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Thread: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

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    Default My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    Hello, when I checked my squirrel this morning I immediately felt my squirrel was kind of slow, sometimes lethargic. He ate a bit this morning. Now, she is not eating even the avocado, his favorite.
    he makes some noises like sneezing.
    I have a new bottle of clavamox.
    Please help

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    I'm not an expert, but in case that medication is necessary you will need to weigh your baby for dosing.
    I'm sure someone will be here to help soon.
    Make sure that you keep him hydrated.
    What is his name?

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    omg, thank God, I am so sad. his name is Manolo.

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    Hi, please post up his weight. Also, what is his regular diet like? Is he walking around at all?
    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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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    Thank you for responding so quickly.
    I don't have anything to get his weight,
    He eat, sweet potato, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin seeds and Henry Blocks
    He is not walking around, he has been sitting on my lap, he has a huge cage.
    Noticed he is slow, I just put him in the cage and I got some water in my hand and he drank it. I checked and the water bottle works, but I will change it anyway.

    Thank you so much

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    We really need a weight to give you accurate dosing if he needs any meds. People use kitchen scales, weigh an empty Tupperware container, then put him in it and weigh again. Subtract the empty container weight from the squirrel in container weight to get his body weight. Could you post up a photo from him from today?

    1)Does he eat his Henry blocks regularly/daily?

    2)Have you sen him pee and poop today? If so, does the pee and poop look/smell normal?

    3) Could he have eaten something that he was not supposed to (candy, cleaners, ant poison etc etc)?

    4) Have you seen him walk at all today?

    A lot of questions but it will help us to determine what is going on with him.




    Quote Originally Posted by orquid009 View Post
    Thank you for responding so quickly.
    I don't have anything to get his weight,
    He eat, sweet potato, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin seeds and Henry Blocks
    He is not walking around, he has been sitting on my lap, he has a huge cage.
    Noticed he is slow, I just put him in the cage and I got some water in my hand and he drank it. I checked and the water bottle works, but I will change it anyway.

    Thank you so much
    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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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    He does take the blocks every other day.
    He has poop and pee and it does smell normal.
    I don't think he has eaten anything that we was not supposed to eat.

    He has walk. He is still alert, but very slow.
    I gave him Pedialyte and he drank like a teaspoon.
    now he is on my lap, shaking a bit.
    I will post some pics


    so thankful

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    His fur looks spikey in those photos. Could the shaking you describe be seizures? I would give him a bit of molassas (rub on his gums or feed him a tiny bit). Try making up some DIY pedialyte to give him for the next 12 hours (a pinch of sea salt or table salt, a pinch of sugar and warm water, mix). Try to make sure he is hydrated. I would give him a Tums tablet to eat, I am not really convinced this is MBD but he is older and some blocks every other day may not be enough to prevent MBD from forming in an older animal. Lets see what more experienced folks here think about this.

    How does his breathing seem? You mentioned some sneezing earlier? Is he still doing this?

    He looks like a sweet boy. Lets try to get him well hydrated and keep him warm and quiet.
    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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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    He is getting worse Very slow. I prepared the rice buddy and he is there. His eyes are halfway closed. I am doing everything I can to keep him awake for now. He has not eaten anything else since this morning, when he ate a bit of sweet potato and zucchini...jut a bit one or two pieces. He probably feels worse.. I don't know.

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    Try giving him some DIY pedialyte (recipe posted above in previous post) and give him some calcium from a Tums tablet. Make him comfortable. Do you have vet access?

    Quote Originally Posted by orquid009 View Post
    He is getting worse Very slow. I prepared the rice buddy and he is there. His eyes are halfway closed. I am doing everything I can to keep him awake for now. He has not eaten anything else since this morning, when he ate a bit of sweet potato and zucchini...jut a bit one or two pieces. He probably feels worse.. I don't know.
    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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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    Thanks TubeDriver. I don't think he is having seizures (I haven't seen how seizures look on them)
    I had a female squirrel that had respiratory infection, her breathing and clicking were very bad, Manolo is not clicking, but he does like blowing his nose, not constantly, but he is doing it.
    Ive already gave him Pedialyte, just a teaspoon. Right now he doesn't want any..but a couple of hours ago I put water in my hand and he licked a lot. I check the water bottle, it is working.
    Ill keep him warm, and make sure he drinks. I did the test on the back of his neck, doesn't seems like dehydration.


    I appreciate everything.

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    Do you have a vet you can take him to? There is a vet in Orlando that will see squirrels and another one in Port Orange. If you have a regular vet you might try to have him seen. The vet in Orlando is Dr. Diaz at Exotic Animal Hospital and Dr. Alicia Emerson at Ravenwood Vet Clinic in Port Orange.

    I hope you can figure out what’s going on with your baby.

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    https://www.amazon.com/Urine-Strips-...ne+test+strips

    These strips may help to determine the cause of his feeling bad, I wouldn't wait though to go to see dr. Emerson, rather make it the priority.

    Do you have 'organic' maple syrup, or "Brer Rabbit" molasses (no blackstrap)?

    You won't need to open his mouth, just put a drop on your finger tip and push it into his mouth just behind his front teeth where there is a space with no teeth.

    What kind of mushrooms do you feed him; please be specific by name.

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    Thinking about you and Manolo this morning.

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    Any updates?

    If you have been giving pedialyte for over 24 hours, I would switch back to regular water. Too much pedialyte for too long will start stressing kidneys.

    I would try to get a vet appointment. Do you have any antbiotics available (not sure they are needed but just in case it is helpful to know what you have on hand)?

    Hope your little one is doing better.
    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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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    Do you have a vet you can take him to? There is a vet in Orlando that will see squirrels and another one in Port Orange. If you have a regular vet you might try to have him seen. The vet in Orlando is Dr. Diaz at Exotic Animal Hospital and Dr. Alicia Emerson at Ravenwood Vet Clinic in Port Orange.

    I hope you can figure out what’s going on with your baby.
    The lack of an update makes me fear for the worst, but I hope he's doing okay or even better. If you are capable of bringing him to a squirrel-friendly vet, such as one recommended by a member on this forum, that is what I would do. Spiky hair and squinting mean that a squirrel is really not feeling well. The members on this board are extremely competent, and in my observation, the best ever, but sometimes there is no substitute for a vet that can see the squirrel in person and offer prescriptions right then and there. That being said, I am not a rehabber but just a long time member who has followed a lot of threads. If you can't take him to the vet for some reason, it is okay to let us know.

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    I truly apologize for not giving a sooner update. I have not been able to take Manolo to a vet but I have followed all your indications. He is still not feeling well, I gave him Pedialyte for 3 days and then water. I have been giving him tums mixed with juice making a paste. I have to use the syringe for that. He has a warming pad in low, He is in there always. I was able to order the kit from Henry's to try and help him. I have been giving him water myself, like, I bring the water bottle to him. About two or three days ago, I saw him going down to get water for himself, but not anymore... He is eating tomatoes, oranges and almonds (because it is the only thing he really likes now) His nose is clean, no clicking at all. But when he stands up to eat his body inclines to the front, and he stops eating, with the food on his hands, he closes his eyes, then after a few seconds or if I talk to him, he opens his eyes again and continues eating.

    I will post a picture.

    I know how horrible it sounds to not been able to take him to the vet, but I just can't.

    Thank you all

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    Default Re: My 7 year, male gray squirrel is lethargic, please help

    Thank you for updating us on his condition. I know you love your little friend, but his diet of tomatoes, oranges and almonds will slowly kill him. It just does not provide what his body needs even with the calcium you are giving. If this is MBD, he absolutely MUST get on a diet primarily of healthy rodent blocks, it is critical. This is in addition to calcium supplements.

    We also sometimes see where older squirrels seem to develop what might be called congestive heart failure or advanced cardiac disease. In these cases, not much can be done other than make him comfortable and try to provide a healthy diet.

    A vet could rule out one or the other. But in either case, a good diet composed of rodent blocks and veggies would help. Is he losing weight? I hope he is not suffering too much and that he will recover but he is dependent on your care and also sometimes on your tough love to get him to eat healthy (but less tasty) rodent blocks.


    Quote Originally Posted by orquid009 View Post
    I truly apologize for not giving a sooner update. I have not been able to take Manolo to a vet but I have followed all your indications. He is still not feeling well, I gave him Pedialyte for 3 days and then water. I have been giving him tums mixed with juice making a paste. I have to use the syringe for that. He has a warming pad in low, He is in there always. I was able to order the kit from Henry's to try and help him. I have been giving him water myself, like, I bring the water bottle to him. About two or three days ago, I saw him going down to get water for himself, but not anymore... He is eating tomatoes, oranges and almonds (because it is the only thing he really likes now) His nose is clean, no clicking at all. But when he stands up to eat his body inclines to the front, and he stops eating, with the food on his hands, he closes his eyes, then after a few seconds or if I talk to him, he opens his eyes again and continues eating.

    I will post a picture.

    I know how horrible it sounds to not been able to take him to the vet, but I just can't.

    Thank you all
    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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