Scamps testicles are swollen, is he dying?

[ljones5333]

Scamp is about 8 to 9 mos old. We had first noticed his parts had turned very dark then to black-just assumed due to weather/season change, this has been for about 3 to 4 weeks. Last night when I got home his parts were swollen and between a purple/red color. We have Rocky in the cage with him, he is about 4 mos old. The cage is 8 ft high 4 ft wide and long. They are in our sun room and they get plenty of good sun light, I buy thier food at Petsmart (not squirrel food), also give them supplements. What could be wrong, is he going to die on me, please help. Thank you all for any help. Lisa :thankyou

[Sarabi]

If you could post some pics. Is scamps a grey? Somebody on here will be along to help soon, but pics would really help if you could work on that.

[ljones5333]

Scamp is brown, I guess he may also be considered your gray squirrel. We live here in Pensacola Florida. I am at work, it will be Monday before I can get any pic posted--I don't know why I didn't think of that-guess I have been in such a panic.

[island rehabber]

Scamps is becoming a man-squirrel! :rotfl
Don't panic....his "furstickles" will get larger, and blacker, for awhile as he goes through puberty at this age. They will shrink again later on......:)

[wheezer]

Pictures would sure help. Right now it could just be his normal development!
Testicles are sort of dark purple in color. Hope this is all it is. At nine months this could be happening:) :grouphug
I also would check these out for good diets. And you may need to get the special light as they don't get what they need through glass.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13722
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11323

[wheezer]

Thanks GB :thankyou You posted the same time I did. I knew you would be here with the light and diet info:D

[Sarabi]

Thats what I was thinking (puberty) But the red part is what concerned me, pics to be sure it's not something abnormal. Gamma you are the BOMB!

[ljones5333]

Thank you for your replies, I was so afraid I was going to find him dead! My husband and I had wondered if that was what was going on with him but became concern when they went from black to purple/pink swollen over night. I know a few nights ago Lee said they had shriveled up and looked like they might fall off. We also were not sure if Rocky may have nipped him while playing or if Scamp was wanting to mate.
We don't have a cage outside for them because I was concern that it may make them more freedom sick. Scamp is a non releasable, his right paw is drawn and shriveled, our neighbor cats would have him in a minute or a car plus we have a neighbor who kills squirrels.
We do have lights for them, plus they get a lot of sun light in the room.
:thankyou

[Sarabi]

Just keep an eye on him and let us know of any changes in him whatsoever, and as soon as you can post some pics the better. If he's eating and behaving normal then I think it wil be okay. But just make sure he's eating, drinking, and pooping and peeing normal, and acting like his squirrely self.:D

[ljones5333]

Scamp is still his same self, eatting, drinking and playing just fine. As far as the pee & poop I am not sure, with the cage as large as it is and having two in there it is hard to tell who's is who's. I looked at his tummy to see if it looked swollen and it looked fine.
:thankyou

[ljones5333]

I will try to get pics of Scamps little problems, have home computer problems with the up loads.
Thank you to all who have been messaging! This board has been such a life saver. Our son-in-law works for a tree service so they come across a lot of babies in nest that the mother doesn't come back for--thank goodness more have returned than none! Our daughter is raising 4, lost 3 pinkies, we have just the two- our Rocky is one of the tree babies and Scamp is from the cat, so this board has been a true blessing and thank you all to make it happen. :thankyou

[Sarabi]

Well we are all working towards the same cause here and if we can help someone save a furry fuzzbut, we will bend over backwards to do what we can. There are so many people on this board with unbeleivably big:Love_Icon
Makes me all warm and Fuzzy!! Good luck and keep us postedmjs

[ljones5333]

Hey everyone,
Scamp and his little problems seem to be getting better. I tried to get pictures but it was impossible, he just wouldn't be still or when he was up against his cage with all showing he would move when he thought I was looking (ha ha). He loves for his picture to be taken but just a little self conscious about those. Thank you to all who relpied!!!! Lisa :thankyou

[SkwerlGirl]

Great!!!!

Glad to hear he's better.:thumbsup

You do plan on changing his diet though, correct? Without a good diet of fresh fruits and veggies, shrivled testicles are going to be the least of your worries!! MBD will set in, and it's a sad, painful death for the little guys :shakehead Let me know if I can help!!!:wave123

[ljones5333]

I feed Scamp and Rocky Nutriphase-this supposed to be a very good quality ceral grains, protein sources and supplement.
Ingredients-
Corn, sunflower, wheat, dehulled soybean meal, oat groats, dehydrated alfalfa meal, milo, shelled peanuts, toasted corn flakes, ground corn, ground wheat, cround oats, dried bananas, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phospate, pumpkin seed, raisins, dried papaya, dehydrated carrots, ground peanuts, dried cane molasses, wheate middlings, gorn gluten meal, lignin sufonate, vegetable oil, corn sugar, grewer dried yeast, dried beet pulp, vitamin a supplement, dl-methioine, l-lsine, choline chloride, riboflavin supplement, ferrous carbonate, vit e supplement, vit b12 supplement, manganous oxide, ethoxyquin (a ppreservativ), zinc oxide, niacin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vit k activity), cholecalciferol (source of vit d3) calcium pantohenate, copper oxide, pyridoxine hydrochloried, thiamine monitrate, calcium iodate, diotin, folic acid, cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite, natural flavors.
Also give them the labordor puppy mix--forgot the name, expensive stuff, it was recommend from a wildlife habitor.
Also give them fresh friut and veggies--they get a few pecans a week.
They get a lot of light, the cage is in the sun room-we are going to get the lights as suggested. The cage is 8 ft high 4ft long 4ft wide- we have branches in there for them.
It is funny when we bring in branches that have leaves they strip it completely bare, leaving the leaves at the bottom of the cage. They have sheep wool bags for thier nest--they refused the squirrel boxes.
Do you see any problems with the food? :thankyou Lisa

[ljones5333]

I will go today and get the Kay Tee Forti Diet, I had been told the Nutriphase was healthier than the Kay Tee. I know when I looked for the peanuts to take them out there wasn't many at all, nor of the corn.
Purina Lab chow for puppies is what I had been told to feed them because it supposely had all the nutrients for squirrels.
:thankyou Lisa

[ljones5333]

When my garden was doing well this summer they loved the fresh greens I would bring in to them.
I have given them some of the fresh store bought ones lately, it has worried me due to all the problems in the past with the uncooked foods and the poisonings.
We feed them a lot of fresh fruits, we try to buy them from local farmers who don't use all the sprays.
We lost our dog to the dog food poisonings so the dog food I have been buying is a health food for dogs (lab chow)--I won't use it any more.
We will make sure thier diet is changed. I don't remember, do you also recommend the primate biscutes?
Thank you so much for helping!
Lisa