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Thread: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

  1. #41
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    She certainly likes the side of the cage that the heating pad is under, that's for sure!

    I was really excited this morning. When I went in to check on her, she was awake and turned to look at me. Her eyes were still weary, but she kept turning to watch my hands as I cleaned the cage. Actually, it was hard to get a NON-blurry picture of her as she kept moving today. It's only Day 2 of prednisone (day 3 of meds altogether) but I'm feeling positive. She still leans her head to the right and isn't so steady, but she has propped herself up to clean and tries to get to her food herself.

    A few questions:
    1. Lulu-Bean loves so much food, most recently, avocado. I didn't give our ward avocado today, because I don't know what's appropriate. Is there anything that squirrels CAN eat that chipmunks CAN'T?
    2. We can't tell how old she is. Is anyone able to guesstimate? Also, thinking long-term for her, how long do chipmunks typically live? We read 8 years?
    3. What kind of chipmunk is she? They all look pretty similar to me, but I'm still doing a lot of learning.

    Here are some (blurry) pictures and some videos of her scooching around this morning. Side-note: I have not heard back from the Wildlife in Need Center, but I have been in touch with JoanneInWis who has graciously offered her property if our little ward can be released.

    https://youtu.be/6OUnoTeXJ_8
    https://youtu.be/6unLzMhkcsc


    Quote Originally Posted by Javarat View Post
    I would not be overly concerned about chippy hogging the heating pad.
    I have a non-releasable chippy... and he spends 95% of the time sleeping on his pad.
    Attached Images Attached Images     

    ~Lulu-Bean's Mommy



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  3. #42
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    I like the name Robin a lot. She is so sweet, keep up the great work.

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  5. #43
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    I think she is an Eastern Chip (Tamias stratus) which means she will not hibernate during the winter.

    She looks pretty healthy overall and I hope she continues to improve. Certainly the difference from the rolling behavior you first saw and her movement now is a BIG and rapid improvement which gives me hope for her!

    I think anything safe for a squirrel is going to be fine for a chip. Chips might eat more bugs and worms, they are probably more like mice (omnivores). Avacado is fine (except for the toxic skin and pit!!!).

    She looks like an adult to me. My guess is that she might live a couple more years?

    She is cute little thing!


    One more thing we might try is Dramamine if she seems dizzy? But for now, I would probably just stick with the pred since she is doing well on it. Keep her well hydrated.
    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.

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  7. #44
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Thanks TubeDriver!
    That makes sense about the lifespan. I'll definitely read up more on the Eastern Chip and try to get her moved more toward a diet she'll prefer when (fingers crossed) she is re-released.

    I keep trying to make sure she's hydrated on the Prednisone, but she won't take water when I offer it. I keep water in the cage, but I'm not in there all the time to see if she is drinking. She WILL take the Prednisone willingly enough, but I can't guarantee that she's drinking water. Should I try to move her to a water bottle instead of a dish?

    There is a lot of poop in the cage today. Doesn't look unhealthy, but just a lot. Does the Prednisone have that as a side effect?

    She made her way up onto the second shelf of the cage yesterday and I was so proud of her, but she couldn't get back down (still a bit unsteady). I helped her down and she did try to bite my finger. I'm not upset by that, I figure it's a really good sign that she's of the opinion that she doesn't need help anymore. Sassy little girl

    She's much more mobile even today, but still leans to the right and pushes the right side of her head along the floor as she walks. But I know it's still early.
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    ~Lulu-Bean's Mommy



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  9. #45
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    She is so darn sweet. I usually give a water bottle AND bowl to everyone, then they can choose.

    Pred can increase appetite so may be that's why more poops.

    You could make a tube sock covered book or piece of wood as a soft ramp so she can use her new shelf and get down by herself.

    Again great job!

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  11. #46
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Thank you! I never thought about trying both a bowl and a bottle. Makes a lot of sense! Lulu has a lot of ramps (after all she has a whole room), so I'm sure I could take one and cut it down to fit within an sock to be nice and soft.

    Quote Originally Posted by cava View Post
    She is so darn sweet. I usually give a water bottle AND bowl to everyone, then they can choose.

    Pred can increase appetite so may be that's why more poops.

    You could make a tube sock covered book or piece of wood as a soft ramp so she can use her new shelf and get down by herself.

    Again great job!

    ~Lulu-Bean's Mommy



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  13. #47
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Great job with her. Maybe some extra fleece under her ramp to cushion her in case she falls. Or restrict her to a single level for now untill she has more function.
    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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  15. #48
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Great job, and wonderful to see the improvement.

    Even the friendliest chippies are bitey.

    The more you feed her, the more she poops.
    Right now you are giving her unlimited food.. so you get unlimited poop.

    When faced with unlimited food.. she should be trying to hide most of it in her nest (bedding).
    So make sure you check that and clean it out frequently.

    In the wild, they start a tunnel, fill it with food, and then close it off and start another one.
    One chippy will stash enough food to feed hundreds... they are obsessive compulsive hoarders.
    A squirrel will stash about 2000 nuts a year... a chipmunk can easily go over 10,000.
    They make squirrels look like amateurs.

    Squirrels are the gardeners of the forest (planting nuts at just the right depth to germinate),
    but Chipmunks are the vaccum cleaners of the forest (putting thousands of nuts too deep to grow).
    There is a direct connection between clearings in forests and large chipmunk populations.

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  17. #49
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    My chip eats the same things my squirrels do.
    He is on formula (half fox valley/half esbilac) twice a day for fluids and calcium, as he cannot drink from a dish or bottle without falling over.
    Obviously totally unreleasable.
    And he has a little 'food stall' so he can lean against the sides while holding food.
    His favorites are arugula, pecans, and walnuts.

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  19. #50
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Thank you!

    I was actually wondering if I should start the chipmunk on Tums, like I give to Lulu-Bean?

    I had NO IDEA chippys were such hoarders! She definitely eats more than she stashes right now. I've cleaned the cage daily and found some stashes, but not a whole lot. She does try to sit up when she eats, but definitely leans.

    A little more lethargic today, but she is starting on just one dose of Prednisone today, so I wonder if she's achy? Although it's thunderstorming today, and even Lulu-Bean and Arya (Arya is our dog) get a little more sleepy on these days. Probably just wants grilled cheese, soup, and Hallmark movies

    Quote Originally Posted by Javarat View Post
    My chip eats the same things my squirrels do.
    He is on formula (half fox valley/half esbilac) twice a day for fluids and calcium, as he cannot drink from a dish or bottle without falling over.
    Obviously totally unreleasable.
    And he has a little 'food stall' so he can lean against the sides while holding food.
    His favorites are arugula, pecans, and walnuts.

    ~Lulu-Bean's Mommy



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  21. #51
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Quote Originally Posted by Lulu-Bean's Mommy View Post
    Probably just wants grilled cheese, soup, and Hallmark movies

  22. #52
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Today the chippy seems a little more fearful of me. Which, I think is probably okay, since she's a wild animal and feeling a little better, right? Probably does NOT want to be by humans?

    Plus I'm always doing something she doesn't like (icky medicine, cleaning, picking up her old food stashes...) but it does worry me that neither her water bowl nor her bottle look to have gone down a lot. So when I try to give her a drink via eyedropper she runs away or, at the least, refuses to drink it. Not sure if there's another route I can take?

    ~Lulu-Bean's Mommy



  23. #53
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Give her some grapes so she can get fluids from them.
    They drink very little.. only 2 to 6 ml of water per day.

  24. #54
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    I was wondering how Chippie was doing with the head tilt? When my girl had head trauma she was on prednisone for longer than the typical regimen. When it came time to start stepping down the dose the vet asked if I could see improvement. Because I could, she said to continue the treatment. For that reason she stayed on the full dosing until she was completely better and then I began the step down process. I actually followed this same process with my dwarf squirrel, as well. Both have completely recovered.

    For liquid hydration you might try offering watermelon since it’s mainly water. Glad to hear Chippie is feeling better.

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  26. #55
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Try sweetening the water with a bit of suger or honey. Grapes as Jav mentioned are basically sweet water as is watermelon or even apple slices.


    Quote Originally Posted by Lulu-Bean's Mommy View Post
    Today the chippy seems a little more fearful of me. Which, I think is probably okay, since she's a wild animal and feeling a little better, right? Probably does NOT want to be by humans?

    Plus I'm always doing something she doesn't like (icky medicine, cleaning, picking up her old food stashes...) but it does worry me that neither her water bowl nor her bottle look to have gone down a lot. So when I try to give her a drink via eyedropper she runs away or, at the least, refuses to drink it. Not sure if there's another route I can take?
    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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  28. #56
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Thanks! Sorry for the delay in a response...things are so hectic and TODAY we found a baby bunny that's dragging its leg (another thread and another worry. What worries me most is what seems to be going on around here, and I'm not a rehabber and having trouble finding a center that will help).

    Back to the chipmunk on this thread. I feel it's not life threatening anymore...would an admin feel this should get moved back to non-life threatening? I'm okay with that.

    I went back to a bit of pedialyte last night for the chippy since her fur looked a little spikey and I hadn't seen the water levels go down still in the dish or bottle. She drank the pedialyte, but not very willingly.

    She IS eating...the only things she'll touch is tomatoes, blueberries, the 1 grape last night, a little bit of HHB, and avocado. I stopped giving her avocado a couple of days ago because her poops looked a little green and mushy. Figured that was because of the avocado and how it would be a new thing in her diet? Plus, I don't want her demanding avocado toast from a hipster if she can get released.

    She is definitely NOT a fan of mine, which I'm okay with because she's a wild animal. She moves quickly away from me, head is NOT on the ground, but always turned right. She keeps climbing up and down in the cage...probably very antsy. Thinking that I should move her to under a window, and open it for her to get some fresh air?

    Major question for her: assuming the medication continues as planned, and she is able to be re-released, we'd be looking at 2nd week of September in SE Wisconsin. It's already cooling down out here. Will she have enough time to gather food and get ready for the winter? Or should we look at wintering her? If we winter her, could she and Lulu be roommates? Right now she's in the guest room in a cage that is probably too small for long-term. Lulu has a 10x10 bedroom to herself. I could put in her spare cage (which is an old parrot cage).

    Quote Originally Posted by TubeDriver View Post
    Try sweetening the water with a bit of suger or honey. Grapes as Jav mentioned are basically sweet water as is watermelon or even apple slices.

    ~Lulu-Bean's Mommy



  29. #57
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    I don't think she would have time to build a winter stash in September (in Wisconsin).
    Some might suggest supplementing her with food at the release point.. but she might never return there, and other animals would take the food.

    If you are seeing head tilt right now I do not think she will be stable enough to release in 2 to 3 weeks.
    She might be better in the spring... but damage from injuries like this are often permanent.

    Adult chippies do not share and will try to kill each other if forced to share a space.
    So she will probably also attack other species as well.
    I have never seen a squirrel attack a chipmunk, but I see chipmunks attacking squirrels every day in my yard.
    So I would definitely suggest you do NOT confine her in a space with Lulu.

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  31. #58
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    I know nothing about chippies or their hoarding requirements, but I do know she can’t be released until you see no head tilt of any kind. It took months for my girl to completely recover and I overwintered her in Florida, which isn’t a necessity for winter temps. When is the prednisone regiment to be completed? You might have to extend it to achieve a full recovery, if possible.

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  33. #59
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    Ahh, thank you both!

    The prednisone is scheduled to end about 9/7. The head tilts are still occurring, but today while eat, she had it right up and her balance was fine. But unless she's eating, she is still tilting her head.

    I'm really worried about her hydration. Pictures I took today show very spikey fur. I can't seem to get her to drink water (both a bottle and a dish, tried putting sugar in the dish, and she will NOT take water from an eyedropper). She's got a lot of fight in her, and squirms out of my hand. She hates when I open the cage and runs as far as she can from me.

    Also, I moved her under a window. She seems to love sunning herself and watching the neighbors.

    I don't mind AT ALL overwintering her if that gives her the best chance, I'm just not sure where to keep her aside from the guest room. Would moving her to a larger cage be good (I assume?)? I have two other sizes than what she's in. Given that she's fiesty, I'm not going to risk having her and Lulu in the same room, even if she stays in a cage.

    I want the best life and best chance for her if she can be released, but if she can't...anyone think she would warm up to me?
    Attached Images Attached Images     

    ~Lulu-Bean's Mommy



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  35. #60
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    Default Re: Chipmunk Spinning in Circles

    OMGosh she she is so cute!

    I noticed the corners of your cage aren't wrapped in cloth. Where they gape a bit can be pinch points and we've seen some pretty injured fingers and toes due to getting caught in them. Not sure how much she's at risk with her activity level, but wanted to make you aware. Strips of fabric, wound around and through bars secure the seams.

    Keep up the great work!

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