sudden death of 4month old squirrel--??

[ValentineSquirrel]

Sadly and tragically, my 4month old squirrel ( Buddy) died suddenly yesterday (at 1pm) All morning, he was active and playful, eating almonds, butternut squash seeds, romaine lettuce --normal & healthy.

Background:
He came to me at 6week old during a bad storm, he & his siblings (who all died then) fell out of their nest to the ground. He was soaking wet and cold, but otherwise no apparent injuries.
I nursed him and rehabbed him. He had been very active and healthy these last 2.5months until yesterday.

Death:
I found him on the floor with a small amount of blood and saliva coming from his mouth... he had been eating romain lettuce on the table above him right before (almost as if he just dropped dead to the floor).

NO warning signs of illness.
NO behavioral/mental change showing signs of poison ingestion.
NO signs of injury.
NO external damage.


I am left tremendously heartbroken and confused how this happened.

Can someone help suggest possible causes of this mystery death.

The knowledge of "What" potentially caused this will provide some closure, anxiety reduction, and prevention for any repeats in the future.

Thank you for your time and consideration... I love and miss my little Buddy.

Rachel

[SammysMom]

Rachel I am so sorry for your terrible loss I am not an expert, but possibly something like an aneurism? Godspeed little Buddy...

[stepnstone]

Most likely diet related, sounds like your little one may have had a seizure.

A squirrels nutrition is the most important thing we as caretakers have to concentrate on. They may be eating whatever your feeding them well but if it's not balanced to provide their nutritional needs they can suddenly and without warning crash.

If you can tell us what all you were feeding him from the start, formula to solids, maybe it'll help us to guide you in the right direction if you should have another rescue.

Sorry about your loss...

[Kelly Brady]

Stepnstone is correct, Quite often it is diet or lack there of. If you document the diet you gave buddy ie formula given as a baby etc, it will at least give us a chance to rule diet out.

I am so sorry you lost your Buddy.

[sid'smommy]

My biggest fear RIP Buddy...

[ValentineSquirrel]

I fed him organic rice milk mixed with 1/2 dose kitten formula 4-6 times a day until he was ready for solid food. (1 dropper at each feeding)
which lasted about 3 weeks


Solid diet:
first 4 weeks:

continued rice milk from a bottle 2 times a day and:

cooked corn nibblets (cooled), 1/2 strawberry, romaine lettuce (2-3 leaves),

black sunflower seeds -free choice- (in the first few weeks of using his teeth, he preferred these)

Pistachios (plain roasted, not red) (15 nuts/day average)

weeks 5- now:

Romaine lettuce (2-3 leaves a day)

these nuts were free choice (in shell) for him to eat or hide every day:
almonds, pecans, walnuts, brazil nuts, butternut squash seeds [recently he had been eating a lot of almonds and squash seeds]

zucchini, strawberry, pear (1/8 -1/4 of the whole fruit /per day) [depending on his appetite]

whole grain cracker (occasionally)

Water -free choice- daily


thank you for your help.
Sadly, It is still hard walking around my house and not having him here...still grieving and crying when seeing all the things that remind me of him.

Rachel

[sage4dylan]

No expert here, but do u think he could have choked on the lettuce somehow? It could be diet related but it seems like maybe there would have been some other signs before then? idk... so sorry for your loss.

[ValentineSquirrel]

I performed a modified "infant CPR"
When blew air into his lungs and belly, a gurgled sound and more blood/saliva mix came out of his nose & mouth. i could not revive him.

and (post mortem) i checked his throat for obstruction...a very small piece of lettuce was still in the back of his mouth.

(I realize i should have checked to clear his mouth first BEFORE CPR, but i was panicked when i found him and couldnt think straight--it all happened so fast.)



Rachel

[Preacher Nick]

Sadly and tragically, my 4month old squirrel ( Buddy) died suddenly yesterday (at 1pm) All morning, he was active and playful, eating almonds, butternut squash seeds, romaine lettuce --normal & healthy.

Background:
He came to me at 6week old during a bad storm, he & his siblings (who all died then) fell out of their nest to the ground. He was soaking wet and cold, but otherwise no apparent injuries.
I nursed him and rehabbed him. He had been very active and healthy these last 2.5months until yesterday.

Death:
I found him on the floor with a small amount of blood and saliva coming from his mouth... he had been eating romain lettuce on the table above him right before (almost as if he just dropped dead to the floor).

NO warning signs of illness.
NO behavioral/mental change showing signs of poison ingestion.
NO signs of injury.
NO external damage.


I am left tremendously heartbroken and confused how this happened.

Can someone help suggest possible causes of this mystery death.

The knowledge of "What" potentially caused this will provide some closure, anxiety reduction, and prevention for any repeats in the future.

Thank you for your time and consideration... I love and miss my little Buddy.

Rachel

Rachel I feel your heartache. My deacon found a six week old gray squirrel in the back room of the sanctuary. They put him outside hoping that outside hoping that momma would come and get him. After the service was over he went to see if the little squirrel had gone. He was in the same spot and following him around like a little puppy. Not wanting to leave him to drown in the storm or be picked off by a predator our Deacon asked me to take care of him. We named him Church. He left 5 Happy Days. And then without warning or Reason fell ill while I was at work. My mom sid everything she could to keep him alive until I got home. Even bringing him with her when she came to pick me up. 10 minutes after we got home after wrapping him in my arms and telling him I loved him and telling God that if it was his will I would be okay if he took him, little Church passed away. Mom said it looked like he was having a seizure. I will be praying for you. And if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior I know you will see Buddy again. Just like I am going to see my Church again.

[SophieSquirrel]

So very sorry to hear of your loss of little Buddy and little Church . Your squirrel family on TSB is here for you in your time of grief.