Head injury

[jediadopttoo]

This morning I awoke to this poor little one under my feeder. His behavior is normal but the blood from the head injury is pretty bad. I am hoping that it is bleeding so much since the head likes to bleed a lot. His left eye and ear both seem to be intact. I see superficial wounds above the left eye. I think the major wound is on the top of his head near the left ear. I believe he is one of the young squirrels from last falls litter in the tree directly off my deck. Mom and her four young ones live there. Anyway. Trapping is VERY difficult. I have attempted this before with a have a heart trap with a squirrel named Tripod, if any of you remember him! Anyway just looking for some supportive advice of making sure he will be okay.

This is his uninjured right side

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee37/sjberk/squirrels/DSC00715_zps46897f40.jpg (http://s233.photobucket.com/user/sjberk/media/squirrels/DSC00715_zps46897f40.jpg.html)

This is his left side

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee37/sjberk/squirrels/DSC00708_zps483e0860.jpg (http://s233.photobucket.com/user/sjberk/media/squirrels/DSC00708_zps483e0860.jpg.html)


Close up view of left side

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee37/sjberk/squirrels/DSC00711_zpsf2435d05.jpg (http://s233.photobucket.com/user/sjberk/media/squirrels/DSC00711_zpsf2435d05.jpg.html)

I just want to scoop him up and give him a hug. I have seen some squirrels overcome some pretty nasty wounds before. I hope he is one of them….

[jediadopttoo]

Yep, he is a member of the family in my tree. He decided to go take a nap. He is the one in the hole. His sibling is sitting outside the hole on their "porch".

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee37/sjberk/squirrels/DSC00737_zps94260560.jpg (http://s233.photobucket.com/user/sjberk/media/squirrels/DSC00737_zps94260560.jpg.html)

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Are you sure that is blood?? looks like jelly to me............I think he stuck his head into something sticky.

[jediadopttoo]

Yep, it is blood. As a former hematologist I can recognize it pretty well:) It is looking a little jelly like since it is clotting.

[stepnstone]

Add the dampness/wet fur to the blood and it may just look
more serious then it is. Hard to tell without seeing the injury
itself. Hopefully once it's "cleaned up" it's not as bad as it looks.

Myself, I'd be trying to trap to assess but I do understand how
that's not always possible. Can only suggest you keep an eye on
him and wait and see if he's going to need future intervention.

[jediadopttoo]

Add the dampness/wet fur to the blood and it may just look
more serious then it is. Hard to tell without seeing the injury
itself. Hopefully once it's "cleaned up" it's not as bad as it looks.

Myself, I'd be trying to trap to assess but I do understand how
that's not always possible. Can only suggest you keep an eye on
him and wait and see if he's going to need future intervention.

This is what I am hoping for. At this point I was waiting to see how the fur "cleaned up" as you say. I would then try to trap if it looked really bad or if his behavior seemed different. At least he has a nice warm hole, food and water. Maybe mom will clean him up a bit. I do see her grooming her babies still on occasion.

Any thoughts on putting out a suet cake with added calcium?

[stepnstone]

Any thoughts on putting out a suet cake with added calcium?

Can't see where it would hurt they raid suet feeders all the time,
a little added calcium could be beneficial. Just don't expect the
suet cake to last long if they do go for it...