Buggy eyes that are looking backwards

[PrincessPeach]

Well it's happened again. Another baby has decided it wants our help. Well really I think he wanted our neighbors help but she was terrified and my hubby ran over to help. Our new little friend is probably 8 weeks old give or take. His little eyes are bugging out of his head and both are looking backwards like he's trying to watch behind his head. He made me think of the squirrel from the ice age movies because they look so huge and bulging. When his eyes are closed which they have mostly been he looks perfectly normal. He was running in circles scared and obviously confused. He is also slightly malnourished and demolished the first nipple because he was so hungry. (He's been nice to them since the first feeding. He seems to be feeling happier and healthier bit I'm really worried about his eyes. He didn't appear to be able to see straight. We are going to try and get him in to see our vet today but until then do any of you have any suggestions or ideas? I can't find anything on Google. I'll get a picture when he wakes for his next feeding and put it up. Thanks in advance!

[Mel1959]

A picture would be helpful. I was wondering if his eyes look that way because he’s emaciated. Poor nutrition can affect eyesight but I don’t know about the eye itself.

It’ll be interesting to hear what the vet says. I hope you can get him seen.

[PrincessPeach]

I'll take a picture as soon as he opens them again. Hopefully it's nothing serious. I've never seen anything like it. I'd bet it's why he was out of the nest though because in this condition I doubt he'd live long in the wild. Hard to run the right direction when your looking backwards.

[PrincessPeach]

Here's what I could manage to take. He's a bit crusty looking from our nipple massacre last night but he will get cleaned up when he wakes up.

[Buddy]

OMG! Such a cutie! :love

I believe syringes are better for them. You can ask from your pharmacist to give you the smallest one (you can say you're feeding a baby hamster or something like that). They usually provide one even for free.

There are also special ones for baby squirrels at Henry's: https://henryspets.com

[stepnstone]

Here's what I could manage to take. He's a bit crusty looking from our nipple massacre last night but he will get cleaned up when he wakes up.

The eyes and the running in circles is likely head trauma/ concussion from taking a fall.
You need to scrap that bottle and feed with a syringe preferably with a nipple attached.
That bottle will flow too eaisily and will cause aspiration pneumonia. You also need to
clean the formula off him as soon as he has finished eating. Not doing so can cause milk
scald and result in fur loss.
What formula (milk) are you feeding?

[PrincessPeach]

I was unaware that the syringes are a better option. We took in a girl who is now back in the woods she would have lived in if her mum hadn't given her the boot for being to flee ridden and she used a bottle. These bottles don't leak out much and I'm pretty sure that's why he ripped off the nipple. Still not much more than a drip drip type thing even then. Normally I would have washed him right away but he was terrified and so very tired so I let him sleep last night. He's past the needing to feed every four hours age and aside from being a bit boney and bug eyed he's doing very well. He is drinking esbilac at the moment. I'm going to order the better stuff today from Henry's. We take in all walks of life as babies when they need us. I've got five boy cats who believe it or not are quite taken with him. All it took was seeing the bottle and sniffing it. They remember that smell and know he's there baby brother for now. Pretty neat stuff. So I thought the same thing that he must have fallen or something. I sure hope he will pull through. With the way his eyes are bugged out he may have some brain damage. Hopefully our vet will be able to help him.

[PrincessPeach]

Here is a better picture of his eye. Both sides look like this.

[Rock Monkey]

He does look rather thin. If he is eating well he should put weight quickly. Be sure to weigh him daily and make a record. I think he will look better in all senses once he starts returning to normal age-appropriate weight.

Be sure to do a skin turgor test to see if he is dehydrated as the food cannot be processed properly if the dehydration is serious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjPMVq7Tq2g&ab_channel=squirrelsandmorellc

This is a great video about how to test for dehydration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLjRlzTOGHY&ab_channel=squirrelsandmorellc

This is another one demonstrating proper feeding technique with a syringe and discusses how to prevent aspiration which can easily be deadly for young squirrels. The squirrels can be so desperately hungry that they can aspirate themselves.

The eyes of squirrels do not have a central focal point, unlike humans. They gather information from a 270 degree field of view.

Young squirrels also need supplemental heat, not just a blanket. Normally Mom provides that necessary heat. Usually a heating pad set on low is placed under half of the container in which they are placed, this way they can move away from the heat if they become too hot.