Grey squirrel chewing his tail

[Patty]

I haven't been on for a while now as Spencer has regained most of his movement back from his episode of paralysis. He walks sloppy and can not grip with his back toes. Also needs his bladder expressed. We have settled into a routine to care for him and he has a wonderful large kennel against the woods where we leave food for the birds and other squirrels at a feeder by his kennel. He still enjoys coming in at night and the social time with us in the home. Now the problem::wave123 Spencer has preened or picked all the hair off of the last two inches of his tail. He will 'clean it' until it bleeds. I just don't know why. Is he bored? Frustrated? Can't feel his tail at the end because of his injury? Ever heard of this before?? Any feedback is much appreciated. Patty

[island rehabber]

Patty have you looked closely at the tail tip to see if there are any red bumps or signs of mange mites? If it's not that, it could be that the tail is numb at the end and he is chewing at it to get rid of it....unfortunately squirrels will do this.

[thundersquirrel]

that does sound suspiciously like mange, though it's only on the tail. if he chews it off, some bacitracin (sp?) ointment would help clean it. if it's mange, there's medicine you can give called ivermectin (again, sp?). lol i sure know what to give but i certainly don't know how to spell. :D

[TexanSquirrel]

Oh noes! Is there anything she could put on it to keep him from chewing it in the first place? Something that tastes bad but is safe?

[Buddy'sMom]

I was browsing through Tips & Tricks recently and there is a discussion there of yucky-tasting stuff to use -- in the context of babies sucking on each other.

BUT (VERY BIG "BUT" HERE!!) -- I would be afraid that any of those products on raw and open flesh would likely burn like crazy. They are intended for intact flesh and may not be right here (unless she can determine with certainty that there is no feeling in that part of the tail).

It may be that a healing-type salve would also make it yucky to taste -- but I will leave that to the rehabbers as I don't know which ones could be safely ingested in case it DOESN'T taste bad. (TS suggested Bacitracin ointment.)

[Patty]

Thank you to all who have replied. I got home from work today and Spencer has chewed his tail at one little area on the approximately 2 inches of tail to the point where it is at a 45 degree angle. He took enough of flesh from that area to expose either tendon or tail nerve. It is a white looking string running along the top. I am feeling like he must have nerve damage and he is trying to get rid of the end where he can't feel it. Also that tail end does drag as his tail curls over along the side of his body and hits the floor, another reason he might be biting it. His coat is smooth and healthy, so I don't think it is mange. So, do I let him do what nature tells him to do and just keep the end clean, or do I take him to where I work and amputate the tail? Thanks again for your replies. Patty

[island rehabber]

So, do I let him do what nature tells him to do and just keep the end clean, or do I take him to where I work and amputate the tail? Thanks again for your replies. Patty

Patty if Spencer is calm enough that a vet visit won't freak him out, it might be wise and proactive to amputate the end that is 'dead'.....he is working on it himself, yes, but the risk of infection is there while the job is 'halfway done'. This is just my gut feeling -- I haven't run into this problem myself with a squirrel.

[thundersquirrel]

ugh. exposed tendon makes me think the sooner it's off the better. clearly he doesn't want it anymore.

i'm with IR- as long as he won't freak out. can you do it without anaesthetic? if he's had brain damage, i think making him sleep via gas is a bad idea. if he's just recovering from paralysis, there shouldn't be a problem.

somehow i can't get the image of a cleaver being raised above his tail out of my head. yikes! :)

[Secret Squirrel]

Taking him to a vet is the best suggestion I can give. He will need antibiotics too.

[TexanSquirrel]

Yuck! Poor little guy! Keep us posted!

[Patty]

Hi all, Yes, I spoke a vet from my work and it is his feeling like you, IR, that the dead part of his tail should come off. We will probably do this monday, as our schedule allows (employee pets go last on the surgery schedule) He suggested taking a hemostat and gently pinching until we can tell where his feeling stops. Also, we will use sevoflurane gas, which will allow him to wake up quickly. Spencer's tail looks about the same today- no worse. I can't believe how much I care for him. I value everyone's input; helping me to figure out the best thing to do for him. I will keep you posted. Patty:multi

[thundersquirrel]

Sounds awesome Patty. Good job. Make sure you give him lots of nuts and yummies the night before his operation. ;)

[Buddy'sMom]

Good luck, Spencer and Patty! :grouphug

[island rehabber]

Good luck Monday - prayers for a swift , uneventful recovery!

An answer to the obvious question "why would squirrels do something so awful as chew off the dead end of their tail (or limb)? " is this: it's a horrifying but efficient part of nature's awesome design. Squirrels are prey animals, and their entire existence revolves around NOT becoming anyone's prey anytime soon. So, whatever might hold them back -- make them slower or more vulnerable, such as a dead-ended tail or numb limb which is dead weight -- MUST be gotten rid of. It is the survival instinct working here, at its coldest and most efficient.

[TexanSquirrel]

I'm glad you've found help! Keep us posted!

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Good luck with the operation on Monday. I hope he makes a speedy recovery.

[Patty]

Hey everyone!
Spencer is supposed to have his surgery tomorrow; he was 'bumped' on monday(schedule full). His tail does look okay- no infection thus far. What a great squirrel he is and such a trooper for all he's been through!!! Patty:Love_Icon

[Gabe]

Good luck with the surgery today. We'll be thinking of you.

[Patty]

Hi everyone! Just an update on Spencer. He had about a 1/2 to 3/4 inch of the end of his tail taken off last wednesday. He did very well under anesthesia. He left it alone for 2-3 days and now is nibbling at it alittle, but just on the end. I think it will heal okay even though it will take longer if he keeps bothering it. Ofcourse his tail was shaved to do the surgery, but the tech that helped with the surgery misunderstood and shaved off 3-4 inches off tail fur. Needless to say, he looks pretty funny! Also, I will be starting him on supplemental calcium. I had bought some at the pet store, but found out on closer inspection at home that is to be sprinkled on top of food. I think I will return it and look for the kind that is mixed in water. Thanks, Island rehabber for the tip on the importance of calcium. Everyone have a wonderful day!! :jump Patty

[Somebody's Mother]

thanks for the update. glad to hear spencer is doing good.
don't they put those lampshade things on squirrels so they can't bite at their stitches?

[TexanSquirrel]

Poor little guy with a naked little tail! Pics please! :rotfl

[thundersquirrel]

our foxer just chewed off the end of her tail. i wish she would've let us deal with it. now it's a very uneven stump. :(

IR, what's this about calcium for tail-less squirrels?

nice to hear that yo squirrely is betta. :D

[island rehabber]

"our foxer just chewed off the end of her tail. i wish she would've let us deal with it. now it's a very uneven stump. :("

poor sweetie -- that's why I recommended that Patty have her vet do it before the squirrel made a mess of it :)

"IR, what's this about calcium for tail-less squirrels? "

See how rumors start? It wasn't calcium for tail-less squirrels, it was jsut calcium in general that I pm'd her about. hee hee. :D

[Buddy'sMom]

Glad to hear Spencer's surgery went well. Poor tail. Hope it heals quickly. :grouphug

[Sarah Nerd]

So is tail biting fairly common? My girl just started chewing just the very tip of her tail over the last few days to the point where it's bloody. She is otherwise very healthy, but the tip of her tail looks looks a tad swelled and bloody. Any advice of what to put on it would be appreciated.

[Tim Moore]

I have notice that Noggin our 18 week old grey baby has been eating the hair at the top of her tail...only when she is alone ore at night in her cage..I was thinking it is because she is nervous or sad...not mange or any thing that I had read..She was hurt in the head when she was just born and then again in the shop by falling two stories.She is a great one ,,She will not go in the wild ,she will not make it far..We had released 28 of them but Noggin will not be released..She does need us around with us and when we are not around by working she had been eating her tail and eating pine cones..any help that has been dealing with this will be helpful and thanks..Tim Moore