Swollen vagina???

[Beautydust]

Hey guys, this morning when i was about to feed my babies I noticed one of my female squirrels' vagina has become swollen. She's still very active and eats a lot but I can't help but to worry. Idk if this is relevant but she shares a cage with her brother and another female squirrel (they're all the same age). What should I do? 317483

[Javarat]

How old are these babies?

[Beautydust]

How old are these babies?

They're turning 1 next month!

[Mel1959]

That looks like a female in her estrus cycle. If you have her caged with a male they likely could, or have, mated.

[island rehabber]

Mel is Oh so right. We used to think (and were taught) that squirrels would not mate in captivity. However, two rehabbers I know personally have had this happen so....we were taught wrong.

I would separate the females immediately.

[Beautydust]

Oh no!! But she's gonna be ok right? The thing is I can't put them in different cages because they always cry when they're separated. Even during playtime outside these two are always together (leaving the other female to play alone)

[Mel1959]

Yes, she’s gonna be fine. If she is pregnant you have to be on alert for aggression. Females become quite protective and territorial when they are going to have babies. And males can also become quite aggressive and kill baby squirrels. If she’s pregnant she likely will need, and want, to be separated from both of the others.

[MotherOfBadgers]

Oh no!! But she's gonna be ok right? The thing is I can't put them in different cages because they always cry when they're separated. Even during playtime outside these two are always together (leaving the other female to play alone)

You can and you must separate them, crying be damned, unless you want multiple litters of murdered newborns.