My squirrel has a mangy tail

[Terryvr]

Melanie is a squirrel we found in Texas. She was a few days old when she fell out of her nest and mama never came back. We cared for her and raised her for 14 weeks and had to release her as per Texas law. As seen in this picture, her tail is very mangy. She returns to our house each day for pecans (unshelled) to eat. She will also have some sunflower seeds. Then she takes pecans (shelled) to bury in the yard along with acorns. This is her main diet and I do not know what else she eats out in the wild. Is this diet causing problems and making her tail look like this or is it something else? Please let me know as she is our little girl.

[Terryvr]

Here is another picture of Melanie. An otherwise healthy and vivacious girl. Except for her tail.

[Milo's Mom]

If her main diet is nuts and sunflowers seeds, yes, that is why her tail looks like that. Sunflowers seeds are awful for squirrels, throw them away and never feed them again. (yeah, they are that bad). Squirrels require a high calcium low phosphorus diet....what you've been feeding is the exact opposite.

Take a look at the Nutrition Forum, specifically the Healthy Diet. I use the Healthy Diet as my shopping list.

Since she is released I would assume she is eating alot of wild foods on her own (at least I would hope so).

[farrelli]

She may also have mites. Do you have any Revolution (ideal) or Ivermectin? Looks like you could apply it easy enough.

And here's a link to the proper diet chart:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39275

[astra]

usually, wild squirrels are good at regulating their own diets and a few human treats do not do any harm.

It might be different with releases b/c they were raised by humans and it may take them a bit longer to be completely independent and use human treats as treats only.
So, that's why your treats may affect her.

Diet deficiencies (unless they are as severe as MBD) do often manifest themselves in fur and tails.

As everyone already said: no to sunflower seeds, no corn (in case there is any), if possible give more of almonds and hazelnuts and fewer pecans (treats only type of thing).

Another question: when you were raising her, did she have any veggies and greens? What was her diet like?
When they are raised on proper diet, it's easier to supplement them with good food once they are released.
But if she wasn't raised to eat veggies and greens, it might be difficult, BUT still doable.

instead of giving her nuts only, try offering these:
belgian endive (even wild squirrels, who have tons of much more fun wild foods, seem to be ok with belgian endive)
escarole, radicchio, kale, lettuces etc.

Also, www.henryspets.com sell Wild Bites - this is squirrel block with complete nutrition intended to supplement wild squirrels specifically.
YOu could also try Picky Eaters block, and even regular Adult block.
See which kind she will like, or you could combine them all.
Two per day will be a good supplement.
All these blocks are formulated specifically for squirrels and are great.

Very often fur loss, that often starts with tail, is the result of insufficient protein. If she doesn't know yet how to eat all the protein in the wild (insects and what not), this could be a reason.
Henryspets blocks will provide her with the protein she needs (at least, until she completely integrates into the wild life style).

It looks like you can handle her?
If so, you could try Revolution: a drop between shoulders on the skin (part fur) repeat once a week for three weeks.

But mange usually starts around shoulders, eyes etc and then spreads to the tail.

[Terryvr]

When I raised Melony she loved fruits and vegetables. She fell in love with watermelon thus her name Melony.
She does not seem to eat fruits and vegetables like she used to

I will look over the proper diets as well as checking her for mites.
And.......NO MORE SUNFLOWER SEEDS!!