Vision problems?

[Critter_Queen]

So, Zeke just opened his eyes 8 days ago. Last night I put him on the carpet to play for a little bit before bed and he kept running into things...not like being clumsy...running head-on into large, stationary pieces of furniture - repeatedly...like he couldn't see it. After bumping his nose into the same chair and hope chest about three times in a row he just sat down and started to cry. :( I felt so bad for him! Is he blind?? :(

I'm hoping their eyes just aren't real good this early...but I can't say that I've ever read that anywhere...or experienced something like this before.

What do you think?

[Critter_Queen]

See, that's what I was thinking, too. I mean, even if he's blind, I'll keep him as an educational animal (our group's squirrel just died this summer so we could use him) and tame him...he'll be part of the family but with his own indoor and outdoor digs.

I just hate it for him, though.

Yeah, we tried putting our fingers up near his eyes...he does seem to notice the change in light when we do that...but we can get our fingers right up to his face without him flinching if we don't cast a shadow.

Do you think feeding him KMR (another rehabber had him first and I switched him to Esbilac two weeks ago when I got him) as a pinky may have given him a deficiency that caused this?

Poor little Zeke. I felt SO BAD for him when he started to cry. He was having so much fun cruising around on the floor...

Haven't heard back from my mentor yet...hopefully she'll have some advice.

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Mine opened their eyes about a week ago & my older male runs & bumps into things all the time, I think just cause hes trying to do to much to soon.
Keep your fingers crossed!

[Timber]

Well, Wahdee opened her eyes about 6 days ago and she sees everything. she sees me and comes to me. she sees the other animals and she sees things when they move. She likes going out side and looking around at all the new things. She is still unsteady on her little legs somewhat but she diesn't run into anything not even the walls of the aquarium when she is in there.

[Momma Squirrel]

So sorry to hear about Zeke, I will keep my fingers crossed that he is just a late bloomer in focusing :grouphug By the way I just love the name. Keep us posted. Maybe some other more experienced members will give some of their expertise in this matter.

[Critter_Queen]

Thanks Timber and Momma...

I hope to get him in to my wildlife vet this week or weekend to have him checked out. I'm pretty sure he has some loss of vision, but I'm hoping he's not totally blind. He seems too steady on his feet for that, so I'm hopeful.

I put him on the floor again last night to play and this time he wasn't running balls-to-the-wall like he was the night before. He didn't crash into anything at all this time. Came real close a couple of times, but seemed to realize there was something there at the last second and would stop, sniff, and head in a new direction.

But I'm almost certain he has some sort of vision loss. Mainly because when I set him down and move just a foot or two away, he cries...like he's alone and afraid. He does not seem to see me, because I would think he'd come to me if that were the case and I don't think he ever comes to me intentionally...seems to be accidental.

~ sigh ~ Looks like I might be learning about educational animals and their care. S'ok though. I have a great husband who will build Zeke his own little slice of heaven in our yard and he'll get lots of love and attention. Not to mention he'll get to be the star in his own educational program! :thumbsup

Thanks for the compliments on his name. :) I really like it too. Had I been able to have children, and had a boy, that's what I'd have named him. Silly, yeah, but I don't care. :tilt

[BuckeyeSqrl]

Does he seem to see the nipple and syringe when you're feeding him, or does he grasp in the air for it?

That was one of the first things I noticed about one of my squirrels that ended up being blind.

Is he gray or melanistic? It seems like the mels seem to have more vision problems too.

[Critter_Queen]

He doesn't seem to see the nipple and syringe...doesn't really grasp for it in the air, but I can have it held out to him and unless he's touching me or REALLY close, he doesn't seem to notice I have it ready for him...and he almost always misses the nipple when he goes to latch on to it...pretty much spraying all the liquid in the nipple all over him and me.

Did you have to put your blind squirrel down?

Zeke is a red squirrel and in perfect condition other than this. Climbs like a little monkey, walks and "hops" well... and searches and searches for something to snack on by sniffing the ground...

[BuckeyeSqrl]

He very well may be blind.

The blind squirrel I had was turned into an education animal for the wildlife center. In Ohio, that was her only chance to live.......

[Critter_Queen]

Yeah, the more time I spend observing him the more I think he's blind, too. Thankfully it would be easy for me to get a permit to keep him as an educational animal...so I'm pretty sure that's where this is headed.

I just love the litte bugger so I don't mind keeping him. Gonna be getting him neutered as soon as he's mature, though...

In Iowa, if a squirrel is non-releasable, he'll either become an educational animal or be euthanized...if I can help it, he won't be euthanized. It's illegal to keep them as pets here, too.

Thanks for the information...at least I'm not getting a big shock at release time like another rehabber I know did with our group's last educational squirrel...

[BuckeyeSqrl]

The best of luck to you and him! Keep us posted. He's lucky he found you.

BTW, I love your St. Francis quote!

[Critter_Queen]

Thanks! I changed the quote...but I do really like that one! There is another I'd really like to use for my signature, but the board won't let me use it. Tells me it can only be 500 characters. What I want to list is 497 characters, including all spaces, punctuation, etc, but it still won't accept it.

Oh well... :)

[Critter_Queen]

Talked to my wildlife vet last night (ran into her by chance but didn't have Zeke with me) and she told me to use a flashlight in a darkened room to see if his pupils dilate like they should. She said if there is no pupil dilation, he can't see anything.

So, went home and tried it out. Based on the above information, Zeke is totally blind in his right and a partially impaired in his left. :( When we did the sudden light in a dark room thing on his right eye, he didn't even blink his eye, and no pupil dilation that we could see. At least with his left eye his pupil will dilate a little more than half the time and he squints or closes his eye when the bright light comes on.

So, planning to have a thorough exam done on him in the near future to see if we can determine how good the sight in his left eye is. Hopefully it's good enough to release him. If not, he will become my new educational animal and I'm going to start trying to tame him asap so I can at least handle him in his adult years.

Thanks for all the help I got on this thread. I'll update again when we see the vet.

[rehabmom]

i have a blind boy he is about 1 1/2 now . he has a ucler on 1 eye but is blind in both. he gets along fine he knows his way around the house good.it will just take him time to adjust. my roadhouse aka roady will even come to me when i call him.

[rehabmom]

where u from? we will take him if u want. if u want and u are close enough.
rehabmom:)

[Critter_Queen]

I'm in Iowa, but I have friends that will be traveling to the OKC area soon...they are originally from Shawnee and go back frequently to visit their folks.

If I don't think I can handle him as an educational animal I will DEFINITELY keep you in mind! :thankyou

[rehabmom]

shawnee would be fine i live about 1 1/2 hrs from there. let me know any time. it would give roady company. he is welcome
hear is my e-mail honeycomb53@hotmail.com
rehabmom

[Alaskan Squirrel Cam]

Wow, Shawnee, that's where I was born. :D

bob

http://www.thesquirrelcam.com

[Critter_Queen]

That's cool, Bob! I think my friends were born there, too. Small world, eh? Well, at least it is now that we have the almight INTERNET! :thumbsup

Do you still have your accent? Amy tries REALLY hard not to have hers while she's here in Iowa...I love it, though.