Ailing squirrel in my window - help!

[kren]

Hi there,

I live in a ground floor apartment. A while ago, I noticed a little/smallish squirrel that had climbed halfway over my window bars. I have a cat and I didn't want a big ruckus, so I walked over to shoo him away. He climbed the bars and eventually (after a little panic) has settled onto my window ledge. He won't budge, is settled into a corner, and looks really rough. He's breathing quickly, and keeps making this sad wheezy/hiccuping noise when he exhales. It's breaking my heart and I don't know what to do -- I'm assuming there's got to be something gravely wrong since he won't leave my windowsill and most animals in my backyard aren't very human attention-seeking.

Any words of advice? I don't want the little guy dying in my windowsill!!

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Sounds like he does indeed need some help, and it shouldn't be outside after dark. Can you scoup him up and put him in a shoebox for a little while. We'll see if we can find a rehabber to help you. Please put the shoebox half way on a heating pad set to low, and give him some blankies.

There are some rehabbers on this board in NY, and they should be on shortly. Keep the little guy comfy and quiet in a dark area until then.

Thanks for caring.

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

I just sent you a private message with the name of one of our licensed rehabbers in NYC. Please give her a call.

[kren]

thanks for your help - I just left a message with her.

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Sure thing. She's one of the best. Were you able to bring him into to safety?

[island rehabber]

:wave123 I'm finally home and just spoke with kren. We have figured out a plan of action for tonight and tomorrow that will protect the little guy and, if he's not better by tomorrow, get him some help. Thank you, everyone, for giving her my number so this didn't wait another day. TSB rocks, again! :thumbsup :)

[kren]

not really, unfortunately. he didn't react well to the shoebox manuever. he is now, however, nesting in a handtowel in my shoebox in the window. i spoke to the rehabber, and she said he might be fine in the morning - I'm giving him the option to stay in my little window hotel (I have it open and am hoping heat from my radiator washes over him all night), eat some apple, and drink some water.

I don't know what I'll do with the little fella in the morning.

[TexanSquirrel]

I hope this turns out alright!

[island rehabber]

kren, I'll have a list of options for you if he doesn't look well tomorrow morning...check your private messages.

[GoldenEyes]

kren,
:thankyou for bringing the squirrel indoors and taking care of him. Now that you are in contact with island rehabber, I am confident the squirrel will be on the road to recovery very soon.:thumbsup

[4skwerlz]

Any updates? How is the little guy this morning?

[kren]

sorry for not sending an update sooner!

i set up a little nest for him last night (handtowels, slice of apple, lid of water) in a shoebox in my windowsill - we didn't make it inside, since he seemed terrified and I was afraid he'd end up hurting himself more with the way he was moving. I put a heating pad on the outside of a wall of the shoebox, and he promptly curled up and went to sleep. When I went to bed, he was in a little ball under his tail and a washcloth blanket.

He's gone this morning. (Island Rehabber mentioned he might be - I was hoping he'd be well enough to take off!) I've searched our little scrap of backyard and found no sign of him. I hope he ends up okay!

[4skwerlz]

Awww, that's so sweet what you did for him. He might be an orphan or just a young one who doesn't have a nest built yet. If he comes back, and if he's young enough to still need formula, he might need to be kept until he's old enough to wean. If he's old enough to be on his own, you could build him a nestbox. Any way you can get a pic and post it here?

Here are a couple of websites with pictures to help you figure out his age:

http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_id=174

http://mypeoplepc.com/members/possum/squirrelsheet.htm

[sherbear59]

sorry for not sending an update sooner!

i set up a little nest for him last night (handtowels, slice of apple, lid of water) in a shoebox in my windowsill - we didn't make it inside, since he seemed terrified and I was afraid he'd end up hurting himself more with the way he was moving. I put a heating pad on the outside of a wall of the shoebox, and he promptly curled up and went to sleep. When I went to bed, he was in a little ball under his tail and a washcloth blanket.

He's gone this morning. (Island Rehabber mentioned he might be - I was hoping he'd be well enough to take off!) I've searched our little scrap of backyard and found no sign of him. I hope he ends up okay!
Sounds like you did the right thing hopefully his momma found him , or maybe just got enough rest to head out on his own, but watch for him to come back might want that warm spot if he has no momma:wahoo

[kren]

I've checked those sites, and he seems to be definitely older than 10 weeks. That being said, he's been hanging out in our little backyard area all day and he keeps coming back to our window. (In fact, he was standing against the glass a little while ago.) Any words of wisdom as to why he keeps coming back to the window? I don't want him to want to hang out too much - as I've said before, I've got a kitty and I don't want this to end badly!

[sherbear59]

Wow,,, i was hoping she / he went home . Can you handle if and move it to a tree. I have cats too so i know what ya mean. Maybe she wants to be your squirrel ? Maybe she 's looking for food and water ? Hopefull someone here can help ya out ,I'd take her in myself and see what happens one day at a time. Good luck:peace

[4skwerlz]

Definitely not normal behavior.... in the wild, the young continue to share a nest with mom for several months. Then they start experimenting with building their own and eventually mom kicks them out. Hard to know why your little guy seems to be homeless. Maybe someone trapped him and relocated him? :dono In any case, sounds like he needs just a bit of extra help until he can build himself a nest and figure out where the food and water is in your yard.

Can you put some kind of nest box there on your windowsill for him? Almost anything will do. You can use a couple of wicker baskets wired together (with plastic on top to help keep the rain out) or a simple wooden box; it should only have a small gap for him to come and go--not large enough for a predator to get inside. Some handfuls of dried leaves/grass/twigs make good bedding. A dish of water on the sill would be good. And maybe some extra food. You could try putting the nest up higher somehow if possible. There's not much you can do about the cats; and he's unlikely to leave the area unless another squirrel chases him away.

[kren]

i got some pictures of the little lurker -- maybe you guys can tell how old he is? They were a bit big to post here, so I uploaded them to an online Picasa album. Sorry about the blurry ones!

http://picasaweb.google.com/KAnderson17/Squirrel

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

He is actually a she, and an adult at that. The tail looks good. Usually the tail looks scruffy when they are fighting an infection. The shape of her head/hose looks funny to me, but I don't really see anything wrong from the pictures. But as already noted, definately not normal behavior.

you could try a Havaheart trap to catch her for a rehabber to check her out and make sure there aren't some dental issues there causing that strange shape to her head, and perhaps some discomfort.

[kren]

she! oops.

she had blood around her nose last night, and was making weird noises last night as she slept in the window. i'd wondered if her nose was broken or something. according to island rehabber, there just aren't many rehabbing resources in the nyc area, so i think a rehabber is out. she did give me a number for a wildlife rescue type thing, so perhaps i'll give them a call in the morning.

thanks for all your help!

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

Good luck in getting her some help. Some of their dental issues can be fatal, so if you can work out some sort of trap and transport for her, that would be good. She looks spunky now, but they can turn downhill really quickly.

[4skwerlz]

Definitely an adult. Looks like either an injury to the mouth and/or some dental issues there. You'll need to get a hav-a-hart trap and trap her and get her to a vet or rehabber. In the meantime, if you can continue to provide her with someplace to sleep, food, and water, it will help. Poor girl.

[sherbear59]

She looks good to me fluffy and moving good and a grown up ! Call some vets in your area i was surprized to find one out 50,,, i called. When their teeth get too long it can cause alot of damage before death,,although this one looks to young for that problem. Have you seen her eat. She looks good :peace

[graefin]

according to island rehabber, there just aren't many rehabbing resources in the nyc area, so i think a rehabber is out.

I'm not sure if I'm misunderstanding this, but I'm in NYC (Queens), and I know of at least two squirrel rehabbers (not including IR); one is way uptown, and there's another one on LI. There are probably other wildlife facilities on LI, but likely not squirrel-specific.

I think the harder part is attempting to catch her without causing a lot of stress.

Jennifer

[island rehabber]

I'm not sure if I'm misunderstanding this, but I'm in NYC (Queens), and I know of at least two squirrel rehabbers (not including IR); one is way uptown, and there's another one on LI. There are probably other wildlife facilities on LI, but likely not squirrel-specific.

I think the harder part is attempting to catch her without causing a lot of stress.

Jennifer

Right now I'm the only rehabber I know of in Region 2 (NYC) who is taking in any squirrels. If we're thinking of the same uptown gentleman, he's taking the season off from rehabbing. Our friend with the sanctuary on Long Island was full to the brim as of 2 weeks ago. I don't know anyone in Brooklyn, Staten Island or Queens who is still actively rehabbing....if you do, PLEASE PM me because I get more calls from Queens than anywhere else. :thankyou :)

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

The shape of her head/hose looks funny to me
She has the same shape head as Peekie,
That is a very pretty squirrel.

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

She has the same shape head as Peekie,
That is a very pretty squirrel.

Malaclussion was indeed a thought I had, especially with the description of the breathing problems. She is cute.

[GoldenEyes]

I should've stayed in Queens and become a rehabber now that I've been hearing there aren't any there!:Cry That squirrel outside kren's window is so cutie-ful I wish I could go and rescue her.:Cry

[sherbear59]

I should've stayed in Queens and become a rehabber now that I've been hearing there aren't any there!:Cry That squirrel outside kren's window is so cutie-ful I wish I could go and rescue her.:Cry
No,,, you can't I want to rescue her !!:thumbsup

[island rehabber]

No,,, you can't I want to rescue her !!:thumbsup

Believe me, if the squirrel truly needs rescuing, and it is possible to rescue her, we will find a way. I'm not convinced that she needs drastic measures yet. :peace

[graefin]

Right now I'm the only rehabber I know of in Region 2 (NYC) who is taking in any squirrels. If we're thinking of the same uptown gentleman, he's taking the season off from rehabbing. Our friend with the sanctuary on Long Island was full to the brim as of 2 weeks ago. I don't know anyone in Brooklyn, Staten Island or Queens who is still actively rehabbing....if you do, PLEASE PM me because I get more calls from Queens than anywhere else. :thankyou :)

IR, thanks for the clarification! Sigh, it's really too bad there aren't more rehabbers around and that the ones who are around are full or taking time off. I know many more bird rehabbers than I do mammal rehabbers.

I do know a couple who volunteers to transport birds from rescuer to rehabber; they live on LI but often travel to Queens. I'll ask them if they might be willing to add squirrels to the list and volunteer transport for emergency situations because then that would be at least another option.

PS: There's this wildlife group on LI (don't know if they are taking squirrels at the moment, but just another resource for NY people): http://www.volunteersforwildlife.org/contact/.

Jennifer

[graefin]

Sorry for the multiple posts. Here's another resource. I don't know if how much rehab knowledge he has, but I've heard his name mentioned a lot and know that he does pick up wildlife. He's based in Brooklyn: http://scarnyc.org/

[island rehabber]

Sean is a great guy. He doesn't rehab squirrels, he mostly does reptiles (herps) but he will 'hold' a squirrel for a day or so until a rehabber can pick it up.

[graefin]

IR, clearly you are more in the know than I. :) The downside of that is that there really must be no squirrel resources in the outer boroughs. :(

[GoldenEyes]

I hope kren comes back to give us an update on the squirrel.