Why did my baby Squirrel die...

[Rayne]

Hello,
My name is Rayne and I am a new member and I am hoping someone can help me understand what happened to my baby Squirrel Honey. I have been very successful raising and releasing baby Squirrels, my one baby I call Peanut still comes up on my deck when he hears me call him he came to me only days old. I couldn’t wait for someone to call me with another baby squirrel and on my birthday last week the 23rd Mother Nature gave me my wish and I got the call I’ve been waiting for someone had found a baby squirrel. This baby was about 5 weeks old I named her Honey. She adjusted well, was eating and drinking from a bottle with the elongated nipple, she pooped and peed fine, very active loved the wheel I put in her cage, called for me when she woke up and wanted to eat, loved to sit on my shoulder as I did things around the house she would climb into my shirt when she wanted to go to sleep so I would put her in her cage and she would borrow into her soft warm pouch I made her.
The day before yesterday I noticed she wasn’t waking up and calling to me I had to nudge her awake and once she woke up she was fine.
Yesterday morning and afternoon I had a harder time waking her up but she did and she ate, played hung out with me on my shoulder until it was time for her to take a nap. Than I noticed she was sleeping to long so I went to wake her up and she wouldn’t wake up to my nudging like she was before, I started to get worried because it was as if she couldn’t snap out of it like she was in torpor state. Her eyes were open but not wide open, she kept stretching and then would arch her back and she would shake, it looked like she was sucking on the bottle, this was destroying my heart because I didn’t understand what the hell happened :’( I layed down on the couch with her on my chest and I kept stroking her and trying to get her to snap out of it, and then she wasn’t moving and her eyes closed and I cried Honey please wake up, but she was gone. I am so overwhelmingly devastated I can't stop crying I can’t explain it, I just don’t understand what happened why did my baby die…
Sadly,
Rayne :sadness

[island rehabber]

Rayne, first let me give you my heartfelt sympathies for the loss of your little girl squirrel. :sad
It is hard to say what caused such a premature death of your little one, but I can tell you for certain that she died of a seizure. What you described is 'classic' seizure behavior.
If you truly want to try and figure this out, we'll need more info:
- what were you feeding her
- did she ever aspirate? (formula coming out of her nose)-
- what was her weight and how often were you feeding?

Again,I am so sorry....

[UDoWhat]

Hi Rayne, I am so sorry that you lost your sweet little baby. I know you loved her. :Love_Icon

Based on only what you have written in your post there is one glaring concern. I am not asking any questions only letting you know what I think happened from what you wrote. The words " drinking from a bottle" stood out. If I am correct I would imagine that when she was nursing she either aspirated formula into her nose that was sucked in her lungs or was sucked directly into her lungs. We tell finders not to use nurser bottles. It is so easy to aspirated a baby because you do not have enough control when using a bottle. Using a syringe and nipple helps to keep a baby from aspirating formula. Rehabilitators use a small 1 cc or 3 cc syringe with a nipple attached to the end. You control the flow from the syringe and nipple not the baby. We use a catact nipple or the miracle nipple. Once a baby aspirates formula it does not take long before it is in trouble. You described exactly what happens when a baby aspirates. They seen fine at first then they begin to become lethargic sleep and not play. You might have even heard a faint clicking sound. That is what happens when formula gets in the lungs. The breathing and stretching you described is called agonal breathing. It is the end stage of life. They stretch and seen to struggle. Then they die.

As I said there are really many questions I should ask to understand better but my guess is only based on your account of what happened. Without more information I really am only guessing what may have happened. I can't be sure. Others may have ideas to help you understand what could have happened too.

I know now that your heart is broken. 💔 I just lost my almost 9 year old squirrel to cancer this month. It is crushing. 💔 You did all you could for her. Just remember that you will have another baby to care for. Once one baby finds its way to you others will too. It just happens that way. :grouphug Bless you for helping Honey. ❤️ I am so sorry for your loss.

[jlamb30]

Hi, Rayne.

First of all, I'm very sorry for your loss. I know how attached we have become to our little girl in a very short period of time.

I, too, am new here, but am also new to squirrels. The arched back and shaking matches what I have, from my novice research, determined to be a hypothermic/hypoglycemic seizure that ours had after a first week of being perfectly fine. We were able to pull her out of it with warming her, and Karo syrup on the gums, then feeding when she came out of it. She had never aspirated, so I am somewhat confident that was not the issue.

We now have a heating pad under half her cage, and she is doing great.

I could very well be wrong, and if I am, I will graciously accept the opinions and advice of those whom are much more experienced than I.

[Spanky]

From the limited information I believe UDoWhat is right on with the bottle feeding causing AP. We know that AP can come on very quickly and kill very quickly. We also know that squirrels are masters at disguising illness and weakness (a necessary survival skill in the wild) and all too often when symptoms become obvious they are almost always critically ill.

I am sorry for your loss. RIP Sweet baby! :sad

[stosh2010]

LONG Distance prayers--for your loss.............
Just remember ...we all learn a little more each day.

Please review the Feeding Video in this link...and be sure to never have the source of liquid even-or above--the squirrel's mouth..always point the nipple upwards.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?36776-PROPER-FEEDING-TECHNIQUE


click on the small photo in POST #1--