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Thread: Chipmunk dragging back legs

  1. #1
    Titch Guest

    Default Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Hello, I know chipmunks are not exactly squirrels but they are from the "family"
    My pet female dilute chipmunk, Milky, recently gave birth to 8 little ones around 4 weeks ago. Everything was fine until I popped in to check them in the evening on Tuesday. This is when I found Milky trying her best to hide under her overturned flower pot. The only thing was her back quarter was still sticking out.
    I lifted the pot to find her panting and only able to use her front legs to drag herself around.
    I'm worried for her and her babies as she isn't feeding well and the babies are still suckling. I'm doing my best with the babies and they are taking some kitten formula as well as some fruit.
    Any help would be much appreciated.
    Thanks
    Titch

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    What is Milky's diet like? How old is she? Can you post some pictures?
    Kitten milk is bad for squirrels, so I'm thinking it's not good for chipmunks either.
    I'm not an expert here on the board, but I'm sure someone knowledgeable will be on soon.

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  5. #3
    Titch Guest

    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Quote Originally Posted by lukaslolamaus View Post
    What is Milky's diet like? How old is she? Can you post some pictures?
    Kitten milk is bad for squirrels, so I'm thinking it's not good for chipmunks either.
    I'm not an expert here on the board, but I'm sure someone knowledgeable will be on soon.
    Milky is 2 years old.
    Her diet is a mix of nuts, seeds, fruit and veg. However I think the dad, 2 year old agouti named coffee, of the babies has been eating most of the fruit and veg since she gave birth.
    I'll try and figure out how to post pics/videos and do so.
    The breeders got her from recommended kitten milk formula with and additional calcium added.

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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    I do not have any personal experience with chipmunks, but it sounds to me like her diet may very well be the issue if she's not eating anything but fruit and seeds and veggies. She needs calcium among other nutritional needs. The dragging could very well be a sign of MBD from lack of calcium, which is very painful and can be deadly. Hopefully someone with chipmunk experience will be along soon to weigh in.
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  9. #5
    Titch Guest

    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Quote Originally Posted by lennysmom View Post
    I do not have any personal experience with chipmunks, but it sounds to me like her diet may very well be the issue if she's not eating anything but fruit and seeds and veggies. She needs calcium among other nutritional needs. The dragging could very well be a sign of MBD from lack of calcium, which is very painful and can be deadly. Hopefully someone with chipmunk experience will be along soon to weigh in.
    Hi thanks for that.
    I'm trying my best to get some calcium in to her now.
    Is it something that can be recovered from?

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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Quote Originally Posted by Titch View Post
    Hi thanks for that.
    I'm trying my best to get some calcium in to her now.
    Is it something that can be recovered from?
    No expert on chip monks but mom needs to be put on the mbd protocol now!
    With her "diet" lacking and nursing babies her calcium levels have been pretty well depleted.
    Her babies are taking what little is left and not getting what they need through nursing either.
    The babies are going to need to be fed so mom has a chance to recover.
    The kitten milk is as wrong for chippies as it is for squirrels to my knowledge.
    I will try and direct some Chippie members here that have the real experience with them.
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  13. #7
    Titch Guest

    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Quote Originally Posted by stepnstone View Post
    No expert on chip monks but mom needs to be put on the mbd protocol now!
    With her "diet" lacking and nursing babies her calcium levels have been pretty well depleted.
    Her babies are taking what little is left and not getting what they need through nursing either.
    The babies are going to need to be fed so mom has a chance to recover.
    The kitten milk is as wrong for chippies as it is for squirrels to my knowledge.
    I will try and direct some Chippie members here that have the real experience with them.
    The only other person I know who has had a chipmunk with potential mbd has said the babies would take the kitten formula to letum rest a little.

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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Rodents do better with puppy formula than kitten formula.

    Can you purchase calcium supplements for humans? If so, let us know if you can find anything available without Vitamin D added.

    If not, you can MAKE calcium supplement with eggshells. Boil the shells then bake to completely dry and grind into powder.

    Let us know what you can find.

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  17. #9
    Titch Guest

    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    Rodents do better with puppy formula than kitten formula.

    Can you purchase calcium supplements for humans? If so, let us know if you can find anything available without Vitamin D added.

    If not, you can MAKE calcium supplement with eggshells. Boil the shells then bake to completely dry and grind into powder.

    Let us know what you can find.
    I have got reptile calcium supplement.
    Would that do the same job?

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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Yes, as long as the reptile calcium supplement doesn't have vitamin D in it. I believe it's calcium carbonate. Is that what the tub says?

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  21. #11
    Titch Guest

    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    Yes, as long as the reptile calcium supplement doesn't have vitamin D in it. I believe it's calcium carbonate. Is that what the tub says?
    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    Rodents do better with puppy formula than kitten formula.

    Can you purchase calcium supplements for humans? If so, let us know if you can find anything available without Vitamin D added.

    If not, you can MAKE calcium supplement with eggshells. Boil the shells then bake to completely dry and grind into powder.

    Let us know what you can find.
    Quote Originally Posted by stepnstone View Post
    No expert on chip monks but mom needs to be put on the mbd protocol now!
    With her "diet" lacking and nursing babies her calcium levels have been pretty well depleted.
    Her babies are taking what little is left and not getting what they need through nursing either.
    The babies are going to need to be fed so mom has a chance to recover.
    The kitten milk is as wrong for chippies as it is for squirrels to my knowledge.
    I will try and direct some Chippie members here that have the real experience with them.
    Hi,
    The reptile calcium is pure calcium.
    The only thing is she isn't taking it when mixed with water.
    Any ideas on how to "trick" her in to getting this much needed stuff?

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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Maybe mix it in a nut butter? That's one of the ways I've gotten my guy to take meds.

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  25. #13
    CoolByblik Guest

    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Hey! Thank to this forum i was able to help my chipmunk get better. I fed her calcium with milk and she got much better. She is not dragging her legs any more and even climbs the cage! Very happy for her, cause she had this problem with dragging her back legs for a long time.
    One more problem though... after feeding her calcium with milk for a few weeks, her fur started to fall out. And its not everywhere and uniform that one might say she is shedding. Its more of a spot on her back. This spot with no fur is rather large and covers her neck and back and its not an even shape. So my biggest concern was ringworm at first, but she is not scratching it, there is no clear sign of ringworm, no thickening of the skin either.
    This makes me wonder if this loss of fur is due to the calcium that she received? The fur loss stopped for now and i wouldn't say that the spot is growing. Her behavior has not changed either, i am just still worried this could be a ringworm. Any suggestions? The calcium pills did contain vitamin D as i didn't find any other kind.

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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    For future reference you can buy calcium in powdered form from Henry's Healthy Pets and from Amazon.

    Are you able to post pictures? One from the top of her back and a side view would be helpful.

    Also please list all foods that she actually eats....

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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Quote Originally Posted by CoolByblik View Post
    Its more of a spot on her back. This spot with no fur is rather large and covers her neck and back and its not an even shape. So my biggest concern was ringworm at first, but she is not scratching it, there is no clear sign of ringworm, no thickening of the skin either.
    Just to clear this up, ringworm is a fungus not a parasite as the name suggests....
    Squirrels often get a fungus in wet seasons called Dermatophytosis. The difference in this condition from Mange is the absence of irritation, crusting or rash. Dermatophytosis is caused by a fungus that attacks the shaft of the hair where it emerges from the skin. It attacks the hair shaft and causes it to become brittle, the hair breaks off at the skin line leaving a bald area. Treatment is nutritional support. Feeding chunks of raw coconut and or applying coconut oil can help due to the Capric and Lauric Acid in the raw coconut oil is anti-fungal.
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  31. #16
    CoolByblik Guest

    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Here are the first pictures when she started to lose fur:
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aj...1COWw4PEmoG8uM
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oC...ONjWi8hk6X2uvf

    Here is what it is now:
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1vL...oaH6oiQCoNVpbd
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1w4...wKjXj1pQeS2cQS

    Once this started i fed her raw coconut and applied coconut oil to affected area. Right now it seems as though the fur is growing back. My biggest concern if it is contagious? Like with ringworm? (initially thats what i thought it was)
    Her full diet is too long. She eats everything. Many different raw nut types, pumpkin seeds, apple seeds - she loves those. All fruit seeds basically. Pomegranate, many veggies, berries. Sometimes she likes meal worms.
    Oh and by the way, she is almost 3 years old.

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  33. #17
    CoolByblik Guest

    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Quote Originally Posted by LR View Post
    For future reference you can buy calcium in powdered form from Henry's Healthy Pets and from Amazon.

    Are you able to post pictures? One from the top of her back and a side view would be helpful.

    Also please list all foods that she actually eats....
    Hey, i updated with pictures, would you please take a look?
    Thank you.

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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Does your sweetie get any kind of rodent block. Mostpet rodents need a good quality rodent block with plenty of calcium

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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Try organic yogurt by Green Valley, and add the calcium into the yogurt splitting the total daily into two servings AM and PM daily. Add a small bit of fruit to each serving mashed before you add it so you can stir in the flavor and aroma she is used to, and see what she does. It is also a good source of calcium by itself, just not enough to supply all that is needed daily.I would get some magnesium citrate also, it is key in supporting optimum bone mineralization in both juveniles and adult squirrels & chipmunks. Add about one third the elemental amount of calcium of magnesium citrate. For example if you were to add 200 mg. calcium elemental, not the wt. amount, you would add about one third that amount of Magnesium citrate elemental 67 mg.

    For maintenance after you finishe refortifying your girl with the calcium, you will need to maintain the amount at approximately 200 mg. depending on the form you use. Best wishes for your Milky, and her babies!

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    Default Re: Chipmunk dragging back legs

    Don't forget to regard what Stepnstone wrote, to do the MBD protocol. After that you can reduce the amount to a maintainance level for calcium, which with magnesium citrate in a (3:1) ratio will lend support toward supporting calcium mineralization in refortification of the bones, not just support a normal calcium level in the bloodstream.

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