Never in my life

[HRT4SQRLS]

Thanks Mommaluvy for the video link. It's a good one. The ones I removed were larger and black. They were more mature and would have probably exited in a few days but I wasn't sure she had a few days left.

Did you notice she didn't even use gloves. Yikes! Yep, she's tougher than I am.

[Chickenlegs]

So is there somebody near you with that piece of paper. The only reason I got and keep my license is so I can get vet care. In many instances, The Board is the vet of choice cause there's places veterinary care just isn't available--license or not. I have a vet but there are clinics that won't see wildlife at all--and NO emergency vets.

[CritterMom]

Sometimes you just have to wade in and do it but OMG, you are likely going to end up permanently traumatized from this! I mean, they are just hideous to begin with, of course, but the whole parasitic thing gives me the absolute galloping icks.

You know, horses get them - any horse supply site sells "bot knives" to scrape them out. Horses are large enough that if the bots die it is not a big deal, I guess. I have never seen them - I have seen squirrels with them but never infestations like these poor babies. It doesn't kill everything, but those weeks of below zero nighttime temps we have up here does have a dampening effect on a lot of insects. Not mosquitoes though.

[anniedancer]

Omg, that is disgusting. You are incredibly brave, not to mention caring. I haven't seen this on my wilds (I am in Florida). I hope I don't. This state has far too many bugs! I love all animals. I detest most insects.
Annie

[SammysMom]

For heaven sake...damned right you must be traumatized! I am traumatized from seeing the pictures!!!

[RamaMama]

So sorry you and your baby have to go through this, but how
Wonderful you are there for her.

After Oscuro got the one Bot I started doing some reading and
viewing on bot fly infestation and removal.... terrible. Just a few, and the host 'shows' no
damage although the immune system can be compromised depending on the host.... more than
just a few and bots do kill. Here, they even kill the mono's {monkeys}...
I sent a video to Stosh showing a monkey { the monkey was given an anesthesia when the removal
was done} having many many bots removed and in some of the 'holes' there was more than just one larva.
So, you may want to check closely... I do not know if this would happen in squirrels but I can't see that when the
larva is laid it being all that concerned with where.

Wishing your baby girl well It really is a serious situation but you have it well in hand....

[Rhapsody]

Poor Susie!


I don't think infections are typically an issue with bots?

Yeah, its not that an infection sets it --its that some of the holes may develop pus pockets and need
to be lanced in a few days to let the junk out for healing.... then the hole needs to be treated again.

[stepnstone]

It's remarkable the unknown strength one draws upon and the barriers that
become non-existent when it comes to the welfare of these babies.
You are amazing! .

[TubeDriver]

A single bot is nothing to worry about but an infestation like that is certainly dangerous.

I hope Susie feels much better soon!

[Shewhosweptforest]

It's remarkable the unknown strength one draws upon and the barriers that
become non-existent when it comes to the welfare of these babies.
You are amazing! .

The botfly does not lay the larvae on the host (well, I'm sure it could ) the normal transmission is for the bot to lay it's larvae on the the foliage near the entrance of dreys...then when the squirrel passes through the larvae is picked up on the face or paws (anywhere on the body) the squirrel grooms itself, completely unaware it's ingesting the larvae....the larvae travel through the host and eventually choose a spot to attach and grow...it's all internal...except for the initial ingestion That video is the same video I found years ago when researching....the problem is ...first it's a young squirrel, so much easier to control. Secondly, it's in an ideal location ...Baby's was above her eye...you make a mistake extracting and damage her eye

I'm so glad you have already seen improvement in Susie's behavior...you may want to remove the others before she's feeling feistier .....cuz if I remember correctly she turned out to be a feisty girl Poor baby, I remember your thread leading up to her Spring release...little did you know what was in store for you both

I did read, where some people sprayed insecticides on the ground and used ivermectin on the squirrels but there was no evidence it helped...so do you inundate them with chemicals, that might not work, and are harmful on their own....or let nature take its course.....and pray for light infestations. We need to train some voles...or moles to eat these like they eat grubs...who knows maybe they do

[TubeDriver]

I read somewhere that mosquitoes can transmit the bot eggs? I will have to double check this.

[Rhapsody]

I read somewhere that mosquitoes can transmit the bot eggs? I will have to double check this.

Yes, I have read that too.... the botfly has several insects out there they high jack to do their evil bidding.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I read somewhere that mosquitoes can transmit the bot eggs? I will have to double check this.

Yes TD, I read that they can be transmitted my mosquitos also AND as Sweeper said the eggs are laid on foliage and tree bark and can be acquired directly by the squirrel without the need for a vector. So I believe the answer is both.

Sweeper, I saw Baby's pic of the bot over her eye. I agree with you in that I would have never attempted to remove one in that location. That's the same reason I won't attempt to remove the one under Susie's chin. I feel it requires too much pressure to exert on a delicate area like the jaw. She can handle a few ... just not 15 or so.

The mosquito transmission seems reasonable this year due to our early rains. Our summer rains started in the middle of May. We are usually very dry until the end of June. The Mosquitos are really bad this year and the bots are just awful. Either way, I am on a mosquito spraying binge. I know most nature loving people hate pesticides but I hate Mosquitos, bots, pox, encephalitis, chichugunya, etc MORE. I bought a Black Flag propane fogger and I am blasting them. If I kill an actual bot fly along the way, I'm OK with it.

[TubeDriver]

Either way, I am on a mosquito spraying binge. I know most nature loving people hate pesticides but I hate Mosquitos, bots, pox, encephalitis, chichugunya, etc MORE. I bought a Black Flag propane fogger and I am blasting them. If I kill an actual bot fly along the way, I'm OK with it.

Hold ya breath when blasting them with that stuff!

[Bravo]

Wowsers. That's truly disgusting. Kudos to you for taking them out, H.

[Squirlgirl]

Stinkin' Bot Flies! GROSS! GREAT JOB Momma! I am sure that I will have a bad dream tonight, equilvalent to Bot Fly-nado or Big Ass Bot Fly Larvae!(Saw Big Ass Spider, last week!).

[Nancy in New York]

I'm so happy that little Susie has you to watch over her.
I have only had two squirrels with one bot each, and I brought them
both to my vet for removal.
You are a far better woman than I.

Can you start her on an immune booster before release?

[MsOakley]

Bots are very prevalent in my neck of the woods, (pun intended). With that many do a course of septra if you have it. Also the betadine flush is imperative. Honestly, at least half the time the ones I pull develop infection and I'm really careful. Hemostats are the perfect tool if you have them. Also, I was taught to hold a warm compress over the wound before pulling, softens the crusty skin/tissue/fur for ease and comfort. Don't want to sound like a braggart but I'm known in my rehab group as the botfly queen. They bring me their squirrels to work on. I don't seem to be grossed out by it .Wish I was there to help you.

[CritterMom]

Don't want to sound like a braggart but I'm known in my rehab group as the botfly queen.

Might not want to mention that on your Match.com profile. Jus' sayin'.

[MsOakley]

Hey, I'm proud of it!