Deseased???

[crazyartistchipmunkguy]

Well, as you may know, I feed squirrels on my free time. Hammy turned out to be a case of mistaken identity. I thought he was gaining too much weight when infact he was a she and returned with three healthy baby squirrels. Now I feed all of them. They even eat out of my hands. Recently a male with light gray fur has shown up though. He is behaving well, but he's balding in patches on his back, underarms, leg creases, and neck. At the center of these patches are open wounds that are not healing. His respiration is unusually fast as well, and other squirrels ostricise him. What's wrong with him? He's not showing the normal signs of Rabes (aggression, oral foaming, limping ect.) and he doesn't show anny aggression towards me at all. So, I'm confused as to what it is, and since he eats out of my hands sometimes, I don't want to end up with a desease ridden bite.

[Milo's Mom]

Squirrels do not get or transmit rabies. Is there a way you could get a pic and post it? A pic of what you are describing will be of great assistance to the Rehabbers.

[Rhapsody]

Possible Mange - if it is Mange, 1 drop of kitten Revolution between his shoulder blades would cure him right up. Can you get a picture and post it?

[Wonkawillie]

I dont want to be contradictory , but squirrels CAN get rabies. Rabies is a virus that can be carried by any mammal, including humans. It is always fatal, so it is not something to mess around with. However, what I think was meant is that squirrels dont usually get rabies, as their lifestyle does not put them at a whole lot of risk. They dont usually eat meat. Meat eaters often come in contact with rabies due to other meat eaters attracting to dead meat or fresh meat. The contact with the other animals is the risk, as there may be a squabble over the food and some bites. Now Rabies is a very, very fragile virus. Most virus particles have like a shell over them to protect them ( kind of like that membrane found in a hard boiled egg, to try and explain it). Rabies virus DOES NOT have this membrane, so it dies very quickly outside of body temperature and exposed to the environment. This is why the old rule is that a bite from a rabid animal is very dangerous and it indeed is. The saliva with the virus in it, has basicly been injected into another body from the bite. On the other hand, lets say a rabid raccoon drinks from my horses water tub outside. This raccoon slobbers saliva all over the water tub and into the water. Unless one of the horses were to rub up against this saliva with an open wound right away, the virus is dead within minutes. It would die right away once it hits the cool water too.
very unlikly for squirrels to carry Rabies. I dont think there have been any reported cases here in my state.
No disrespect meant to the last post. It is true that squirrels are so unlikly to ever have rabies. But with the seriousness of this virus, I thought I should post.

[Wonkawillie]

is it too early for bot flies in Ohio? But it sounds like Bot flies. Yuck!

[Mrs Skul]

:morning Hi crazyartistchipmunkguy
Without seeing a picture it is almost impossible to identify the problem.
It also could have been another Squirrel Attacking and Fighting Another!
It is Breading Season. :poke
That is why it's important for picture. :camera If it is possible for you to take and post a few. :flash
We should be able to address the issue. :thumbsup3
Thank you for caring so much for These Little Furry Kids.:grouphug
Have a good Day! Christal

[astra]

just would like to add a little bit:

Yes, squirrels rarely transmit rabies (as far as remember, there have been literally a couple of recorded/reported cases when a human got rabies from a squirrel). When I had to go for my shots (for another reason, was bitten by a dog), the doctor told me that if I had been bitten by a squirrel, they wouldn't even bother with shots for me, probably.

Once an animal, say, a squirrel, contracts rabies, they become sick rather quickly, exhibiting all the characterstic symptoms. So, if your squirrel got rabies, most likely, you would have seen it already.

Rabies vector species, on the other hand, easily get it and carry it. In other words, they might not get sick themselves (or not right away), but will carry the virus that they can transmit the way Wonkawill described so well. So, even if a racoon or a fox might not look and/or act rabid, they may simply carry it.
Squirrels, however, will go down fast. They can't carry it, they succumb to it fast.

[CritterMom]

just would like to add a little bit:

Yes, squirrels rarely transmit rabies (as far as remember, there have been literally a couple of recorded/reported cases when a human got rabies from a squirrel). When I had to go for my shots (for another reason, was bitten by a dog), the doctor told me that if I had been bitten by a squirrel, they wouldn't even bother with shots for me, probably.

Once an animal, say, a squirrel, contracts rabies, they become sick rather quickly, exhibiting all the characterstic symptoms. So, if your squirrel got rabies, most likely, you would have seen it already.

Rabies vector species, on the other hand, easily get it and carry it. In other words, they might not get sick themselves (or not right away), but will carry the virus that they can transmit the way Wonkawill described so well. So, even if a racoon or a fox might not look and/or act rabid, they may simply carry it.
Squirrels, however, will go down fast. They can't carry it, they succumb to it fast.


And usually don't even get the chance since they would usually die from a predator inflicted wound long before rabies could even think of infecting them.

[Rhapsody]

And usually don't even get the chance since they would usually die from a predator inflicted wound long before rabies could even think of infecting them.
I agree whole heartedly and was going to post some thing similar to this last night, but lost track of time.... :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

P.S.
they die
or eaten

[Marci]

Me too.

I was bitten by a healthy squirrel years ago while hand feeding. I went to the ER and the doctor said, it is so rare that a squirrel will have rabies. He gave me a tetnus shot instead. I am still here to talk about it.

I am sure most of the board members have gotten bitten a few times. I am hoping that no one has developed rabies from it. I think that it would have been posted, no?

Marci

[crazyartistchipmunkguy]

Thanks all! He's getting better on his own, but he's extremely docile. He's wild, and I'm able to stroke his tale without his caring at all. Sadly I am having problems logging in, so I can't really check regularly. My profile keeps logging off when I don't want to, and none of my passwords will go through. (seventh time I've had to request a new one) Plus, my brother and his friend smashed the computer, so I am operating via mobile internet divice. Can't upload pictures... Does anyone have an Email so I can stay in contact?