paralized

[ChiChimom]

I have been raising a baby squirrel for three months. He has been doing amazing, he loves me. The other day he started dragging his back feet and tail. He has never been outside for fear of a hawk getting him. I don't know what could be wrong please help. I haven't taken him to the vet because I don't think I am supposed to have him but his mother abandoned him and he was going to die.

[stepnstone]

I have been raising a baby squirrel for three months. He has been doing amazing, he loves me. The other day he started dragging his back feet and tail. He has never been outside for fear of a hawk getting him. I don't know what could be wrong please help. I haven't taken him to the vet because I don't think I am supposed to have him but his mother abandoned him and he was going to die.

I suspect he has MBD.
What was or is it's formula your feeding, what all do you feed him?

[Rock Monkey]

Here are some links that will provide you more information about MBD. We are here to help.

https://henryspets.com/what-is-metabolic-bone-disease/

https://henryspets.com/emergency-treatment-for-mbd/

Can you post a link of a video of the squirrel showing how it moves?

The diet for a captive squirrel needs to be very different from a wild squirrel in order for the squirrel to be healthy.

https://henryspets.com/healthy-diet-for-pet-squirrels/

Calcium treatment can help to reverse your squirrel's problem if the issue is caused by MBD.

[ChiChimom]

Unfortunately I had no idea what I was supposed to feed him. I just thought about what he might eat in the wild. I have been giving him pecans and peanuts. He also has been eating french fries and chips. Please don't crucify me I didn't know. I ordered some blocks after reading all the posts they will be here Friday. He does also eat carrots and cucumbers.

[stepnstone]

Nuts rob the body of calcium. With mbd by the time noticed paralysis usually appear first, then often seizures.
It can be turned around with prompt treatment.

You need to start the mbd protocol asap!
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?17680-Emergency-Treatment-for-MBD-(Updated-3-31-09)

[ChiChimom]

My mom takes calcium so I got some of her pills. I crushed one up and mixed it with water and a little of the formula I fed him. He tore it up. I will continue to give him more in the morning.

[stepnstone]

My mom takes calcium so I got some of her pills. I crushed one up and mixed it with water and a little of the formula I fed him. He tore it up. I will continue to give him more in the morning.

Are there any other "ingredients" listed in these pills? We do not want vitamin D in the calcium.
Do they list how much Elemental Calcium is in each pill?

I hope you have read the MBD protocol. You need to follow it as exactly as you can.
It's really important the calcium is given throughout the day to keep blood levels up.
One or two (larger) doses won't be as beneficial as smaller consistent doses that add
up to the amounts described in the protocol.

[ChiChimom]

It will not let me upload a video. Can you give me some suggestions.

[stepnstone]

It will not let me upload a video. Can you give me some suggestions.

Videos need to be downloaded to YouTube, Smugbug or other video like programs.
Then one can post the link to be viewed here.

[Chickenlegs]

Henry’s Healthy Pets has an MBD kit. It includes a heating pad. His bones are soft right now. That heating pad is going to help his aches, and with MBD he does ache. Also—no climbing. He’s breakable and a fall can cause a lot of damage. It’ll take time but he’ll heal with your love and care.

[Rock Monkey]

My mom takes calcium so I got some of her pills. I crushed one up and mixed it with water and a little of the formula I fed him. He tore it up. I will continue to give him more in the morning.

Most calcium supplements also contain vitamin D. The problem is that this vitamin D can be too much for the squirrel, building up and becoming toxic in the body.

Buy some calcium carbonate tablets which have no other active ingredients or you can buy Tums, which have substantial amounts of calcium carbonate. However, as Stepnstone said you need to providing the calcium in the appropriate amounts and the appropriate intervals or more problems can be caused. So you have to see how many milligrams of calcium are provided by each pill and divide it appropriately.

Please look at the links given carefully. Also, feel to ask whatever questions you have.

In the wild a squirrel is getting direct sunlight which helps them manufacture the appropriate amount of vitamin D and have access to other materials like deer antler and other things which help them maintain a healthy mineral balance.

[ChiChimom]

The calcium pills my mom had contain Vitamin D so I went and bought some Tums. He is not happy about it but he has been taking it throughout the day. I crush it and dissolve it in water and feed it with a syringe. I also ordered some of the Henry's healthy blocks. I also gave him a deer antler which I don't know if he is doing anything other than playing with it. He is in good spirits and I am very careful with him so that he doesn't fall. He has a cage but since he became paralyzed I keep him in my large garden tub during the day with a blanket. He does not seem to be in any pain he acts exactly the same as he did before.

[Rock Monkey]

The calcium pills my mom had contain Vitamin D so I went and bought some Tums. He is not happy about it but he has been taking it throughout the day. I crush it and dissolve it in water and feed it with a syringe.

First be sure to look at the Tums bottle to see how many milligrams of calcium are in one tablet and divide the tablet up appropriately. The crushed Tums can be mixed with ripe avocado, which should make it more palatable to your squirrel. Just be sure not to give or allow the squirrel to take the skin or the pit. These are toxic and poisonous if too much is ingested.

Also, you mentioned that you previously gave french fries and potato chips. These are very high in salt and will be bad for the squirrel, they will throw off the electrolyte balance and cause issues with proper hydration. Generally, you should avoid giving foods with added salt.

Getting the diet right is one of the tricky parts of taking care of a squirrel. With proper diet the squirrel will be much healthier and happier.

[ChiChimom]

Thank you so much for your help. I never knew how deeply in love I would fall for this precious baby when someone ask me to help it. I really believe he thinks I am his mom. He purrs every time I talk to him.

[Rock Monkey]

Monitoring the color of your squirrel's poop will tell you how much of the calcium is being taken up and how much is being excreted. When the poop becomes white they are being given more calcium than they can process.

Has there been any improvement in the movement of his hind legs or balance?

Hopefully there has been some improvement. However it take some time to restore their minerals to the proper, healthy balance. You are still in the early stages of treatment.

It didn't get out of whack overnight and won't get restored overnight either.

[Mel1959]

The calcium pills my mom had contain Vitamin D so I went and bought some Tums. He is not happy about it but he has been taking it throughout the day. I crush it and dissolve it in water and feed it with a syringe. I also ordered some of the Henry's healthy blocks. I also gave him a deer antler which I don't know if he is doing anything other than playing with it. He is in good spirits and I am very careful with him so that he doesn't fall. He has a cage but since he became paralyzed I keep him in my large garden tub during the day with a blanket. He does not seem to be in any pain he acts exactly the same as he did before.

You can find plain calcium carbonate at health food stores sold under the NOW label.

[ChiChimom]

Update on my Chi Chi. He seems to be happy. I have completely changed his diet following the chart. Still giving him calcium through tums. He seems to be losing weight though. No progress on his paralysis.

[Mel1959]

Will he eat avocado (no skin or pit) or fresh coconut chunks? The avocado contains some extra calories that might be helpful. You can also offer full fat vanilla yogurt or formula in a bowl.