should I be concerned?

[squirrelfriend]

Roxy has been losing the guard hairs on her back. It goes from the back of her head to the base of her tail. Her arms, legs and underside are not effected. THere is no crustiness. The skin looks healthy. I don't see any sign of parasites and she acts VERY healthy. It has been progressing for about a month. I thought I would have seen some sort of sign of regrowth but I have not. I have increased the time of her full spectrum light. Is there something that could be missing from her diet or that could be added to help regrowth? Should I even be concerned at this point? Just regular shedding?

[TexanSquirrel]

Poor Roxy! Are you absolutely sure there are no parasites? Do you have a microscope? You could stick a piece of clear tape to Roxy, pull it off and then look for tiny bugs. Just a thought.

[squirrelfriend]

yes, I have a microscope. I know it is not mange. I have seen what that looks like when Tilty had it. I have seen lice and fleas in others of my squirrels. None on her. WHat other parasites could she get? No one else is affested and they are all housed next to each other. I have seen shedding like this in the outdoor squirrels but not on my indoor ones. Usually there would be a sign of regrowth by now. Is it too much to ask for a little 5:00 shadow to ease my mind?:D

[Critter_Queen]

yes, I have a microscope. I know it is not mange. I have seen what that looks like when Tilty had it. I have seen lice and fleas in others of my squirrels. None on her. WHat other parasites could she get? No one else is affested and they are all housed next to each other. I have seen shedding like this in the outdoor squirrels but not on my indoor ones. Usually there would be a sign of regrowth by now. Is it too much to ask for a little 5:00 shadow to ease my mind?:D

When was the last time you changed the bulb in your FSL? They don't last very long sometimes...

Another thought could be your heat...I know mine's running and you live a lot further north than I do...is your heat up high?

Do you wash the bedding frequently in "free" detergent without softners or dryers sheets?

Other than that, I'm outta ideas. :) She sure is pretty, though. :thumbsup

[Secret Squirrel]

It almost looks like kitten fur.......not saying that whats what it is.....how is her diet ?
In past photos of Roxy her coat was fine....I took a min and checked up on her thread. Her coat is a difference of night and day...I hope it's just molting for some reason.

[squirrelfriend]

I change the box and bedding completely once a week sometimes more if they drag a lot of fruit in there. THe bedding is dissposable. I buy a bag of towels from the thrift store. WHen the box gets changed I just throw it out.

I have had this one for less than a year. I can't remember exactly when I bought it.

Is hair loss a sign of MBD? SHe shows no other signs of MBD. She is very active, a healthy weight and not dehydrated. She eats her greens. SHe gets a calcium suplement in her water. SHe gets lots of fruits and vegies, filberts, chestnuts, peacans, almonds and walnuts.

I am hoping that it is only a shedding cycle. I was just concerned because I usually see a little regrowth by now.

The temp in here is regular room temp. Not too high not too low.

[squirrelfriend]

I have heard the term but what is kitten fur?

[Critter_Queen]

How many nuts a day? A diet too rich in those can cause hair loss/thinning. :thumbsup

A thin coat can be a sign of a poor diet, but not necessarily a sure sign of MBD. Tanna had a GREAT coat when I got her in, but she had a bad case of MBD.

[squirrelfriend]

Other than the length in time with no signs of regrowth it looks like a normal shedding. Squirrelie is also going through a shedding process right now. It covers about the same amount of area but his is growing back underneath.

[squirrelfriend]

Ok, she does get a lot of nuts. Perhaps I will cut them down. SHe isn't going to be happy about that. I'll tell her YOU said so. I like my skin where it is thank you.:D

[Secret Squirrel]

You answered in your last post. It is a symptom of MBD. Is she getting enought calcum and vit D.? Along with CQ's question about FSL.

I have a female very simular and she WAS starved by her previous owner who didn't know better. :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

[Secret Squirrel]

Rodent block is a very good alternative to nuts.....(yeah tell it to the squirrel!!!! :rotfl ) all my kids get it before they are weened. I'v never had one not eat it. They don't miss what they don't know. Nuts are good but as a treat only....like one a day.
You would be suprized what a hungery squirrel will eat even out of protest!!!! Be firm !!!

[squirrelfriend]

She does get a lot of greens and sweet potatoe for calcium and her FSL is on at least a couple hours a day. She does get a lot of nuts though. I will cut them way down like you said.

[Secret Squirrel]

She does get a lot of greens and sweet potatoe for calcium and her FSL is on at least a couple hours a day. She does get a lot of nuts though. I will cut them way down like you said.

Expect lots of pouting and hissyfits !!!!!!! :thumbsup

[squirrelfriend]

I'll be expecting a loss of a few layers of skin too!:eek: Thanks for your input guys. I'll keep you updated on her progress and my skin loss. If you have any more ideas please post them.

[Gabe]

Balding syndrome looks like that also. They lose the fur from the neck to the tail. Keeping only head and paw fur. It is something else to consider if nothing else fills the bill. Balding syndrome commonly starts out looking like kitten fur syndrome just to add to the confusion. Nobody knows what causes it but it does run it's course.

[thundersquirrel]

i agree with gabe- usually balding syndrome is seen in red squirrels, but i would imagine it's interspecies.

unfortunately, if she goes completely bald then she can't be released until her fur comes back, which can take a while.

[atlantasquirrelgirl]

We used to have a thread for Kitten Fur Syndrome in Specific Ailments, but it's not there anymore. I found the following link that describes it. This link says it is a precursor to MBD. I saw it once in a malnourished squirrel, and thought it was only due to vitamin deficiency. It was a grey squirrel, and actually, looked a lot like what you are seeing.

http://www.geocities.com/insect_queen/kitten_fur_syndrome.html

[4skwerlz]

So sorry Roxy isn't well. Here is a pic of Charity's squirrel, who had kitten fur syndrome. With proper diet, etc., she improved within a week, and continues to improve.
18370

SF, below is the latest Diet List, just for a reality check on what she's eating:

The “typical” squirrel diet--consisting mostly of seeds and nuts--causes metabolic bone disease (MBD) a fatal disease caused by calcium deficiency. To avoid MBD, squirrels need plenty of calcium, Vitamin C, protein, and Vitamin D ("the sunshine vitamin"), which can only come from natural sunlight (NOT through a window--glass and screens filter out the UVB rays) or from a full-spectrum light indoors. If any of these elements is missing, then MBD eventually results—it can happen soon after weaning, or show up many years later. We had two squirrels die recently from MBD—one was 3 years old; one was only 3 months old. They were both new members who found TSB too late. So here is the Diet, and if you have any questions, we are always here to help you:

Basic Diet for Pet Squirrels (Revised 11/21/07)

-Rodent block, monkey biscuit, or another complete rodent chow should be at least 50% of your squirrel’s diet (Zupreme Monkey Biscuit, Harlan Teklad 8640 Rat Diet, Mazuri Rodent Block, and LabDiet 5001 are some good ones.) These are not the “seed mixes” you can buy at the store! You can buy them at PetSmart, some feed stores, or order them online.
-Eggs (hard-boiled or scrambled, WITH the shell) provides protein and calcium, plus one of the very few dietary sources of Vit. D. At least one egg/week.
-A slice of citrus or bell pepper (green, red, or yellow) will aid calcium absorption (high in Vit C). One slice daily.
-Natural foods: acorns, magnolia cones, pine cones, branch tips, mushrooms, and dandelion greens can be gathered and given as part of the diet.
-Antlers, tree branches, and cuttlebones provide vitamins, minerals, and keep teeth from overgrowing. All squirrels need to gnaw!

-Most important!: Natural sunlight (1 hour per day in an outdoor cage) or a full-spectrum light indoors (8 hrs per day) is essential for calcium absorption to prevent MBD, which can be fatal.

In addition to the items listed above, feed a variety of foods listed below—Don’t feed too much of any one food

Healthiest Foods (high-calcium/low-phosphorus)—Your squirrel must eat at least one of these foods every day.
Collard greens, mustard spinach, papaya, turnip greens, tofu (w/calcium sulfate or Nigiri), fresh parsley, beet greens, dandelion greens, Chinese cabbage (bok choy), looseleaf lettuce, figs, kale, chicory

Other Healthy Foods—These provide more essential nutrition.
Mushrooms (very high in Vit. D), yogurt (low-fat, plain or fruit flavored; no artificial sweeteners), green cabbage, watercress, endive, grapes (cut in half), celery, green beans, red cabbage, crabapple, radish, swiss chard, pear, persimmons (native), apple with skin, pineapple, winter squash, watermelon, honeydew melon, broccoli, cauliflower

Healthy Treats
Avocado, cucumber, cherries, romaine lettuce, strawberry, broccoli, apricot, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, cantaloupe, summer squash, seedless raisins, pumpkin, zucchini, alfalfa sprouts, peach, asparagus, banana, sweet potatoes, unsweetened cereals (All-Bran, Cheerios, Total)

Nuts—One per day, preferably in the shell.
Ripe brown acorns*, whole roasted pumpkin seeds, and almonds are the healthiest nuts. Hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, English walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and peanuts are next.

Foods to Avoid
Cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seed kernals, and pine nuts (very high in phosphorus and will cause calcium loss); corn, seed mixes, granola.

*Can be gathered green; they will ripen inside.

[squirrelfriend]

That is exactly what it looks like. I remember seeing that picture on here but couldn't remember where. I have already changed her diet. Let me add, she is not happy. I repeat, she is not happy. She is at this very moment looking at me with that hoping for nuts look in her eye. When I got home this morning I took her out to play. SHe was on very good behavior. Very playfull but gentle. She is a sweet little girl. I hope she gets her beautifull coat back soon. Thanks for the info. I printed it up and I am going to show the produce guy at work. Many of those she already gets but maybe it will give him some ideas. He gives me a "squirrelie bag" each time we work together. I get all the trimmings and imperfects for free. My guys get quite a variety. He even tries to get the organics when possible.

Thanks so much for the info and help guys. I really appreciate it.

[fritzp]

My 18 month old grey male had this same issue this summer-he lost all the guard hairs on the sides and just had fuzz left. He stayed that way for several months until suddenly this fall he grew a lovely bushy new coat. If she is fine otherwise, no itching, flaking, etc I wouldn't worry too much. I think the indoor squirrels get a little messed up with lights (daylight length promotes winter/summer hair growth in most species). I bet anything she will regain her beauty again!

[squirrelfriend]

Thanks FritzP! I saw you on the other thread about the foxer with the swollen penis. I was going to PM you about My gals hair problem. It looks like you already got to it.

Yes, she acts completely healthy otherwise. She is a regular hyper young girl. Is the4re anything that I can do to help her hair grow back faster? She had such a beautiful coat before. At least she is indoors so she won't be cold.

Can you give me more details about "kitten fur" syndrome?

When your squirrel lost his fur like this was it in the same type of patern?

Welcome to the Squirrel Board! I really hope you stick around. We could all use your help. So many squirrels could benefit from your knowledge. Lots of people here do not have vets that they can take theirs too.

[4skwerlz]

Is there anything that I can do to help her hair grow back faster?...

Can you give me more details about "kitten fur" syndrome?

Remember CharityS from just a few weeks ago? Her squirrel had KFS and she started growing new hair just a few days after starting to get the calcium supplements.

KFS is a nutritional deficiency disease, probably calcium deficiency. It is difficult to say if KFS is just a symptom of MBD or a slightly different deficiency. MBD seems to affect different squirrels in different ways.

For KFS, in addition to the healthy diet that was posted below, I would supplement with a calcium/mineral supplement for rats or mice, plus get her eating some Total cereal, which also has a lot of vitamins/minerals. If Roxy won't eat the calcium/mineral supplement, you'll have to crush it up and put it in her food. Do this for about a week.

I sure hope lil Roxy is better soon....:grouphug

[squirrelfriend]

Good news! She has 5:00 shadow under her fuzz! I did stop giving her so many nuts. One a day as instructed. I don't think that was what is was though. I just looked in her box and there is a HUGE stash in there. I had added a cuttle bone on Sunday which she loves. When playing with her today I thought I noticed that she seemed a little darker in areas. I wasn't sure if it was my imagination or not. It took a lot to get her to sit still long enough but I managed. It was confirmed. She has new fuzz coming in. Yay!

I don't know for certain what caused the fur loss. Was it MBD? KFS? Or just a good old shedding? I'll never know for sure but I will continue to cut down on her nuts. She always has had a wide variety of fruits and vegies and I will continue with that. The cuttle bone was the only new thing added. I will deffinitly see to it that she always has one.

Thank you all for your advice.

[4skwerlz]

Such great news! :alright.gif

Hmmmmm, :thinking CharityS's squirrel had new hair just 2 days after receiving the calcium; now Roxy's growing hair just 4 days after getting her calcium..... (this sounds like a Rogaine commercial....:D )

You're right, SF, taking away the nuts isn't enough; with MBD or KFS you need to push the calcium. (I would clean out her stash, though, until she's better.)

Did Roxy receive any supplements besides the cuttlebone?


Anyhow, that's FANTASTIC!!!:thumbsup

[squirrelfriend]

She has always had her liquid calcium and she eats her greens well. The odd time she gets prime. She has always had calcium. I find that this age (up until 6 or 7 months) is the most crucial time for them and their calcium. The adults don'e seem as sensitive but of course still need it just the same.

Roxy also always had her FSL.

[4skwerlz]

She has always had her liquid calcium and she eats her greens well. The odd time she gets prime. She has always had calcium. I find that this age (up until 6 or 7 months) is the most crucial time for them and their calcium. The adults don'e seem as sensitive but of course still need it just the same.

Roxy also always had her FSL.

Hmmm....

I think you're right about it being a crucial age in terms of calcium. A time of rapid growth probably. Of course there are a several other nutritional elements required for calcium metabolism....I hope you don't mind if I play detective here...

-FSL--You're SURE it's the right kind? also how old is the bulb?
-Any other Vit D source besides occasional Prime?
-Calcium--Given to her in her water (are you sure she was drinking it and not drinking someone else's water? and what kind of liquid calcium? ingredients? expiration date?
-Vitamin C?
-Fats and protein?

Any info you can provide helps us learn more about the whole MBD issue, so TSB can help others more effectively. The KFS vs MBD is a confusing issue that would be nice to clear up.