Fox Squirrel Juvenile Injured Needs Care - Michigan

[tomcics]

Hello - just posting this before I go to sleep, so will not read any responses until Monday

I have had a pair of juvie fox squirrels hanging out at churchyard and my front yard area. They have both been very active for about 2 weeks, eating a lot and playing, both looked in very good health, full tails.

Friday late afternoon, one of them showed up on my front porch step just sitting there and crouched over, not well I could tell right away, he could barley move. I easily was able to put him in a cage and carry inside. I have no idea what happened to him but I suspect a head injury and maybe leg injuries too (but no wounds that i could see). He can barely move himself, does not try to walk at all. I let him sleep all afternoon and night. On Saturday, still no real movement and he did not touch water or food (he did poop). I was able to give him some water thru dropper Sat afternoon and night and also a tiny bit of formula. If he sees me, he will raise his head up wondering if I am going to feed him again, other than that he does not do much at all.

Today, still not much movement at all and I continued the formula. I called a couple animal care places and both will euthanize him if he is paralyzed.

I am in an apartment that will do inspection soon, so I have maybe 2 days to figure something out. He (or she) is beautiful and lovely like all foxer squirrels tend to be.

I am in Michigan. This little sweetheart loves to be petted and scratched.

https://photos.smugmug.com/2018-July-Squirrels/i-MSRZnmk/0/7b457482/L/P1030232-L.jpg (https://tommahaffey.smugmug.com/2018-July-Squirrels/i-MSRZnmk/A)

[SammysMom]

Oh Tom...I'm so sorry. :Love_Icon

[SophieSquirrel]

Put in him your bedroom and put a keyed lock on the door and tell apartment management that room is private and off limits. What is this country becoming Germany in 1939 with all this intrusive behavior?

If you need a good home for him I can get him one in Edwardsburg, MI with a very responsible woman and a friendly vet nearby. I can guide her on Para care as I have extensive experience with them.

[lukaslolamaus]

Poor baby :Love_Icon I'm glad he or she is not out there all alone. I'll be praying for the baby, you and a care solution :grouphug

[Chickenlegs]

Poor little sweetheart. I hope that baby can get to help soon :Love_Icon

[SammysMom]

We need a rehabber. Tom is not able to have wildlife and locking doors wont suffice. Do we have anyone in Michigan who can help? If not, I will certainly ask in other groups, but of course tsb is always the preferred group of people. :Love_Icon

[SophieSquirrel]

We need a rehabber

I would prefer a rehabber too but I am a snowbird in MI most years and all the so-called rehabbers I know there will euthanize and it's not at a vet with ISO. One in Kalamazoo uses a hammer or a bucket of water as do several others. All you can do with a para but find a good committed long term care person and a vet who will administer Pred. The vet near Edwardsburg will do fecals for $34 to check for Coccidia, admin Pred, and will NOT euthanize unless absolutely necessary. The woman I know is top notch but not a rehabber and will put him under a PR-1350 license. Michigan is captive friendly with an EASY to get license if you jump through the hoops. I have transporters I can call on in MI except for the U.P.

Hopefully a TSB MI rehabber/member will step forward but any off the official State of MI "list" rehabbers are not NR friendly.

[island rehabber]

Put in him your bedroom and put a keyed lock on the door and tell apartment management that room is private and off limits. What is this country becoming Germany in 1939 with all this intrusive behavior?


Try it, and get evicted. Unless you own your own stand-alone home, NOT in a development with an HOA, you CANNOT do what you want. Nothing is "off-limits". Even a condo owner must give power of attorney to the Board. All the bravado and invoking of Nazi Germany in the world will not make this untrue.

[island rehabber]

Unfortu nately we have only ONE Michigan rehabber listed and not even a name -- just an email:

Squirrelwildliferescue@gmail.com

I guess the Michiganers really are "hard-core"; most by-the-book rehabbers do not join TSB because we "allow" people with pet squirrels :shakehead :ohthedrama :yeahthat

[HRT4SQRLS]

Sorry guys, I'm not sure of anyone's location but there is a fantastic wildlife center in Lowell, MI. http://www.farmwildlife.org
It has been verified by several TSB members. I think even Spanky knows about it.

I have no idea if this an option.

[tomcics]

Thanks, I was surprised (and happy) to see so many responses this morning, I have contacted SophieSquirrel, so it is possible something can be arranged, will keep everyone posted. Status is same this morning, not moving much but always picking his head up (somewhat sideways) to see if I am going to get him something to drink. Still not drinking or eating on his own.

[tomcics]

From this morning
https://photos.smugmug.com/2018-July-Squirrels/i-2pvnCXF/0/b9d08263/L/P1030262-L.jpg (https://tommahaffey.smugmug.com/2018-July-Squirrels/i-2pvnCXF/A)
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https://photos.smugmug.com/2018-July-Squirrels/i-M3Frkjt/0/28a49a79/L/P1030268-L.jpg (https://tommahaffey.smugmug.com/2018-July-Squirrels/i-M3Frkjt/A)
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https://photos.smugmug.com/2018-July-Squirrels/i-FcLdvhh/0/acbe5c8a/L/P1030266-L.jpg (https://tommahaffey.smugmug.com/2018-July-Squirrels/i-FcLdvhh/A)

[Spanky]

Sorry guys, I'm not sure of anyone's location but there is a fantastic wildlife center in Lowell, MI. http://www.farmwildlife.org
It has been verified by several TSB members. I think even Spanky knows about it.

I have no idea if this an option.

Yes, Sjana took a HBC paralyzed boy I found when visiting my brother. She basically did everything we recommend here on TSB... Predsnisone therapy, small cage, time to heal... and an awesome outcome (free in the trees). She has helped others from TSB a few other times as well. Big endorsement from me. :thumbsup

[tomcics]

I found a clinic that works with a squirrel rehabber that does 'extensive rehabilitation', will be taking him there soon, thanks everyone

[island rehabber]

Wonderful!!!!! Thx tom!!!!

[SophieSquirrel]

Great Tom, enjoyed talking to you this morning. My friend Karen from Calhoun County offered to do the same after discussing it with her so let me know if you need a Plan-B. Let us know how it works out. Also let the long term rehabber know I have competent people who do NR's if he is non releasable after therapy and she cannot keep due to MI prohibitions on NR's for rehabbers.

[tomcics]

Thanks Dave for Plan B

Thanks to everyone who responded and sent me PMs, including Spanky and Sophie Squirrel

Truthfully, everyone's comments here helped lead me towards a rehabber/hosital. I think it was Spanky that mentioned a 'Parkway Hospital', I did some investigation and found there was a Parkway Small Animal and Exotic Hospital less than 30 minutes from my home. I gave them a call and explained my situation, they responded that they can only accept squirrels if they come from a licensed rehabber (Michigan law) but they had one (rehabber) on site that they put me on hold to ask if she would take him. She agreed and I drove my foxer friend to the hospital, coincidentally only a mile from the hospital I took Rupert (juvie grey) to about a year ago. I got a good vibe as soon as I walked into the place, I sat down and filled out the paper work and within a couple minutes the rehabber (Irene) was standing next to me examining Rocky (named by a friend) and she said right away it was very serious. She held him up and examined his fur first and pointed out what she thought were bite marks on his chest, to be honest even with my glasses on I could barely see them. She was very anxious to take him in back and give him an antibiotic shot as she knew he had some sort of infection from bite (could have been stray cat that has been area that won't leave). I gave a donation and asked them if they could give me a status thru email or phone if possible. She asked me quite a few questions to get his history and I felt very comfortable releasing him into her care, it really helps to have a trained eye take a look. She could not promise he would recover but she was definitely invested into helping him.

Please add this to your contact list for Michigan Squirrel Care
Parkway Small Animal & Exotic Hospital
39321 Garfield
Clinton Twp, MI
(586) 416-8800

[Nancy in New York]

Thanks Dave for Plan B

Thanks to everyone who responded and sent me PMs, including Spanky and Sophie Squirrel

Truthfully, everyone's comments here helped lead me towards a rehabber/hosital. I think it was Spanky that mentioned a 'Parkway Hospital', I did some investigation and found there was a Parkway Small Animal and Exotic Hospital less than 30 minutes from my home. I gave them a call and explained my situation, they responded that they can only accept squirrels if they come from a licensed rehabber (Michigan law) but they had one (rehabber) on site that they put me on hold to ask if she would take him. She agreed and I drove my foxer friend to the hospital, coincidentally only a mile from the hospital I took Rupert (juvie grey) to about a year ago. I got a good vibe as soon as I walked into the place, I sat down and filled out the paper work and within a couple minutes the rehabber (Irene) was standing next to me examining Rocky (named by a friend) and she said right away it was very serious. She held him up and examined his fur first and pointed out what she thought were bite marks on his chest, to be honest even with my glasses on I could barely see them. She was very anxious to take him in back and give him an antibiotic shot as she knew he had some sort of infection from bite (could have been stray cat that has been area that won't leave). I gave a donation and asked them if they could give me a status thru email or phone if possible. She asked me quite a few questions to get his history and I felt very comfortable releasing him into her care, it really helps to have a trained eye take a look. She could not promise he would recover but she was definitely invested into helping him.

Please add this to your contact list for Michigan Squirrel Care
Parkway Small Animal & Exotic Hospital
39321 Garfield
Clinton Twp, MI
(586) 416-8800

Thank you tomcics for ALWAYS being there for your little ones,
and yet again, getting the proper help needed for Rocky.
Regardless of the outcome, he found you, and you found Irene,
and this little one found compassion and love. :Love_Icon

[Mel1959]

Thank you, Tom. :hug I hope things go well for Rocky, but if not, I hope he can get to a forever home where someone will love him and accommodate his needs and abilities.

[TubeDriver]

Great rescue Tom. I hope it works out for your little Foxxer friend.:grouphug

It sounds very serious but you have given him a chance!:great

[tomcics]

Thank you tomcics for ALWAYS being there for your little ones,
and yet again, getting the proper help needed for Rocky.
Regardless of the outcome, he found you, and you found Irene,
and this little one found compassion and love. :Love_Icon

Thanks Nancy

An odd situation going on here, since May of this year I have been chasing off a black and white cat, as it has been freaking out the squirrels big time. I never actually seen cat attack a squirrel but definitively always on the hunt (probably mainly for birds). I have literally chased cat off the whole apartment complex a dozen or more times, so it knows I am not friendly (although I think this cat is absolutely gorgeous). I have asked apartment manager to see if they could catch cat and give to humane society or some org that would not euthanize cats. He would not make the effort for me.

So over the weekend, Rocky the foxer turns up wounded (might be cat bite) and that black and white cat decides to have babies 8 feet from my back door inside a window well (noticed on Saturday, same weekend as Rocky was bit), so surprised she would have them near me. So now of course as much as I want to get rid of the cat, I cannot chase it and risk it abandoning babies, all babies are tabbies.

This afternoon, something even more weird, that black and white cat was only two feet at most from Rocky's little brother in front and that little foxer seemed totally oblivious (just stood there eating hazelnuts) but I really seen no sign that cat was interested in harming him. Totally confused what is going on here with cat and squirrels.

If someone was to trap that cat, it would have trap her and all the babies, not sure what to do about it, with the brats around here (and some are worse than brats), those baby kittens are also endangered.
https://photos.smugmug.com/2018-May-Squirrels/i-6BkgqmD/0/e6f303e7/L/017-L.jpg (https://tommahaffey.smugmug.com/2018-May-Squirrels/i-6BkgqmD/A)

[stepnstone]

If someone was to trap that cat, it would have trap her and all the babies, not sure what to do about it, with the brats around here (and some are worse than brats), those baby kittens are also endangered.

Could there be a chance of locating a cat rescue in your area to take in mom and babies?
Sooner then later would be better for the babies before they are left to the fate of "brats"
or becoming Ferrel.

[tomcics]

Could there be a chance of locating a cat rescue in your area to take in mom and babies?
Sooner then later would be better for the babies before they are left to the fate of "brats"
or becoming Ferrel.

Hello Stepnstone, have not found anyone that would come out to rescue them and the Mom knows me (as I have chased her many times), so I would not be able to pull it off myself.

[Mel1959]

In our area we have several individuals that trap, spay/neuter and release feral cats. Some of these folks are known by the local vets. Maybe you could check with some of the vet offices and see if they know of anyone that can help. We also have a few low cost spay/neuter clinics. If you have anything like that in your area it might be another resource. I have never found Humane Societies to be very helpful. It’s usually the individuals that work with small organizations that do the dirty work of actually trapping, spaying and releasing.

[tomcics]

In our area we have several individuals that trap, spay/neuter and release feral cats. Some of these folks are known by the local vets. Maybe you could check with some of the vet offices and see if they know of anyone that can help. We also have a few low cost spay/neuter clinics. If you have anything like that in your area it might be another resource. I have never found Humane Societies to be very helpful. It’s usually the individuals that work with small organizations that do the dirty work of actually trapping, spaying and releasing.

Thanks, that is a good suggestion Mel1959, I will have to look into if there anyone near us that would do such a thing.

[tomcics]

Just a quick update on Rocky, I spoke to squirrel rehabber at clinic this morning. Rocky has made some improvements, he is eating on his own now (after getting over an infection) but cannot move around much, it appears to be a right front paw injury and they will be examining him today further to see how extensive the injury is. In Michigan, squirrel cannot legally be turned over to me by a license rehabber but the good news is this is a very compassionate squirrel rehabber and close personal friend of PJ Garner (IR's friend & Nick Jr.'s caregiver for many years). Some of her wildlife is also featured in PJ's yearly calendars.
Bad news is Rocky did bite the rehabber last week during an examination but like all good squirrel people, she blamed herself for the bite.
I am convinced this a wonderful rehabber, so remember the number for future Michigan cases, she cannot take everyone but she tries her best to help:
Parkway Small Animal & Exotic Hospital
39321 Garfield
Clinton Twp, MI
(586) 416-8800

[TubeDriver]

Thanks for the info. I hope Ricky continues to improve.:hug

Any decent rehabber knows that if they get bit, it is 100% their fault! I expect wild animals to bite although sometimes I am pleasantly surprised when they don't. This rehabber sounds like a great resource to have in your area! :great



Just a quick update on Rocky, I spoke to squirrel rehabber at clinic this morning. Rocky has made some improvements, he is eating on his own now (after getting over an infection) but cannot move around much, it appears to be a right front paw injury and they will be examining him today further to see how extensive the injury is. In Michigan, squirrel cannot legally be turned over to me by a license rehabber but the good news is this is a very compassionate squirrel rehabber and close personal friend of PJ Garner (IR's friend & Nick Jr.'s caregiver for many years). Some of her wildlife is also featured in PJ's yearly calendars.
Bad news is Rocky did bite the rehabber last week during an examination but like all good squirrel people, she blamed herself for the bite.
I am convinced this a wonderful rehabber, so remember the number for future Michigan cases, she cannot take everyone but she tries her best to help:
Parkway Small Animal & Exotic Hospital
39321 Garfield
Clinton Twp, MI
(586) 416-8800

[tomcics]

Thanks for the info. I hope Ricky continues to improve.:hug

Any decent rehabber knows that if they get bit, it is 100% their fault! I expect wild animals to bite although sometimes I am pleasantly surprised when they don't. This rehabber sounds like a great resource to have in your area! :great

Thanks Pete

This rehabber talked with me on phone from clinic for at least 35 minutes, very dedicated to squirrels and their care.

Rocky bit me that one time but that was when I attempted to transfer him from one small cage to a larger container. After that he liked me to pet him and scratch him.

[TubeDriver]

I meant Rocky not Ricky!:tap

He actually sounds like a very friendly squirrel for a wild one! Any squirrel might bite when scared, it is nothing personal!:grin2:great



Thanks Pete

This rehabber talked with me on phone from clinic for at least 35 minutes, very dedicated to squirrels and their care.

Rocky bit me that one time but that was when I attempted to transfer him from one small cage to a larger container. After that he liked me to pet him and scratch him.

[lennysmom]

I haven’t been on the board much lately, but just read the entire story of Rocky and I’m so glad you found help for him. The animals in your yard are so blessed to have you looking out for them.:hug They always know where to come for help. Prayers that sweet Rocky will be ok.:Love_Icon

[tomcics]

I haven’t been on the board much lately, but just read the entire story of Rocky and I’m so glad you found help for him. The animals in your yard are so blessed to have you looking out for them.:hug They always know where to come for help. Prayers that sweet Rocky will be ok.:Love_Icon

Thanks Lindsay - I am thankful I was home to spot him on my steps, when I first touched him, he rolled over on his side and for some reason I started petting him like you would a dog you knew and he just laid there and seemed to like being comforted.

[tomcics]

Great news

I was able to touch base with rehabber today for a new status

As it turns out Rocky got back to being a healthy normal squirrel and can use all his hands and feet (this was a concern early on). Funny thing is, she was transporting him from her house, I think maybe she was going to relocate him somewhere and he decided he wanted to stay there and she said he found an opening in the carrier and escaped and went up neighbor's tree. Now he is in her tree and she feeds him all the time.

[TubeDriver]

:bliss:bliss:bliss:bliss:bliss


:serene




Great news

I was able to touch base with rehabber today for a new status

As it turns out Rocky got back to being a healthy normal squirrel and can use all his hands and feet (this was a concern early on). Funny thing is, she was transporting him from her house, I think maybe she was going to relocate him somewhere and he decided he wanted to stay there and she said he found an opening in the carrier and escaped and went up neighbor's tree. Now he is in her tree and she feeds him all the time.