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Thread: Released squirrel missing

  1. #61
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    In the pictures you can see she is leaning on the hazelnut to support herself. She doesn't seem to want to sit on her back legs to eat. Her front left paw was injured before and still doesn't look 100% and her right front arm is now just kind of dangling out to the side just like her other one was 10 days ago. She is quite thin in the top half of her body but her bottom half seems plump like normal. I didn't see any protruding nipples. She has lost a lot more hair as you will see if you go back a page and look at the last pic I put up of her.
    Is this maybe MBD from me feeding her crappy during the winter? Will wild squirrels supplement their diet in the wild to get the proper nutrition? I assume during the winter her and a lot of other squirrels were getting most of their food from me but now she has to be eating elsewhere or she would have definitely starved by now.
    What is going on with my Sandy?

  2. #62
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

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  3. #63
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    Haven't you been debating taking her back in for a recuperation period? Many people have.

  4. #64
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    If you haven't already, you may need to bring her inside. If she is on your shoulder, more docile, and having problems moving around she needs your help. MBD treatment would not be a bad idea, whether you can catch her or not. Even tums or plain calcium carbonate mixed with ground pecans and a bit of liquid to roll them into balls might be accepted. Or you can mix crushed tums or calcium carbonate powder with avocado (not the pit or skin of course). Prayers going out to sweet Sandy; I hope she gets better soon
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  5. #65
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    I've got her inside my mud room right now. She came in pretty willingly. She is currently eating hazelnuts, grapes and celery. I have lettuce, blueberries, carrots and mushrooms on hand as well. I will have to wait for my wife to get off work in 3 hours before I can get avocado. I have a few peanuts but I'm not going to give that to her anymore if that ay be the problem.
    I have one of those mineral blocks for pet rodents on my back porch but it's been sitting outside since September for her an other squirrel to nibble on. Can I break a piece off of that and mix it with peanut butter safely for her to eat?
    I will take some more pics for you guys to see.
    Is this as serious as I think it is? If so could this be moved to the life threatening forum?

  6. #66
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    Bring her inside. She can't fend for herself in that condition.

    The calcium carbonate powder with avocado advice from sdreamcatcher works wonders or even liquid calcium with the water you give her.

    What I have done in the past as a temporary quick way to give nutrition for my squirrel is to dip almonds / pecans in the liquid calcium (so it becomes sticky) and roll them in wheat bran and whey protein isolate (you can get it at bulk barn). It provides calcium, fiber and protein all in a single nut when time constrained in tough situations.

    Does anyone know if the continual fur loss shown in the pictures is some form of mange?

    Hang in there, Sandy!

  7. #67
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

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  8. #68
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    I would get her more inside than the porch seeing that she could get through a screen in a few seconds. I would also get some rodent blocks (Henry's) and some Revolution and treat her for possible MBD and for mange. I think she should stay inside with you for awhile to get better.

  9. #69
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    Poor sweetie, I'm glad she's inside with you now. Thank goodness she has you to care for her, and you're here on this board to get good info to help her!!

  10. #70
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    Her paws seem to be clenched like a person who has arthritis. She also has missing fur on the underside of her arms where I can see pink skin. She is currently sitting on the edge of her wooden nest box from before with 2 white t shirts in it. She is not able to get out this time. I have the back door closed. I just spoke with my wife and we are going out around 4pm to get the stuff she needs.
    I will be getting calcium carbonate, avocados, pecans and whatever else you tell me she needs. I have peanut butter to mix with the calcium. I hope that will get her to eat the good stuff she needs. Am I for sure looking at an MBD situation here? Can I get calcium carbonate at the bulk barn or a grocery store?
    She bit me but she didn't seem to be able to bite hard enough to break the skin. She was trying to make a chattering noise but I could here her clicking her teeth together but the sound wasn't coming out like normal.
    Is there a possibility of her having parasites. I don't think this has anything to do with mange due to the fact that there are no scabs on her and she still has normal fur on her lower body and the back of her ears etc.

  11. #71
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    Quote Originally Posted by farrelli View Post
    I would get her more inside than the porch seeing that she could get through a screen in a few seconds. I would also get some rodent blocks (Henry's) and some Revolution and treat her for possible MBD and for mange. I think she should stay inside with you for awhile to get better.
    She's in my back room (mud/shoe room) and she cannot get out. She will probably chew half the room up but I really don't care if it means my Sandy will get better. I have 2 cats in the house which she has never interacted with other than seeing them through the window so I can not bring her further into my house.
    I have revolution for adult cats (2.6-7.5kg) that I can use on her. I know only a single drop will be enough for her but should I put it on a q-tip and rub it on her so I don't accidentally overdose her?
    She has now gone to lay down in her old nest box and seems to have calmed down a lot.
    Thanks for all the help guys.

  12. #72
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    I have seen the clenched paws with MBD, but it's not the only possible cause. If I were you, I would get some vitamin D3 too and, just once, scrape off a TINY bit and give it to her. D3 is necessary for calcium absorption, but too much is toxic.

  13. #73
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    You can mix calcium carbonate with the avocado, I wouldn't use peanut butter unless she won't take it in avocado. If you can't find calcium carbonate powder, tums will work. They are pretty easy to measure out and crush, and many squirrels do like them (mine tend to be picky). Don't get the new gummy types, just the plain old tums usually in fruit or berry flavor (not mint).

    I would hold off on anything to treat mites. Fur loss can be MBD related, so it may be best just for now to concentrate on getting calcium in her.

    I am sooo glad she came back home; many prayers going her way that she gets better
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  14. #74
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    She's really worked up now pacing back and forth in the room trying to chew her way out of there. She is destroying the bamboo curtains and chewing on the window sill. I will definitely get the calcium carbonate and try to get her to eat that. Right now I only have "extrusion" hamster food for her to eat. She has eaten all of my stash of hazelnuts and walnuts. The only other thing I have is "critter food" that you buy at walmart that I know is not good for her.
    I have soaked some hamster rodent blocks in vegetable oil and peanut butter so it soaks in and she will eat the whole block. It has crude protein 15%, crude fat 3.5%, crude fibre 4.5%, moisture 12%, ash 7.5%, calcium 0.8-1.1%, phosphorus 0.5%, salt 0.6-0.8%, vitamin A 7500 IU/lb, vitamin D3 750IU/lb, and vitamin E 20IU/lb. Is this okay to feed to her for now? Until I can get her some better food.

  15. #75
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    Yes, I think that's OK for now. How long before you can get god blocks and what kind? I'd order them today.

    Btw, does she have a place to hide so that she can feel more secure? Does it have nice bedding material in it?

  16. #76
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    I can order the HHB's but I'm not sure how long until it will get here. Or I can go to the local pet store and pick up some gourmet rat food for her.
    She definitely has lots of places to hide if she wants. She has her old nest box which is the wood box in one of the pictures. Or she has the chair with the pillows on it that she used to like to sleep in. 2 of my coats are in there as well is she wants a nice snuggly place to cuddle up. She is definitely wanting back out. She is chewing on the windows and the blinds and is trying very hard to get out.
    She seems okay with me and maybe just wants me out there to spend time with her. She is not being aggressive towards me but she did start making her angry sounds when I tried to pet her a moment ago. She used to love when I would pet her and even after her release she would come to the back deck and get me to rub her belly while she play bit me.
    I am sort of afraid of her nowadays to be honest. I feel like at any moment she may go for me so I am wearing safety glasses when I'm out there just in case and work gloves. I am a banquet supervisor and I cannot have my face scratched up when I go to work tomorrow.
    She clearly has a scab on the point of her right front elbow. Like I said in the past I don't see any nipples poking out from her fur so I very much doubt that she has had babies that I am keeping her from caring for.
    Any other advice anyone has would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

  17. #77
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    If it is MBD, it's painful and puts them out of sorts. Have you provided a heating pad that she can't chew on, set on low? Put it in such a way that she can get off of it if too hot. Failing that, put in a rice buddy or something. The heat is often soothing.

  18. #78
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    We went out and got her Tums, avocado, apples, natural almonds, walnuts and pecans. I didn't even consider putting out a heating pad for her. She hasn't been on one in 6+ months now. I have her loose in her room and she has been sleeping or just sitting in her nest box for a few hours now. There is no way I can think of to put a heating pad for her without her chewing the cord. I do have a rubber hot water bottle but I'm sure she would bite that too (she did before).
    I am going to mush up a tums in a bit of avocado in the hope that she will eat it. If that doesn't work I'm going to grind up a pecan with a tums and see if she'll eat that.

  19. #79
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    She didn't take the avocado, she has never seemed to like it. She is now pacing back and forth at the windows trying to get out. She is badly chewing up all the window sills and the blinds. My wife doesn't exactly like Sandy in the room destroying it but we're way to concerned that if we put her back in her little baby cage it will stress her out even worse which may cause her to get more ill.
    I am going to just keep her in there tonight and hope that she'll be okay. I will give her pecans and tums soon.

  20. #80
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    Default Re: Released squirrel missing

    She's currently sleeping and seems to be calmed down and just resting in her nest box. I haven't yet given her the pecan/tums mixture. I plan on keeping her inside for week at least, until I see some improvement in her health.
    Like I said I don't see any nipples protruding but if that changes I'll have to reconsider keeping her from any babies but I also assume she would not have calmed down and would still be frantically trying to get out if she had babies out there to care for.
    Please keep the suggestions coming. I would like to know any potential causes of her illness. It seems to be generally unanimous that getting a bunch of calcium in her and rest is the right thing to start with but I would love more advice on how to care for her now and once we release her again.
    Thanks for all the prayers and advice.

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