This girl is going to give me (fully) gray hair y’all. I don’t even know what’s wrong but I believe in my heart that something is. Apologies in advance from a very worried squirrel mom. Any advice is very welcome. She’s been agitated since Thursday mid afternoon. In fact Thursday and Friday evening I had to don real gloves because she was grooming me so excessively and frenetically she was drawing blood.
Penny is about 5.5 months now - diet is pretty good,HHBs or boo blocks with HHBs & FV 2050 plus the healthy veggies per Henry’s pyramid. She does not have a sweet tooth and can’t open or eat whole nuts so I almost feel like it can’t be signs of MBD although of course that’s my first thought. Yesterday she DID get a shell pecan which I eventually cracked for her and she ate. This is a once a week treat. The only nuts she gets are in boo balls and a small piece of hazelnut or peanut stick from Henry’s at night time.
Last night while playing she missed a jump (happens a LOT) and hit the ground. Just prior she was wrestling my hand / a ball / etc and did an exaggerated squeak after getting up. She’s actually been squeaking a lot at night so I’m wondering if she can possibly have developed MBD even though she does get her blocks in whatever form necessary and no nuts or seeds other than that. She got her boo ball last night ate part then started running pacing and I could tell something was wrong. She alarmed for almost half an hour straight and I couldn’t find any trigger for it or calm her down. After she ran in her wheel hard for upwards of twenty minutes, she never runs at night. She was running so hard she kept getting stuck at the top and riding it along until she flew out. I was there to catch her in a blanket but I couldn’t get her to stop it was like she needed to run. It was so bizarre like she was having a panic attack.
So she’s been squeaking, aggressive grooming (me), and just generally ornery plus last nights panic episode. Physically she’s walking slow with her hips low almost like she’s dragging her belly / lady bits on the ground. She runs and jumps fine and is not acting lethargic, it’s only noticeable walking that she’s kind of Off. She actually peed on me yesterday which is unlike her. Pees and poops are fine, eating picky but fine. I just don’t even know where to start or what to do. I tried to do the emergency MBD treatment but she loathes the syringe and is not slow enough that I can make her do anything. I know advice is it can’t hurt but I also don’t understand how she could get it when her diet is strictly regulated.
I guess that it seems like either a urinary issue or.... I mean is there any way they can hit sexual maturity this early?? She hasn’t been a early bloomer on anything yet except weaning. Most resources suggest closer to one year but I don’t know. I just want her to feel better and not see her freaking out and inconsolable. Please let me know if you have any suggestions / advice. I’m worried sick.