Please help

[Squiggy squirrel]

I have a 8 week old gray squirrel who been doing great till yesterday he suddenly was having trouble with back legs, I immediately thought of MBD & crush a 500mg Tum mixed it with bit of apple juice " he took it with no problem. After bout 30min he was back abel to use his legs & was eating well but wasn't being active then last night it was like a switch flipped, he was freaked out keep twitching constantly & tapping back feet. He done this for several hours & is doing the same thing today. Please help

[Nancy in New York]

I have a 8 week old gray squirrel who been doing great till yesterday he suddenly was having trouble with back legs, I immediately thought of MBD & crush a 500mg Tum mixed it with bit of apple juice " he took it with no problem. After bout 30min he was back abel to use his legs & was eating well but wasn't being active then last night it was like a switch flipped, he was freaked out keep twitching constantly & tapping back feet. He done this for several hours & is doing the same thing today. Please help

Are you still feeding formula, if so what kind?
If not how long has he been off formula and what kind was it?
Do you think what you are seeing is seizure activity?
Can you post a picture of him.
Could he have taken a fall?

I see that you posted in your visitor messages. Keep your
posts here on this thread so everyone can see them.

[Jen413]

Why do you suspect it may be MBD? Is he still on formula? If so which kind. Is he eating any sort of block and what other solid food is he eating? Any possibility of a fall? Any way you can post a video on youtube and link it here?

Sorry for so many questions, but answering them now will help get answers faster when the more experienced come and read your thread.

[Squiggy squirrel]

He has been off formula about 3 weeks. He started dragging his back legs yesterday & everything I read had me thinking mbd so I crushed a tum mixed with bit of apple juice & he took it no problem & bout 30/45mins his legs started coming back. He seemed to be getting to feel better but not active, he just laid with eyes open. That late evening he was moving, eating & acting lil better then about midnight he started drumming with his back feet & moving in jerks & is freaked out by movements & sounds. He did this just about all night & is doing the same today

[Squiggy squirrel]

He's been eating apple, green beans, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, almonds, hazelnut & pecan. He ate a little bit of guinea pig foods yesterday evening

[SophieSquirrel]

That late evening he was moving, eating & acting lil better then about midnight he started drumming with his back feet & moving in jerks & is freaked out by movements & sounds. He did this just about all night & is doing the same today

Not sure this behavior is due to his hind leg issues. Drumming and general high alert is usually caused but a freighting experience and can last for a while. Perhaps something frightened him, he injured himself and he is still in a heightened state of alert.

What kind of "Guinea Pig" food are you feeding him? Guinea pig extruded pellets contain Alfalfa / Timothy and that is really bad for a squirrel as are sunflower seeds, bird seed or too many nuts. He needs to start eating rodent blocks as a base diet like Henry's: https://www.henryspets.com/healthy-blocks-original-adult-formula/ or Teklad/Mazuri rat block.


You need to follow this basic diet to the letter: https://www.henryspets.com/healthy-diet-for-pet-squirrels/

[Squiggy squirrel]

Oh dear lord it is the Timothy one, he only ate like 3 of the big ger colored pieces. He wasn't exposed to anything new. The staying freaked out & constantly drumming feet & moving in a constant jerky motion started last night, he done it all night non stop except about e hours but started the same first thing today & is still doing it. He's acting so freaked out that I can barely love on him like usual & he's usually ready to wrestle & play always & he hasn't fell off anything.

[Jen413]

Did he wean himself off of formula or did you wean him? They should be on formula longer than 5 weeks. My 8 month olds still drink it from a dish. You want them to be on formula as long as possible. What kind of formula was he on? His diet definitely needs to be changed and as Sophiesquirrel said, he needs to be on a rodent block.

Nancy, we must have been responding at the same time earlier or I wouldn't have basically repeated you! :grin2

[Squiggy squirrel]

He weaned his self, I was heart broken casue I loved feeding him. I've never had 1 latch on & drain it like he would, could not use a bottle cause he would have milk comin out his nose right away & there wasn't any slowing him down. Im getting him some rodent blocks tomorrow, can I get them at like pet-co or pet smart? I'm praying hard that he snaps out of this, he is such a sweetheart & he brings me so much joy & I want him healthy & happy.

[SophieSquirrel]

He weaned his self, I was heart broken casue I loved feeding him. I've never had 1 latch on & drain it like he would, could not use a bottle cause he would have milk comin out his nose right away & there wasn't any slowing him down. Im getting him some rodent blocks tomorrow, can I get them at like pet-co or pet smart? I'm praying hard that he snaps out of this, he is such a sweetheart & he brings me so much joy & I want him healthy & happy.

You can try Oxbow Adult Rat <photo attached> from either Petco or Petsmart, not sure which one carries it - it's OK for them. The best ones are....

1) Henrys (ordered from Henry's online) https://www.henryspets.com/healthy-blocks-original-adult-formula/

2) Teklad 2016 or 2018 https://www.amazon.com/Envigo-Formerly-Harlan-Teklad-GROWTH/dp/B00N0EPSLO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523657833&sr=8-1&keywords=harlan+teklad

3) Mazuri Rodent https://www.amazon.com/Mazuri-Rat-Mouse-Food-lbs/dp/B00JR8K8DA/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1523657833&sr=8-9&keywords=harlan+teklad

Squirrels who have been raised on seeds and nuts may have a hard time accepting rodent block but it must be done to stave off MBD, a little tough love necessary. Farm stores may be able to order a big bag of Mazuri Rodent for you.

What formula brand were you feeding him?

Oxbow Adult Rat The only one you may be able to get retail - they will do

300684

[Spanky]

He's been eating apple, green beans, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, almonds, hazelnut & pecan. He ate a little bit of guinea pig foods yesterday evening

Stop giving all nuts and seeds. Period. This is not an option. Continue the calcium / tums therapy but make sure you are not using tums that has vitamin D (there is too much for a squirrel versus a human). At 8 weeks they should be eating formula, veggies and a little bit of fruit. Nuts and seeds are treats that get introduced at about 12 weeks of age (for me.. and I am sure lots of others).

He needs rodent block and veggies. Here is the healthy food pyramid:
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

[HRT4SQRLS]

The formula question is very important. What type of formula?
I would try very hard to get this baby back on formula. No more nuts or seeds at all.
I would say there is a good chance this is MBD.

Weaning at 5 weeks and eating nuts and seeds is highly suggestive of MBD.

[SophieSquirrel]

could not use a bottle cause he would have milk comin out his nose

Did you use actual cows milk or something else? Please let us know what he was raised on, it's important.

Please read this about MBD: https://www.henryspets.com/what-is-metabolic-bone-disease/

[HRT4SQRLS]

You need a syringe (1ml or 3ml as a max). Bottles never work.

[Spanky]

Squirrels who have been raised on seeds and nuts may have a hard time accepting rodent block but it must be done to stave off MBD, a little tough love necessary. Farm stores may be able to order a big bag of Mazuri Rodent for you.
It will be "tough love" but absolutely necessary to stop the nuts and seeds for now... by now I mean weeks. The nuts and seeds are robbing his body of calcium which is very critical for squirrels but especially important for growing squirrels and developing healthy bones. He'll likely not readily accept the diet change, like converting a toddler that has been eating cookies and chips to eating eat broccoli and spinach instead. I promise he will not starve himself to death, but he will test your will and resolve by refusing to eat the "healthy stuff" for a while.


What formula brand were you feeding him?

This keeps getting asked only because it is absolutely critical info.

[Jen413]

He may not eat the rodent blocks plain because he’s gotten used to eating junk food. Some in those situations will eat the Henry’s blocks mentioned above much better than the rodent blocks at the pet store. If you buy from the pet store and he won’t eat them you can run them through a food processor and mix it with unsweetened applesauce or baby food. You can also mix in powdered formula (fox valley 20/50 or esbilac with pre/probiotics) to boost it up.

We keep asking about formula because if he was on the correct formula and has been eating junk for three weeks they may look at his symptoms in a different way than they might if he wasn’t on the correct formula and has been eating junk food. For example, incorrect formula may make it more likely that his symptoms are the result of MBD than if he was on the correct formula. So it’s very important to know this information.

How is he doing now?

[Nancy in New York]

Are you still feeding formula, if so what kind?



Why do you suspect it may be MBD? Is he still on formula? If so which kind.


What kind of formula was he on?




What formula brand were you feeding him?



The formula question is very important. What type of formula?


Did you use actual cows milk or something else? Please let us know what he was raised on, it's important.





We keep asking about formula because if he was on the correct formula and has been eating junk for three weeks they may look at his symptoms in a different way than they might if he wasn’t on the correct formula and has been eating junk food. For example, incorrect formula may make it more likely that his symptoms are the result of MBD than if he was on the correct formula. So it’s very important to know this information.







This keeps getting asked only because it is absolutely critical info.
.