found young squrriel having trouble with balance. It almost looks like it is drunk

[squirrelygirl64]

Hi,
I found a young squirrel at my son's BB game last night. It was just laying on the pavement eating food people were giving it. It has trouble balancing to sit. When I tried to catch it, it did try to get away and moved pretty well just seemed like it was hopping around drunk and falling over when not hopping. I eventually caught it. It is in a big dog kennel with fleece blankets. It is eating well and looks well besides the fact it can't sit up without falling over. It is still sleeping, so I haven't seen what it an do today yet. Any suggestions on what might be up with it? It seems very calm and will even let me touch and pet it. It is a fox squirrel.

[msriri]

Can you post a pic so we can estimate his age? And a weight?
What are you feeding? He will need hydrated and started in formula.

I hope the wobbliness is from being young and not another issue, but it sounds like he needs more than basic care.
Here is a link to wildlife rehabbers in your state that can take him.

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-RehabList.pdf

[squirrelygirl64]

Can you post a pic so we can estimate his age? And a weight?
What are you feeding? He will need hydrated and started in formula.

I hope the wobbliness is from being young and not another issue, but it sounds like he needs more than basic care.
Here is a link to wildlife rehabbers in your state that can take him.

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-RehabList.pdf

I am feeding it grapes/avocado/peanuts and walnuts. I will try to post a picture.

[squirrelygirl64]

258708258709258710
I am feeding it grapes/avocado/peanuts and walnuts. I will try to post a picture.

Here are some pictures(hopefully). I will add a video as soon as it is done downloading. I have tried to call rehabbers in Indiana before and haven't had much luck. Any good suggestions on how to give it water? Can you tell if it is young enough to still need formula? Thanks!

[squirrelygirl64]

258708258709258710

Here are some pictures(hopefully). I will add a video as soon as it is done downloading. I have tried to call rehabbers in Indiana before and haven't had much luck. Any good suggestions on how to give it water? Can you tell if it is young enough to still need formula? Tipsy weighs 427Gm.
https://youtu.be/mzf1ULE_X2Q Here is what it is doing.Thanks!...

[lennysmom]

Hi squirrelygirl64. :wave123 It's hard to tell from the pics exactly how old this little one is, but judging by the tail hair, I would say 7 or 8 weeks at the youngest, maybe older. Is there any way you can get a weight with a kitchen food scale? I am not very familiar with fox squirrels, so hopefully some members more experienced with them will chime in soon.
In the mean time, you can defiantly give some fluids - he (or she) may very well be dehydrated - his hair looks a bit spikey. You can try giving him some children's pedialyte in a syringe if you are able to acquire one - I'm not sure if he is steady enough on his feet to drink from a bowl? Either way, hydration is VERY important and you want to try and get some in him - you can even try sugar water.
A video would be very helpful too.

Edit: I just saw the video - poor little one. Not sure what is going on - may be neurological, especially if he experienced some sort of head trauma. I'm thinking older now that I see the video though. His tail looks pretty full.

[squirrelygirl64]

Hi squirrelygirl64. :wave123 It's hard to tell from the pics exactly how old this little one is, but judging by the tail hair, I would say not real young. Is there any way you can get a weight with a kitchen food scale? I am not very familiar with fox squirrels, so hopefully some members more experienced with them will chime in soon.
In the mean time, you can defiantly give some fluids - he (or she) may very well be dehydrated - his hair looks a bit spikey. You can try giving him some children's pedialyte in a syringe if you are able to acquire one - I'm not sure if he is steady enough on his feet to drink from a bowl? Either way, hydration is VERY important and you want to try and get some in him - you can even try sugar water.
A video would be very helpful too.

I did put a video on. the link is above and it weighs 427gm. It didn't seem really young. It keeps knocking over a water dish. I will try a syringe.

[lennysmom]

I did put a video on. the link is above and it weighs 427gm. It didn't seem really young. It keeps knocking over a water dish. I will try a syringe.

Sorry, I did see the video after the fact. Defiantly try the syringe. Looks like an adult with some neurological issues to me. :( Thanks for taking his little one in.

[squirrelygirl64]

Sorry, I did see the video after the fact. Defiantly try the syringe. Looks like an adult with some neurological issues to me. :( Thanks for taking his little one in.

Is there anything that can be done for that...or do they just put them down? I put water in a lid of a Tupperware container and it drank from that.

[Spanky]

Is there anything that can be done for that...or do they just put them down? I put water in a lid of a Tupperware container and it drank from that.

It is good they are drinking! :thumbsup

This may be the result of some sort of trauma could get better; like if there is some swelling that is causing this and the swelling goes down relieving pressure, etc.

For now I would suggest a dark, warm place where their movements will be limited for the time being so as not to aggravate any injury.


Hopefully more experienced trauma folks will jump on this thread soon with advice!!!

Thanks for helping this little one!

[SammysMom]

Do you see any wounds or swelling anywhere on him? As a foxer, I think 472g is probably a juvie. Do you have any prednisone by chance? Just one tablet would work if needed.

[squirrelygirl64]

Do you see any wounds or swelling anywhere on him? As a foxer, I think 472g is probably a juvie. Do you have any prednisone by chance? Just one tablet would work if needed.

I didn't see any wounds. SO how much prednisone do I need? Where do I find it? And what is the best way to try to give it to him when I do?

[Spanky]

I didn't see any wounds. SO how much prednisone do I need? Where do I find it? And what is the best way to try to give it to him when I do?

If you can locate some prednisone, just a single tablet, then tell us what strength of prednisone you found and someone will follow up with instructions on how to prepare it and administer it to a 472 gram squirrel.

There are many different strength tablets. And it even comes in liquid but that is less common. You'll probably need only 1 tablet, maybe a couple if it is a small strength.

If you can get your hands on an insulin syringe (they are small - 1ML), you do not need any needles as you'll need that to measure out the proper dose eventually. :thumbsup

Edit: You'll need to ask around of your friends and family and check your medicine cabinet. It is a prescription steroidal anti-inflammatory.

[squirrelygirl64]

If you can locate some prednisone, just a single tablet, then tell us what strength of prednisone you found and someone will follow up with instructions on how to prepare it and administer it to a 472 gram squirrel.

There are many different strength tablets. And it even comes in liquid but that is less common. You'll probably need only 1 tablet, maybe a couple if it is a small strength.

If you can get your hands on an insulin syringe (they are small - 1ML), you do not need any needles as you'll need that to measure out the proper dose eventually. :thumbsup

Edit: You'll need to ask around of your friends and family and check your medicine cabinet. It is a prescription steroidal anti-inflammatory.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I was able to find a squirrel rehabber and just got back from dropping my little girl Tipsy off. I think she is in good hands.

[island rehabber]

That's good news, sg64. If you're happy with this rehabber, please PM me her name -- only because we don't really have any rehabber contacts in Indiana right now and there will be other squirrels in need from there, for sure. Thanks and bless you for caring about this little one! :)

[Rios]

I found a young squirrel with same symptoms - poor balance, spins in a circle to the right, no evidence of physical trauma, young (maybe a teenager), healthy looking in every way but for the balance and leaning to the right. Appetite is good and have observed him drinking water. I put the water in a small Pyrex dish and it hasn't tipped over yet. Goal is to keep him eating and drinking (trail mix sans chocolate), wait for improvement and return to health and let him go.

Does anyone have any idea what this is? I've read possible West Nile to a racoon parasite.

[Spanky]

Could be many things but may be a head trauma. May I suggest you start a new thread in the "Emergency (Life Threatening) Help Needed" forum to get you message the attention it really needs? Most members will believe this to be a comment on an old thread and maybe pay it little attention. Starting a new thread will get more attention, perhaps even folks close by to your location that may be in a position to help you help this squirrel.

And if you could post pictures or better a video, that would be helpful. If this is head trauma, time is of the essence so the more attention it gets the better!

Thank You for looking out for this little guy!

[Rios]

I will start a new thread. But so you know, I've had the squirrel for a week now and he seems to be showing a tiny bit of improvement. As I said there are no outward signs of trauma. He is eating and drinking plenty. Even escaped the cage when I was cleaning it and he ran around the yard a bit. He definitely needs more time to recover from whatever this is but while in the yard he did climb the one oak tree and stayed up there a while. He eventually came down and I caught him again and put him back in his cage. He seems to look directly at me more and I think he even notices me. Also it seems he responds more and more to my voice when I try to calm him down when he is running in circles frantically. He did that in the yard too so I know it's not the cage making him go in circles. I'll start a new thread. But as for time being of the essence, that window has passed.