Help!!! Mating Season for NR

[MamaSquirrel]

Hi Guys,
I don't post much but I need help! My NR decided to "Mate" with his stuffie this morning. When he did he became STUCK to it, dragging it around and ended up with strings around his little manhood. Is this normal for a non release to act like this? What can I do? He can no longer have his favorite stuffie due to this. I had to unwrap strings in a panic! How can I be sure he is ok? Currently he is laying flat out on my chest growling at anything that comes near. Is this normal behaviour?

[MamaSquirrel]

Does anyone have any advice or has anyone seen this kind of behavior? He is better this morning but still alittle swollen....What can I do (if anything) to keep him from doing this and further hurting himself?

[CritterMom]

How did he get tangled up in the stuffy? Can you provide him with one that he can safely "hump" without hurting his little peenie? Many animals self gratify, particularly if they cannot access another member of their species. It isn't a bad thing unless they hurt themselves!

[MamaSquirrel]

The stuffie is a fleece dog toy with semi short fibers. The fibers were wrapped around his little peepee. I have never seen this behavior with him before as he is only 11 months old (gray). Will he calm down? I was worried because of all the blood.

[CritterMom]

The blood. Are you talking about where the fibers dug into him? Is he urinating okay? I would watch very carefully - if his penis is sore it could scab over and prevent him from peeing. I would also put a bit of either silvadene cream (if you have it - prescrption) or some neosporin on the sore place and keep an eye on it.

Take that toy away and see if you can find him something with short nap that won't ravel.

Why is he NR? Can he be housed where he won't be so tempted by the outdoor ladies in season?

[MamaSquirrel]

He is an NR due to being neuro and haveing vision problems. He really isn't around other squirrels being that he is inside. I am wondering now if neutering will help.

[Secret Squirrel]

Poor buddie...he is doing what come natural and gets his pee pee all jacked up in the process. The bloody part dosen't sound good. Do you have vet that can see him. If strings cut him there still maybe strings that are so fine you can't see.
Even hair can stangulate a penis to the point where the penis can't fully retract into the protective sheeth. A magnifing lamp would help but it's hard to hold a squirrel down to see if his penis is guirled.

Nutering him would be good idea if you have a qualified vet who does wildlife. After his pee pee is healed of course.

[SquirrelNut]

poor guy! my squirrel is almost a year old. thank goodness, he has not done that yet w/his stuffed animal!