Wobbly Bay Area Fox Squirrel

[JLW]

I live east of San Francisco near Berkeley and have fox squirrels in my back yard.
This summer I noticed a wobbly one. I have put shelled peanuts out
for a number of years to entertain my indoor cat, but have never seen an ill squirrel until now.
I researched a little and started feeding the wobbley squirrel Henry's squirrel blocks in Nov, he was eating them until yesterday,
when he turned his nose up at them! He seems like he has a good appetite, is not emaciated, but he moves strangely,
on the ground like a crab, and when he sits up to eat, has a tendency to fall over.
I have no idea what is going on with him, could be a number of things. There are raccoons that live in this area also,
and I am aware of the roundworm issue but don't know how long he would linger with that. There are also
skunks, opossums, roof rats and the occasional deer.
I am not in a position to rehabilitate him, but I did order the wild squirrel version of henry's blocks to see if
he will eat that. If it is MBD, then feeding more healthy food seems like the only thing I can do. If he has something
else, I am not in a position to capture him and do anything about it. I really don't have that ability and my cat would
definitely complicate matters.
Are there squirrel rehabilitators in my area, or should I just try to feed healthy food and see what happens.
I would not even have a clue in terms of finding a rehabilitator. If anyone has any advice, I would appreciate it.
thanks,
JLW

[stepnstone]

I live east of San Francisco near Berkeley and have fox squirrels in my back yard.
This summer I noticed a wobbly one. I have put shelled peanuts out
for a number of years to entertain my indoor cat, but have never seen an ill squirrel until now.
I researched a little and started feeding the wobbley squirrel Henry's squirrel blocks in Nov, he was eating them until yesterday,
when he turned his nose up at them! He seems like he has a good appetite, is not emaciated, but he moves strangely,
on the ground like a crab, and when he sits up to eat, has a tendency to fall over.
I have no idea what is going on with him, could be a number of things. There are raccoons that live in this area also,
and I am aware of the roundworm issue but don't know how long he would linger with that. There are also
skunks, opossums, roof rats and the occasional deer.
I am not in a position to rehabilitate him, but I did order the wild squirrel version of henry's blocks to see if
he will eat that. If it is MBD, then feeding more healthy food seems like the only thing I can do. If he has something
else, I am not in a position to capture him and do anything about it. I really don't have that ability and my cat would
definitely complicate matters.
Are there squirrel rehabilitators in my area, or should I just try to feed healthy food and see what happens.
I would not even have a clue in terms of finding a rehabilitator. If anyone has any advice, I would appreciate it.
thanks,
JLW

Unsure if or who we may have in your area, hopefully you'll get a better reply tomorrow.

Very unlikely mbd, wilds do not tend to be effected by it since they control their own diets
in the wild. Wobbly, falling over generally is a neuro issue which can have many causes.
It could be anywhere from a fall to a medical issue. Do you see any injuries of any sort?
Is there a way you could take a short video so we can see what you are seeing?

[California Squirrel Lover]

I live east of San Francisco near Berkeley and have fox squirrels in my back yard.
This summer I noticed a wobbly one. I have put shelled peanuts out
for a number of years to entertain my indoor cat, but have never seen an ill squirrel until now.
I researched a little and started feeding the wobbley squirrel Henry's squirrel blocks in Nov, he was eating them until yesterday,
when he turned his nose up at them! He seems like he has a good appetite, is not emaciated, but he moves strangely,
on the ground like a crab, and when he sits up to eat, has a tendency to fall over.
I have no idea what is going on with him, could be a number of things. There are raccoons that live in this area also,
and I am aware of the roundworm issue but don't know how long he would linger with that. There are also
skunks, opossums, roof rats and the occasional deer.
I am not in a position to rehabilitate him, but I did order the wild squirrel version of henry's blocks to see if
he will eat that. If it is MBD, then feeding more healthy food seems like the only thing I can do. If he has something
else, I am not in a position to capture him and do anything about it. I really don't have that ability and my cat would
definitely complicate matters.
Are there squirrel rehabilitators in my area, or should I just try to feed healthy food and see what happens.
I would not even have a clue in terms of finding a rehabilitator. If anyone has any advice, I would appreciate it.
thanks,
JLW

Hi JLW!! Here's a link to some bay area facilities:
http://sfbaywildlife.info/resources/rescue.htm

The largest wildlife hospital is Lindsay Wildlife in Walnut Creek www.lindsaywildlife.org
1931 First Avenue
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Tel: (925) 935-1978


Perhaps you can call Lindsay Wildlife to get some info? I've done that before, and if you do call, please be sure to be specific and ask to speak with someone actually in the hospital, an actual vet tech. Once when I called, although the person who answered was very nice, they were the lobby receptionist, and not someone who gave me the info I needed. When I called again, I asked for someone in the hospital portion of the facility, and spoke with an actual vet tech, who had the correct knowledge and info. Good luck, thank you for helping, and please tell us what happens!

[California Squirrel Lover]

I sent JLW a message to check this thread for the info.

Good luck JLW, and thank you for helping! Please let us know what happens.

[JLW]

Unsure if or who we may have in your area, hopefully you'll get a better reply tomorrow.

Very unlikely mbd, wilds do not tend to be effected by it since they control their own diets
in the wild. Wobbly, falling over generally is a neuro issue which can have many causes.
It could be anywhere from a fall to a medical issue. Do you see any injuries of any sort?
Is there a way you could take a short video so we can see what you are seeing?

I can video him on my phone but usually the files are too big to email or text, unless
the video is very short. If anyone can help me figure out how to post a large video
that would be appreciated. I have a samsung device and the only thing I can think of
is if I can put it up on amazon cloud, I don't know.
I have looked for injuries but see nothing obvious, it's a chronic issue, he's hung
in there since I first noticed him in sep. Seems like a weakness in the back legs,
or a balance problem. I was kind of hoping that a different diet would help. Please let
me know any other thoughts you have, thanks for your help.

[JLW]

Unsure if or who we may have in your area, hopefully you'll get a better reply tomorrow.

Very unlikely mbd, wilds do not tend to be effected by it since they control their own diets
in the wild. Wobbly, falling over generally is a neuro issue which can have many causes.
It could be anywhere from a fall to a medical issue. Do you see any injuries of any sort?
Is there a way you could take a short video so we can see what you are seeing?

Hi JLW!! Here's a link to some bay area facilities:
http://sfbaywildlife.info/resources/rescue.htm

The largest wildlife hospital is Lindsay Wildlife in Walnut Creek www.lindsaywildlife.org
1931 First Avenue
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Tel: (925) 935-1978


Perhaps you can call Lindsay Wildlife to get some info? I've done that before, and if you do call, please be sure to be specific and ask to speak with someone actually in the hospital, an actual vet tech. Once when I called, although the person who answered was very nice, they were the lobby receptionist, and not someone who gave me the info I needed. When I called again, I asked for someone in the hospital portion of the facility, and spoke with an actual vet tech, who had the correct knowledge and info. Good luck, thank you for helping, and please tell us what happens!

I will give them a call, take your advice and ask to talk to someone. Will update. thanks, JLW

[California Squirrel Lover]

I can video him on my phone but usually the files are too big to email or text, unless
the video is very short. If anyone can help me figure out how to post a large video
that would be appreciated. I have a samsung device and the only thing I can think of
is if I can put it up on amazon cloud, I don't know.
I have looked for injuries but see nothing obvious, it's a chronic issue, he's hung
in there since I first noticed him in sep. Seems like a weakness in the back legs,
or a balance problem. I was kind of hoping that a different diet would help. Please let
me know any other thoughts you have, thanks for your help.

I wish I could help with putting up videos, I'm sorry. I haven't figured out anything with my phone, how to put up pics or video. I'm hoping someone else will see this and offer some help.

[TubeDriver]

Hi,

Can you open a free photo account on something like Photobucket? Then you can upload your video to Photobucket and copy the link there and place the link in a post here on the Squirrel Board. Then we can view it.


So this squirrel has been acting like this for 3-4 months? No change for the better or worse over this time period?

I can video him on my phone but usually the files are too big to email or text, unless
the video is very short. If anyone can help me figure out how to post a large video
that would be appreciated. I have a samsung device and the only thing I can think of
is if I can put it up on amazon cloud, I don't know.
I have looked for injuries but see nothing obvious, it's a chronic issue, he's hung
in there since I first noticed him in sep. Seems like a weakness in the back legs,
or a balance problem. I was kind of hoping that a different diet would help. Please let
me know any other thoughts you have, thanks for your help.

[JLW]

Hi,

Can you open a free photo account on something like Photobucket? Then you can upload your video to Photobucket and copy the link there and place the link in a post here on the Squirrel Board. Then we can view it.


So this squirrel has been acting like this for 3-4 months? No change for the better or worse over this time period?

your thread is pretty amazing, I did have one special squirrel that came around for about 3 years, then disappeared. There are not many that hang out in my yard.
The one that came around was replaced by a few others, but it's hard to tell the fox squirrels apart. I can really only differentiate them by size and behavior. The wobbly
one does stand out. No real change since the summer. There are maybe only 3 or 4 that I come around.
Mostly I put out nuts to entertain my indoor cat, nothing much more beyond that. I guess my main question is, are there squirrel rehabilitators in california? What is a squirrel rehabilitator?
I really am not set up to intervene much,besides trying to put out more healthy food, but it's hard not to get attached to animals in the yard that I have a routine with.
I will take a look at photobucket and see if it works with my phone, I will also ask other people I know about getting larger videos off the phone onto some other device. I have not contacted
the Lindsey Museum yet, but when i do I will ask about options. Right now, there is a story on the local news about a squirrel attacking people in Novato CA at Pleasant Valley elementary, kind
of unfortunate, speculation is that is was raised at one time by humans, kind of makes the whole thought of intervention look bad,
thanks,
JLW

[JLW]

ok, I have three short clips I was able to take from my phone and email to myself. I have the videos on quicktime in mp4 format, and I can also turn them into itunes files. Now I can't figure out how to
to upload them to the forum. Any help would be appreciated.
thanks,
JLW

[TubeDriver]

upload them to photobucket. At that point, photobucket will creat a link to the video, just paste that link here!

ok, I have three short clips I was able to take from my phone and email to myself. I have the videos on quicktime in mp4 format, and I can also turn them into itunes files. Now I can't figure out how to
to upload them to the forum. Any help would be appreciated.
thanks,
JLW

[JLW]

upload them to photobucket. At that point, photobucket will creat a link to the video, just paste that link here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG00...are_video_user

can you see this?

[California Squirrel Lover]

Yes, you did it, I could see it! I don't know what to think, though, about what is wrong. Did you say you have more videos to post? I think others who come on and look might have more ideas, but maybe the other videos would be helpful to view? Are they only wobbly when standing still, or do they also walk in a wobbly way?

[JLW]

I have a couple of short clips of her falling over when upright, and getting up again. She tilts to the side when sitting up, which makes her fall.
She also tilts to the side when walking.
I have not yet contacted the lindsey museum. I think my game plan is to basically contact them to find out what I can do if I find her in a bad
way, injured or just dying. I'm not in a position to take her in, way over my head. She has survived so far, but I worry about finding her in a
bad state.