An unexpected ... smell

[Aubedete]

So Skip thrives happily in our family. He's now 8 weeks old and is slowly weaning himself.

About his diet: apart from the blocks and fresh veggies from my fridge, the parcimonial fruit and nut, I daily get him greens from outside: he particularly loves linden little fruits, will have a bite at dandelion leaves, some flowers, argula. Not too hot on thuya buds... Took the acorn and hid it under the linings of his cage.

I think it's nice for him to have a taste of the wild, since I'd like him to eventually get back there, even if he's the cutiest :Squirrel. My principal motivation is the smell. More than once a day, Mr. Skip half pees on himself. That makes hims SKINK. :yuck He protests the wiping and hates taking a bath. :pissed <--that's my Skip

:help What can I do to improve the situation? :help
As a therapist, I sometimes offer consultations at home but it is impossible with the smell. Your questions, suggestions and ideas are more than welcome!

I still love the little guy :Love_Icon, of course. But for the moment, it's tough love.

[Rhapsody]

I would not keep on washing him unless there is a flea issues and then you can use Dawn dish soap.
If you must wipe him down due to pee or poop issues use natural unscented baby wipes.

In the mean time please look over the proper diet for a squirrel:
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?39275-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels-(Revised-2-13)

Feed HHB squirrels blocks, wild plants, vegetables, then fruits and nuts as treats.
If you want to try and keep the formula going add some vanilla yogurt to it.

Squirrel Blocks - HHB:
http://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-diet/

[Anne]

Hmmmmmm, maybe see if he will eat some cranberries or drink some cranberry juice from a syringe. Helps with urination problems, including the smell. He should have better control of his bladder at his age and should not be urinating on himself.

[farrelli]

Yes, I wonder if he has some kind of UTI. REAL cranberry juice (not like Ocean Spray which is just a little juice) would be great. And I wonder if you have any antibiotics at your disposal. Stinky urine and peeing all over ones self is not normal.

Oh, and is he well hydrated?

[Anne]

Antibiotic should be SMZ-TMP, a sulfa drug. That is what is normally used for UTI's.

[Aubedete]

I have printed out the squirrel diet a few weeks ago and we're pretty much following it, considering Skip has shown no interest in solid food before 5 days ago, and from there, he seems to enjoy chewing on new flavors each day. The Henry's Blocks are the basic, of course, thought all in all, considering the crumbs, he does not seem to INGEST that much. I do not believe it is the diet though.

I wipe him 2-3 times a day, using cotton (flannel) soaked in water and one tinny bit of environementally extra-friendly mild soap, which I rinse carefully of course. He gets a bath from bottom to tommy every 3 days, with little of the same soap, well rinsed. I don't mean to treat him bad but he really stinks, and I'm not sure either it is very healthy for him to have all this old pipi in his fur!

Another thing: he also pees in is bedding, which I find anti-natural for any mammal.

So, Farrelli and Anne, you suspect this could be caused by UTI? Well, if so, I can find a good nondiluded non-sweetened organic one cranberry juice tomorrow (today's holiday in Quebec). Cranberry juice will work if UTI is caused by e-coli contamination only, though. How much should I give him, how many times a day, and for how long?

Antibiotics? The pharmacist will not give any without a prescribtion. I'll check with friends if they have any leftovers. Not sure I can find a vet around here to see him...

More hypothesis :

- Could it be comportemental, like a response to the environment? :dono (The therapist in me.) Has anyone ever heard of a squirrel reacting like this to, say... two young teens :hyper :hyper not always remembering they have to be quiet and to move slow around him? Yet that would not explain the wet bed.

- Or is it simply the lining of his cage that is not ok? I use cotton flannel, half the bottom of the cage. I try to follow the advice I read on the SBD, but if someone would be kind enough to tell me precisely the best way to do this so the little guy gets inspired? Maybe I need guidance here. :carzy2

:thankyou for your support in this!

[farrelli]

I've got to run, but you can also call pet shops and see what kind of ABs they have. Sometimes they will sell them for fish, reptiles, and birds without a script.

[Aubedete]

Oh, and is he well hydrated?

He still drinks 20ml 3 times a day, plus has access to purified water.

[Aubedete]

I've got to run, but you can also call pet shops and see what kind of ABs they have. Sometimes they will sell them for fish, reptiles, and birds without a script.

OK, I'll see to that tomorrow.

If I can find antibiotics, what dosage should he be given?

[Aubedete]

Antibiotic should be SMZ-TMP, a sulfa drug. That is what is normally used for UTI's.

NOTED :)

[Aubedete]

Look at the poor thing... :(
Like this many many times a day.

213857

[CritterMom]

Um, also...

I have a 4 year old boy squirrel. Adolescent boys are a MESS! My guy started infancy named "Squirrelio" but at about 10 weeks he became Mister P. The "P" stands for "Peepants." He peed himself; he peed his bed, he peed in his nice wooden nestbox so much that I had to throw it away. My eyes would start to water when I walked in the house...

All I can say is I did several instances where he and everything in his cage got washed at the same time so there was no residual urine smell to attract him and eventually he stopped doing this and began to pee in one spot which I can easily deal with. His habitat takes up roughly 1/3 of my guest room and it doesn't smell like squirrel pee in there.

I am not saying that he doesn't have a UTI but I did want you to know that also, little boy squirrels are made of frogs and snails and puppy dog tails...but they DO grow out of it!:grin2

[Aubedete]

Um, also...

I have a 4 year old boy squirrel. Adolescent boys are a MESS! My guy started infancy named "Squirrelio" but at about 10 weeks he became Mister P. The "P" stands for "Peepants." He peed himself; he peed his bed, he peed in his nice wooden nestbox so much that I had to throw it away. My eyes would start to water when I walked in the house...

All I can say is I did several instances where he and everything in his cage got washed at the same time so there was no residual urine smell to attract him and eventually he stopped doing this and began to pee in one spot which I can easily deal with. His habitat takes up roughly 1/3 of my guest room and it doesn't smell like squirrel pee in there.

I am not saying that he doesn't have a UTI but I did want you to know that also, little boy squirrels are made of frogs and snails and puppy dog tails...but they DO grow out of it!:grin2

I realize Skip usually rarely peed in his bedding in daytime but never at night except last night. After 8 weeks I tought he'd be a big boy and would let me sleep a bit deeper (usually next to me in his basket-bedding) so I let him in his cage for the night (put the basket in the cage). We had a HUGE thunderstorm at dawn, scary enough for a human child ... wait.. yes!:hidechair Same kind there was the day he fell from that high maple tree.

The day peeing anywhere is irregular. Some days, he does fine. So I'm now thinking it really could be du to lack of calm around him. Might be my therapist prejudice, but something tells me he's not ill. If he had a UTI, wouldn't he pee all the time, and licking himself to ease the pain? UTI IS usually painful, no?

Of course, rising levels of testosterone might not be helping...

I'll keep a close eye on him, and restrict access to his cage, and I'll keep on changing his bedding and lining over and over and hope all comes in order soon.

:crybaby

I'll let you know how thing progress. [

[lilidukes]

Sometimes you just get a bed wetter. :eek They do grow out of this
and soon he will stop and start grooming himself better. NO need
for ab's here. You pic shows wet no redness or swelling.
You can try some cotton baby (human) burp clothes or cotton
receiving blankets to absorb his wetness better. Change the
bedding as much as needed.

[Aubedete]

Oh Well...
I'll just have to be patient then.

Lilidukes, CritterMother: It's somehow a relief to know others have through such a mess and have survived :p Thank you!

Opening love for a tiny dependant 1 week old baby squirrel that spends most of his time sleeping was the easy part, I realize now.

Now is time for love at second sight : "I've seen what a challenge it is, living with you, and I'm willing to go through it, to grow through it."

Thank you all for your support :)