Squirrel With No Fur On Tail

[Lulu-Bean's Mommy]

Hi everyone!

We have a squirrel in the backyard who moves along just fine, does its squirrely things, and definitely alerts nearby squirrels of a "predator" AKA, us.

However, its tail, while a full tail, has no fur. It flicks and curls, but has no fur? Any ideas what's wrong or what can be done?

I call it Ratigan, from The Great Mouse Detective. We have another squirrel in the yard that I can Nubs, because it has just a nub of a tail left (cat or fight?). So given the two different tails, I hesitate to think it's the same issue, but I really don't know.

[cava]

Squirrels can lose their fur on their tail during molt, due to disease, due to a scrap with another squirrel, etc. It may grow back, I imagine closer to the fall when the fur grows a denser winter coat.

He is fine without the fur, just like the tailless one is managing, and he looks well fed and gets around normally.

Thanks for caring.

[Lulu-Bean's Mommy]

Thank you, cava!

Good to know, and a relief. I'll keep watching both Ratigan and Nubs to make sure they'll be okay for the fall/winter. We think we know which nest is Ratigan's