Vomit/upset stomach?

[Wolfe]

225445So, Rain has been been throwing up, the first few times I saw it was light brown, now it's a dark brown, it dosent stink.

I feed her fruits, veggies, nuts and rodent blocks. Lately I've been letting her go outside, each time for longer periods, she seems to really like being outside even though I don't think she knows exactly what she's doing.
Anyway, should I be worried? She is still eating and drinking water and she's about as active as she's always been.
Please help ;( I need some advice and knowledge as to what might be wrong.
Thank you all so very much.

Ps. Sorry I'm on my phone and can't figure out how to delete the bigger picture

[Nancy in New York]

It's never ok when a squirrel vomits. That's a sure sign of problems.
How frequent is this? When did it start?
Do you let her outside alone, without a cage?
How old is she?
What is her diet like?
What kind of block do you feed. Does she eat leafy greens.
Do you feed hard nuts in the shell? How many nuts per day?
What's around her neck?
Sorry about so many questions, but it will
help us determine the problem, hopefully.
I'll be busy for a while and can't be at the computer for a while,
but will keep checking in.
Others will be along soon.

Link to the healthy diet.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

[SammysMom]

If you give us the answers to those questions we can probably at least get you started. First off. For the moment, do NOT let her go outside. Have you given and acorns? If you usually do, please don't. We have lost several squirrels this season due to acorns.
What is that around her neck?

[Rhapsody]

What is that around her neck?I was going to ask the same thing....... it looks like danger waiting to happen imo.

[stepnstone]

I was going to ask the same thing....... it looks like danger waiting to happen imo.
Exactly my thought!
...and she goes outside with a ready noose around her neck?? :shakehead

[SammysMom]

I emailed Wolfe to ask her to come back so we can try to help.

[Liza]

Also.. does she usually stand like that (like in the picture) with her back arched upward? My little dog has chronic pancreatitis, and her symptoms in an attack are vomiting dark stuff and standing with her back arched upward like that..Attacks are always brought on by dietary mishaps(like if someone who doesn't know better slips her a bit of fatty people food or she finds something on the ground, etc...). I wonder if Rain got into something nasty or spoiled outside.. Just letting them "go out and play" can be really dangerous for them, especially if, as you said, she doesn't know what she's doing out there..

[Wolfe]

I've only seen like 7 little spots in like a 12-18 hour period.
It's never happened before and since the time that I posted this thread it's stopped, I looked around and nothing.
Yes she goes outside on her own but I built a house for her, she likes it and uses it, she's been nesting in it for a while now.
I already mentioned what her diet is like, fruits some veggies nuts and rodent block the block stuff is called forti-diet by kaytee. No I don't feed her acorns I feed her shelled walnuts 2-3 a day. I give lettuce, nothing dark green, she seems to prefer fruits over veggies. I give her fresh bottled water.
The thing around her neck is a type of cheap
Fake leather, a baby could rip a piece of it in half, seriously, I'm no idiot, I have common sense I wouldn't put something on her she wouldn't be able rip away from if she got caught on something, and it's loose enough I can fit the tip of a finger in between, it's not choking her. I only put it on her because I started to let her out and wanted to tell her apart from the other squirrels. I never planned to keep her as a pet, I would feel
Terrible keeping her inside and not let her live her own squirrely life like her kin. It especially made me sad when she would spend so much time at the window.
And if any of know, because I'm pretty sure I've posted it before. How I came upon Little Rain was sorta a miracle. It was a dark, a bit cold and it was raining, I went outside for a smoke, then I started to hear a sort of chirp, to me it sounded like a baby bird, I would have ignored it but it sounded really close to me, curiosity got the best of me, I ran inside got my iphone and turned the flash light on looking in the direction of the chirp. I was shocked when I found her, I had no idea whatsoever what it could be, it was a dark grey with no fur at all and wrinkly, I picked it up and ran inside, she felt very very cold, but from the chirping and shallow breathing I knew it had to be alive, so I held it against my skin under my shirt, taking it out only to blow
Hot breath on her. My sister came home shortly after and suggested it was a squirrel, I looked it up and from then on I've done my very best to raise her, I ordered the fox valley formula ASAP and started to learn as much about squirrels as possible.
She's 6-8 months old.
And lastly, she seems completely fine today, no vomit and active as always.
And yes she eats the rodent block I give her, I've bought a few others and she won't eat them.

[SammysMom]

Okay, first off...:Welcometo TSB and thank-you for helping that poor lost little soul!
Next, nobody thinks you are stupid, just new to squirrels. Although the string might be easy to break, it is VERY dangerous for a creature who depends upon its balance sometimes 60 feet in the air. Even the smallest tug of a caught branch could send her falling to her death. Maybe you could clip the hair on a small part of her tail or something to show which she is. Does she stay outdoors for the most part and just come in to visit or does she sleep indoors? They definitely prefer nuts and fruit, but veggies, especially dark green leafy veggies are really important to a predominantly indoor squirrel. Just like kids, they will choose fruit and nuts, but they need the nutrition of the veggies. If she is mostly outdoors she is likely getting natural foods. Does she actually eat any of the rodent block?

[Duckman]

Please don't take any of our questions as an insult or talking down to you. No one here thinks you're an idiot, but we have seen things around an animals neck cause them to die way too many times, and it just sends alarms through us. You have no idea how many well meaning people have come on here asking for help, because their squirrel has gotten hurt or sick due to their humans well intended actions. We have to ask, because if we didn't, we would be letting you and your squirrel down!

As for vomiting, is there any chance that your squirrel chewed on a plant or something around the house that could have made her sick? It is very difficult for a squirrel to vomit (they don't have the same stomach muscles you and I have), so it is very distressing to see one vomit once, and yours has vomited 7-8 times. Keep her hydrated and keep a close eye on her. If she goes head down (hunched shoulder, nose almost touching the ground) it is time for her to see a vet. If she doesn't go head down, than she has passed whatever was causing her to be sick, out of her body.

The diet isn't too bad, but you might consider some Henry's Healthy Block. A couple of those a day, a cup of rodent block in her cage at all time, some veggies in the evening, and nuts at night as treats will ensure you have her for as many years is possible! I can tell you love her greatly and it appears you understand that since she is with you, YOU are her caregiver and she relies on YOU to ensure she is healthy and happy! :Welcome to The Squirrel Board and I hope you will continue to tell us all about her!!
:grouphug

[Wolfe]

I thank you all for your concern and apologize if I myself assumed too much. I'll look into other ways to tell her apart, but with no exaggeration the piece of material is almost paper like its so easy to tear. I'll also look into giving her greens and finding a place to buy the rodent block recommended or just order it online somewhere.
Rain has been inside for all her 6-8 months except the last, in late/mid January I started to let her outside as much as I would love to keep her inside purely for safety reasons, I understand her little wild nature so I started to let her out. Like I've said I built a house for her (I'll upload pictures later) and she seems to like it and is nesting there for the most part. The longest she's been out was close to 24 hours, I always make sure to leave food and water out for when she she's outside. Also at the time of this post she still seems just fine.

[SammysMom]

So very glad she is feeling better!!! Please take that piece of whatever it is off of her neck though. It is really a very bad idea.
Glad that you are willing to make the dietary changes. She will benefit from the changes in the long run for sure.:Love_Icon