Wild with hurt eye

[Garden71]

I think it's my wild squirrel Stumpy that is hurt. He doesn't look like he is in pain but as I have learned it's a game they play in the wild. He has an appetite and is active. I have seen another one with his eye with pus about 3 weeks ago and I don't know if it's him and he's getting better. I don't want to try to catch him because if I fail he will not trust me and I am afraid he won't come around and eat the food I give him. I don't know what to do.....:thinking

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg578/Garden71/IMG_0937.jpg

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg578/Garden71/IMG_0938.jpg

[Nancy in New York]

Can you get any photos? I agree trapping right now, until we can see what we're dealing with is not the best option, as it is so stressful.

[Garden71]

Can you get any photos? I agree trapping right now, until we can see what we're dealing with is not the best option, as it is so stressful.

Sorry I submitted before I attched pics.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Do you see puss??
Could have been poked during a fall,can he see out of the other eye??
As long as he is eating and seems ok I wouldn't know what else you can do.
I agree catching him would stress him too much

[Garden71]

The other eye is fine. There is nothing coming out of the eye now but will update if there is. A cat just pass through the front yard and I just chased it away. I don't know where he is now but I am going to check in a few to see where he is.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Hose the cat if you can, maybe it will stay away.

[Garden71]

Hose the cat if you can, maybe it will stay away.


There is another way to keep it away but let's not go there.....LOL Only kidding.

[Joylynn]

He really needs to be caught.The only other thing I can think of is to give a general anti biotic and try putting that in some of the food you feed him. You of course would have to make sure he gets the medicated food.He should be caught to treat him properly.Get a trap and that way its not you he doesn't trust.Good luck! My heart goes out to you.

[astra]

Gosh, another one of those difficult situations.:grouphug

His eye looks like it won't be functional again.
Although, trapping and catching does cause stress, the initial stress goes away, especially, when they realize that they are being helped.
There are numerous examples of that, from people I know personally and from the most recent TSB cases (JLM's wild and Tara's car hit accident).

However, his chances in the wild, especially, with a cat around, are rather slim.

But before one decides trapping, it's important to clarify - what for?

Again, I don't know what's going on with this poor guy's eye, but to me it looks like it is not going to be normal again. If so, then, he will become a NR.
So, if trapping - then, one has to be prepared to keep him as a NR.
Will you be able to keep him as a NR?...
I know it can be done because I know it's been done many times.

If you are not sure you can commit to keeping him as a NR if it turns out his eye is a permanent injury, then, there is no sense trapping.

Sorry, I know, not an easy situation...

[rocky63]

Gosh, another one of those difficult situations.:grouphug

His eye looks like it won't be functional again.
Although, trapping and catching does cause stress, the initial stress goes away, especially, when they realize that they are being helped.
There are numerous examples of that, from people I know personally and from the most recent TSB cases (JLM's wild and Tara's car hit accident).

However, his chances in the wild, especially, with a cat around, are rather slim.

But before one decides trapping, it's important to clarify - what for?

Again, I don't know what's going on with this poor guy's eye, but to me it looks like it is not going to be normal again. If so, then, he will become a NR.
So, if trapping - then, one has to be prepared to keep him as a NR.
Will you be able to keep him as a NR?...
I know it can be done because I know it's been done many times.

If you are not sure you can commit to keeping him as a NR if it turns out his eye is a permanent injury, then, there is no sense trapping.

Sorry, I know, not an easy situation...
Astra :goodpost

[Scooterzmom]

I had one wild who got badly hurt - her eye was all bloody, the side of her face ripped - and it looked absolutely terrible then and seemed full of puss on the days that followed. The reason I know is because she had her nest in my backyard neighbour's tree and I could watch her day after day with binoculars. I threw food for her discreetly over the fence when my neighbors were not there, the poor thing never climbed down the tree just to garb it and would go back up... she never left her tree for 5 days... but... EVENTUALLY she did show up and her eye was like your little friend's: greyish blue, all cloudy. She survived out there for 2 years - a real miracle with tons of cats and dogs and racoons around - before she did disappear.

So, I am 99% sure that your little friend's eye is on the mend now and that there is no need to subit him to the stress of being caught right now. I'd make sure he has good food available, and most of all that the mean kitty-kat stays away. Thing is, in the long run - as astra pointed out - with predators around a one-eyed little prey animal is at a huge disadvantage and you might want to try and trap him. :(

BTW The hosing down thing does wonders however... particularly if he doesn't know it's you spraying him (the idea being for him to think it's what he DOES that gets him squirted, and not a certain person who does it); reason is, cats don't take to discipline because something pleases or displeases you, it takes to discipline if what they do brings unpleasant results time after time, then they'll stop doing it because they associate the action itself with the displeasure ;)

[Garden71]

:thumbsup Thank you everyone!!!!!
After the cat I looked out and one of the kiddies was face to face with a HAWK!!!!!
As soon as I opened the window the Hawk flew away. Thank GOD!!!!!!

Astra thanks for the advice. My wife is all for bring him in but we both agree that he belongs outside with his buddies, they do look out for each other. I will keep an eye out and if he looks like it is having problems outside he will have a new home inside before you know it.

Scooterzmom the same thing happen to my wife's buddy Friendly. He was hurt and he went up into the nest in the front of the house and another one that my wife named Crazy Bitch...LOL helped him. She was bringing him food for a few days and about a month later Friendly was back jumping onto my wife’s lap.

Only time will tell I will keep you all posted. :thumbsup

[bobby taylor]

Get that trap set as quickly as you can. I have seen blind squirrels in the wild and they dont have much of a chance of surviving. I had one that use to come to my feeder and i could sneak up on him and touch him any time. This is the only thing you can do to save him. They have a hard enough time surviving with 2 good eyes. Keep us posted.