Warning On Produce

[LynninIN]

In the past two days, we've had two new emergency posters with sick squirrels. Both squirrels had vomiting, weakness, dehydration, rapid breathing, pale gums, thirst and possible seizure type activity. Both squirrels were healthy and doing well with sudden development of symptoms. Both purchased the same type grapes at the exact same grocery store Giant; in Northeast Virginia. Although not proven, it is suspected the grapes had some type of preservative or chemical on them that caused a reaction. One of the squirrels is doing okay after 24 hours and the other squirrel seems to be rapidly improving. Both received loving care and lots of fluids by their owners. There is another member that lives in a nearby state that has this grocery chain that had a similar event with her squirrel. I'm waiting to hear back from this member to see if she also purchased grapes from Giant.

Whether or not this theory proves to be true, please remember to wash and dry all produce thoroughly before giving them to any critters or eating them yourself.

[island rehabber]

Excellent detective work, LynninIN :bowdown. Thank God both squirrels seem to be on the road to recovery.

[anneke]

So often the recommendation here is to peel the grapes (and I know Lilly's were always peeled). Any idea if the possibly tainted grapes were offered peeled or not?

Also, from the world of parrots.....we are always reminded to wash very thoroughly any fruit/vegetable offered with skin. We feed organic when possible. And, we tend to avoid items that likely come from our friends in So. America, not because we don't trust the product, but because of the preservative issue.

I'm so glad to hear that the squirrels who might have ingested a toxin are on the mend.

[NaturesGift]

wow this thought would have never entered my mind! thanks for the heads up! It beith washing time! :thumbsup

[LynninIN]

Thanks but it wasn't just me, this was truly a TSB effort. If the owner of the first sick squirrel hadn't come into the chatroom we would never have figured it out.

[jules]

Excellent detective work, Lynn! :thumbsup :bowdown :bowdown

[squirrelena]

I agree that it was great work pulling that info together on the grapes and potential toxin!
Question: In the summer months, the poison truck i.e. Tru Green f/k/a Chemlawn, goes through the neighborhood dropping granules of poison on the neighbors lawns. Inevitably, we see birds puffed up and crouched under a tree, in a window well, wherever and they are in distress because they have eaten the granules. One day I found five dead birds (mourning dove, two jays, three sparrows). When I have been lucky enough to catch them before they die, I took them to the bird center (bird rescue). The bird center has had luck in saving these birds (if they are caught soon enough) by sub-cue injecting saline solution to dilute the toxin and minimize the damage to the bird. If a squirrel is suspected to have ingested a toxin, do you guys think a sub-cue injection of a saline solution would help to dilute the toxin? :thinking

[island rehabber]

If a squirrel is suspected to have ingested a toxin, do you guys think a sub-cue injection of a saline solution would help to dilute the toxin? :thinking

I'm inclined to think it would. I'd like to see what Squirlgirl, Mars and Gabe would answer to that question as they have more years rehabbing and more cross-species experience than I do. :bowdown Are ya out there, girls??

[pelohojo]

Yikes!! Thanks Lynn for posting the outcome for us, and for you & all involved for great detective work! I do worry about the safety of all our produce for my babies and myself, given all the recent safety issues especially. My squirrels actually peel the grapes themselves...I hadn't known about the cutting them in half recommendation and have always given them seedless whole grapes. Mostly red, but sometimes green. And they always peel them, I always thought it was a nut-related thing, but maybe they are just very smart about what they should & shouldn't eat!

[squiggs]

Thanks for the info, maybe be should stick with organic stuff for our furbabies, still wash it but we know there isn't any chemicals in it.

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

I havent given grapes to BEAN in a while..THANK GOD...
He doesnt care much for them any way...:thumbsup
I hope every one's baby's are feeling better..
THANKS for the heads up..LYNN...:thumbsup

[Buddy'sMom]

Yikes!! I buy ALL my grapes from Giant ......

GREAT teamwork, guys!! :alright.gif :alright.gif :bowdown :bowdown

The instructions to peel and halve/quarter grapes for squirrels have been largely directed to babies beginning on solid foods, so they don't choke. In addition to carefully washing produce as a general matter, perhaps it would be a good idea for everyone to peel their squirrels' grapes first (that was loads of fun, as I recall :D , but if it can avoid the sudden illness we have seen this week, it would be well worth the extra few seconds).

:grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[4skwerlz]

I just want to add, I would hate to see people stop feeding their squirrels grapes! They are a healthy food--good source of Vit C and Vit K. Also, whatever the grapes had been sprayed with, could just as easily show up on ANY fruit or vegetable. I'll bet those grapes were from S. America. Did you know that south of our border, farming is largely unregulated; they can spray almost anything they want--even DDT! And of course, our own gov't agencies do very little testing on imported produce.

Every squirrel owner must make these important decisions themselves. But for what it's worth, this is what I plan to do for my own precious pet squirrel:

1. Buy organic if possible; or
2. Buy produce grown in the U.S. only; and
3. Wash all produce in warm, soapy water. Rinse well.

Even if the skin is to be discarded (like watermelon), wash first! Whatever toxins may be on the skin can be carried into the fruit by the knife as you cut it, and by your hands from handling the skin and then the fruit.

[Ryleigh's new mom]

I just wanted to update everyone on Ryleigh. I'm not sure, but I think she was the first one to present with these symptoms. I'm ashamed to say, that I didn't wash or peel her grapes. :( It didn't even occur to me, and I'm so grateful that it wasn't more serious. She seems to have made a complete recovery, although a little skinnier (it was only a day, but geez!), and seems to tire easier. I guess it'll just take time for her little body to recover from a nasty toxin. For anyone who's interested, the grapes I gave her (and I'm not sure which one was the culprit) were 1.) Welch's seedless white grapes 2.) Another brand called Hand Selected (red seedless) and 3.) generic Giant brand of white. All were bought at Giant in northern Virginia. I hope that there will be no long-lasting effects from this and nobody else has to go through this. Here's little "Ry-ry" today.:)

[4skwerlz]

Little "Ry-ry" is adorable! So glad she's feeling better.:thumbsup

BTW, what was the country of origin on those grapes?

[Ryleigh's new mom]

Little "Ry-ry" is adorable! So glad she's feeling better.:thumbsup

BTW, what was the country of origin on those grapes?

I just looked, and amazingly all three are USA produce. Of course, I've heard that sometimes these fruits and vegetables are grown alongside pastures where animal waste trickles down along with the parasites to the skin of the produce. I'm so stupid, I KNEW this, and yet I didn't wash it before I gave it to her. She was just looking so cute in the kitchen with me, and I just grabbed one and gave it to her without thinking. :bash

[susanw]

Appreciate the heads up on the grapes Lynn! So glad that cute little angel
is ok!:)

[TexanSquirrel]

:thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup
Good work Lynn!