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Lazingarellaz
03-28-2019, 08:59 PM
I’am having my own questions about care for a squirrel, I have no idea age or sexy but he looks about 6oz red squirrel (Alaska).
I think he was stuck by a car, injuries to eye, hand. He’s in need of medicine but every vet in Ak has run us out of their office. I was told to throw him out and let him die... I’m so mad I’m having a hard time texting, forgive me.
He’s mobile but he’s sleeping a lot, he has runny poo but I think that maybe the banana he ate, he’s drinking water and still grooming himself. He’s in a quiet warm area with food water and a nap sac but I need to know what meds to give and how best to help him. I feel so terrible for the poor forest baby.
Any advice plz.
9077078438 my phone

Spanky
03-28-2019, 09:11 PM
I am going to move this post to the emergency section and start a new thread. I will send a link to the new thread.

Can you post pictures?

Is the squirrel completely mobile, or are their issues with any limbs?

Do they circle, tilt their head or tend to fall over or lean against things to keep from falling over?

Lazingarellaz
03-28-2019, 09:28 PM
He leaned a little in the beginning but not so much anymore. He can walk and talk but he would rather sleep. No circling, no falling over, no shivering. His arms and legs are intact, I don’t believe he has a spinal injury. His breathing is rhythmic, he is warm to the touch and has no tenting when I do the pinch test for hydration on his back/booty. But when I found him he was bleeding from his eye and nose... he maintained consciousness through his injuries, tough fur baby.

Lazingarellaz
03-28-2019, 09:35 PM
The middle pic is him eating a banana, which I think gave him loose stool, I hate to use the term “wet tail” but I’m brand new to this.

Spanky
03-28-2019, 09:52 PM
That third picture looks like they have additional injuries on their back. The chronic lethargy can be indicative of a head injury.

I think we need to back up a bit.. how long ago did you find this little one (thank you for helping him!)?

That eye wound looks a few days old, it would be good to get some antibiotic ointment (specifically for the eyes) and apply on it. Terramycin is a good choice. You can usually get that at a farm and feed store like Tractor Supply? Sometimes WalMart will carry it... depends on you local store.

Here is the link to the healthy squirrel diet... its much more about veggies than nuts a seeds that is the popular thinking with squirrels.
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

Lazingarellaz
03-28-2019, 09:59 PM
I found him three days ago, in the road. The 3rd picture has the ticks, 6 total still attached to him but I took those off today after he drank and went potty. I will absolutely get ointment for his eye. Thank you for the advice!!

Spanky
03-28-2019, 10:12 PM
I found him three days ago, in the road. The 3rd picture has the ticks, 6 total still attached to him but I took those off today after he drank and went potty. I will absolutely get ointment for his eye. Thank you for the advice!!

For some reason when I read "ticks", I was thinking ticks like small seizure type of tics! Is it normal to have ticks out at this time of year in AK... we do not see them for a few more weeks here (our ticks are smaller).

Prednisone is the go-to drug for head and spinal injuries... I am not saying to give him any right now, I am mentioning in hopes you can find some (1 tablet) from family or friends in case it is needed. Gabapentin is also a useFUL (LOL ... Edit) medicine for these situations. Both of these are prescription.

Infant Ibuprofen can help with pain and some of the inflammation... this medication cannot be given with Prednisone (just making you aware). I am tempted to suggest you start him on Ibuprofen but it would be dosed by weight. Do you have a kitchen scale to weigh him? If not they can be bought at Walmart for $15 bucks or so.

Lazingarellaz
03-28-2019, 10:26 PM
The friggin ticks up here are huuuge and yes this time of year is warm enough for those buttholes to be out.
Infant ibuprofen is safe for these guys? I’ll get the scale and measure him but he feels about 6oz, I wish I could find prednisone, one of my labs has a yucky skin allergy that maybe prednisone might help (we go to the vet next Friday). For now I’m worried about fluids and food, how much to give, when to stop.

Spanky
03-28-2019, 10:37 PM
Infant ibuprofen is safe for these guys? I’ll get the scale and measure him but he feels about 6oz, I wish I could find prednisone, one of my labs has a yucky skin allergy that maybe prednisone might help (we go to the vet next Friday). For now I’m worried about fluids and food, how much to give, when to stop.

Provide him a shallow dish of water to drink from... If you have the option of also offering fluid with a syringe and nipple, that is always good.

You can freely feed veggies... he might want more wild foods like pine cones, clover, etc. if you can find them. At this point you want him to eat plenty and get plenty of calories, but if you have him a while you will need to be cautious about overfeeding any bad (Less than good?) foods (nuts, seeds, corn). Squash, sweet taters and sugar snap peas are favorites... and avocado for many.

Making sure he is well hydrated if you give Ibuprofen is critical.

Edit: If you are giving fluids via a syringe with a nipple, rule of thumb is 5% - 7% = stomach capacity. So if he really is 6oz, that would be about 180 grams and 5% of 180grams would be about 9ML of fluid. 7% would be about 12.5ml.

Lazingarellaz
03-28-2019, 10:47 PM
Amazing! I’am so happy y’all care so much!
I was wondering tho if gruel is a good option for him? Any thoughts?

Spanky
03-28-2019, 11:06 PM
Amazing! I’am so happy y’all care so much!
I was wondering tho if gruel is a good option for him? Any thoughts?

Can you explain what you mean by gruel? Does he have any troubles eating currently?

(I am needing to grab a few hours a sleep before the next feeding, hopefully others can help to guide you... ).

Diggie's Friend
03-29-2019, 12:53 AM
If your have every heard of Dr. Oakley (Veterinarian near Alaska border to Canada) that treats both domestic and wild animals) if you aren't in her area perhaps she can recommend a veterinarian that works with wild creatures in your area that can help.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=redsquirrel.main

Fast Facts

• Size

Length: 270-380 mm
Weight: 197-282 g

• Lifespan

5 years

• Range/Distribution

Range extends throughout most of forested Alaska; northern extent is at the crest of the Brooks Range and extends all the way through southeast Alaska.

• Diet

Diet consists of seeds, conifer cones, nuts, fruits, and fungi. Occasionally feeds on invertebrates and small vertebrates.

• Predators

Hawks, owls, and marten.

• Reproduction

Breed once per year in February and March. Females typically give birth to litters of three to seven offspring about five weeks later.


While you are following the directions of the rehabbers to support treating his injuries making sure he is well hydrating before feeding him. In helping him, you will need to provide him with healthy source of nutrition, and yet the wild diet of this species of squirrels supports them in the wild, providing that diet in captivity is no easy task to accomplish, let alone learn how to do so in time to provide him with the balance and nutrient level he requires.

An easier way may be to provide him a nutritious source of food is from Henry's Healthy Wild Bites.

https://www.henryspets.com/

Feeding 1 to 1 1/2 blocks a day, with 1/2 pc. of this block three times a day. Be sure to keep frozen till ready to thaw then feed.

If you can order from Amazon.com ask if Henry's ships to Alaska, I would go with this source. If so, should you be located in an low populated area, one that can only be reached by small plane, or takes more than a week to get mail to, please confirm.

https://www.amazon.com/Henrys-Wild-Bites-Squirrels-Flyers/dp/B005JUSMEC

Even with this source it may be he will refuse to eat it, yet considering he is hungry for nutrients he may at least accept it for awhile. I would give this source a try, ask whether it can be sent to your region of Alaska. If you are located where it takes a small plane to get to you likely this isn't going to be a viable option.

In the meantime while waiting for this source to arrive, or in the case you not have access to this sources, you will need to provide Calcium carbonate, or Calcium citrate powder. Henry's offers calcium carbonate, and Swanson offers calcium citrate in a jar also. Adding 150 mg. calcium daily, adding half of the powder to the AM meal and half to the PM meal daily into plain unsweetened organic cooked oatmeal quick cook, long cook, but not instant. (Bob's Red Mill old fashioned unsweetened quick cook 1/2 Tsp. cooked, not dry measure, should also help some with his diarrhea.

You can also offer him boiled organic peas from frozen, that are a good source of protein and carbs.

If you have access to organic winter squash Acorn, or butternut varieties, add: (1/2) Teaspoon.

Again, if you are able to order online, this is a surrogate source for the kind of worms this species consumes in the wild. The dried super mealworms.

https://vita-mealie.weebly.com/dried-superworm-listings.html

Though a very small amount of nuts in captivity is acceptable, do not feed other than hazelnuts (filbert nuts) you crack open to examine for worms, and or fungus. If they have either dispose of them in the trash. No more than 1 to 2 hazelnuts (filberts daily) .

Pine seeds from native pine trees be the cones that contain them green or brown, as long as they aren't opened, nor fallen to the ground, are ok to feed a smaller one every other day.

The reason for this is that in captivity where they don't have access to a number of cones to choose from, they become anxious about getting food, that sources that they would pass on in the wild, they may accept even so contaminated with toxic mold. consume any source, even if it is contaminated with toxic mold. Same for nuts, so open up organic not fumigated hazelnuts and inspect them to see that there is no mold or insects in them, that carry mold spores. If they do then discard them for mold is often lethal to these animals.

Though berries are a natural food for this species, it isn't yet berry season. Feeding banana can be done but limit it to no more than 1 teaspoon, while alternation with other organic fruits daily, not feeding the same fruit more than twice in 8 days.

Red squirrels are big on eating bud worms like the spruce bud worm, along with specific sources of buds. As surrogate source of grubworm I can recommend is the Super mealworms from Camilles vita-mealies.

https://vita-mealie.weebly.com/dried-superworm-listings.html

Do not feed earthworms that are toxic, nor other worms from the wild either



.

Diggie's Friend
03-29-2019, 01:26 AM
I just finished my post and now read there may be more injuries.

Please do what the rehabbers here say to do, he isn't out the woods yet.

You first need to see the diarrhea stopped before him any nuts or seeds, so hold off on them for now.


By gruel you mean oatmeal, yes?

Instead of 1/2 Teaspoon daily, feed the same amount twice daily, adding one half of 150 mg. (75 mg.) elemental calcium from

Calcium carbonate, or Calcium citrate to each of two 1/2 Tsp. portions of plain oatmeal daily.

This with the baked winter squash if you have any available locally, and the boiled peas as I have noted also.

Should you need more input on diet you can send me a Private message or request I do so.

Lazingarellaz
03-29-2019, 01:59 PM
So much improvement this morning, he’s was awake and alert, he drank all of his water and ate his food. He’s down for his morning nap and will be awake by noonish so I can change his papers.
No injury to the jaw that I noticed, he’s chewing ok and can make that heckin loud call.

I was asking about gruel just in case I had to feed him that way.

No more “wet tail”, he’s pooping like a champ. He’s been grooming his tail this morning and little face.

I plan to head to a few pet stores with the lists I got from y’all, and also see if I can find some wild food like I was told about.

I will update soon, y’all are just the best 👍🏻