Tree Fall or Bird Feeder accident

[reesa]

Hi, I'm so glad I found your forum. On Wednesday afternoon I found a squirrel laying on the ground with a bloody nose and mouth. About 10ft from it on the ground was my bird feeder. I thought the squirrel had passed and I was going to bury it. But it moved so I brought it inside (in a bird cage) to either die or recover in peace and out of the heat and away from predators and bugs. At first it walked in circles after I gave it some sugar water but mostly would just lay down with it's eyes open and seemed completely unaware that I was there. I just continued to give it water through a straw at first then a syringe later. It's not wheezing but it moves around even less now (understandbly so but I worry I'm doing more harm than good). I started alternating between water, pedialtye and ensure. I'm reading conflicting info on pedialyte and ensure so not sure if I should just be feeding it water or sugar water but it's not eating so I'm not sure what to do. I have a cover for the birdcage and have been half covering the cage to let air in but also give them a dark area. I'm keeping them in a closed room with no animals or people except me checking on it. So far I haven't been able to find a local rehabber that can take it. I did realize that it's eyes were extremely dried out from it's eyes being open for so long and I got saline solution and gave it some drops and they are opening and closing there eyes now. But for the most part they are just "sleeping". No wheezing, they had a nose whistle but for the most part no sounds with they're breathing. They were able to walk but stayed low to the ground and didn't sit up like a uninjured squirrel would. But now they are so inactive. They do hold the syringe tip when I feed them and twice today they cleaned their face after eating (just the lower mouth area but still) they were scratching itches with their back legs in the beginning but they haven't today. They will sometimes cover themselves with their tail and lay in a circle. I'm not sure what to do. How often I should give them water/ liquids? They will take about 1-2 tsp of liquid when I feed them but I'm not sure how much spills out of their mouth too. But I can hear them lapping. It's a full grown squirrel. Any help or information would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you!

[SammysMom]

Where are you in NY?

[reesa]

Where are you in NY?

I'm in Orange County, NY

[reesa]

Hi again :) I have an update and more questions. She is improving day by day. This morning I saw her eat half a unshelled peanut. But everytime I try to offer her water or ensure from the syringe she doesn't want it. I'm thinking maybe she already drank and ate and maybe I didn't see it.

I have a water bottle and water bowl an seed cup filled with unshelled nuts and seeds. I cleaned the cage today and there was poop and pee so that is a good sign! She's using all her limbs but still only walks in circles and sleeps. I think her injury may have caused her to go deaf and blind she doesn't react to me or noise. She just covered herself with her tail as I cleaned her cage and only made the tiniest of sounds letting me know she was upset. The only injuries I could see was the bloody nose and mouth and the area between her shoulder and neck was swollen on the right side yesterday but now it looks normal today.

I feel like I'm on a roller coaster of emotions one minute I think she's going to be ok and the next I'm worried she won't make it. But there definitely has been major improvement! :Love_Icon

[reesa]

Hello again :) the squirrel is recovering amazingly. He (pretty sure it's a boy now) is still sleeping the majority of the day but no longer walks in circles. He is climbing the cage, digging and seems fully aware now. The thing that is really confusing me is that he's not afraid of me at all. I hope someone can shed some light on this and help me understand and give me some advice on what I should do.

He's still sleeping a lot so I do think he needs more time to fully heal. We are also in the middle of that heatwave so this week wouldn't be a good week for releasing I would think. I'm not even sure how to release but I did read the sticky about it but not sure if that's geared towards baby squirrels.

But I can't figure out why he seems so tame. I'm pretty sure he can see he seems to get around the cage really well. Not sure about hearing I tried playing some squirrel sounds but didn't want to stress him or make him feel unsafe.

I took a screen shot of a video of him climbing the cage and I wonder if anyone can let me know if maybe he is a young squirrel. The area that he is taking up (minus his tail) in the picture is about 6 1/2 " wide by 7" tall. Is he young is that maybe shy he seems so tame? Also any advice on what to do?

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[reesa]

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Hi again, I have another update. Although I think I may just be just posting to myself here though. :(

It's been a full week and he is doing wonderfully he's eating and drinking and getting around the cage no problem. Awake for most of the day today too.

Not sure if his hearing is ok still trying to see if he reacts to sounds but still not 100%. His vision seems fine he gets around the cage and seems to look around.

I'm hoping once the weather cools a bit I can release him. Maybe sometime next week. I've only had him a week so not sure if he still needs a soft release. I feed the squirrels and birds (and a plump woodchuck too) in my yard everyday and placing food inside a cage with an opening squirrels can fit into won't prevent other squirrels from going in or birds even. So not really sure how to do a soft release him.

Since I've had him for a short period is a hard release in the morning under the tree he fell from ok?

I will still be providing food and water everyday like I've been doing so he will always be able to get a meal.

[CritterMom]

How is he with you now - still tame? He doesn't appear to be a juvenile. It is my belief that there is an area in their brain that is overwhelmingly responsible for "wild" and we have seen several here over the years that were totally wild, had an accident that included some sort of physical trauma, and turned into completely tame squirrels.

If he regains his wild instincts, certainly just letting him back to his home, and that is what your yard was apparently, or close to home at least, would be best.

He certainly has come a long way already - he fell in the right yard!

[reesa]

Awhhh thank you. Im sooo glad he's recovering my heart was breaking.

He is soooo tame. He could care less if I come in the room or put my hand into the cage to add some nuts. My kids have even peeked a look at him and he doesn't react at all. Wow it does seem like he forgot how to be wild. That would make a lot of sense. Thank you!

[CritterMom]

The couple instances I am thinking of ended up being beloved pets, and were actually much tamer than hand raised babies that had never laid eyes on another squirrel or the wild. The ones that are neurologically "normal" still have "wild" just right below the surface - they suppress a lot of it because of the trust they develop with their humans but it is most definitely still there. The ones that had taken a blow simply didn't have it anymore. I am not sure of course if this is the case with your guy, but it surely is a possibility. Will he allow you to touch him?

[reesa]

Yes he let's me touch him. He doesn't seem to be afraid at all.

I was hoping he would be ok to release in the yard and I'd still be able to see him. I mean he still has time to heal more and maybe he will regain enough wild to be safe outside. I live in NY and it's a strict no squirrels and I live in a city not nyc but they don't even allow chickens. So he wouldn't be able to stay with me. :boohoo Even if I snuck him as a pet (which I would love to do) I wouldn't be able to get him veterinary care and I couldn't do that to him. It's so bittersweet. But I am sooooo glad for how far he's come!

[reesa]

I have an update :) he started hiding from us everytime we came in the room. Even trying to get under the bedding. I think he just needed a bit more time to remember how to squirrel. I released him this morning next to the tree it took a bit of time and another squirrel came down from the tree to look at him and as soon as that happened he started looking for a way out of the cage. He hopped out and ran up the tree. He turned around once to look at me and the ran to the back of the tree. I've been keeping an eye on him but now there's 3 squirrels and I don't know who's who lol. And one left and went across the street somewhere.

Here are some pictures...

[The Nut Lady]

HAPPY DAY! :w00t

[reesa]

Yes :grin3 so glad he made it! :Love_Icon