broken limb

[eslg102]

My flying squirrel, Bean, has broken his left paw:( We don't know how but he defiantly did. Will he be okay? Will it heal with time? He holds it up but he still climbs on me and eats/drinks.

[farrelli]

I'm sorry about your baby. I've messaged a couple flyer experts here and pointed them to this thread. Hopefully they will answer soon. They're night people, so keep on checking.

Btw, I'm in Brookline. Where are you?

[eslg102]

Oh thank you for that! And I am just south of Boston.

[Skul]

Xnks for the heads up, farrelli.

If the little monster is active, chances are it will heal fine. He may favor it for a few days.
Try to keep his activity level down, as much as possible, for the next week.

[Mrs Skul]

:wave123 Hi eslg102
First off how old is Bean? Can you List what you are feeding Daily? (Exactly how many and how much.) Do you know what he was doing to injury him self?
Can you post a few Pictures of him and maybe a video of him using the foot?
I am going to try PMing you my cell Number. You all so can Email me your number if we cant do PM yet. Please give me a call. I am still typing 1 handed, and it takes me forever being Dyslexic
I hope your little one gets to feeling better soon.
cmsokla@nctv.com

[eslg102]

Hey! Merry Christmas!
Bean is around 12-13 weeks old. I got him the first sat. In November.
He fell from my church ceiling because we were doing renovations...haha so I took him home.
I am currently feeding him carrots, walnuts, pine nuts, lettuce, cabbage, raisins, cheerios, beans, a mix of nuts and veggies (for birds), and a mix of food for hamsters and guinea pigs. Mostly walnuts/carrots. I asked a wildlife rehibilitator about the bird food and hamster/guinea pig food and got the okay.
He also has the sticks for him to chew on and he's gone to town with those!

[farrelli]

I'm not a flyer person but I'm sure that the Skulls (the experts I notified about this thread) will chime in later as they tend to be night people. However, I'm guessing that they will tell you to change his diet immediately. That diet would be inappropriate for grey and fox squirrels (the kind I'm used to dealing with) and I think it's also unacceptable for a flyer. Squirrels are incredibly susceptible to something called MBD (metabolic bone disease) which will cause fragile bones, paralysis, seizures, and death. It's is by far the biggest emergency issue we get with first time board members who show up with their baby at death's door. I'm not sure if they'll want you to start the emergency MBD treatment, but I'm pretty sure that they'll want you to buy rodent blocks for him. Most people swear by Henry's.

http://www.henryspets.com/flyer-diet/

Here is also the thread for the proper diet of squirrels:

http://www.henryspets.com/pages/Healthy-Diet.html

I think that flyers are somewhat different (though not a lot) in that they also need more protein (usually worms or cooked chicken) and mushrooms (for certain vitamins).

Thanks for rescuing this cutie and hold on for more information from the experts.

[farrelli]

Here's a whole section specific to flyers on this site. I don't know if you have access given that your membership may not have been approved yet, but try anyway:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=93

Oh, I found a specific thread for flyer diets in there.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37700

I'll copy the contents in case you don't have access:

Thanks to Anne, MiriamS and Mrs Skul (Christal) we have the latest, most highly recommended Diet for pet flyers. Thank you ladies for your hard work on this very important subject ,


Healthy Diet for Pet Flying Squirrels


Your pet needs a balanced diet containing the right amounts of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. A healthy diet should include the following, provided fresh on a daily basis:

A variety of healthy vegetables and fruits
Wild foods from outside such as acorns
A source of protein
A source of calcium
Treats (not necessary to provide daily)


Vegetables: These add fiber, fresh vitamins, and micronutrients. Variety is key! Don't let your pet get hooked on just one veggie.

arugula (Rocket)
asparagus
avocado (important for fur health)
bok choy
broccoli rabe (rapini)
brussel sprouts
cabbage
carrots*
canola/rapeseed
cauliflower
celery
chayote
cherry tomato
chicory
Chinese cabbage (gai-lan)
cilantro, fresh
collard greens
cucumber
dandelion greens
daikon
endive
escarole
fennel
field pepperwood
flowering cabbage
garden cress
green beans
kale (important source of calcium)
kohlrabi
lettuce (all kinds)
maca
mushrooms (all kinds) (important source of Vitamin D)
mustard greens
okra
parsley (fresh)
pumpkin*
purslane
radicchio
radishes
rhubarb
romaine
radicchio
radishes
romaine
tatsoi
snow peas
soybeans
squash, winter*
squash, yellow*
sugar snap peas
sweet potato*
Swiss chard
watercress
zucchini
*items marked with asterisks * are either high in sugar or have high concentrations of minerals or vitamins and should be fed sparingly


Fruits:
apple
apricot
banana*
blackberries
blueberries
cantaloupe
cherries (sour and sweet*)
cranberries
grapefruit
grapes*
honeydew
kiwi
kumquat
lemon
lime
mango*
nectarine
oranges
papaya
peach
pear
pineapple
pomegranate*
raspberries
strawberries
tomato*
watermelon
*items marked with asterisks * are either high in sugar or have high concentrations of minerals or vitamins and should be fed sparingly


Wild Foods: These provide extra nutrients, amusement and exercise. Before you feed an unfamiliar wild food, always make sure it's not toxic! Do not use flowers from a florist because they are often treated with unhealthy chemicals

Safe plants and flowers:
bottlebrush flowers
camelia
carnations
chrysanthemums
clover (red and white)
crabapples
daisies
dandelion greens
hibiscus (all parts)
lambs quarters
magnolia cones
marigold
maple seeds
moss rose
natal plum
petunia
plantain
primrose
purslane
roses
rose hips
wood sorrel
Safe Trees (branches):
acorns (all kinds)
apple
aspen
birch
black walnut
bottlebrush
cherry
dogwood
hickory
locust
magnolia
maple
mulberry (all parts)
oak
orange
palm nuts & fronds (NOT the cycads: sago palm, cardboard palm, etc. are deadly)
pine cones
pear
pine (3-needle and 5-needle pines)
poplar
portulaca
raintree
spruce
torenia
walnut



Protein: An important source of protein, grubs or insects must be included in a flyer’s daily diet. Sprinkle calcium powder on insects to reach a proper calcium/phosphorus balance.
acorn worms
cicadas
crickets
egg (hardboiled)
grasshoppers
grubs
mealworms
moths
waxworms

Calcium: A must for preventing metabolic bone disease
calcium powder (sprinkled on fruit)
cheeses (shredded, small pieces, cream)
cuttlebone (sold at pet stores for birds)
deer antler
Fox Valley formula (can be fed to adults) (as powder or liquid)
sour cream
yogurt (plain)

Tooth health food: Thesehelp keep teeth worn down.
chicken bones (cooked)
deer antlers (often available on ebay)
rocks (cleaned)
sea shells
tree branches (see wild foods)

Rodent blocks: Offered as a supplemental food and NOT a main food.
Harland Tekland 2018
Henry’s Healthy Blocks Flyer Formula
Mazuri - rat and mouse blocks (blue bag)
KayTee FortiDiet - rat, mouse and hamster blocks

Treats: These fun foods can help with bonding, but should always be fed in small amounts.
nuts and seeds
dried fruits (raisins, cherries, banana chips etc.)
A box of clean dirt provides exercise, enrichment, surprises to chew on and minute amounts of trace minerals.
Treats: Nuts/Seeds/Grains: To be given in small amounts as treats, no more than two a day.
almonds
black walnuts
Brazil nuts
chestnuts
flax seed
hazelnuts (filberts)
oats (raw/dry/unflavored/unsweetened)
pecans
pine nuts
pumpkin seeds
safflower seeds
sesame seeds
soy nuts
squash seeds
walnuts

[CritterMom]

Excellent - the first thing I saw here was the deficient diet and how sad it would be to lose this adorable little munchkin with the hurt footie! Henry's even makes blocks for flyers:
http://www.henryspets.com/products/Flyer-Blocks.html

Rehabbers that do not work extensively with squirrels may not be aware of their tendency to develop metabolic bone disease. These are the easiest way to avoid it.

Also, I know they love pine nuts but they are VERY bad for MBD. I would drop them from the diet entirely.

[gs1]

:Welcome i'm so glad you found us.

i'm sorry you got the wrong information on flyer diet, unfortunately some of the best rehabbers out there don't really know the best diets.

mrs skul is one of our very best flyer experts ... please listen to her even though it might be a lot of information to take in a short time.

flyers really, really need meat protein every day ... unlike other tree squirrels, flyers eat a lot of insects etc in the wild.

also even though he's not a baby he also needs formula ... the only one to recommend is fox valley - they make formulas for all animals from foxes to deer to moose .... they have 2 baby squirrel formulas ... i'm not sure which one mrs skul uses for her flyers.

fox valley is a private company but the owner nick is not out to make a profit at the expense of wildlife and rehabbers .... he's a very honest and caring man and his formula is inexpensive but the highest qualitity ... you can order from him at http://www.foxvalleynutrition.com/product-lines/milkreplacers/


or at Henry's.

http://www.henryspets.com/fox-valley-day-one-formula-32-40/

wishing you all the best.:Welcome


ps: anything like towels or sweaters like the one he's on could cause him to pull his nail and maybe either break a finger etc... and maybe - i'm not sure ... his wrist.....

mrs skul is the best person to ask ... but we've so many good people (and info) on the tsb flyer forum ... http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=93

pps: never, ever feed esbilac ... even though some non tsb rehabbers are still recommending it ... several years ago the company changed their manufacturing process and ? hundreds of baby squirrels died... the company who makes esbilac do not recommend it for baby squirrels anymore... unfortunately many -non tsb - rehabbers are still using and recommending it.


ppps: OMG HE IS ADORABLE!!!!!! :D

[farrelli]

So, in short, what he seems to be needing in short order is protein and calcium. A lack of calcium is the cause of MBD. The experts will chime in as to whether the emergency MBD treatment is necessary, but adding a calcium supplement appears to be recommended as per the diet copied above. Many people use a Tums tablet, but if you're going to grind up a human calcium pill, be sure that it doesn't have D in it, or at least dilute it a lot. Human levels of D can harm squirrels.

[rocky63]

eslg102,
I am close by If you need help.

[farrelli]

Btw. the mushrooms are important in their diet because they need the vitamin D. Henry's blocks will help with that too. They need the D to help process the calcium. Without D and calcium, they get MBD. I think that most like Shii-ta-ke mushrooms (the "-" are in there so that the word doesn't get censored by the software). I think that the gills of the mushrooms are actually the biggest source if D.

Oh, and I never even realized that we had flyers here in MA. I once looked at a range map for them and MA wasn't on it. Good to know. Do you, or do one of our experts know, if it would be a Northern or Southern flyer?

[Skul]

Btw. the mushrooms are important in their diet because they need the vitamin D. Henry's blocks will help with that too. They need the D to help process the calcium. Without D and calcium, they get MBD. I think that most like Shii-ta-ke mushrooms (the "-" are in there so that the word doesn't get censored by the software). I think that the gills of the mushrooms are actually the biggest source if D.

Oh, and I never even realized that we had flyers here in MA. I once looked at a range map for them and MA wasn't on it. Good to know. Do you, or do one of our experts know, if it would be a Northern or Southern flyer?
Southern. :D
They go north in the winter to get away from the purple-haired ladies that go south to Florida in the winter. :innocent

[eslg102]

I don't know if it is a northern or southern...I thought he was southern...not sure. I took out the nuts/fruits/seeds. Now he has lettuce/cabbage and a tiny piece of cheese. I thought cheese was bad because of the cow milk?
And he is doing a lot better. Still favoring his paw but not as bad.
I am going to petsmart and looking for calcium blocks and more things he can climb on.

[CritterMom]

No, no - not calcium blocks. The "blocks" question are a manufactured diet for them, not the little things you attach to the cage bars to chew. They are frequently cut into squares, hence the "shorthand" name of "blocks."

The closest you will find in a pet store will be Kaytee rat and mouse food - they look like giant rabbit pellets (round like a pencil but larger, and about an inch long). Recommend the Henry's diet again - much better quality and they taste good, which is important.

[farrelli]

You also need to get a calcium supplement, mushrooms (for vitamin D), and a daily protein source (cheese is fine, but not everyday). The rodent blocks (again recommending that you order Henry's, they're the only ones specifically for flyers) will help a lot with nutrition needs. Given her diet, she may already be suffering from some level of MBD and it might be why she hurt her wrist (brittle bones) so, please do fix all of that up for this beautiful little one. I know that we might seem paranoid and over the top, but please just look through all the emergency threads to see HOW MANY first time posters we get here with squirrels dying of MBD. Maybe a week ago we lost about three of them in rapid succession. Diet is really, really important.

Thanks again for rescuing this cutie.

[Skul]

He's a southern.
Nuts are fine if not fed exclusively. A couple each day.
For greens,... Brocolli, kale, endive, cucumber slices, avocato, snow peas, slice of cherry tomato, romain, asparagus and many more.
You don't need to offer all of them at once, just a variety.
Change an item now and then.
Squash and pumpkin seeds are ok in small amounts.
A couple of slices of fresh mushroom would be nice.
A small bit of apple or pear is fine. A cranberry or blueberry is fine.
Just don't overdo it.
The protein..... mealworms, waxworms, cooked egg, cooked chicken, cooked turkey. Offer the drumstick or thigh bone while at it. Ours will eat 4-5 worms each day.

He may or may not take to some of the items. They're picky eaters and may want them the next day or so. Just keep offering a bit each day.

If you are concerned about calcium intake, get a container of RepCal.
Just a sprinkle of it on his food, is all you need.
We just toss the mealworms or waxworms in a small amount before we offwer them.

They love rose hips.

[farrelli]

Skull, given that SHE'S had a very low calcium intake for at least the last couple months, and that she's very young, should she get the emergency MBD treatment?

[Skul]

Skull, given that SHE'S had a very low calcium intake for at least the last couple months, and that she's very young, should she get the emergency MBD treatment?
Eslg keeps saying "he".
I don't think a full emerg. treatment is needed as yet.
Calcium intake should be increased as a precaution however.
If eslg is concerned about it, I would suggest a drop or two of Tums water every day until the diet is stable.
One regular Tums crushed and dissolved in a quarter cup of water.
Must be warm of course.

[eslg102]

He's a southern.
Nuts are fine if not fed exclusively. A couple each day.
For greens,... Brocolli, kale, endive, cucumber slices, avocato, snow peas, slice of cherry tomato, romain, asparagus and many more.
You don't need to offer all of them at once, just a variety.
Change an item now and then.
Squash and pumpkin seeds are ok in small amounts.
A couple of slices of fresh mushroom would be nice.
A small bit of apple or pear is fine. A cranberry or blueberry is fine.
Just don't overdo it.
The protein..... mealworms, waxworms, cooked egg, cooked chicken, cooked turkey. Offer the drumstick or thigh bone while at it. Ours will eat 4-5 worms each day.

He may or may not take to some of the items. They're picky eaters and may want them the next day or so. Just keep offering a bit each day.

If you are concerned about calcium intake, get a container of RepCal.
Just a sprinkle of it on his food, is all you need.
We just toss the mealworms or waxworms in a small amount before we offwer them.

They love rose hips.

Awesome! Thanks for your help. I got dried meal worms, grasshoppers and crickets. He loves them!
Also, I got him the cuttlebone and deer antler! :D
I will try to look for the calcium powder! I saw it but not sure if it was right...is it sup post to be for reptiles?

[eslg102]

eslg102,
I am close by If you need help.

Where do you live?
I live in Whitinsville/Uxbridge/Worcester/Millbury region.

[eslg102]

Eslg keeps saying "he".
I don't think a full emerg. treatment is needed as yet.
Calcium intake should be increased as a precaution however.
If eslg is concerned about it, I would suggest a drop or two of Tums water every day until the diet is stable.
One regular Tums crushed and dissolved in a quarter cup of water.
Must be warm of course.
Tums? Does it have to be a color/flavor? Or does it matter...?
And awesome. Good to know! Thanks! I just got him grasshoppers, crickets and mealworms and he LOVES them. Also I got deer antlers and cuttlebones.:crazy

[farrelli]

Awesome! Thanks for your help. I got dried meal worms, grasshoppers and crickets. He loves them!
Also, I got him the cuttlebone and deer antler! :D
I will try to look for the calcium powder! I saw it but not sure if it was right...is it sup post to be for reptiles?

Awesome work! :alright.gif Thanks for being so quick in caring for your little one! Sounds like all she needs now are blocks and maybe some Fox Valley. A bag of Henry's will last you over a month. Just keep it in the fridge or freezer.

Is her hand feeling better? Hopefully she's not flying around and landing on it!

[farrelli]

Tums are a craps shoot. Some squirrels love them as is and will eat them straight up, some need them crushed into powder and added to water. Most people buy the fruit flavored variety type and then play trial and error in trying to figure out if there's a flavor that they like or even love. We had one squirrel on here recently that hated the Tums water for all of about five minutes, then decided that she loved it, and then would even eat them straight up.

[Skul]

Just plain Tums. Crush it up into powder and mix in warm water.
Just a couple drops a day will help.
Check label for straight Calcium Carbonate.
If you can find RepCal, that would be preferred. (plain Tums can be costly over time)
Just a pinch sprinkled over food is fine.

[eslg102]

Awesome work! :alright.gif Thanks for being so quick in caring for your little one! Sounds like all she needs now are blocks and maybe some Fox Valley. A bag of Henry's will last you over a month. Just keep it in the fridge or freezer.

Is her hand feeling better? Hopefully she's not flying around and landing on it!
Yeah well I love her! She is adorable. I can't believe God could create a small animal with all the organs, vessels, muscles etc. And put it in such a small/beautiful body. :Love_Icon
And her paw is doing much better! She is in a happier mood and starting to be eager to get out of the cage again! I let her out for like 5 mins when I cleaned her cage but I'm keeping her inn there to rest her paw and left it heal.

[eslg102]

Me and Bean! 14ish weeks old.

[rocky63]

Where do you live?
I live in Whitinsville/Uxbridge/Worcester/Millbury region.
I'm about 20 minutes from you in the franklin area.
I'm happy you are working on his diet. Hang in there Bean:peace

[eslg102]

I'm about 20 minutes from you in the franklin area.
I'm happy you are working on his diet. Hang in there Bean:peace
Oh wow! Yeah I go to Franklin once in a while! You're right! That is close!

[farrelli]

You guys might want to work together then to possibly arrange for a squirrel-friendly vet. As you may know, squirrels aren't legal here and most vets won't touch them, so it's good to find one, if possible, in advance of any serious issues. The last thing you want is to run into an emergency and not have things lined up. Perhaps Rocky knows of one given that he's a rehabber. Or if he doesn't have one, perhaps he knows of how to get medication in the event of emergency.

Btw, Bean looks like she's waving at us!

[Skul]

Bean is just a Flat-tailed Gliding Hamster. :D

[rocky63]

Bean is just a Flat-tailed Gliding Hamster. :D
love it:rotfl :rotfl :rotfl

[eslg102]

You guys might want to work together then to possibly arrange for a squirrel-friendly vet. As you may know, squirrels aren't legal here and most vets won't touch them, so it's good to find one, if possible, in advance of any serious issues. The last thing you want is to run into an emergency and not have things lined up. Perhaps Rocky knows of one given that he's a rehabber. Or if he doesn't have one, perhaps he knows of how to get medication in the event of emergency.

Btw, Bean looks like she's waving at us!
Good idea. But flying squirrels are legal in MA....not normal squirrels....? Correct?

[rocky63]

You guys might want to work together then to possibly arrange for a squirrel-friendly vet. As you may know, squirrels aren't legal here and most vets won't touch them, so it's good to find one, if possible, in advance of any serious issues. The last thing you want is to run into an emergency and not have things lined up. Perhaps Rocky knows of one given that he's a rehabber. Or if he doesn't have one, perhaps he knows of how to get medication in the event of emergency.

Btw, Bean looks like she's waving at us!
Farrelli, I'm not a licensed rehabber yet. still studying and weighing the pros and cons of rehabbing in this state. although of all the years working with squirrels i still can't find a vet to work with me. :sanp3

[rocky63]

Good idea. But flying squirrels are legal in MA....not normal squirrels....? Correct?
flying squirrels are not legal to posses in MA. :shakehead

[eslg102]

Hmmmmmm...I just looked in the cage and saw her pee as almost an orange color? Maybe because the change in food? Is she okay?
She is EXTREMELY active and happy today!

[Skul]

Hmmmmmm...I just looked in the cage and saw her pee as almost an orange color? Maybe because the change in food? Is she okay?
She is EXTREMELY active and happy today!
Just make sure she has fresh water available at all times.

[farrelli]

Personally, I'd try to get her to pee on something white. If it's pinkish or red, then you might have a urinary infection or something. Got a cranberry or two? Just like in humans, they help with urinary tract health. If it's brown, it might be a food, for example, acorns make for darker urine in squirrels.

Skull?

[eslg102]

I think you're confused. I'm not trying to challenged your intelligence but on every single website it says FLYING squirrels are 100% legal. Not that everything online is right...but every website says they are legal. http://www.moonstonegerbils.com/index_files/squirrel/sfslegal.html
http://www.animallaw.info/administrative/adusma321cmr9_01.htm

[eslg102]

Personally, I'd try to get her to pee on something white. If it's pinkish or red, then you might have a urinary infection or something. Got a cranberry or two? Just like in humans, they help with urinary tract health. If it's brown, it might be a food, for example, acorns make for darker urine in squirrels.

Skull?
She does go to the bathroom on white materials. And I just checked and her pee is back to normal! Thanks!

[rocky63]

flying squirrels are not legal to posses in MA. :shakehead
I stand corrected.:shakehead only southern flying squirrels are allowed in MA. go figure :dono

[eslg102]

I stand corrected.:shakehead only southern flying squirrels are allowed in MA. go figure :dono
Awesome! Wow I was scared for a second! So I'm taking her to New Jersey with me...she won't get car sick will she?