Help with Miss Suzy... Botfly???

[blessedbeingmom]

We released Miss Suzy on 8/8/12 at about 6 months old. We would see her periodically and give her a rodent block or a nut. She would sometimes come when we called her. We hadn't seen her in about 10 days & were getting worried about her, especially since we had tropical storm force winds here in the last few days.
This morning two of my kids went outside & came back in the house with Miss Suzy on my middle daughter's back. She has a wound that looks like a botfly, according to my DH. What can/should we do?
I have easy access to most human meds if needed.
Does she need veterinary care? I do not know of anyone who sees squirrels. I am about an hour from New Orleans, Gulfport & Hattiesburg, MS. However, with recent weather conditions, I do not know if travel is safe to those areas at the moment or even if anyone is open. How urgent is this?
Please advise!
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FIg056dzkcg/UEDEB8Zf4VI/AAAAAAAAAT0/G_VbH5UYGmI/s556/IMG_1609.jpg

[pappy1264]

As long as she is eating and seems herself, you don't need to do anything, it will come out on its own. Watch for signs of infection (a lot of redness, her not wanting to eat, lethargy) but otherwise, it will run its course and she should be fine.

[blessedbeingmom]

She ate two rodent blocks & a nut so far and seems normal. So should we just release her back into the trees & hope she comes to us if she needs us?
We temporarily put her into a small ferret container for a few moments & she chewed out of it in no time. I have a feeling she would not like to be contained for long. Right now she is in a cat carrier until we determine what to do with her. We are having the kids keep a close eye to make sure she doesn't chew her way out of it.

[blessedbeingmom]

Our house is not squirrel-proof which is why we put her in the carrier, for her own safety until we figure out what to do.

[CritterMom]

Don't mess with it. If you kill or damamge the larvae trying to get it out it will release a toxin that will sicken or kill the animal. The bot will crawl out when it has developed and the wound will heal.

[Scooterzmom]

I agree with C M & pappy. I know those things look horrible and disgusting... but the fact is, if the squirrel is healthy the larvae will mature and get out. I had one guy last week who looked just terrible... I mean, real bad... and the fly got out, since then, and all that is left is a bald spot on him where it used to be. The hair will grow back.

JMHO But I say the best thing is not to mess with it. Being held in captivity might stress her and that could compromise her immunity. If the squirrel starts looking run down or sickly, then I would intervene... otherwise I'd let nature take it's course. Infection is the only thing to worry about really but they know how to keep themselves clean and they do.

[blessedbeingmom]

Thank you all for the help! We will let her go back where she came from and try to keep an eye on her if she will let us. Someone can move this out of emergency since it's not life-threatening. I didn't know & we were really worried about her.