Problem with Baby Ground Squirrels

[skyzer]

I have several ground squirrels that live on my property during the spring through the summer. In the last few weeks, I have had seven babies go down with what seems to be MBD and the numbers seem to keep growing. I'm at a loss as to what is happening.

These squirrels are not pets, I have no idea as to what their symptoms were before the seizures started. One thing I do know these babies are most likely coming from the same litter. The mother had a very large litter this year and I was wondering if this could this be a genetic disorder or is she not taking care of them? There are several other litters spread about the property that are doing just fine. They are more alert and playful.

This whole ordeal with these babies has been just heartbreaking. I have never come across this in the ten years of ground squirrels living on my property.

The first one I came across had paralysis, no use of the front legs and the back ones where just about to fail as well. It tried so hard to get up but couldn't. It looked at if it had been battling seizures for a while. Finally it just laid there and it would open it mouth like it was gasping for air. There was no life in its eyes. The baby never made a sound.

The second one, I found just lying in the grass, it would move but it seem to have a difficult time and it appeared to be confused as to where it wanted to go. It became more lethargic and eventually put its head down (in a praying position) and went to sleep. This one never made a sound either.

Then later in the week, I found three more that had died. This was all within a 24 hour period.

In the last two days, I came across two more. One was in the middle of a seizure, body stretched out, rigid, mouth opened wide and it was making this awful sound just before the body tightened up. It didn't have any use of it legs, it just rolled around flipping from one side to the other. It looked so painful. I had to put this baby down. The symptoms just kept getting worse and it was in so much pain.

The one I found yesterday was trying to walk away but kept going into seizures. It would rest and then go into another seizure. At the time, it didn't have any paralysis that I could see. I tried to help it by giving it some calcium and seemed to work. It eventually curled up and went to sleep. It seems to be resting nicely. The seizures even stopped. About an hour later, it woke up screeching and the seizures were far worse and this time it had paralysis and it was in allot of pain. Sadly, I had to put this baby down also.

This has been so traumatic. It hurts to see these babies suffer. By the time I find them they seem to be well into the progression of possibly MBD.

One question I do have is how can you tell if the seizures are due to MBD or Hypoglycemia? They both involve seizures.

I went out and bought some Kaytee Forti diet for mice and rats and put it down their holes. hopefully the babies that are thriving now can eat off of that and can get some calcium in their system (if they need it). Is there anything else I can give these babies to maybe help prevent this from happening to them.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

[Buddy'sMom]

That must be aewful to watch. It does not seem at all likely that it could actually be MBD, since that is caused by poor diet and lack of sunlight in squirrels raised indoors, by humans.

However, the symptoms caught my eye as they match the symptoms from one type of rat poison (the "nerve toxicant poisons" listed below). Is there any chance that this group of babies is in a location that they have access to a poison, that perhaps is too far for the others to come across?

... Last year we researched rat poisons in order to respond to a proposed change in EPA rules. Here is the info I have on the type that causes paralysis (the nerve toxicant poisons) (the other type, anti-coagulants, are the more commonly used rat poisons -- also deadly, but they cause progressive weakness from internal bleeding):


Rat poisons are grain- or pellet-based, used in parks or in or around buildings. If there is a park near you, there may have been loose baits there. Or if there are commercial buildings nearby (apartments, restaurants). Residential use baits are more often found contained in bait stations, but not always. There are two basic kinds of poison, with different antidotes. I'll list the active ingredient names, in case you become aware that any have been used and can check a label.

Anticoagulant poisons (the most common):
The active ingredients include: warfarin, clorophacinone, diphacinone, brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone.
The antidote: vitamin k
Without antidote, death occurs 4-10 days after ingestion, but animal becomes weaker and lethargic due to blood loss, making them more vulnerable to predators.

Nerve toxicant poisons
The poison: bromethalin
This one affects cells and the signs are neurological --- beginning with paralysis and perhaps progressing to tremors, seizures. Other signs may include vomiting, anorexia. There is no way to test for this and it is difficult to diagnose without knowledge of ingestion.
The antidote: emesis or gastric lavage (but NOT in symptomatic animals) and three doses of activated charcoal per day for 48 hours. I don't know how one would accomplish the activated charcoal treatments with a squirrel -- probably with sedation. http://www.aspca.org/site/DocServer/0903toxbrief.pdf?docid=1141


I don't know if you can check around your area to see if any poison has been used. Even if in "bait stations" baby/juvie ground squirrels might be able to enter them.

If this is from this type of poison, removing the source and preventing future harm is probably the only thing that can be done. The link above DOES talk about treatment, but it involves multiple treatments with activated charcoal -- which probably is not feasible in most cases for wild squirrels (the article was written by a dog/cat vet).

I don't know what other poisons might have similar symptoms, but it does seem more likely to be poison than nutritional deficiency.

So very sorry for your babies .... and you.
:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

EDIT: If you wish to go to the trouble, and possibly expense, to find out exactly what cused their death, you can wrap one of the babies (ASAP) in a plastic bag and put him/her in the freezer, then check into whether there is a state agency or private vet or group in your area that can do a necropsy and/or tox testing. Perhaps some of our rehabbers can advise you where to turn for that. I don't know if rat poisons can be detacted that way or not, and it would be something to ask before you proceed with the testing. If you think you want to do this, save one of the bodies right away and then check into it. [Sorry of this was a bit gruesome to think about, but it could help shed light and avoid future deaths.]

[TexanSquirrel]

:Welcome and good luck with the little ones!

[skyzer]

I have allot of different kinds of wild plants and trees (including oak trees, cherry trees) that are sprouting berry like fruit or nuts and thought maybe they are eating them and they are poisonous. There is huckleberry trees spread out along the property and there is one just above there home and I don't know if they are eating the berries on it. I don't use any kind of poisons/insecticides on my property and keep any vehicle supplies: like oil, antifreeze or any toxic chemicals locked up in the shed.

There is nothing new on my property when it comes to plants, trees, shrubs,
grass ect.. its all natural vegetation. My front yard is one acre of pasture grass that I keep mowed. This is where most of the homes are located.

Between me and my neighbor is a forest like divider that has trees including oak trees/shrubs/blackberry vines, ferns ect... and these babies are located in this area. I thought maybe they are eating something from there. The babies didn't seem to venture very far, so I don't think they were going to the neighbors side unless mom was bringing home something poisonous. Whatever is happening, it is only affecting this litter of babies and hitting them in such a short period of time.

The mother has moved these babies several times from there home on the side of the property, to a home about 25 feet in front of my house. I watched her one day, she collected all 12 babies and transported them. About three days later, she moved them back and I found one baby dead in the second hole. I removed the baby and few days later she moved them all back. She wasn't sticking to just one home. She went back and forth constantly. Is this normal behavior? Never seen anything like that before.

Since this awful problem, there isn't many babies from her litter roaming around. Today I saw her sitting on the rock where her 1st home is located and no sight of any babies w/ her. Later, I did a baby come out of the second home. She might be down to a few babies now. Very heartbreaking.

I really appreciate all the responses. Thank you.

[skyzer]

Yes, the symptoms does sound like poisoning and if the mother is bringing home bad stuff, she would have to be getting it from the neighbor who is about 300 feet away (I live in the country) Wouldn't she become ill too?

Thanks.

[Apple Corps]

Go ask the neighbor if they have poison out - good first and FAST step.

[Buddy'sMom]

I did some checking to see if I could find any brandnames for you -- didn't. but my sense is that all of the bromethalin baits are emerald green pellets, smell like yummy food (to mice, rats -- probably squirrels as well). Sold in little bags or in blocks. The bags can be torn open by the mice/rats. Here is what they look like: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page55.html

If this was the poison, possibly the babies stumbled onto a bag. Or possibly mom dragged a bag to the nest, but didn't actually eat any?? I don't think she could have brought pellets back without getting sick herself.

But the symptoms could be something else also. This site http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/1997/spring/bromoethalin.shtml said:

Bromethalintoxicosis must be considered as a potential differential diagnosis for neurologic Syndromes and may resemble toxicity from lead, strychnine and organophosphate compounds. Bromethalintoxicosis must also be differentiated from syndromes producing seizures, such as epilepsy and paralytic syndromes, such as trauma, larval migration and neoplasia.

I hope this is helpful.

As to her moving from nest to nest -- I know that tree squirrels do this, especially if they think there is danger in one place. So after a baby died, mom might have thought the nest had become dangerous and moved them. :dono

I feel SOOO bad for you having to watch this. :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug :grouphug

[skyzer]

Thank you so much for all your help, I greatly appreciate it.

As soon as my neighbor gets home I will ask him if he put any rat poison on his property. My neighbor keeps his place really clean and groomed. Doesn't leave junk or garbage laying around. He has a garage behind his house and he keeps the door closed all the time (unless he is out working). Its not like the squirrels have open access to his garage where poison might be kept. He has a dog that is outside during the day so any poison would have to be away from the main house.

I will let you know what I hear from him.

Again thank you all the input and research information. You guys have been allot of help. thanks!

[Buddy'sMom]

fyi - organophosphate compounds are another type of pesticide/insecticide (not rats) whose ingestion would give similar symptoms. Used in agricultural and non-ag settings. Just in case your neighbor might have anything like that .....

[skyzer]

I spoke to my neighbor and she said they don't use any insecticides and there is no rat poison anywhere on the property. They also don't have any toxic/poisonous chemicals laying around outside. Everything is in the garage.

She did tell me she had a litter a month ago near her house where some of them had convulsions but they came out it and where fine. The litter has moved and she doesn't know where they went. Interesting.

Today, I didn't come across any more sick babies. Hopefully the problem is over with, I don't want to see them suffer anymore.

Thanks again for all your help.

[tatcat]

wow, this is such a heartbreaking story...glad to hear you did not see any sick babies today...:grouphug

[sherbear59]

SO very sorry about your little friends,,,,,,,how aulful for you :grouphug

[Sciurus1]

This is a wild card, but on the off chance, are you in an area that was formerly a waste fill? If this continues, I would call in the authorities, to test for toxins in the soil. No kidding, if it effects your wildlife it could effects you as well. Check and see if others on your block are having similar problems, with their ground squirrels. This is very suspicious, but scary as well. So sorry it is happening before you eyes, but then perhaps you were called to intervene for them.

[skyzer]

Well in the last fews days I haven't had anymore babies go down, hopefully that will continue. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I've been watching five babies that are over in that area. Two of them might be from that litter. So far they seem to be alright, acting like normal baby squirrels. But I still cringe every time I walk over there because I don't want to find them dead or suffering.

As for all the rest of the families living on my property, all of the adults and there babies are doing just fine. No problems. :thumbsup

All I can think of is if it wasn't due to a genetic disorder, then maybe those babies ate some kind of nut or berries that might have been poisonous to them (possibly a mushroom?) :dono

As for the area being a waste fill at one time and don't think so. All I know is that a long time ago, the property and the surrounding area was once fruit orchard farms, which do not exist anymore.

This incident involving baby squirrels is the first I've ever come across. In fact, I've never come across a deceased or sick baby before until this litter. Unfortunately, If I do find a deceased squirrel, its always been an adult killed by another animal.

Again, thank you for all your input and help, I greatly appreciate it.

[Mads]

Do you have any older veichles that could be leaking any fluids around? I suspect they would drink anti-freeze like cats and dogs will do.

[SkwerlGirl]

What about any pesticides in the soil from the orchard?

If the orchard was there pre-1970's DDT was a DEADLY chemical that farmers used, and it can linger around if not disposed of properly.

GOOD LUCK!!! :grouphug

[skyzer]

Good News!
Its been a week without any incidents :thumbsup
The problem seemed to be just with that one litter. :dono

Thanks again to all of you for helping me. I really really appreciate it.