Injured Gray Squirrel Needs Help... Anyone in SC

[DownARiver]

Hi
I was just outside checking on some baby chicks that I have hatched and I found one of the resident squirrels with what appears to be a broken right front paw. It let me scoop it into a pet carrier and I put some hay and covered it and placed it near the chicks heat lamp (not under the lamp...outside their pen) for the night, but now I'm trying to figure out what to do. I know my vet will put it down and I don't know what to do. It can't climb higher than 12 inches on the trees and it doesn't bear any weight. It is scraped... Kinda looks like road rash on the front paw and possibly hind foot. Poor hints been huddled in the bushes all night.

Would love help from anyone. I've tried contacting wildlife rehabilitates from the page, but can't find one that does squirrels. I'm in Walhalla SC (Oconee County)


Thank you in advance,
Ginny

[skippy]

Hi Ginny:
There are others here who will be able to help you locate a vet or rehabber in your area.

Thank you for gathering him up but leaving him outside on the ground will not be helpful. Nighttime preditors are sure to find him, stress him out or kill him.
It is injured, may have head trauma and be in shock.

The squirrel needs to be placed in a warm dark and quiet environment. I bring them into my home into a spare room, my squirrel room, and place the carrier 1/2 on and 1/2 off of a heating pad so only part of the carrier is warm.
Do wear a heavy leather work glove to protect yourself from being bitten if you need to work around him.
I would put a flannel sheet folded up on the bottom of the carrier and loose t-shirts, flannel, fleece but NO TOWELS. Their nails get caught in them and they can break more toes that way. Put enough loose un-raveling fabrics in there so that it can hide under them.
Put a towel over the top of the carrier.

You can put a dish of water with some small stones in it to keep it from tipping over near the front so you can get to it easily, it will find it if it wants to drink. Don't offer any food until you can get instructions from someone who can help you further.

WARM, DARK and QUIET are the first things you need to provide.

Good Luck, your in good hands here.

[skippy]

Ginny,
Only put a shallow dish of water in the cage and only if it is an adult squirrel.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Hi Ginny..
thank you first of all, welcome to TSB..
I know someone in Liberty who will be able to advise.
I will contact her in the morning.
Please post as to whether the injured sq makes it thru the night.
Thank you,,
PS, I have property in oconee, fox wood hills. small world:)

[DownARiver]

Hey,
Thanks for the quick replies. I will wait to hear from someone and do all the other stuff everyone mentioned in the meantime...

He is very alert and breathing normal so I think that is at least a good sign. He leg is swollen now though. Looks to have a laceration above where the squirrel wrist bone would be but there isn't any blood.

[Jackie in Tampa]

you cannot recieve private messages...
yet!
lisa/lilidukes is in liberty, her number is 864-855-1248..
she is a rehabber and has all supplies and ability to help...
call her, her internet is down.
good luck and please keep us in the loop

[DownARiver]

Ok! Thanks so much! I'll call her ASAP. I hope she can help. He is curled up in a little ball this morning but he's still alive and is breathing. I hope he makes it. I really liked seeing him every morning when I went out to feed my chickens... So sad.

[DownARiver]

Thanks so much Jackie and everyone else! :thankyou

I'm meeting Lilie today and she is going to try and help him out.

I had no idea that there were people out there that did this... Especially in the area where I am living. It generally seems to be the last thing that people are willing to do for an injured squirrel. Priorities and values sometimes are a little skewed... It's nice to know that there are people out there that are willing to help. It really is a great thing that you all do for wildlife. :thumbsup

[island rehabber]

:goodpost:thumbsup thnk you lili for always being there for our fuzzy ones!!