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Thread: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

  1. #21
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    And I bet you’re spoilung him rotten and making sure he gets his share of goodies!

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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chickenlegs View Post
    And I bet you’re spoilung him rotten and making sure he gets his share of goodies!
    I'm trying very hard to put extras away from the rest specifically for him. That is until the others take over that pile too.
    It's the darndest situation, amongst my yard crew he's the outcast, choice or neccesity??? Most of the time everyone eats together peacefully with little skirmishes. Then there's this fella way off away from the rest, usually pancaked. I don't see him even attempting to sneak in and steal a bite until everyone has left. Should another head his direction he heads up the nearest tree.
    But then I watched him chase a much, much larger squirrel back across the street this morning.
    This little guy is just a conundrum to me between size and behavior. Last week I was worried sick about him. It's so odd to have a squirrel staying against the house all day long. Napping on the window ledge instead of a drey. Not taking cover when the hawks are screaming. Last one out every night? He's just not like the rest...

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  4. #23
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Poor little guy. I have seen that mixed passive and then aggressive behavior before from little ones. In general, they are very defensive because they get bullied. But they also can get sort of desperate which can make then aggressive at times. These little ones can become very tough but certainly have a hard time.

    I try to help the little ones with extra treats and they usually grow up a bit and put on some weight and do well. Keep an eye out for him and hopefully he will start to blossom!


    Quote Originally Posted by PennyCash View Post
    I'm trying very hard to put extras away from the rest specifically for him. That is until the others take over that pile too.
    It's the darndest situation, amongst my yard crew he's the outcast, choice or neccesity??? Most of the time everyone eats together peacefully with little skirmishes. Then there's this fella way off away from the rest, usually pancaked. I don't see him even attempting to sneak in and steal a bite until everyone has left. Should another head his direction he heads up the nearest tree.
    But then I watched him chase a much, much larger squirrel back across the street this morning.
    This little guy is just a conundrum to me between size and behavior. Last week I was worried sick about him. It's so odd to have a squirrel staying against the house all day long. Napping on the window ledge instead of a drey. Not taking cover when the hawks are screaming. Last one out every night? He's just not like the rest...
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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  6. #24
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Quote Originally Posted by TubeDriver View Post
    Poor little guy. I have seen that mixed passive and then aggressive behavior before from little ones. In general, they are very defensive because they get bullied. But they also can get sort of desperate which can make then aggressive at times. These little ones can become very tough but certainly have a hard time.

    I try to help the little ones with extra treats and they usually grow up a bit and put on some weight and do well. Keep an eye out for him and hopefully he will start to blossom!
    Good to know you've seen this type of behavior before.
    I'll keep at trying to get good stuff to him. Been trying to get block to him specifically, tossing it but not scaring him in the process. So far others get it before him and if I try to walk out to him everyone goes flying and he's spooked.

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  8. #25
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    I too am very interested in the topic of pseudos. In fact I think I’m dealing with one such among my NR crew. My little Simon.
    Now Simon doesn’t show any of the typical morphology traits of the dwarfs - although he is quite small in size, compared to all my other greys, both NRs and wilds. However, he is - shall we say - not the shrapest knife in the drawer. There are things that would normally seem obvious for any normal squirrel – how to hold food, sniffing the favorites in a food bowl, jumping around etc – but he doesn’t seem to catch on. E.g.: he loves avocado but when I bring him his bowl, he's ore interested in sniffing my hand , arm etc than grabbing the avocado. I often have to place it against his mouth and in his hands for him to start eating. At first I suspected maybe his sense of smell wasn't up to par, but no. He will sniff it around in the bowl, will find it (if I don't interfere, just put the bowl down) but he doesn't seem to get the idea to pick it up in his hands... he'll start licking and eating it like a dog would i.e. directly in the bowl.
    He is also still afraid of all my other NRs, although he is now over 2 years old, nearing 3, and… he has no testes yet!

    My oldest son lives with Asperger’s syndrome, which as you may know is a developmental handicap part of the autism syndrome, and it got me wondering if among squirrels (and/or other animals for that matter) there could be such cases. Humans with Asperger do have issues of low coordination, how to socialize, and they do not process informaition like the rest of us – often making people think they*»re retarded while in fact they are not.
    All in all, my little boy Simon seems more like an Asperger case than a dwarf, but is about the size of an 8 month old grey.
    "In the midst of our lives we must find the magic that makes our souls soar."
    My darling Scooter, beloved Hami, sweet gentle Simon... YOU are the ones who brought that magic in my life. You've changed the way I see all things around me now and, because of you, I want to be a better person. This is not goodbye, my sweethearts. You be at peace, your work here on earth is done... now you are finally, truly free. Until we meet at the Bridge again, please remember that I will always love you.
    The greatness of a nation can be measured by the way it treats its animals.
    - Gandhi -

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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    I think the most profound clue you mentioned is the lack of testes. Joey, my dwarfs, testicles did not form, or drop till he was well over a year old. I have heard of a condition that animals can have where the testicles never drop and remain inside. It could be that he has that. Of course that doesn’t explain his inability to grab and hold food. It seems we never seem to understand everything about these little mysterious fuzzbutts.

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  12. #27
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Oh PLEEEEEEEEZE send a picture of Simon. He sounds adorable and I vote “pseudo dwarf”. I’ve had squirrels I wish I had not released. Some have done fine but others

  13. #28
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Here are a couple of pics of my sweetie boy.

    This one when he was brought to me... poor guy was on the verge of starvation, distended belly, prolapsed anus, dehydrated ... He was terrified and so was i, wondering if he would even last the night. Right from the start he was a sweetheart though.
    Name:  Sijmjon - prolapsed anus.jpg
Views: 295
Size:  102.8 KB

    That following one was taken last year, 7 mos after his arrival.
    Name:  Simon & HB.jpg
Views: 285
Size:  94.6 KB

    Hubby took this one today... my love bug has not grown since the previous pic. Simon was ultra nervous - was scared of hubby even if we stood almost 10 feet apart.
    Name:  Simon hug1.jpg
Views: 709
Size:  85.3 KB
    "In the midst of our lives we must find the magic that makes our souls soar."
    My darling Scooter, beloved Hami, sweet gentle Simon... YOU are the ones who brought that magic in my life. You've changed the way I see all things around me now and, because of you, I want to be a better person. This is not goodbye, my sweethearts. You be at peace, your work here on earth is done... now you are finally, truly free. Until we meet at the Bridge again, please remember that I will always love you.
    The greatness of a nation can be measured by the way it treats its animals.
    - Gandhi -

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  15. #29
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Simon looks very handsome in that last photo! Great job!
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

  16. #30
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    I just found this one, from when he was a baby. It gives us a better idea of what his lilttle face looked like. Of course I'm not partial at all but I think he's just the most adorable little fur thing you can lay eyes on.
    Name:  Baby Simon.jpg
Views: 396
Size:  92.9 KB
    "In the midst of our lives we must find the magic that makes our souls soar."
    My darling Scooter, beloved Hami, sweet gentle Simon... YOU are the ones who brought that magic in my life. You've changed the way I see all things around me now and, because of you, I want to be a better person. This is not goodbye, my sweethearts. You be at peace, your work here on earth is done... now you are finally, truly free. Until we meet at the Bridge again, please remember that I will always love you.
    The greatness of a nation can be measured by the way it treats its animals.
    - Gandhi -

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  18. #31
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    What a darling. I think srarvation plays a big role in how well our babies do. My little neuro guy Johnny Cash was frozen when I got him. Baby bloated so badly he lived on a little goats milk formula and simethacone for two weeks. Poor guy was half starved by the time he could tolerate appropriate nutrition. He has a pile of issues but that boy is happy and healthy now—even if he can’t walk a straight line without falling over

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  20. #32
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    I have no doubt that nutrition in early infancy can have some lifetime consequences. For sure. This poor little guy spent some 2 weeks in the hands of a well-meaning fellow who was bound and deterined to do things his way, regardless of what he was told to do. It was only after he had brought me 3 dying babies and I managed to save the 3rd - by the skin of her teeth, poor little thing - that he finally realized he was not doing anything right for baby squirrels. With Simon he wanted to bring him the next day or 2 - said he was a bit tired and was sleeping all the time, meaning Simon and he would let him rest then feed him later. I told him that if he didn't bring that baby now, that very same night, that I never wanted to see him at my door again. Told him there was no way I was going to take in another baby from him only to watch him die in my hands. So yeah, he brought him that night.

    That fellow was a Tae Kwan-Do teacher and he was taking poor Simon with him everywhere, to classes etc... stuffed in his jeans, pocket, showing him to everyone "to spread the word around that squirrels were sweet creatures"!... letting all sorts of people handle him, and feeding him whenever "he had the chance" ... he was giving him water only when he wasn't home. That man was driving around everywhere, looking for babies fallen out of trees in our area and fancied himself the great squirrel rescuer. OK, he had developmental issues I suspect, but I just couldn't take that.

    That poor little guy went thru hell as a baby.
    "In the midst of our lives we must find the magic that makes our souls soar."
    My darling Scooter, beloved Hami, sweet gentle Simon... YOU are the ones who brought that magic in my life. You've changed the way I see all things around me now and, because of you, I want to be a better person. This is not goodbye, my sweethearts. You be at peace, your work here on earth is done... now you are finally, truly free. Until we meet at the Bridge again, please remember that I will always love you.
    The greatness of a nation can be measured by the way it treats its animals.
    - Gandhi -

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  22. #33
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Quote Originally Posted by Scooterzmom View Post
    I have no doubt that nutrition in early infancy can have some lifetime consequences. For sure. This poor little guy spent some 2 weeks in the hands of a well-meaning fellow who was bound and deterined to do things his way, regardless of what he was told to do. It was only after he had brought me 3 dying babies and I managed to save the 3rd - by the skin of her teeth, poor little thing - that he finally realized he was not doing anything right for baby squirrels. With Simon he wanted to bring him the next day or 2 - said he was a bit tired and was sleeping all the time, meaning Simon and he would let him rest then feed him later. I told him that if he didn't bring that baby now, that very same night, that I never wanted to see him at my door again. Told him there was no way I was going to take in another baby from him only to watch him die in my hands. So yeah, he brought him that night.

    That fellow was a Tae Kwan-Do teacher and he was taking poor Simon with him everywhere, to classes etc... stuffed in his jeans, pocket, showing him to everyone "to spread the word around that squirrels were sweet creatures"!... letting all sorts of people handle him, and feeding him whenever "he had the chance" ... he was giving him water only when he wasn't home. That man was driving around everywhere, looking for babies fallen out of trees in our area and fancied himself the great squirrel rescuer. OK, he had developmental issues I suspect, but I just couldn't take that.

    That poor little guy went thru hell as a baby.
    Ugh! This guy sounds like a @$$%^&!
    Thank you for standing firm and getting Simon from him that night! Thank you for being YOU!

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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Thank heavens you persevered and Simon has a good life with someone who loves and cares for himthe way he needs to be cared for. A baby squirrel can survive SO much—but human ignorance kills—and cruely.

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  25. #35
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Quote Originally Posted by PennyCash View Post
    Ugh! This guy sounds like a @$$%^&!
    Thank you for standing firm and getting Simon from him that night! Thank you for being YOU!
    Actually let's not be too hard on the fellow. He does mean well. Thing is I think he has mental issues - I'm no shrink but maybe HDAD or some mmild form of autism - and I think that is the biggest problem. He wants to help so badly, and he's completely fixated on squirrels, but he gets the info all confused in his head and does not have the patience to write things down or read.

    Just the same... It's only one more example of how ignorance can sometimes have dramatic consequences.
    "In the midst of our lives we must find the magic that makes our souls soar."
    My darling Scooter, beloved Hami, sweet gentle Simon... YOU are the ones who brought that magic in my life. You've changed the way I see all things around me now and, because of you, I want to be a better person. This is not goodbye, my sweethearts. You be at peace, your work here on earth is done... now you are finally, truly free. Until we meet at the Bridge again, please remember that I will always love you.
    The greatness of a nation can be measured by the way it treats its animals.
    - Gandhi -

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  27. #36
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Quote Originally Posted by Scooterzmom View Post
    Actually let's not be too hard on the fellow. He does mean well. Thing is I think he has mental issues - I'm no shrink but maybe HDAD or some mmild form of autism - and I think that is the biggest problem. He wants to help so badly, and he's completely fixated on squirrels, but he gets the info all confused in his head and does not have the patience to write things down or read.

    Just the same... It's only one more example of how ignorance can sometimes have dramatic consequences.
    If that's truly the case he might do well to be a helper? Would give him a sense of doing good for the animals he adores, he might learn better hands on and someone would be there to instantly correct issues.

  28. #37
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    He sounds like Lenny in "Of Mice and Men".......
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  29. #38
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    I’m wondering if Abu falls into this category. He clearly isn’t a typical dwarf, he is fairly co ordinated, he eats food well (but was terrible with formula) and his head has always been a bit off shaped in comparison to other foxers. His growth rate has been steady but slow and at 14 weeks he is topping out at 290 grams. His favorite cuddling position is wrapping his paws around my wrist and squishing his jaws between my fingers, neither of the girls or any other squirrel I’ve cared for has done that. It’s kinda odd. He finally started making noise at around 11 weeks old. Before that he never made a single sound. His fur does seem a bit different from the girls as well.

    I can’t think of any other reasons he would be so small. He’s thriving and proportionate. otherwise. Just due to his teeth alone (and he isn’t very smart) I consider him NR, but I’m still curious as to what’s going on and what to possibly anticipate.
    [FONT=palatino linotype]Caretaker of Sisu the Foxer (8/14/22), Mango the blind Grey (4/?/23), and Abu the tiny oddball Foxer (8/?/23) [\FONT]

  30. #39
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    RE: favorite cuddle position. It might seem odd, but it is terrific!

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  32. #40
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    Default Re: Higher functioning “Pseudo-Dwarfism” in squirrels?

    Quote Originally Posted by TomahawkFlyers View Post
    RE: favorite cuddle position. It might seem odd, but it is terrific!
    It’s pretty cute for sure! Sometimes he just perches there, and sometimes he muckles his lil arms around and holds on. It’s always back of the right wrist though 😊
    Attached Images Attached Images   
    [FONT=palatino linotype]Caretaker of Sisu the Foxer (8/14/22), Mango the blind Grey (4/?/23), and Abu the tiny oddball Foxer (8/?/23) [\FONT]

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