do you have any advice on how to prevent this from happening?

  4. #4
    foxsquirrels Guest

    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    Unfortunately baby squirrels just sometimes do this. Some are easy to stop and others are not. You might try feeding them more often. Sometimes this will help. I would separate them for a little while until they heal. Neosporin is great for using for this. I heard someone mention a bitter substance you can apply to deter them. Can't remember right now what it was called. I'm sure someone will tell you. You can also try a tube body sock for them at night.

  5. #5
    T.L.Smith Guest

    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    Thank you both for your help. I thought it might be something very bad but feel a little more at ease. I will try feeding more often and keep the neo. on them.If you find any more info please let me know. I'll keep checking back while I watch G. Beck.

  6. #6
    T.L.Smith Guest

    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    Puppy milk and I would quess they are around 3.5 to 4 weeks as there eyes have only been open for 3 to 5 days.

  7. #7
    T.L.Smith Guest

    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    UPDATE I sepperated them last night and they are doing better today, less swelling and peeing better.
    THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR HELP
    Todd

  8. #8
    T.L.Smith Guest

    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    I have been feeding them every 2 to 3 hours and I let them eat then make them potty then offer more milk. After they stop taking milk I offer them water with a small hole in a small kitten nipple. They take thw water as I keep half of the nipple pressed to my hand and the water has to be lapped from the nipple or my hand. I have been offering milk and water about every hour (they tend to take the water and reject the milk) but offer only milk until the eat every 2 to 3 hours. I have a friend who is a temberman and he bring then to me quite often but have this (what appears to be a common) problem.
    THANKS TO EVERY ONE FOR YOUR HELP

  9. #9
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    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    A couple of baby socks might help. Just cut one end off, so you can pull it on like a tube.

  10. #10
    Mickey's Mom Guest

    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    This is a real problem with male babies and I don't mean to scare you, but I do want to warn you that it can become a life-threatening problem very quickly. Not only from the scabbing and inability to urinate that was already discussed here. But also, as they get a little older and are sucking strongly, the penis can be sucked out of its sheath. If that happens, the swelling must be reduced quickly so that it can be put back. My vet has used a mixture of sugar diluted in water plus Preparation H applied to the penis and then pushed it back in and held it with pressure until the swelling went down. In one case it stayed in and everything was fine, in another case they used a surgical stitch to hold it in, and in a third case it still came back out and ultimately the squirrel had to be euthanized. If the penis is out of the sheath too long, it can dry out and be almost impossible to get back in.

    So my best advice is, if the sucking doesn't stop quickly, don't wait too long -- try to figure out who the offender is and separate him/her. If they're all doing it, you may have to separate them all for awhile until they stop. One method for little ones is to put one of the squirrels inside a pillowcase in the same enclosure with the other(s). They can still move around and feel each other through the cloth for comfort, but can't get to each other to suck. Be sure to turn the pillowcase inside out first, and cut off any thread loops or strings that a baby could get caught in. Sometimes you can put them back together for "supervised play" during the day when you can watch them, and separate them at night.

    By the way, for reducing the minor swelling/redness of the tip that you described, we use Panalog or Animax or Dermavet ointments. Good luck!

  11. #11
    becrug26 Guest

    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    my male baby squirrel has a bloody scab at the end of his penis and I can't get it off. I soaked him/his penis for over a half hour to soften the scab but no luck. What else can I do to get it removed? I applied neosporin but I'm at a loss as what to do next

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    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    Quote Originally Posted by Mickey's Mom
    One method for little ones is to put one of the squirrels inside a pillowcase in the same enclosure with the other(s). They can still move around and feel each other through the cloth for comfort, but can't get to each other to suck. Be sure to turn the pillowcase inside out first, and cut off any thread loops or strings that a baby could get caught in. Sometimes you can put them back together for "supervised play" during the day when you can watch them, and separate them at night.
    I love this ideal..... I will be giving it a try tonight as I have my latest three guys separated for the exact same reason
    and I may be taking one of the three in to the vet tomorrow for a possible UTI.

  13. #13
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    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    WHATEVER YOU DO, DONT PUT THEM IN A SOCK WHILE THEY ARE ON A HEATING PAD!!!!!!

    I took someone else's advice from this thread and wound up killing 2 out of 3 baby squirrels that I was trying to rescue. They couldn't get out of the socks and overheated or dehydrated. If they are on a heating pad, put something in the box they are in that keeps them separated while still allowing them the freedom to move towards OR AWAY from the heat. Otherwise....they wont live.

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    Default Re: male baby squirrel penis swollen & bloody tip

    I'll echo this:


    NEVER place baby directly on heating pad. Place heating pad (set on low or medium depending on the thickness of the container) under part of the container they are in so they can 1) get heat indirectly from the pad through their cage/container and 2) they need the option of to be able to roll/crawl off off the heated area to a cooler place if they get overheated. You want a heating pad that does not automatically shut itself off. At this age, you should check on them frequently to see that they are warm but not too hot. Generally, squirrel body temp is a bit warmer than people so they should feel warmish but not hot. If they are in a sock, they will not be able to crawl off the heated area if they get too hot which is dangerous.


    Quote Originally Posted by Robert R View Post
    WHATEVER YOU DO, DONT PUT THEM IN A SOCK WHILE THEY ARE ON A HEATING PAD!!!!!!

    I took someone else's advice from this thread and wound up killing 2 out of 3 baby squirrels that I was trying to rescue. They couldn't get out of the socks and overheated or dehydrated. If they are on a heating pad, put something in the box they are in that keeps them separated while still allowing them the freedom to move towards OR AWAY from the heat. Otherwise....they wont live.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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