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Nukke
06-10-2011, 05:42 PM
:thankyou

I didn't mean to be a hit and run poster http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27564 (Here's my single post)

I wanted to update everyone. I gave Barf (the grey squirrel) a single dose of ivermectin mixed in with some peanut butter and spread on an apple. He ate the whole thing. 6 days later, he went missing. I was never able to give him his second or third dose.

We started to get worried when he--nor the three other squirrels--didn't show up for another almost two weeks. I knew there had been some construction on the roof, and decided to phone the landlord. I guess they plugged up a "squirrel hole". Oh. My. GOD. My neighbour had been complaining that squirrels were nesting under his bathtub and it was leaving a draft. The stupid construction workers plugged up the hole. THE SQUIRRELS WERE IN OUR WALL.

I heard them in there the next morning and my husband cut a hole in our baseboard. He immediately saw Barf, scurrying behind the wall. he was very thirsty, so we were feeding him water-soaked apple slices through the wall. I decided to make the wall big enough for him to fit through, and put a tiny bowl of water in there with some food while I notified the landloard. they were able to live-trap both ninja and burglar (the two black squirrels) in the next room over and release them back onto the roof. Barf remained in the wall. A few days later, I was able to coax him out of there and outside where he was reunited with ninja and burglar. All three squirrels were acting quite freaked out. Barf stopped hopping on the fence, and lurked around under the fence for a few days. But physically they were all in good health. I guess while they were in the wall they were living off of their stash and possibly some dripping water pipes.

No sign of The Mrs (the other grey squirrel). We figure she ran off when the construction workers were working around the nest. (no smells in the wall from rotting squirrels, so she isn't in there).

That was over a month ago. Burglar and Ninja don't come around much at all anymore. I guess they've moved on for the summer. Barf still comes around daily and has a fresh beautiful summer coat on. No baldness or patches anywhere. I guess he never had mange, or--if he did--the single shot of ivermectin did the trick while he recouped in the wall. So the sqwalls are safe and enjoying the summer. And I've repatched the hole in the wall.

Thanks for all your help. mjs

Here's a picture of our buddy with his new summer jacket on, playing some music on his peanut harmonica:
http://i53.tinypic.com/2ezkyvs.jpg

island rehabber
06-10-2011, 05:48 PM
:jumpI can laugh because this story has such a happy ending -- but Oh My God!!! Having taken in several "sqwalls" (love it!) in the past few years I know that it doesn't always have a good outcome. Good job, Nukke!! :thumbsup :bowdown

UDoWhat
06-10-2011, 05:52 PM
:thankyou :thankyou :thankyou For caring enough to take care of these squirrels. Also for posting the update. I hope you will check in often. Bless you!:Love_Icon

Nukke
06-10-2011, 06:00 PM
My pleasure! I really do love these furry little guys. We're having trouble with Barf getting into our tomato plants and digging them up lately. but the trouble is with us. We can't decide which we like more--watching him dig or having tomatoes in a few months.

I just found a picture of the squirrel hole and my method of getting him out of the hole. I coaxed him out with a few peanuts and apples outside of hole. Then the peanut trail led to the ledge and finally outside.

http://i54.tinypic.com/dzy0xf.jpg

4skwerlz
06-10-2011, 06:41 PM
Glad it was a happy ending.:thumbsup I often found that one dose of ivermectin was enough....one of my wilds would get mange, I'd get one dose into them with peanut butter on a nut, then I wouldn't see them for a while....then they'd return with a new fur coat and didn't have any further mange problems.

mpetys
06-10-2011, 06:46 PM
My pleasure! I really do love these furry little guys. We're having trouble with Barf getting into our tomato plants and digging them up lately. but the trouble is with us. We can't decide which we like more--watching him dig or having tomatoes in a few months.

I just found a picture of the squirrel hole and my method of getting him out of the hole. I coaxed him out with a few peanuts and apples outside of hole. Then the peanut trail led to the ledge and finally outside.

http://i54.tinypic.com/dzy0xf.jpg

Is that a window or a sliding glass door to the outside? If so, you can have both! Grow your tomatos in an earthbox indoors and then you can enjoy the squirrels and still have tomatos!

JLM27
06-10-2011, 09:09 PM
OK, just put some heavy flat rocks around your tomato plant and he can't do that. Thanks for being so loving to these guys.

Nukke
06-11-2011, 09:33 AM
Thanks for the tomato tips guys! That's a sliding glass door, but we can't afford an earth box (plus, how would the bees pollinate the flowers if they're indoors?). I really wanted to make a big raised garden bed for the tomatoes, but we don't have a car to get the lumber store and transport the wood, nor any carpentry tools in our little apartment. So some friends and relatives donated some big old pots they had and we're growing them there.

I'm going to give the rock idea a shot. We have lots of those around here!