I've a new squirrel I am concerned about.

[Mrs. Jack]

He climbs and jumps okay, but when he sits up, he tips over and catches himself. And when he eats, he tips his nose straight up to the sky and then starts tipping over slowly until he gathers his hind feet under him again. I've seen him eat, drink, climb and run, but when he's still, he seems to have absolutely no sense of balance I have seen him on the side of a tree dead still, almost a trance and he stars slowly leaning until he might fall and then it's like he wakes up and moves on. What could be wrong with the poor guy?

[Critter_Queen]

My first thought is ear infection of some kind. My second thought is light focal seizures do to calcium deficiency (but I don't know how long he went without nurishment from your post). My final thought would be head trauma of some sort.

I would think the first suggestion would be the place to start. I have one that does this also, just as you described with the tipping over thing...and I'm beginning to suspect he is not only blind but also maybe deaf...he fell out of the tree as a pinky and had a big knot on his head for the first few weeks he was with us...

Any sign of ear mites??

[GhosTS]

I think its ear infection.Sounds like he cant stay balanced.It can be head trauma also, but this sounds mild.

[Mrs. Jack]

Well he is a wild.. I've not been close enough to see any mites. If it's an ear infection, should I try and do anything? or will he recover?

[Critter_Queen]

Ohhh...he's not a rehab...sorry, my mistake.

Well, you COULD put out some water for him spiked with antibiotics, but then you don't know if he's getting it, or if many of them are drinking it...or how much he's getting... Then there's the gut flora issue that comes with antibiotics....

Hmmmm...tough call. So he's an adult?

[Critter_Queen]

PS you can buy bird tetracycline (I think) tablets that disolve in water at the petstore...I got mine mail order from somewhere when I knew my cockatiel had an infection but the local vets couldn't diagnose it... I think it was cheap...and it's fruit flavored...

[GhosTS]

Mrs. Jack, is he any friendly with you.Is there a way of inspecting him closely.If its ear infection it is possible for it to become more serious.

[Mrs. Jack]

Well Ghosts, he does like shelled pecans, and will take them from my hand. If he comes tomorrow (he didn't after this thread today) I will do my best to try and get as good a look as I can. My son has had bad ear infections, will I be seeing something similar (discharge) in a squirrel?

And these bird tablets, I'm more than willing to do so, but will that be okay for the other critters that use the water features? There's no way I can make sure just he drinks from one.

[Mrs. Jack]

Okay, I just was sitting outside and he showed up. He took a pecan and then when I held my hand down and cooed "ohhh it's youuu, hi snookie, come here.." Amazingly, he came. I looked in his ears, and I saw nothing that seemed unusual, no inflamation or discharge, he was very helpful tipping his head this way and that so I could take a long look. He's not snuffling or sounding labored at all in his breathing. and he wanted an in shell pecan today. He is weavy. I noticed that his outer ear is chewed and that the end of his tail had been nipped off and a poof of hair regrown. Could he have sustained some kind of permanent injury in a fight or fall during a fight? He will be like Teddy and Zappy.. I will look for him every day and make sure he gets his share of food.

[Critter_Queen]

Hmmm...I'm not sure what to think...it is possible it's an injury that won't get worse, but I'm still thinking infection even though it doesn't look bad.

See, that's the thing about the bird/table/antibiotics...you can't be sure he's getting any and you're medicating everyone else that drinks it, too... plus it would be so hard to dose correctly because it's dissolved in water, others are drinking it, etc.

Do you have a vet you can call? I would ask them about this. You might be able to medicate him with food if you can get him used to you enough to come around every day...

[Mrs. Jack]

My vet doesn't do exotic/wilds, but I will call her and see if she can recommend me someone to call. Thanks :)

[Mrs. Jack]

the dh just brought up an interesting idea about this squirrel.. he says that he reminds him exactly of our friend who has narcolepsy. It is when he's still that he tips.. Could this be possible?? :dono

[island rehabber]

I know narcolepsy occurs in dogs....not sure if it could happen in squirrels but your dh is right, it does sound like that. Or...the old 'head trauma' problem that manifests itself in so many different ways. Let me know if you need help finding a vet near you because I'm happy to dig thru my directories.

[squirrelfriend]

I don't think it would catch itself and upright itself if it was narcolepsy. he would just fall asleep and stay there for a little while.

This squirrel seems a lot like my Weebles. I think it is a head injury. She is blind in one eye so I am supposing that due to the semi blindness that she hit her head somehow. The wobblies don't seem to go away but she seems happy otherwise. If this one is a wild one you might want to bring him inside. He is very vulnerable to other animals and such. When I took Weebles to a vet they said something about the possibilities of a parasite that they can get from racoons. Sometimes these can work their way up into the brain. If it is head injury or these parasites the damage is irreversable. Mine still lives a happy wobbly life though. the meds they gave me were Eenbendazole. Calcium defficiency is also a possibility. They gave me some liquid calcium which I give her twice a day. It helps her otherwise but doesn't reverse the damage.

here are some photos of my Weebles. Even in all her wobbliness she is still up to no good.

[Mrs. Jack]

Actually it's the motion that 'wakes' one back up. Regardless, I know a narcoleptic squirrel is a BIG stretch and it's far more likely that it is something else I hope to God it's not the baylis because agh.. Thanks so much for the info, you know I love the chance to say Weebles! And he's such a beautiful squirrel. I'm going to keep an eye on this guy and see what the chances are if necessary if I can invite him to live with me.. I just want to make sure that whatever I do, it's more good than any harm.

[squirrelfriend]

mrs. jack,

If you do ever find out what the problem is with this squirrel please private message me and let me know what it is. I am curious for your squirrels and Weebles sake.

If you do plan on taking this one in I have found that the adult wild ones can be tamed after all. It is slow going but it happens. Weebles will now sort of let me hold her. When she was at the park she wasn't even one of the ones that would take the nuts out of my hand. I think they get to know whos got the nuts. She loves her pettin's and I can always get a little armage out of her. you know when you scratch by their collar bone area and they raise their arm up? I had her doing that after the first week. She pretends to be tough but she and I both know that she is not. she's got a bit of suckiness in her yet.

[Mrs. Jack]

I sure will squirrelfriend. It's sure nice to have this place where my concern is understood.. unlike the broader world.

At what point did you decide "okay Weebles, I'm bringing you home, it'll be better for you." How long had you observed him for? I want to give I would love to give this guy a chance to recover naturally if he is going to, but I dread waiting too long. Although a lot of it's up to him if he will do me the honor of continuing to visit me which I hope he does.

[Mrs. Jack]

I have just spent a goodly amount of time feeding and watching this squirrel, and being up close to him, but far enough away to take him in as a whole, from the side, I have realized that this squirrel is Archie- so named because he has an extremely pronounced arch to his back- the shape of his back like a mountain whereas the others curve is more like a hill if you can understand what I'm trying to say.. anyway, he shelled and ate a pecan, and he's not tipping so much right now, but he is a bit staggery when he first gets moving.. he did jump up to the little chair fine, and he has chased away three other squirrels to stay and eat... is this adding up to anything to anyone?

[Mrs. Jack]

no.. he's still tippy. I don't know if I'm experienced enough to know how to help this guy. He lets me watch him fairly close and will hand take a nut, but if I make any other movements, he takes off. I think I'm going to look for a rehabber near me, hopefully I can find one, and see if they can give me some help/advice. :/

[Mrs. Jack]

Not my day. First the humane society put me on their "odd calls" list, and now, when I've talked to a wildlife agency willing to look at him.. placed things in readiness.. kicked Feather out of the kennel I'd like to lure Mr. Tippy into TWICE, he doesn't show up.

Well. I'll keep trying. The lady I spoke to mentioned the possibility of a brain tumor type issue. This makes me extremely unhappy.

[Critter_Queen]

figures, doesn't it?? Doesn't he know he's LATE?!?! :)

Brain tumors suck...no doubt about it. Hopefully that's not what it is. IF it is, find out if it can be treated, even temporarily, with dexamethasone (sp?). That's what my dad was on to keep his brain from swelling from the tumor. Worked great short-term...but the long-term side effects are nasty.

Good luck, Mrs. J...we're all rootin' for ya!

[squirrelfriend]

I had observed her for about a month before I got to bring her in. I wanted to bring her in the first time I saw her but couldn't figure out how. I wanted to see how she would do on her own first. See how she was doing. She would jump for trees and miss them all together. SHe walked like she was really drunk. the first day I saw her like that I assumed that she had eaten fermented fruit or something but when it continued for days to come I knew something serious was wrong. I guess the final deciding moment to bring her in was when she fell 15 feet out a tree with a loud thump. The next time I came I brought a small throw blanket. bribed her with a peanut and caught her with the blanket the first try. I figured that if I could catch her that easilly so could any predator.

I would suggest bringing him in as a permanent guest. I don't suggest taking him to any wildlife center or humane society because they will put him down for sure. he is not considered releasable. Weebles is getting quite tame. pretty good for an older wild squirrel. she wasn't even the type that would take the nut out of your hand.

[Mrs. Jack]

I won't let him die unless he is suffering. I know that. But if he can be helped, I want to do that too. well.. he has to show up first. :/

[GhosTS]

Lets pray that its not brain tumor or anything serious.And that he will show up soon.Its better if he is checked by a vet.

[Mrs. Jack]

Well. After waiting and not seeing him for days, I'm afraid I was assuming the worse. But he just showed up, sat on the chair to eat some shelled pecans and then took a walnut for the road.. looking perfectly great, I didn't realize it was him until I saw his tail. I don't know what was wrong with him, but he seems to have recovered on his own :dono

[Mrs. Jack]

hi. he's not tipping or swaying anymore. but doesn't his hip look odd? he doesn't limp like it hurts, but he's definitely got a different gait than everyone else.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/solstice/IMG_0851.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/solstice/IMG_0870.jpg

[Squirrelly]

Mrs. Jack, in the second picture, unless it's just the angle, doesn't his leg (Mid leg and above his foot) look swollen?

[Mrs. Jack]

It does in that pic, doesn't it. It's hard for me to tell. He never brings that leg close to his body, it always sort of splays out, even when he runs, it's a sort of rolling gait with one corner off, if you know what I mean.. Like a table with one leg shorter. I would love to give it a close look, but he doesn't want me that near.. should I still be concerned about trying to catch him or should I let him be?

[Squirrelly]

It's a tough call. I've never attempted to catch one of our wilds for any reason...:dono Sorry, not much help, other than a sympathetic ear...

Personally, I TRY not to get too attached, but if there was ever a case where I felt I really could help, I'd probably try to.

We have a young female now, who I've named Scooter, who had something happen to her right rear foot. It looks fine, but she doesn't put much weight on it and it splays when she walks too. She holds her tail in a "hump" position too. But seems to get along fine.:)

[Mrs. Jack]

An ear is always good. He just came and took a nut, it doesn't look swollen close up.. just splayed a bit. I think for now I'll just let him be, he doesn't act like he is in pain, he puts weight on that foot..

[Squirrelly]

Please keep us posted on your splayed-leg male, Mrs. Jack. (If there are any changes.):thankyou for caring :)