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Thread: paralyzed squirrel

  1. #41
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    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Same here, Raven -- I'll send prayers and good energies from this side of the world, too. Little Lewis deserves every chance to be a happy squirrel, and it seems as if he's been brought to the right people for all the right reasons. Good luck and please give Lewis a little smooch on his head for me and the five fuzzers here.
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  2. #42
    tiger Guest

    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    I am sorry that happened, sadly I know nothing about taking care of hurt squirrels.
    hope that there is something that can be done for him.

  3. #43
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    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Give him a kiss from me, too, Raven. I'm praying for him (and you). Sounds like there are several of us that would love to give him a home if he doesn't get back on all 4 paws and you decide it's too much to keep him.

  4. #44
    ravenlaws32 Guest

    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Quote Originally Posted by atlantasquirrelgirl
    Give him a kiss from me, too, Raven. I'm praying for him (and you). Sounds like there are several of us that would love to give him a home if he doesn't get back on all 4 paws and you decide it's too much to keep him.

    one thing for sure he has gotten alot of kisses and there is no words to describe how all of you have helped lewis and us . no words


    prayers back to all of you

  5. #45
    lasswaffo Guest

    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Hey I am so sorry about him being paralyzed. Mine is too. He was that way when I found him. I think he fell out of the tree. the one I have has had no problem adjusting to his handicap,he gets around pretty good I think. It is a full time job though. My husband has to give him a bath and we have to watch him if he is out and jumps and falls or something he may end up with a little blood in his urine so he has to be watched very carefully. I hope you won't give up on yours he needs some one to look after him. I rescued mine from being eaten or killed by a cat or some other animal. this is the second time I have found a paralyzed squirrel the first one was a chipmonk. I hope you will not put him down as he WILL adjust. Mine even lies down to crack his nuts if they are too large for him to hold in one hand.

  6. #46
    ravenlaws32 Guest

    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Quote Originally Posted by lasswaffo
    Hey I am so sorry about him being paralyzed. Mine is too. He was that way when I found him. I think he fell out of the tree. the one I have has had no problem adjusting to his handicap,he gets around pretty good I think. It is a full time job though. My husband has to give him a bath and we have to watch him if he is out and jumps and falls or something he may end up with a little blood in his urine so he has to be watched very carefully. I hope you won't give up on yours he needs some one to look after him. I rescued mine from being eaten or killed by a cat or some other animal. this is the second time I have found a paralyzed squirrel the first one was a chipmonk. I hope you will not put him down as he WILL adjust. Mine even lies down to crack his nuts if they are too large for him to hold in one hand.

    oh no as long as he is alert and ok and seems to be fine we willnot put him down , and yeah the long term committment is fine . we have a big house so he has his own room , the rest of house we a chihuhua,jack russel, 3 cats ,and a fish tank lol . and my chi has to take meds everyday for having mitrial valve disorder and murmur . yeah he looks alittle different , yeah he cant do something he could do . but we will adjust, we love him with all of our heart.im still in shock myself ,today at 7 pm will be one week to the day it happened . like i ve said ive had somefolks say they would take him if we couldnt give him what he needs , and we would do that for lewis . all we want is the best and hope for some quailty life.

  7. #47
    skye Guest

    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Baby-Chance and I are so very sorry to hear about Lewis your in our thoughts and prayers and like you said time will tell. I wish you best of luck and God Bless.

  8. #48
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    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Ravenslaw, I'm very sad for you and Lewis. Life is very tough and we can only make the best of it, which is what you are doing. for caring; in that respect he's very lucky.

    Judging by your username here, do you rehab Ravens? If so, and if you're interested I'll give you the name of an excellent book about crows. It's not a rehab book though. Tell you more about it if you're interested.

  9. #49
    lasswaffo Guest

    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Whew I am so glad that I misunderstood about your little baby. I was afraid you weren't going to be able to keep him. I know it is a little bit of extra care for one that is paralyzed . I love my baby he is so adorable and like I said he adjusted very well. I hope yours will too. I have raised several and turned them back if they were able. I just love all animals no matter what. I think I was meant to find my baby Lucky as he would have died if I hadn't .... Thanks for replying to my message. Good Luck with yours and hope he gets along just fine.

  10. #50
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    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    wow, poor lewis. he'll adapt though, i'm certain he will. i have a good feeling about him.

    my first rat rosabella had a big problem with balance. she was constantly turning her head to the side, because an inner ear infection messed with her perception and she would think she was walking on slanted ground when it was actually flat. she was the sweetest rat i had ever met, and she managed to adapt to her problem. she actually brought a few laughs, cause her babies would sometimes try to push her over, but she was really strong on her one side and they would fail miserably.

    i'm sure you'll have moments like that with lewis. with weakness comes strength. sometimes if you don't laugh, you'll cry, and it's just better to laugh and make the best of the situation. give lewis a carrot for me, or whatever his favorite treat is.
    :bounce2thundersquirrel:bounce2

  11. #51
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    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    How is Lewis doing.....keep us posted on his new habitat and diet. Also send us some pics so we can see his sweet face!!! Sorry once a squirrel nut always a squirrel nut
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Rebecca <
    SC Wildlife Rehabilitator
    I'm a squirrel watcher, I'm a squirrel watcher, watching squirrels go by, my my my!

  12. #52
    ravenlaws32 Guest

    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    UPDATE.

    lewis is doing well . it seems he is slowly adjusting . he wants to go everywhere. sorry i havent updated in a week ive been really sick . it took him awhile but he like the new diet somewhat .he is getting stronger because he can actually sit up kinda and its good news that he does not urinate on himself and irritate his skin, ofcourse i have the baby wipes handy when need be .he know pulls himself around kinda sidesaddle instead of flat and dragging hind legs which i think it is more comfortable .i will take some pics soon and post .

  13. #53
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    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    So glad to hear Lewis is adjusting, has a very good mommy there also to help take care of him. Can't wait to see the pictures. Thanks for the update.

  14. #54
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    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Thank you for keeping us posted, Ravenslaw. When I don't hear from someone for a while who has a sick or injured squirrel, I assume they don't want to share some bad news....I know, I'm a pessimist. But I'm relieved as Lewis has been on my mind and I've checked daily to see how he's doing. again!

  15. #55
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    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    hey!

    i'm glad to hear he's doing well. he seems to have a strong will to live, and that's promising. how's his home coming along?

    go lewis!!!
    :bounce2thundersquirrel:bounce2

  16. #56
    suzne01 Guest

    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Raven, I just read about Lewis. It reminded me of an encounter I had about 2 years ago. I live in the country, lots of wild animals around here, and on a bicycle ride one day I happened upon a large ground squirrel that was paralyzed from the middle of his back down on the side of the road. He looked like he'd been run over by a car - completely flat. At first I thought he was dead, but when he moved, I was devastated, thinking he'd just recently been hit and must be dying. When I got closer, I realized... this little guy had been living like this for quite some time! He didn't appear to be in any pain, his shoulders were completely "buffed out" from using his front feet to pull himself everywhere, and he was perfectly healthy! He had his own hole in the side of a hill. He had slipped down the hill (all loose dirt and sandstone rubble) and was working his way back up it when I found him. He made it back to his home, and I never saw him again.

    But it made me feel a tremendous sense of wonder and awe at the resourcefulness of us all, when put to the test. Some of us will just give up, while others will find a way to make it work. I'm betting your little Lewis is going to be one of the latter, and regardless of the disability, he will pull through (no pun intended).

    May the Spirit bless you for your love and devotion. Don't give up.

  17. #57
    ravenlaws32 Guest

    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    ****UPDATE****



    while holding Lewis tonight he started gently chewing on my fingers as if he were a person eating corn on the cob 100 miles per hour. he seemed to be enjoying it, almost playing as he did it. he'd pull my fingers close to his face and nibble back and forth, back and forth, then he started to do the same thing to my T-shirt, then back to my fingers. this went on for about 5 minutes, playfully, before it almost seemed like he was obsessed with it. I noticed he started to twist and contort while he was nibbling. at this point I knew it was the starts of a siezure, so I put him on the floor so he couldnt hurt himself with a fall. for about 5 minutes he was rapidly washing his hands & face, then twisting, then grabbing his back legs (which he has no use of or feeling in), then back to washing his face/hands, rolling around on his back (almost like one of those battery operated weasle ball toys). we could tell when the siezure was coming to an end, and he started to be more cohearent, looking at us when his name was called and trying to climb up our arms. he'd climb up a few inches, then sort of snap back into a semi-siezure, then be OK again for about 45 seconds. All in all from the finger nibbling to the last bit of the siezure it lasted about 15 minutes, the first 5 minutes being the finger nibbling and the last 5 minutes being in and out of normal squirrel behavior. he's acting fine now, just like his normal self. has anyone ever experienced this with their squirrels???? he's got 'prime' in his water, cuttlefish bone which he chews on regularly/willingly, getting plenty of kale, broccoli, nutballs and other good for him foods. any advice???? could this possibly be from his paralysis, or possible neurological problem?? this is the first we've ever noticed anything like this happening with him before. we are with him throughout the day very very often, so he's not left alone for too long (maybe 20 mintutes at a time at the most).

  18. #58
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    Lightbulb Re: paralyzed squirrel

    Hey Raven,

    The post on 6-06-06 1:31 PM clearly states his condition is not diet related and could be "developmental abnormality"

    I am still hooked on the MDB factor for Lewis. Call me crazy but I think he can beat this thing with diet.
    Seziures are very common with MDB. It's a good idea to keep his climbing to a mimium. A long inclosure 6-8' with 12-18" of height...that would give him plenty of running room and keep him low enough to the cage bottom in case he falls.
    Falls are common during a sezisure. No matter why the sezure are occuring
    Squirrels like to climb high, so to give him the "illusion of hight" the inclosure can be hung from the ceiling and supported by chains ( Eye hooks in the ceiling beams) that way the inclosure will swing a little bit when he active and will have the feeling of movement as the inclosure rocks.
    You can also put fresh branches to keep his climbing and chewing skills up to par.
    His diet sounds good and as I said to you before, MDB can be cured by proper diet so keep up the good work. And give that fellow a kiss from Becca!!!! We are all cheering for Lewis !!!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Rebecca <
    SC Wildlife Rehabilitator
    I'm a squirrel watcher, I'm a squirrel watcher, watching squirrels go by, my my my!

  19. #59
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    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    The medobolic bone disease can also be caused from lack of vitamin D3. Does Lewis get and unfiltered sunlight? If he doesnt is it posible to take him outside in a small cage for about a half an hour each day to get some sun? Just be sure to keep an eye on him so that he doesnt overheat! Yes there are other sources of D3 but none are as good as natural unfiltered sunlight! Another thought is that whatever injury caused his paralysis may also be causing his seizures. Seizures are a big deal as they can cause brain damage and if he continues to have them he may need to go on antiseizure meds such as phenobarbatol. I would document any and all seizures noting times they happen, what he was doing prior to the seizure, what if anything you can point to that might have brought it on, and their duration. The reason I say to write them all down is to keep a very accurate log for a vet should one become necessary. As to the chewing he was doing prior to the seizure he may just have been grooming you. Mine do it all the time when they are feeling very content.Stacey
    Quote Originally Posted by ravenlaws32
    ****UPDATE****



    while holding Lewis tonight he started gently chewing on my fingers as if he were a person eating corn on the cob 100 miles per hour. he seemed to be enjoying it, almost playing as he did it. he'd pull my fingers close to his face and nibble back and forth, back and forth, then he started to do the same thing to my T-shirt, then back to my fingers. this went on for about 5 minutes, playfully, before it almost seemed like he was obsessed with it. I noticed he started to twist and contort while he was nibbling. at this point I knew it was the starts of a siezure, so I put him on the floor so he couldnt hurt himself with a fall. for about 5 minutes he was rapidly washing his hands & face, then twisting, then grabbing his back legs (which he has no use of or feeling in), then back to washing his face/hands, rolling around on his back (almost like one of those battery operated weasle ball toys). we could tell when the siezure was coming to an end, and he started to be more cohearent, looking at us when his name was called and trying to climb up our arms. he'd climb up a few inches, then sort of snap back into a semi-siezure, then be OK again for about 45 seconds. All in all from the finger nibbling to the last bit of the siezure it lasted about 15 minutes, the first 5 minutes being the finger nibbling and the last 5 minutes being in and out of normal squirrel behavior. he's acting fine now, just like his normal self. has anyone ever experienced this with their squirrels???? he's got 'prime' in his water, cuttlefish bone which he chews on regularly/willingly, getting plenty of kale, broccoli, nutballs and other good for him foods. any advice???? could this possibly be from his paralysis, or possible neurological problem?? this is the first we've ever noticed anything like this happening with him before. we are with him throughout the day very very often, so he's not left alone for too long (maybe 20 mintutes at a time at the most).

  20. #60
    ravenlaws32 Guest

    Default Re: paralyzed squirrel

    yeah thanks . today he is fine .he is in a 55 gallon aquarium to keep climbing from happening . his diet is right on what it should be .that so far is first and only seizure we have noticed . it was not a violent one but one none the less. so i will keep tabs on him and write it down . before this seizure about 2 weeks ago he would sometimes while sitting there he would contort to the the left alittle then do it every so often like flexing .kinda like taking your pointer finger and touching your thumb. he did not do that at time of accident but in past 2 weeks he does it . i have it documented . he also grabs his back legs alot and cleans them which he did not do at first . we were hoping it was sign he might get alot better .the doc said highly unlikely but a miracle could happen and that abnoramilty could change . just doing the best for lewis . thanks all.

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