Nearly nude tail

[Pashen]

Greetings --

I have a gray squirrel, approximately 6 months old, female, we believe that's she is and she's lost nearly all the hair on her tail. I've had her since she was about 4 weeks old and she's suffered no trauma outside of being nearly dead from dehydration when I found her.

Although when she was much smaller, still on formula, she used to carry her tail in the squirrel S, it was puffy, she then she started carrying her tail coiled to one side of her body and still does. When she's out and about, running and jumping, she extends it normally.

She's strictly indoors and I started giving her calcium w/o vit. D. 600 mg per day, spread throughout, I figure she gets about 1/2 of that. Her diet is about 50% rodent block filled in with avocado, spinach, leaf lettuce, broccoli, orange, cherries and one nut per day. I rub wheat germ oil onto the rodent block so she'll eat them. Vet recommended that I used Sunshine Factor so she gets that as well.

I had her to the vet when she was about 10 weeks old as a well check and then again towards the end of November because she was losing her fur in patches all over her body and I wanted to make sure it was diet and not something else, like mange. I had already started her on the calcium and fur regrew. Doctor was happy with her health, added the Sunshine Factor and told me to get a UVB light and I did, about 3 weeks ago.

Her tail is nearly nude now, completely bald along the line it stays against her body. It's not red, not bloody, she doesn't chew it. Just nearly nude. And there are no other bald patches anywhere on her body. She's energetic. Normal.

Perhaps I need a larger sized bulb? This is for a 20 inch hood, Repti Glo.

Any ideas?

[CritterMom]

What type rodent block do you feed? If she is eating it reliably, you can stop with the additional calcium supplementation, because the rodentl blocks are designed to provide that. Too much calcium can be as much of an issue as too little.

You know, after spending the first month of winter walking around shooting sparks out my fingertips every time I touched anything (including my poor little squirrel's nose once!) it suddenly dawned on me that it was time to drag the humidifier out. I have now been running it for a couple weeks and my boy's fur is feeling much softer and silkier because of it. The heat indoors is so much dryer than anything they are exposed to outdoors, and I believe it has negative effects on their skin and fur. Get a WARM MIST humidifier, not a cool one - no bacterial hazards with warm mist humidifiers because the water boils in them to be turned to steam.

[Pashen]

Teklad. The high caloric one until summer when I'll switch to the adult formula. It's hard for me to judge how much she eats of the block because she gnaws around the outside and stashes them in her home.

I don't believe she eats well enough to discontinue the calcium. I could cut back but haven't seen her display anything like lethargy. Perhaps reduce it by half and see how she does. She's only now started nibbling on spinach and other greens, until just recently she turned her nose up to anything green.

When do they go into heat for the first time? She's been backing up to me in her cage and chittering her teeth at me, letting me scratch her back leg and lower back, which she doesn't normally do.

As for a humidifier, I'm going out to buy one today. Funny you should mention that. I have psoriasis and it's decided to be a real pain this winter so I thought the extra humidity might do me good. Funny, I spent the morning reviewing them only to be told by you to try it for my squirrel. I don't have a furnace so it's not as dry in here as it could be. I have a boiler and baseboard water pipes.

[Pashen]

Here's some images.

[Pashen]

127118

127119

[Pashen]

Corkscrew Tail127122

[mugzeezma]

If the patchy hair loss was fairly even on both sides I would have to guess molt. Indoor squirrels seem to have a rough time with at least that first fall winter molt.
What do you feed your girl?
Consider a premium rat block and plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Mealworms are pretty yummy too.
Feed very few nuts
Mugzi's first molt was horrendous even though he was well fed and vary energetic.
Watch for short silvery hairs growing in ...should be soon too
If not I would check her diet.

[Pnerissa]

I don't know if this will help but when Nibbles had thin fur I started giving her Vetri-DMG in her water and her hair filled in and she's had a full coat ever since.

Bev

[mugzeezma]

SOmething different about that tail...
Does her tail curl in a spiral?
Most squirrelies tails are S shaped.

I was just E-chatting to another rehabber about this and we were wondering if this was caused by a recessive gene. She has seen a number of animals like this. ...wondering if it may be a genetic issue.

I would still fluff up the diet

[Pashen]

Bandit's tail was a normal S until she was about 12 weeks old or so. About the time she first started losing her fur. It's been corkscrewed ever since although she straightens it out when relaxing or romping around the living room. None of the squirrels in the neighborhood, that I've seen, have this kind of tail and she was found by the end of my driveway beneath a maple tree in August. I've been feeding the squirrels here for about 5 years now.

Bandit started losing fur in patchy places all over when she stopped taking formula. At that time, because she just wouldn't eat any greens, I read the boards here and started giving her Calcium throughout the day, about 600 mg. No vit. D added. I figure she gets about half of that amount when she eats. Her fur started to regrow and she filled in all over. Looks great, although she looks like this cross between a winter and a summer squirrel. What came in, came in white, what stayed was brown. Half white tummy is pretty dang cute. Her energy picked right back up and I still give it to her.

Someone further up in the thread suggested that I stop the calcium. I don't feel she eats well enough to stop it but will cut it in half.

Only her tail has steadily lost more fur since last fall.

I feed her about 50 % Teklad rodent block or more, although she usually just eats the outside, which I roll in wheat germ oil or she won't eat them at all. I give her avocado, broccoli, cherries, peas, spinach and different types of leaf lettuce, just one nut a day. The lettuce/spinach, she only started eating in the past couple of weeks. I swear she is the most stubborn squirrel ever. She ate some sage the other day. I switch up the veg. and fruit but peas are the only veggy that she'll eat regularly. I haven't tried mushrooms. She will not touch egg with shell. She will not touch yogurt.

As I said, the vet was happy with her health, he saw her when her fur was growing back in but the tail didn't look this bad. He wasn't worried about mites or mange.

I did buy a humidifier last night, it won't be up and running until tomorrow morning, didn't realize it had some cartridge that has to soak in water 24 hours.

[Jackie in Tampa]

just reading your thread...
are you saying this tail issue/ fur loss has been going on for 3 months?
Could it be possible she is grooming excessively?
could her tail be rubbing on something? going in and out of something that maybe snagging her tail?
Usually diet is related to hair loss...
Based on RAT nutrition, we believe that sqs need approx 330mg calcium a day...
if you over do the calcium, it can stop all absorbtion...
if you are not supplimenting D, the calcium will not metabolize.
Human cal sups with D are not the right ratio and will do more damage than good...
D is found in 4 basic places...
fish and by products
natural sunlight
dairy
mushrooms

most sqs do not lose tail fur in massive quainity when in molt, not severly noticable.
You will usually see new growth at the skin with molt also...
6 months is young to have tail molt IMO.

I would check cage and see if you find any fur clumps anywhere...
ck diet in our nutrition forum
spinach is high in oxilates and should be given VERY SELDOM.
Feed high cal veggies...see the chart...
I will push green leafy veggies, kale, bok choy, romaine...variety is key.
I do not recommend any pet shop suppliments and never put anything in the water bottle except water!
When I am thirsty , I want a drink....clean cool pure water.
I recommend Kaytee blocks, as they are vegetarian, as far as store bought rat blocks go.
I myself use HHBs, Henry's Healthy Blocks.
These and a variety of fresh veggies daily are ideal. I give one block and also TRY to keep my sqs on Fox Valley formula as long as they are in captivity. Never wean a sq....push the formula.
Some members add FV dry powder to yogurt and their sqs love it! I do this when someone acts bored and isn't lapping formula from a bowl.
Good luck...
changing detergents or heavy chemicals also may be culprit...thinking out loud..allergy??

[mugzeezma]

She's not the most stubborn squirrel ever.
She's a normal squirrel! LOL
Her diet sounds fine without the extra Ca

You may try adding some Omega3 to her diet if anything.
Maybe even some flax or sesame seed oil

I would not do the calcium without D3...you may end up giving her kidney stones and crystals in her urine with too high a calcium intake. That calcium has to so somewhere if it's not absorbed and it will be passed through her kidneys.
Vitamin drops for rats and mice have D3. 1 hr min of daily sunlight even through a non tinted window will help along with a full spectrum light.
The Harlan block is excellent so you really don't need to supplement that unless you she isn't really eating it.

As far as veg is concerned don't be afraid to buy 1 brussel sprout, 1 zucchini,
1 handful on snap peas, 1 whatever. Everyone on here does it! :D
Avocado smooshed into minced collard greens or kale works for me

I mince and toss greens with very finely ground nuts too

AFTER they eat their block of course!

[Jackie in Tampa]

I just noticed an excersize wheel in her cage...
could that be the culprit?
Many have removed the wheels because of this...
I do not use wheels for my greys, only for my flyers and it is a sq specific type wheel...
made to not catch nails/fur etc...;)
going to google Sunshine Factor now....I have never heard of it...:dono

[mugzeezma]

Not to start an argument here Jackie
Your seasons in FL are far different from our northerns

I will say that from I have seen of the wilds here, the animals I have raised and the animals at the wildlife center, NORTHERN squirrels DO tail molt with their winter pelage before they are 6 months. Fall babies have to molt around 3-4 months. The molting starts at the base of the tail working forward and back.
If you do KayTee FortiDiet ProHealth(why if she's on Harlan) use the blue bag of Pro Health...no preservatives AND it has added cultures for digestion.
I use the KayT
Oxbow Regal Rat
AND
Sunseed CritterCubes

Because squirrels are opportunistic feeders, they pick and choose.
They can be very picky
they can be fickle...never seeming to have a favorite
like a human child you have to push the issue of what's good

[CritterMom]

I just noticed an excersize wheel in her cage...
could that be the culprit?
Many have removed the wheels because of this...
I do not use wheels for my greys, only for my flyers and it is a sq specific type wheel...
made to not catch nails/fur etc...;)
going to google Sunshine Factor now....I have never heard of it...:dono


http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/SUNSHINE-FACTOR-1oz/productinfo/AVXSSF1/

I use this with my parrots and have been known to put a little in his warmed gloppy food occasionally. It is red palm oil.

[mugzeezma]

I always have a large wheel in my cages...a bit of Occupational Therapy for indoor babies.
Finnagin used to use the wheel a lot ...odd...but then he's a weird one...never ruined his brush.
He has an AMAZING tail

Does Bandit even use the wheel?

Sunshine factor
We have that at WWC for use in some of the diets for birds mainly.
It can't hurt to try it

[Jackie in Tampa]

Molt is world wide...
to expell hair, skin, etc...
when molt occurs, new hair is already in the process of replacing itself.

All animals are indigenous to their area and have acclimated to it in order to survive.
So no matter where you live...hair, skin, antlers etc all replace them selves...{ugh, only yankee sqs get to molt:shakehead ...hello!}

I will stand that it is not normal to molt and have baldness without new growth..2) at this time of year...3)in a juvy animal....4)on only one side of tail...tinfoil


:) no arguement Kathie,
...you've only had a few sqs, have you had any longer than 6 months beside poor Mugzee?
Outsiders are sooo different than Our captive sqs.:peace

[Pashen]

There are no clumps of fur anywhere.

I bought a UVB reptile light, 20 inch hood the other week. Maybe a larger sized bulb?

I stated her calcium intake wrong. The pills are 600 mg., she gets 1/2 of that per day, so 300. I can half that again but it made such an improvement in her that I'm reluctant to remove it completely. And I figure she doesn't get all of that. I read here, that you do not give a squirrel Calcium with Vit. D for humans because the D is too strong. The light should take care of that.

I do rotate around her veggies. She's had Brussels sprouts and other things, I try to get her interested in things that aren't just fruit.

She runs on her wheel every day. She loves it and I wondered about her curling her tail as she got older because of that but the hair loss is what's next to her body. And it doesn't take in an S shape when she's not running on her wheel.

I asked the vet about allergy but he didn't think so, although he's not treated a squirrel before. She doesn't bite at her tail, she doesn't bite anywhere, nothing is red, she has no sores. Just this very naked tail.

I use green laundry detergent and green fabric sheets, both from Melaleuca.

Can anyone tell me about squirrels going into heat?

She's started pushing her butt up to the side of her cage for me to scratch her back leg and lower back and she chitters her teeth at me the whole time!

Normally she doesn't let me touch her. She's not a cuddle muffin like some.

[CritterMom]

There are no clumps of fur anywhere.

I bought a UVB reptile light, 20 inch hood the other week. Maybe a larger sized bulb?

I stated her calcium intake wrong. The pills are 600 mg., she gets 1/2 of that per day, so 300. I can half that again but it made such an improvement in her that I'm reluctant to remove it completely. And I figure she doesn't get all of that. I read here, that you do not give a squirrel Calcium with Vit. D for humans because the D is too strong. The light should take care of that.

I do rotate around her veggies. She's had Brussels sprouts and other things, I try to get her interested in things that aren't just fruit.

She runs on her wheel every day. She loves it and I wondered about her curling her tail as she got older because of that but the hair loss is what's next to her body. And it doesn't take in an S shape when she's not running on her wheel.

I asked the vet about allergy but he didn't think so, although he's not treated a squirrel before. She doesn't bite at her tail, she doesn't bite anywhere, nothing is red, she has no sores. Just this very naked tail.

I use green laundry detergent and green fabric sheets, both from Melaleuca.

Can anyone tell me about squirrels going into heat?

She's started pushing her butt up to the side of her cage for me to scratch her back leg and lower back and she chitters her teeth at me the whole time!

Normally she doesn't let me touch her. She's not a cuddle muffin like some.


While I agree that this doesn't sound like an allergy, be careful if your detergent actually has melaleuca in it. This is what is now being marketed as "Tea Tree Oil" and while it has many beneficial uses, many, MANY people are highly allergic to melaleuca. I know this because I grew up in South Florida and they are overrun with them down there - an invasive exotic tree, and a real issue for allergy sufferers. Just food for thought.

[Pashen]

I'm familiar with tea tree oil. I'm a massage therapist, so I try to use healthy products in my home and for my clients as well as my pets and children. I can try doing her bedding in Dreft or something like that.

[mugzeezma]

Oh Jackie
Of course they all molt.
Northern squirrels are large and according to the wildlife specialists I work/train with...almost a different species.
The point being that you would never take an Illinois squirrel and release it in Fl or vice versa...these species have adapted over the centuries to their particular clime
If you wish we can discuss this off forum. :peace

[Nancy in New York]

most sqs do not lose tail fur in massive quainity when in molt, not severly noticable.
You will usually see new growth at the skin with molt also...
6 months is young to have tail molt IMO.


I have overwintered squirrels before and am currently overwintering 5 greys.
Four of them are 6 months old....no tail molt on any of them. I have outside babies with NO tail molt either. Not to say that it doesn't happen, but I have never seen it to this extent or this age.:dono

[mugzeezma]

I'm familiar with tea tree oil. I'm a massage therapist, so I try to use healthy products in my home and for my clients as well as my pets and children. I can try doing her bedding in Dreft or something like that.

I'm wondering if your vet could take a skin scraping. There may be an ecto parasite causing this?
endo (internal) parasites can tap nutrition too so a fecal float may be in order. to rule that out.

The causes going through my head are

Nutrition (doubtful)
recessive genes (corkscrew tail)
Parasites, internal or external
neurotic behavior (hair pulling, overgrooming)
environmental, ie. catching it on something

If you can get a fecal and a skin scraping for parasites.

They can indirectly cause this.

If nothing else it will rule it out

[Jackie in Tampa]

In all my years and all the zillions of sqs I have helped...I am going to think it's rubbing on something...
usually diet issues will present them selves in patchy bald spots...
and for her tail to look like that...awe, I am not thinking MOLT at all.
Hey, it may be the wheel, but if she likes it...a little baldness isn't so bad...:D


No way Mugz...I am safe on the open board...

[mugzeezma]

I have overwintered squirrels before and am currently overwintering 5 greys.
Four of them are 6 months old....no tail molt on any of them. I have outside babies with NO tail molt either. Not to say that it doesn't happen, but I have never seen it to this extent or this age.:dono

I've seen it on my outdoor Foxers this year but it it was early in the fall and has since grown back.
I agree that this is extreme and may have STARTED with molt but is not growing back.
Yes
Indoor and outdoor squirrels molt very differently

[Pashen]

That's why I had her to the vet to begin with in the fall, he had her under general and examined her, I don't know if he did a scraping but I had requested it and he's had a fecal sample before. He told me it wasn't any type of parasite.

I'll call when they open to find out if they did a scraping.

[mugzeezma]

In all my years and all the zillions of sqs I have helped...I am going to think it's rubbing on something...
usually diet issues will present them selves in patchy bald spots...
and for her tail to look like that...awe, I am not thinking MOLT at all.
Hey, it may be the wheel, but if she likes it...a little baldness isn't so bad...:D


No way Mugz...I am safe on the open board...

At no point am I disagreeing here goofy girl!
I'm trying to determine cause same as you

You'd be safe OFF forum too jackie.
Ask any number of people I've spoken to.

try it
I dare you! :poke

maybe if we actually spoke we would find a common ground

[mugzeezma]

That's why I had her to the vet to begin with in the fall, he had her under general and examined her, I don't know if he did a scraping but I had requested it and he's had a fecal sample before. He told me it wasn't any type of parasite.

I'll call when they open to find out if they did a scraping.

I really wonder if this may be a genetic issue with the corkscrew tail
Another rehabber and i were discussing this.
A real mystery.

She said she is seeing more and more corkscrew tails with the patchy tail hair.

[Pashen]

Huh.

Even though it was normal and beautiful and bushy and a great, big S to begin with?

Anyway, her baldness is completely in relation to how it rests against her body.

[Jackie in Tampa]

I seriously doubt this is parasite related. There would be other repercussions other than fur loss on the top of her tail.

Best advise is to follow the healthy diet...
gentic this genetic that...if it is genetic, nothing can be done right?
does she have siblings?
Christine's tail curls like a pug dog...at times it is fluffy wonderful and other times when she is having a rough time with her diet, it is thin...not bald on one side only though....thinking out loud here.
does she flick her tail more than normal?
could the cork screw effect actually be affecting the hair loss?

:thumbsup keep her healthy and she will be happy...
If you take out the wheel for a week or two and the tail grows new fur...you will know...if not, you will know that too!

Sometimes elimination/trial and error are the ONLY option we have...
good luck...


:Welcome :wave123 welcome to TSB...

[Pashen]

She was an orphan, her only sibling I didn't know about until it was too late. And as for normal tail movement, she's the only squirrel I've had.

She can make it twitch so fast you think a humming bird has just shot past your head. Rattling almost. This fast vibration. It's kinda cool but creepy too.

And as I said, I've never seen another squirrel around here with a corkscrew tail before.

Thanks, everyone, for all your suggestions.

[mugzeezma]

She was an orphan, her only sibling I didn't know about until it was too late. And as for normal tail movement, she's the only squirrel I've had.

She can make it twitch so fast you think a humming bird has just shot past your head. Rattling almost. This fast vibration. It's kinda cool but creepy too.

And as I said, I've never seen another squirrel around here with a corkscrew tail before.

Thanks, everyone, for all your suggestions.

Check the link I PM'd
there are others

Genetic traits do not always present at birth.

[4skwerlz]

This is clearly not molt. Normal molt never leaves bald areas; the new fur pushes out the old fur. There can, however, be patches of silver-colored and reddish-colored fur during molt, because the winter coat is silvery.

If a squirrel molts with bald patches, it is usually nutritional. It can also happen during the first molt after a squirrel with a deficient diet is switched to a healthy diet. Subsequent molts should be normal.

If the bald area corresponds with how she holds her tail, then the fur might be getting worn away from being held close to her body all the time.

I doubt this is nutritional if the rest of her fur is normal and she shows no signs of MBD (lethargy, loss of appetite, patchy or thin fur--usually along the back and sides). But this is a good time to tune up your squirrel's diet.

You shouldn't give a healthy squirrel calcium supplements; this will throw the diet off balance. A healthy squirrel just needs a healthy diet, including rodent block (see http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16093). An MBD squirrel needs a healthy diet + extra calcium. Extra calcium alone won't "fix" an unhealthy diet, or prevent MBD. The entire spectrum of nutrients are required, in the proper proportions.

Clean out all her stashes; if you find lots of rodent block, she may not be eating them. Info on how to get your squirrel to eat a healthy diet can be found here: http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17557 and here: http://www.henryspets.com/pages/Feeding-Instructions.html

Detailed instructions on how to deal with picky eaters can be found here: http://www.henryspets.com/pages/Picky-Eaters.html

Note that the Healthy Diet and the feeding instructions are the same whether you feed commercial rodent block like Harlan, or HHBs, with one difference: You must feed at least 6-8 commercial rodent blocks per day, but only 2 HHBs per day.

I hope this helps, and good luck with figuring this out.

[Mrs Skul]

I think it is diet related.
Darla has lost the same on her tail!
She is being a very picky eater, and is nursing her babies. When she eats all her veggies. The hair will grow back.:thumbsup That is on Darla!
I have never seen molt on a tail like that ever!! :nono
3 months ago is when weening was going on. :thinking You stopped the formula.
Do you put any foxVally powder in her yogurt? That will help a lot.
Does your Squirrel get enough natural sunlight?

[Pashen]

She stopped taking formula, it wasn't me not providing it. She refuses to eat yogurt.

She gets no natural sunlight, she has a UVB bulb. It's 2 degrees right now headed below 0 tonight.

I cleaned out her cage and all stashes today and am trying the picky eater suggestions. She's really unhappy with me and that makes her more aggressive but she did eat more of the greens because of it.

I've asked a couple of times now in this thread but no one has responded. She's backing up in her cage to the edge and lifting her backend, letting me scratch her hindquarters, which isn't something she ever does. The whole time she's chittering her teeth. Is this her going into heat? Because I thought they were supposed to be older to do that. She's approximately 6 months old and has been a wicked little tyrant lately.

[mugzeezma]

She stopped taking formula, it wasn't me not providing it. She refuses to eat yogurt.

She gets no natural sunlight, she has a UVB bulb. It's 2 degrees right now headed below 0 tonight.

I cleaned out her cage and all stashes today and am trying the picky eater suggestions. She's really unhappy with me and that makes her more aggressive but she did eat more of the greens because of it.

I've asked a couple of times now in this thread but no one has responded. She's backing up in her cage to the edge and lifting her backend, letting me scratch her hindquarters, which isn't something she ever does. The whole time she's chittering her teeth. Is this her going into heat? Because I thought they were supposed to be older to do that. She's approximately 6 months old and has been a wicked little tyrant lately.
I've not had a female at this age but it certainly sounds like that. This is that time of year! whether or not she is capable of actually reproducing at this young age yet...I don't know.

[island rehabber]

Yes they CAN go into heat at 6 mos old, particularly in a northern climate where there are two fairly distinct mating seasons (January and May). It will make her moody and nasty for sure (why should they be any different from us :poke :D). Hopefully in another week or so she'll be back to her sweet self.

[philomycus]

You mentioned a UVB bulb, but is she getting a separate UVA bulb too? They need both. I haven't read the whole thread (time constraint) just popping in.

[Pashen]

Repti-Glo 2.0 UVB Bulb

Hagen Repti-Glo 2.0 UVB Blub is appropriate for most reptiles, amphibians, and birds.

- Emits UVB waves to convert Vitamin D into Vitamin D3, the active form.
- Powerful and Bright
- Long lasting


What should I have for her? This is what the vet thought she needed.

[CritterMom]

If she is eating block, she is getting all of the vitamin D she needs. The "2.0" in the light model spec means that the beneficial UVA/UVB light penetrates TWO INCHES below the bulb. The absolute strongest you can get is 10.0 which means 10 inches. Most squirrels will not spend enough time close enough to the bulbs to derive any benefit from it (whereas herps are usually in shallow aquariums). Again, the rodent block has all of the Vitamin D they need. If you wish to you can ocasionally give them a piece of mushroom, which is high in vitamin D. Use store bought mushrooms and I scrub them and do NOT feed the gills to them as I have seen food borne illness result since the gills cannot be cleaned well.

[Mrs Skul]

:rotfl
I've asked a couple of times now in this thread but no one has responded. She's backing up in her cage to the edge and lifting her backend, letting me scratch her hindquarters, which isn't something she ever does. The whole time she's chittering her teeth. Is this her going into heat? Because I thought they were supposed to be older to do that. She's approximately 6 months old and has been a wicked little tyrant lately.

:wave123 Hi Pashen
I never seen that until Kitty started doing it to me.
DON'T SCRACH HER!!!:nono
Be careful!!!
She will do that a few times then Attack!!! :eek:
And PEE at you!
I thought Kitty was playing, Then Thought in heat,:nono She told me.:D She was sleeping in the nest box. I barely got the cage door opened. Like a Bat out of H*!! She came out attacking me. I yelled to Skull HELP ME!!! :D I got the leather gloves out and then put her up. :D
Kitty was mad at me for not letting her out to play whenever she wanted.
When she backed up at me. I scratched her backend. She would even walk her hind feet up in the air. I think it was her way of telling me to back off. When she settles down. It should stop! Kitty did. BUT if she ever does it again. I will know what is up.
It is good to hear she is eating more of her veg.
"Darla is upset at Kitty for running round the top of the big cage. She thinks she needs to live inside the nest box with the babies, and not eat. "
Good luck

[Jackie in Tampa]

I totally agree with crystal...when they hunch up and turn their back while chittering...you better back off.:nono

[Pashen]

I really hadn't known what happened to Bandit, her mood just went really sour, vicious even.

My intent had been from the very beginning to release her. I only took her out of her cage to feed her formula, clean her up and then put her right back but my husband --- he was another matter. He thought her too cute and would not leave her alone. No matter what I said, he let her run on him when she was small.

So my attempts at rehabbing are no more. Bandit can't be released, she has no qualms about jumping on people. At least I know now that I can't so when I end up with orphans next summer, I'll have to make the run to the rehab place.

Anyway, so Bandit is somewhere between a wild squirrel and one that isn't. She runs up me and on me when I let her out but she doesn't sit on me and she's not one for cuddles. I can't hand feed her, she'll tear my hand off. I think she sees me as another squirrel sometimes.

But about two weeks ago, she just turned me. Bit the crap out of my hand and arm when I thought we were going to play. And before I knew what happened, she was onto the other arm LOL Squirrels are the fastest little boogers on with 4 legs. And she even jumped on my face.

So this one pound little furball kicked my butt. Of course friends think she was put on earth to put me in my place. These past two days, despite changing her diet around, she is much less snarly, no growls, no biting and I'm sooo very happy!

I let her out ever day in my living room, close off all the doors so she can run where she will. My husband collected a huge bag of some kind of acorn in the fall and every day she gets one acorn to 'bury' in the living room. Same living room, same hardwood floor, same futon with blankets and stone fireplace. And she'll spend up to 45 minutes figuring out where to 'bury' her acorn. Then it's time for lunch and she goes back in her cage.

And that's the story of Bandit. She lives in a Ferret Nation in my living room. I have to wheel her into the kitchen when I have clients. I'm a massage therapist and my studio is in my home. Of course I have some clients that know Bandit from when she was blind with a naked tail at 4 weeks last August and for them, I leave the cage in the living room.

I even found a mysterious bag of acorns in my mailbox once. Turns out that a client had gathered them and dropped them by unannounced. I found out about a month and a half later.

Thanks everyone, for your suggestions!

[mugzeezma]

I really hadn't known what happened to Bandit, her mood just went really sour, vicious even.

My intent had been from the very beginning to release her. I only took her out of her cage to feed her formula, clean her up and then put her right back but my husband --- he was another matter. He thought her too cute and would not leave her alone. No matter what I said, he let her run on him when she was small.

So my attempts at rehabbing are no more. Bandit can't be released, she has no qualms about jumping on people. At least I know now that I can't so when I end up with orphans next summer, I'll have to make the run to the rehab place.

Anyway, so Bandit is somewhere between a wild squirrel and one that isn't. She runs up me and on me when I let her out but she doesn't sit on me and she's not one for cuddles. I can't hand feed her, she'll tear my hand off. I think she sees me as another squirrel sometimes.

But about two weeks ago, she just turned me. Bit the crap out of my hand and arm when I thought we were going to play. And before I knew what happened, she was onto the other arm LOL Squirrels are the fastest little boogers on with 4 legs. And she even jumped on my face.

So this one pound little furball kicked my butt. Of course friends think she was put on earth to put me in my place. These past two days, despite changing her diet around, she is much less snarly, no growls, no biting and I'm sooo very happy!

I let her out ever day in my living room, close off all the doors so she can run where she will. My husband collected a huge bag of some kind of acorn in the fall and every day she gets one acorn to 'bury' in the living room. Same living room, same hardwood floor, same futon with blankets and stone fireplace. And she'll spend up to 45 minutes figuring out where to 'bury' her acorn. Then it's time for lunch and she goes back in her cage.

And that's the story of Bandit. She lives in a Ferret Nation in my living room. I have to wheel her into the kitchen when I have clients. I'm a massage therapist and my studio is in my home. Of course I have some clients that know Bandit from when she was blind with a naked tail at 4 weeks last August and for them, I leave the cage in the living room.

I even found a mysterious bag of acorns in my mailbox once. Turns out that a client had gathered them and dropped them by unannounced. I found out about a month and a half later.

Thanks everyone, for your suggestions!

Ooooh BAD PMS !!!
Bandit and my daughter have something in common!...LOL
hopefully this to shall pass and your furry friend will return to her sweet self.
Tree squirrels can be over the moon wonderful and a powerful force of nature all in one breath.
I wish you years of great joy with your friend.
FYI
I know rehabbing a wild is really hard with that fringe element :D (mine are kids)but it is still possible.
It will take longer the older she gets and should probably be done by someone else for various reasons.
Please do not be afraid to hand her over to a trusted rehabber that will not euthanize if she becomes wilder. Obviously you have her best interests in mind since you are here asking questions.
We have resources for you if needed.
:thumbsup

[Pashen]

I'm in for the long haul. I'm just glad to know that it was a passing thing. She's so much nicer now, not biting me any longer.

Twice a year, huh? I can handle it =)

[mugzeezma]

I'm in for the long haul. I'm just glad to know that it was a passing thing. She's so much nicer now, not biting me any longer.

Twice a year, huh? I can handle it =)
can we trade?

[Pashen]

LOL

I did my time. Two boys, James 23 and Jason 19 and my eldest might as well have been a daughter considering how often I had to dye his hair and style it. And my 19 year old used to have me put makeup on him.

My time is coming though. My daughter, Jexi, is 6 and a Princess already.

[Pashen]

I thought I would update people. I switched Bandit's diet, she gets 6-8 rodent blocks, rolled in Wheat Germ oil each day, along with a little fruit and greens.

But she kept losing hair, just on her tail until she had just a thin strip of brown fur left.

I was in to the vet with one of my cats and mentioned Bandit's tail. He specializes in small animals and says now that ferrets are so popular as pets, that they have found out more about them. And a few ferrets do the same thing in the winter, lose the hair on their tails. He also said that those that do, tend to have endocrine problems later in life.

So there you have it. Bandit has a recessive gene that makes her tail coil tight to her body, like some dogs do. And will probably always lose the hair on her tail through the winter. It's all starting to grow back now. Gray and white. So now I have this half grey/white and half brown squirrel. And because she's indoors, she probably will always have mixed summer/winter coloring.

So now I have to wonder if Bandit was orphaned because of a hawk killing the mother or because the mother sensed at 4 weeks that something was wrong with her baby and abandoned her.

In any case, thanks to everyone that had thoughts and well wishes for Bandit!