Devolved tail , just happened

[Snicker Bar]

So I was just contemplating the possibility of turning Kanga and Roo over, to someone in a more squirrel friendly location for soft release in the spring, when I just notice a piece of tail on the floor of their room??! I thought it was from Kanga , who already has a partially missing piece of tail. Thought maybe it had necrosed a bit more and another chunk fell off,
But nope, it’s my pretty little Roo’s tail! About 2/3 “ of meat and hair, and an additional 2/3 inches of what appears to be exposed bone? Maybe it’s skin? I can’t tell she won’t be still; there’s been no fussing, fighting , I can’t for
for the life of me figure out what happened? Unless my husband ( whom I just asked to help change a bulb out there) isn’t telling me something ( as in I closed the door on a tail)?? If this piece dies, and her tail is just half a tail, can she still do well in he wild? And please look at Kanga’s tail, sadly they both are bob tails now, I can’t believe this. This room is padded and Doodles safe one end to another. And Dandies hasn’t made any signs of aggression. Absolutely stumped . It had to be the door. My husband :( !!

Does this make them more vunerable, less able to balance? Still plan to release with half tails or be NR’s?? I have Baytril, topical meds, lidocaine, just start these?

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Piece from Roo
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Kanga
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What’s left of Roo’s
I’m just sick. Absolutely sick, mad , but not sure at who?? But somebody isn’t telling! Unless she didn’t make a sound, but still mad and hurting for her, and
want to cuss out loud if ten year old would cover ears

[HRT4SQRLS]

Deep breath Marie! IT's OK. Really.... it's fine. The bone will dry up and either fall off or she will chew it off.

I can answer all your questions about this. :grin2 When I took Susie to the vet to have the bots removed (she was overwhelmed with warbles... 24) ...she lost a couple inches of tail and I was standing right there. She bolted in the exam room. The vet tech and I were trying to catch her. Neither one of us grabbed her by the tail but in the chaos a piece of tail went flying. If I hadn't been there myself I would have sworn that someone grabbed her tail but it didn't happen. Their tail is designed to deglove to protect them from capture. Susie only lost 2 inches and it wasn't even noticeable when she was released. While she was under anaesthesia the vet snipped the bone off so it wasn't so disturbing looking.

A pinkie that I raised was cat caught. Her tail was nearly severed but it hung on. I thought it would dry up and fall off but it didn't. It stayed moist and she appeared to be getting septic from this rotting tail. I had to take matters into my own hands. I took thread and tied it off at the break. It had no feeling, it was just a nasty mess. I cut it off and the little dry nub fell off a few days later. Dixie has the cutest 3 inch tail you ever saw. She lives in my yard. I see her often. I can always recognize her from a distance. :grin2 It's been a couple weeks since I've seen her and the last time I saw her I suspected that she was expecting. I sure hope so and I can't wait to see her again. The tail has not been an issue for her at all.

I'm sure no one in your family had anything to do with her tail.

[Snicker Bar]

Well, ok , just rattled the crap out of me and momentarily caused me to blame
him . So he will be grateful for your defense .
We weighed her ( 344g) and I gave her 0.1 ml Meloxicam ( 1.5 mg/ml) coated it with cream and lidocaine and I’ll figure the Baytril dose as with the respiratory stuff we treated earlier.
I just didn’t know if a full , fluffy tail was important; if this was a “sign” I need to keep them :/

[HRT4SQRLS]

I doubt this will need antibiotics. I bet tomorrow it will be dry.

A fluffy tail functions as a coat and an umbrella but they can definitely manage without it. :tilt

[cava]

Last winter I left the squirrels out playing in their room to go get something, came back and found piece of tail on the floor. Had a heck of a time finding the owner of the piece as they were all joyfully running around and nobody seemed upset.

It was the male and he had a red, bloody nubbin where it was lost. It healed without issue. I think I gave him a dose of infant ibuprofen that night and that was it. He's been outside since spring and is doing great.

I have seen a few half and nub tail wilds in the neighborhood as well.

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