coming out of the closet

[rocky63]

Hello Squirrel Board

I like many others have been lurking and once and a while would add a comment on a thread. So I thought it was time to introduce my self and MY fuzzball.

My name is Bryan:wave123 and My Fuzzball name is Rascal:wave123 . Rascal came to me a year and a half ago as a Rescue from a person my son knew who tried to raise him as a pet.

I don't know much about how he was raised all I know is that he was kept in a closet without a cage. He was 6 months old when I took him in and thin as a tooth pick, patchy fur and a very poor sense of balance. Today he looks great and loves to be held and play. the only problem he sill has is his balance issue. he can not sit up or hold him self steady. But he does OK for his handicap. He has learned to prop him self up in the corner of his cage so he can hold his food.

Rascal also looks different than other squirrels. He is a gray but his nose is dark gray and his belly is gray/black in color unlike the white fur on other gray squirrels. If anyone has suggestions on what I could do to help him gain a better balance I would love to hear your views.

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[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

HI There
so glad you came out of the closet LOL:jump
Rascal looks like a real bruiser.
Beautiful fur coat there.
I re sized your pictures so we can see better

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Usually the balance issue is from a brain injury, like a fall, not much you can do about that.
What are you feeding him?
He sure looks healthy to me.

[rocky63]

Thank you Laurie
It was tough for me just to post the pictures. resize :rotfl

[stepnstone]

:Welcome to TSB:wave123
Do you know the circumstances to how he was found? Do you know what his diet was while he was "closet captive" and would you give us in detail what his diet is now. Proper nutrition is vital to the health of a squirrel so lets start there.

[rocky63]

He gets his Henry's blocks, fruits,veggies,Zupreem monkey biscuits and his treats as you can see him with. I tried to get in touch with the person who gave Rascal to my son. But they never called me back.

[astra]

what a beautiful squirrel Rascal is! LOVE his coloring and those "dirty" faces :)

Besides, injuries, balance issues might also be dietary - MBD consequences if he was not fed a proper diet before (or was not on the right formula).
But I am sure now with daily HHBs and your love and care he will improve!

He needs his own thread! What a handsome little guy!:Love_Icon

[Garden71]

He's a cutie.
All the girls are going to be after him.:D

[trueblue]

He is adorable ~

Does he like the zupreen monkey biscuits?

My guy never really took to them, and I tried everything to get him interested.
I had to special order this huge bag, and still have part of them.
I dish them out for the outside squirrels, but they aren't nutty about them either.

Beautiful pictures ~
You were truly blessed with his arrival to your home
Best to you both ~

[rocky63]

He likes the monkey biscuits but never finishes one. He will eat half and then put it away for later same as the rodent block. so i mix it up and give one day HHB then monkey biscuit the next day.

[shellyb1018]

aww Rascal is sooo cute, he is a little fatty :D
:Welcome

[jakid709]

Love the cutie! Always good to see someone else's hands that look like they caught in barb wire.

[JakesLittlePrincess]

He's a handsome guy. Glad he has you and that you found TSB!

[island rehabber]

Beautiful little guy -- so squidgeable!!
A lot of us call that the "dirty face coloring". When I was up in Niagara Falls a few years ago, nearly all the squirrels had Rascal's dark face. :)

[rocky63]

jakid709, Yes my hands do look like i got caught in barb wire but do to rascals balance problem I dont let him climb on me to much. he get so excited when i let him climb he some times just pushes off my coat and falls.
I dont want him to fall and get hurt so I keep a close hand all the time when he is out of his cage.
but the barb wire hands are worth every moment of play time with him :crazy

[trueblue]

Oh gosh.....I miss those scratches.
Your little guy is so lucky to have you watching over him so carefully.
and he's so cute !

[Feeze]

It sounds like you've got all the information you need, but I wanted to make an observation. Your squirrel seems to have some Melanism in him.That is why his "white" isn't really white. He's a special one.:thumbsup No need to worry, there are many others like him, but only in certain territories I believe.

[Sarabi]

HE IS SOOOO HANDSOME!!!:D

[Milo's Mom]

Welcome to TSB!!!

Awww, your little Rascal has a "dirty face"! I love the little tiny patch of pink on the front of his nose...just makes you want to kiss it!!

[rocky63]

Feeze,
Since I don't have any back round on him that is what I would like to know. I haven't seen any squirrels around here with those colors. So I'm thinking the person that gave him to my son brought him from some where else.

[Jackie in Tampa]

http://www.nativeremedies.com/products/vertifree-vestibular-inner-ear-balance.html?ysmchn=MSN&ysmcpn=MSN+Main&ysmgrp=VertiFree&ysmtac=PPC&mkwid=pcy9jCdfd&crid=743287130&mp_kw=vertigo&mp_mt=p

could this be an inner ear/vertigo issue?
i have never used this product...but it maybe worth a try.
It's not cheap, but unlike so many herbal suppliments, it's FDA approved.

He is gorgeous Brian!

[Ladyshires]

What a gorgeous little chunky guy. Love him :)

[rocky63]

Thank you Jackie, I will try the virtifree. What is the best way to give it to him and do you have any idea for a dosage? Although he looks a little chubby in the pictures he is a little on the thin side.. I have not weigh him but I think he is just under a pound.