Nursing grey squirrel missing a front paw and 2 toes - How can we help?

[DixiesMom]

Hi everyone,
We have a squirrel who started coming to our place who has obviously been caught in a trap. Poor girl is missing a front paw, as well as part of a toe on each hind foot. As if it weren't enough, she is missing half her tail and she is nursing. I have not seen her go on a tree yet, so I suspect she can't climb. We have a tree limb that is sideways that leads to our balcony. She can climb that up and down, but an upright tree I don't think she can. She does not go on the fence like other squirrels, she goes under only. That is incredibly upsetting to see. We believe she is a squirrel that we knew already, because she is very friendly and not scared at all.

So, the advice I need is about housing that we could provide for her, to entice her to move in our back yard with her babies. I am so scared something will happen to her and she will leave orphans behind.

Do you think she could use a nest box on the ground level if we were to provide one? How could we make it safe for her? She is no longer a tree squirrel I am afraid, but more of a ground squirrel at this point. Where do ground squirrels nest?

I want to help, but it is not like we can trap her knowing she is nursing. Even then, I am not convinced that would be her choice to live a life in captivity.

Here she is. Her name is Bunny Poo.

[TubeDriver]

Can you try to locate her nest? That way you may be able to get the babies and deliver them to a rehabber who could raise and release them. Surviving at all is going to be a challenge but surviving and raising babies is really asking a lot. The babies are almost certainly high in a tree so if she can't climb they would probably already be dead or would have jumped/fallen out of the nest.

This is a terrible situation and I am not confident about her ability to survive. If she really can't climb, she will get killed probably sooner rather than later. On the other hand, that injury looks healed up, how long has she been like this? You could try mounting a nest box onto the bottom of a tree but it would need to be a large nest box with both external and internal predator guards. You could coax her to the nest box with some treats and place some treats inside so she explores the box. I just don't know if she will move in or not?

[DixiesMom]

Can you try to locate her nest? That way you may be able to get the babies and deliver them to a rehabber who could raise and release them. Surviving at all is going to be a challenge but surviving and raising babies is really asking a lot. The babies are almost certainly high in a tree so if she can't climb they would probably already be dead or would have jumped/fallen out of the nest.

This is a terrible situation and I am not confident about her ability to survive. If she really can't climb, she will get killed probably sooner rather than later. On the other hand, that injury looks healed up, how long has she been like this? You could try mounting a nest box onto the bottom of a tree but it would need to be a large nest box with both external and internal predator guards. You could coax her to the nest box with some treats and place some treats inside so she explores the box. I just don't know if she will move in or not?

Thank you TD.
I don`t know how long ago she had her injury. It's fully healed. We saw her for the first time 6 weeks ago. We saw her only twice and then did not see her for almost a month. We thought she did not survive. But she came back and now she has been here every day for the last 10 days.

Not sure about the age of her babies, but I think they are pretty young, judging by the size of her nipples. They are not dead because I can see she is nursing. I don`t think they are up high either because she was already handicapped when she had them. If I found her babies, I would care for them myself, I've rehabbed many. I just don't know where they are. She always leaves the yard by going under the fence to the next neighbor. or behind our shed that also leads to another neighbor. I would have to go in peoples' yard and I doubt they would be happy about it. There is a squirrel shooter and a trapper in the area (Bunny Poo is the 3rd victim we know about).

We have a release cage with a nest box on top that gets used 3 seasons (usually not in the summer though). I think I will try to find a tree limb tall enough that would lead to the box so she would not need to climb the cage itself (I doubt she could). It is also next to a tree.

I agree that her days are numbered. Animals are so resilient though, I want to believe there is a chance she could care for a babies long enough.

[DixiesMom]

Okay, I put tree limbs that lead to the top of the cage where there is a nest box. Let`s hope and pray she will decide to move her babies here.

[stepnstone]

First I would not take her babies from her, she obviously has found a way not just to have
but also to be taking care of them and they very well could be her reason for her survival.
Second, I would not place a nest box at ground level for a squirrel to use. Fox, raccoons
will destroy it to get into it, predator guards won't stop snakes, rats and other assortments
of critters that forge the ground. Supportive care as you are trying to do is what is in her
best interest.

[DixiesMom]

First I would not take her babies from her, she obviously has found a way not just to have
but also to be taking care of them and they very well could be her reason for her survival.
Second, I would not place a nest box at ground level for a squirrel to use. Fox, raccoons
will destroy it to get into it, predator guards won't stop snakes, rats and other assortments
of critters that forge the ground. Supportive care as you are trying to do is what is in her
best interest.

Thank you stepnstone I have to agree with you. The best scenario really is for her to care for her babies herself. That is why I am hoping she will move in our yard, so that we could step in IF something happens to her. I was not sure where to put a nest box and if the ground was safe, but I have now rejected this option. It is not a good plan at all, I see that now. I think I came up with a decent idea with the tree limbs I put on an angle.

I would feel so much better knowing where her babies are and just be a backup **in case**. I hope she will decide to use the nest box we have. If she does not choose to move in, it could also mean she is fine on her own, but I already feel better that I am at least providing an option. And who knows, maybe she CAN climb trees, but I just have not seen her do so on ours.

[redwuff]

Wow, how harsh and sad. Thankyou for giving her a supportive hand.

[lukaslolamaus]

Poor mama squirrel, I'll be praying for her and her babies

[stepnstone]

She always leaves the yard by going under the fence to the next neighbor. or behind our shed that also leads to another neighbor.

I know this problem, I have also tried to track a few under these circumstances.
I can pretty much learn where they head off to and find dreys by doing it it stages.
Since most all have privacy fences here I place something to see over the fence to
first determine IF they actually leave that yard and if so what direction they exit to.
The next time I place myself outside my yard (staying back) to see how far they
travel in that direction. Taking it one step at a time you can learn their area but trying
to straight out follow them sometimes can set off their protective mode and the last
thing they are going to do is lead you to their home.

Two doors down a neighbor opened his shed to a flurry of squirrels running out,
they had a drey as big as a laundry basket on the shelf.
They were going in and out through a (rat hole) at the very bottom where the shed backs
up to the fence.

[DixiesMom]

Two doors down a neighbor opened his shed to a flurry of squirrels running out, they had a drey as big as a laundry basket on the shelf.
They were going in and out through a (rat hole) at the very bottom where the shed backs
up to the fence.[/I]

Oh My! That is a huge drey!
I am thinking Bunny Poo may have found a similar non-tree place to nest. Most of my neighbors don't have trees. The closest neighbor with a tree in the direction I always see her go is 5 houses down. The method you are describing to locate where she is going would be hard to apply at my place. One neighbor has a tall hedge, so I can't see anything in his yard, and the other neighbor has a yard with no grass, so no visible track I could look for. But upstairs at my house, I could potentially see where she goes when she crosses under the fence (we live in a semi-detached). I'll pair up with my husband tomorrow, so one of us can look from upstairs while the other one feeds her.

[DixiesMom]

This is an old thread from last year (Aug 2018) I figured it was time to update with good news.
The 3 pawed mama is still around! I am so in awe with her resilience! Not only did she manage to care for her babies successfully (I kept seeing her nipples until babies were old enough to not nurse anymore), but she just survived one of the harshest winters I remember. She never moved in our yard in the nest box I was hoping she would use, but I ended up on a few occasions seeing her on our tree, so she is able to climb after all. She has learned to get better and better at getting around with all the challenges she is facing (toes missing, front paw missing as well as half her tail). This girl is such a trooper!

Now, however, she is showing signs of mange. Not too severe yet but definitely progressing. I have Ivermectin purchased last year and I am wondering 2 things. First, should I just get a new tube to be sure it is active? Second, if she is pregnant again (possible considering the time of year), would it be safe?

[Mel1959]

I don’t have any experience with using ivermectin on a possibly pregnant squirrel. Hopefully others will chime in. I do know that the guy at the feed store where I got my ivermectin said it was effective beyond the expiration date.

[redwuff]

Wow, I am so impressed with this girl. Thank goodness!

What I found on the internet is basically that the benefits need to outweigh the risks. So the question is does she already have babies on the ground or is she pregnant. Also how bad is her mange. She will pas the mange to her babies.

I just looked up revolution and that CAN be used on pregnant or nursing mothers.

[DixiesMom]

Wow, I am so impressed with this girl. Thank goodness!

What I found on the internet is basically that the benefits need to outweigh the risks. So the question is does she already have babies on the ground or is she pregnant. Also how bad is her mange. She will pas the mange to her babies.

I just looked up revolution and that CAN be used on pregnant or nursing mothers.

Thanks Redfuff! Super impressive, right?

The Revolution I have is way expired (2015); that was my first choice. I can't get a prescription without taking my cats in and they don't need to go to the vet right now (they are terrified when they have to, so not an option).

Mange (if my assessment is right) is not too bad yet, but progressing. Here is a picture from yesterday. As of now, missing fur is behind her neck and top of her head.


As for being nursing, I don't see any signs that she is. Now is the time of the year that start giving birth in Quebec (1st season). She does not appear for sure pregnant either. I am just thinking she very well might be, simply because she is a female and it is that time of the year.

How would assess risks vs benefits based on that information?

[DixiesMom]

I don’t have any experience with using ivermectin on a possibly pregnant squirrel. Hopefully others will chime in. I do know that the guy at the feed store where I got my ivermectin said it was effective beyond the expiration date.

Okay, good to know! Thank you

[CritterMom]

Now most of the info on using ivermectin on the internet is geared toward farm animals, everything I can find states it s NOT harmful for pregnant animals. That mange is looking nasty. I would treat her. The relief they get is just huge. I have successfully used ivermectin paste and gel well past the use by date. I keep a tube in the fridge.

Dose every 7-10 days for 3 doses. No sooner than 7 and try not to go past 10. You are timing hatches of 2nd generation mites to kill with the follow up doses.

[DixiesMom]

Now most of the info on using ivermectin on the internet is geared toward farm animals, everything I can find states it s NOT harmful for pregnant animals. That mange is looking nasty. I would treat her. The relief they get is just huge. I have successfully used ivermectin paste and gel well past the use by date. I keep a tube in the fridge.

Dose every 7-10 days for 3 doses. No sooner than 7 and try not to go past 10. You are timing hatches of 2nd generation mites to kill with the follow up doses.

Thank you very much CritterMom. You are putting my mind at ease! Will dose her next time I see her. Hopefully soon, as she does not come daily.