What to do for injured 5 year old female flying squirrel fingers??

[LaGriega]

My 5 year old FS got caught between the back of her woodent wheel SR and the cage wall......I still can not figure out how she fit between the two....the space was so slim. After we removed the wheel her 2 front fingers were caught in the wire that attached the wheel holder to the cage.........She is now safley back in a clean bed......I am conserned because this is the first time we have had anything like this happen to her and she has damage to the 2 front hands/fingers....It looks like only one finger on each hand. She does have bleeding but it is not much....or should I say There is not much showing on the bedding. She has been licking them and I am sure she is having some pain. She can still walk aroung and did drink water after this episode and she did eat a pine nut that I placed next to her bed. I do not know what I shoud do for her at htis point. I put her in a clean bed so to try to prevent infection happening on the open cuts. I am thinking to let her stay quiet and not bother her too much, and just keep checking on her evry so often. Please let me know what I can do for her.

[Nancy in New York]

My 5 year old FS got caught between the back of her woodent wheel SR and the cage wall......I still can not figure out how she fit between the two....the space was so slim. After we removed the wheel her 2 front fingers were caught in the wire that attached the wheel holder to the cage.........She is now safley back in a clean bed......I am conserned because this is the first time we have had anything like this happen to her and she has damage to the 2 front hands/fingers....It looks like only one finger on each hand. She does have bleeding but it is not much....or should I say There is not much showing on the bedding. She has been licking them and I am sure she is having some pain. She can still walk aroung and did drink water after this episode and she did eat a pine nut that I placed next to her bed. I do not know what I shoud do for her at htis point. I put her in a clean bed so to try to prevent infection happening on the open cuts. I am thinking to let her stay quiet and not bother her too much, and just keep checking on her evry so often. Please let me know what I can do for her.

I am going to move your thread to the emergency section, it will get more attention there.

[LaGriega]

Thank You.....

[Anne]

Sorry to come to in so late, trying to get stuff done while it's still warm here. LaGriega, I think you have done all you can for now. Keep an eye on how she does this evening, but I think she will be all right. The recover so quickly from any kind of injury. Poor baby that must have scared the daylights out of her :grouphug. I will check back to see how she is doing. Can you think of another way to attach her wheel?

[farrelli]

I hope that your little one comes out just fine. I think she will, just keep an eye on it.

One thing in your post got my attention though, giving her a pine nut. Seeing that you're apparently pretty new, have you reviewed the proper diet thread:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?37700-HEALTHY-DIET-for-PET-Flying-Squirrels

Pine nuts are super, super, duper high in phosphorous, which blocks calcium absorption, which causes MBD. A pine nut should be a very rare treat, if that.

Just making sure...

[Duckman]

I hope that your little one comes out just fine. I think she will, just keep an eye on it.

One thing in your post got my attention though, giving her a pine nut. Seeing that you're apparently pretty new, have you reviewed the proper diet thread:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?37700-HEALTHY-DIET-for-PET-Flying-Squirrels

Pine nuts are super, super, duper high in phosphorous, which blocks calcium absorption, which causes MBD. A pine nut should be a very rare treat, if that.

Just making sure...

Unless there is any reason to do otherwise, I would cut out the pine nut completely. It does way too much harm as opposed to any benefit. I don't even allow them in the house here just for that reason.

[LaGriega]

Thank you to all who have replied....I am thankful for your help. I have been checking on her a lot and she is still not herself and I know her little hands(not sure if this is the proper term) bother her. I am not quite sure of the actual damage....I am hoping she will come around. She is getting use to her limitations. The pine nut was just a treat....... it is a special treat and I thought that if she did not eat the pine nut something bad was really happening to her besides the injury I could see, she does get a proper balanced diet and pine nuts only a treat.....but I did not realize that they were so high in phosphorous. I knew that I should avoid things high in phosphorous but did not realize pine nuts were high. I am going to look at the proper diet thread and double check it with her diet. Thank you.

[LaGriega]

Anne....Thank You for the reply.....I am just learning how to reply back to the comments on my thread....new to the board. If you have any ideas on the attaching of the wheel please let me know. It has been the way it was for 5 years and we never had a problem before....I am still so surprised on this happening....I can not figure out how or why she got between the cage wall and the wheel...the space was so thin..... even for a flying squirrel. I did reasearch before attaching the wheel and took all the precautins that I could after reading about the wheels.....They said to make sure it did not wiggle....that it was attached tight.....and so on.....I do not know how else to attach other thatn how it was!!!! I am scared to put it back in her cage.....I will wait until I think she has healed up good and is getting around ok....I do not want her to go running around now and I do not think she wants too either. I am just so thankful that my Mother was sleeping over last night at our house because if not our little "Fez" would have been caught for much longer ...... because Mom gets up earlier than we do and she saw her behind the wheel! I just hope that she will regain good movement in her hand/finger's(not sure of the proper term to use) and that no infection sets in and that there is not other internal damage. Thank You....

[farrelli]

Here's a link to phosphorous levels:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?15397-Food-Data-Chart-Update-Calcium-to-Phosphorus-Ratios

You want as close to 2:1 as possible, calcium to phosphorous.

[LaGriega]

Still watching over my little one.....my big concerne now is that she is not wanting to eat very much! I have been hand feeding her to coax her to eat......she is not wanting to each any fruit....and is very picky on what she is eating of her normal food. I am thinking she must still have pain/discomfort and is trying to get use to her new limitations. the swelling & redness is going down in her hands. I think one finger is broken. Not sure what other things I can do for her. I would appreciate some ideas on getting her to eat a proper balanced diet that she was eating before......but I am happy that I can get her to eat a bit.

[farrelli]

If you haven't been there yet, here is where most flyer talk happens. It's usually best to post questions there because some/many flyer folk keep to that area almost exclusively:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?93-General-Flying-Squirrel-Discussion

Here's the flyer proper diet guide:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?37700-HEALTHY-DIET-for-PET-Flying-Squirrels

Has anyone advised you about possibly using pain meds, such as INFANT ibuprofen? If you tell us how much she weighs, we can tell you how much to give.

[Saverywood]

:Welcome Poor little darling. :Love_Icon Big ouch. How is she now?

BTW - You are not alone, I am pretty sure both Anne and H4S had similar flyer finger amputations. :thinking Or maybe H4S has a non-releaseable because of a missing finger that happend by by getting caught in the "V" shape of a fancy cage. Ugh.. terrible stuff; but flyers are so darn adorable and yet fragile too. For now..the worst is over.

So what is she willing to eat? :Love_Icon Start there and tell us what her favorite foods are... she does need protein daily. Both for healing and just because she is a flyer. I love flyers and have had the priviledge of raising and releasing three little monsters! We are here to help you.

PS...A picture would be great too!

[LaGriega]

Thank you for your reply......
ok....her normal diet is
1 fresh skinned grape or Blue berry or apple.......per day......I change it evry day
3 shelled pumpkin seeds
3 in the shell pumpkin seed
3-4 sunflower seeds in the shell
3 wax worms dried
3 mealworms dried
1 cherrio
1 yougurt drop...not sure what they are really called
half a pecan shedded one day then the next day half a shelled walnut
Repcal phosphorus free sprinkled on food every day
water every day
For a treat and not evry week a pine nut ...her favorite
and when I am lazy i will give her dried BB no sugar added or dried apple no sugar added
cuttle bone & oyster shell & calcium block always in her cage
I give her acorns I pick up and freeze.....1 every week but not always
Rose petals I pick and freeze from my garden as a treat.
On a regular basis I put all except the things I mentioned when I give her in her cup and she does not always eat it all....sometimes she will and sometimes she will start hiding things
I did try from time to time in the past to give her green veggies and such but she wont eat them......

Ok.....since she has been injured I would say that today is the day she has not eaten much.... she only ate 1/4 of the walnut which seems to be her fav right now
she ate 1 wax worm, 2 shelled pumpkin seeds..... she will not touch any fruit which is not like her at all.......

[LaGriega]

Will try to get some photos.....and I am not sure about the pain meds as someone mentioned in the thread......I am guessing she hurts because of the injury and her actions....but I really do not know if she hurts because she does not makeany noise that would make me think she was in pain....but I do not know if they do make noise for that! I can get a weight but I am a bit scared to give her meds if not needed, but will do what I need to do.

[farrelli]

Squirrel hide pain very, very well. They're prey animals, so they have to not show weakness.

Does she have any white tears or keep her ears pinned back?

Does anyone here think that she might not be eating because she's in pain?

[LaGriega]

No tears and no ears back....but i will keep checking on that...I thought she might be upset because of her new limitations with her hands......and the discomfort/pain!!!! I did have this posted where you sugested and someone helped me and felt it should be posted wher it is now. should I make a new post where you sugested....is it ok to post in 2 places? Thank You for your help...it makes me fell better to have people to talk to that know about the little ones. I was going to try smashing up a wax worm and some nuts and put in a dab of applesauce and see if that brightens her up to eat. I normally do not give her applesauce is that ok to do?

[LaGriega]

Another thing I should also say is that the injury was on The 5th and she ate better on the7th than today & yesterday!...not sure if that means anything.

[farrelli]

I think you'd be best served to post in the flyer area. It's OK seeing that you're not getting any action here. Use a subject line that really states what you're looking to get answered.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?93-General-Flying-Squirrel-Discussion

[Skul]

I hadn't seen this until today.
A couple things come to mind.
Toe/finger injuries seem to heal rather quickly, so unless there is obvious signs of pain, she's probably healing right now.
The little monsters are notoriously picky eaters. They put cats to shame.
Instead of the dried fruit, I'd suggest using fresh only, and in small amounts.
Keep offering the greens. Try placing them in her cage first thing, and don't offer anything else for at least an hour or two.
Make it a variety so she can pick.
If she's hungry, she will finally eat some.
Check your roses for the hips. They love those.
Next time you have chicken for dinner, give her the drumstick bone. (take it out after a few hours)
A small amount of cooked egg, can also be offered.

Give her an acorn every other day if you have enough. It won't hurt her.
Same goes for a Hazel nut. Don't shell them, give them whole. They need the chewing excersize to keep teeth trimmed.
Almost forgot...a slice of fresh mushroom. Ours enjoy it.

[farrelli]

Thanks Skul. Should blocks be in the diet? Seeing that there aren't any mushrooms, I don't see any sources of vitamin D.

[IrishHarps]

The Skuls and Anne will have the best flying squirrel advice for you - what they said is great! I'd do all those things.

I believe toe injuries are rather common in flyers. They are just so tiny :(

Flyer squeeps who know this sort of thing - should the flyer be dosed with a pain killer? If so, how much? Are there any safe antibiotic ointments that can be applied topically to reduce the chance of infection? I know honey is a natural antibiotic, but the flyer might just lick it off.

[LaGriega]

Thank You Farelli & Skul........She does seem to be a bit better today....ate late last night but still not like normal but getting better. I will stat to add the new foods as you mentioned.she always has an acorn & Hazel nut or 2 in her cage and she does chew on them when she pleases. I looked on the Healthy Diet for pet FS and did not see an area on foods with vit d, unless I missed it. I am asuming that the mushrooms are a good source of vit D????? I sthis true? Are there other foods good for a source of vit D?When your refer to blocks do you mean the calcium block??? Should I not have that because she does not get vit D and it will not absorde the calcium with out the Vit D? Would like to have a better understanding. I do have rose hips frozen from my bushes......Was not sure the best way to store them and not sure best time to pick them. I read they should turn red before but I am not sure if that is correct. I did pick while green and let them dry out once dried I froze them. Wondering if this is the best way or not. I will post on other place if she does not continue to do better. Again THANK YOU for your help....it does make me fell better about her care.

[Anne]

Egg yolk is a good sourse of Vitamins including D. The blocks that are being referred to are the Henry's Healthy Blocks for flyers, they cantain all the vitamins and minerals needed for continued good health while in captivity. Please remember that flyers need protein in their diet unlike their grey cousins. They will need egg(mine like scrabbled), chicken, and worms-meal or wax worms for the protein. There is a very comprehensive Flyer diet listed in the flying squirrel section of the board, have a look there. As for her injury it should get better soon, she will most likely just lick off any medicine you put on her. Her eating will also improve with time, they often want more one day than the next, she's just not quite herself just now.:grouphug

[farrelli]

Yes, shrooms are a source of D. Squirrels need D, but giving a supplement isn't good because in too big of a dose, it's toxic. I think that most people feed blocks as part of their diet. Here's a link to the best blocks:

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

[LaGriega]

Thank You.....will order some for her!

[farrelli]

Great! Remember to freeze them for long storage, and refrigerate for short. Many people freeze only and take one or two out for each meal so as to preserve total freshness.

[Skul]

Rose hips don't need to be red for them to be given.

We give ours some mushroom every day for the Vit.D.