Suddenly Sick

[HeyKarriAnne]

My squirrel, 11 weeks old, was fine, it eagerly ate a pecan, green apple and then a carrot. I was surprised to see it eagerly drank it's formula then it put itself to bed. It got very shaky, and slumped it's head down when it sat up. Is restless and lethargic. Did it just get a tummy ache?

[SammysMom]

We would need a bit more info to help. What does your squirrel eat every day and what/how much formula does she take?

[Nancy in New York]

My squirrel, 11 weeks old, was fine, it eagerly ate a pecan, green apple and then a carrot. I was surprised to see it eagerly drank it's formula then it put itself to bed. It got very shaky, and slumped it's head down when it sat up. Is restless and lethargic. Did it just get a tummy ache?

How long have you had this baby.
This is NOT typical behavior for an 11 week old squirrel.
Do you offer any type of rodent block?
What kind of formula are you feeding.
How much and how often do you feed?
Did the squirrel aspirate?
What size syringes are you using.
How long have you had this little one?
Is he having problems breathing.
Did you peel the apple?
Sorry for so many quesitons, just trying to figure this out.

Not sure what you mean about being restless AND lethargic. :dono

Oh, I moved your thread to the emergency section for more attention.

[stepnstone]

I was surprised to see it eagerly drank it's formula then it put itself to bed. It got very shaky, and slumped it's head down when it sat up. Is restless and lethargic. Did it just get a tummy ache?

This reminds me of a known member with an older squirrel who did the same thing with slumping it's head
down after taking formula. That quick it had drawn formula into it's lungs and it did develop and had to be
treated for aspiration pneumonia.

The restless and lethargic is contradictory and makes no sense to me,
can you further explain what it is you are seeing.

[Nancy in New York]

I sent this member an email, telling them to come back
on, we're here to help.

[HeyKarriAnne]

I've had him since he was 3 weeks old. He is on Fox Valley squirrel formula. I use a miracle nipple. I feed him 3 times a day. He has been weaning himself a little more. I mainly want to keep him hydrated. He did eat some of the apple skins. He sometimes chews his rodent blocks but not this day. He is lethargic, but continually moves a few inches before laying back down again. Didn't seem to be having trouble breathing that I noticed.

[Nancy in New York]

Can you post a photo.
If not, email them to me, and I will post.
Does he ever have out of the cage time, where
he "could" have gotten into something.
Did you wash the apple before giving him a piece?

[HeyKarriAnne]

Yes, he could have gotten into something, but he was in my sight most of the time. I looked all over the house to see if he might have found something poisonous. I didn't see anything. I can't post a picture right now. I'm on a work computer.

[Nancy in New York]

Yes, he could have gotten into something, but he was in my sight most of the time. I looked all over the house to see if he might have found something poisonous. I didn't see anything. I can't post a picture right now. I'm on a work computer.

IF you have any and you want to send me some,
email them to
When you get home, hydrate as much as possible, and
stimulate him to pee as that will flush the toxins out faster, (IF that's what we're dealing with)
Do you have any antibiotics.
Again IF he aspirated, he would need Baytril (animal antibiotic) or Cipro (Human antibiotic)
OR Clavamox or Augmentin.
One pill will do and we can dose it for you.

[HeyKarriAnne]

He is looking much better this morning. Thank you everyone for your responding.

[SammysMom]

So glad he is looking better! I would keep a very close eye on him and it wouldn't be a bad idea to ask around to friends and family to see if they might have one Ciprofloxin tablet left over from a prescription. They are often prescribed for UTIs. It would be a good thing to have on hand just in case it is aspiration pneumonia that seems better this morning, but returns later on.:grouphug

[DaSquirrelMom]

Was his formula cold?

I found a dehydrated juvenile squirrel roasting under a tree in the hot summer heat. I brought him inside and fed him half-strength, room temperature pedialyte to try to cool his overheated body. He drank a lot of the pedialyte, began shivering, and then crouched up into a ball like he had a tummy ache or was trying to get warm (similar to what you described). He survived.