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Thread: Adult squirrel lists to side as if she has had head trauma

  1. #1
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    Default Adult squirrel lists to side as if she has had head trauma

    Hi, I have a squirrel visiting my deck who acts as if it has vertigo. She doesn’t have any outward signs of head trauma but she acts as if she’s been hit in the head. She’s able to run and jump but her head bobs to the right almost continually when she’s standing still. Kind of like she’s listening to dance music. I’ve never seen this in other squirrels before. It started three days ago.

    Thank you, for any information or ideas.

    Kevin

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Adult squirrel lists to side as if she has had head trauma

    Do you see her eating OK?
    We live in a heaven created by our virtues --- Muktananda

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Adult squirrel lists to side as if she has had head trauma

    She’s eating normally and she runs and jumps.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Adult squirrel lists to side as if she has had head trauma

    Well, this is a sign of some sort of neurological issue. You have two basic causes of something like this - physical trauma of some kind - squirrels fall out of trees more often than you think and they can crack their little heads on the way down. Sometimes they will slowly improve if that is the problem. The second is infection from raccoon roundworm, which is usually picked up by accident on the ground - the roundworm eggs last well beyond the poop and you can't see them. That is very bad news because it is always fatal.

    I had a little guy who was around from last fall all through the winter and into this summer. He was clearly a fall victim and was just awful - couldn't sit up for more than a second without toppling over, ran sideways, etc. I just supported him with the highest test food I could get into him, for months. He came every day and slowly he started to get better. It was so gradual it was sometimes like nothing was happening, and then in the late spring he suddenly started doing much better. I didn't see him for a couple days and my heart was in my throat...and then he came by, grabbed his goody and hopped up into a bush to eat it, balancing perfectly on a twig no bigger than a pencil. He stopped and looked back over his shoulder at me as if to say "Look at what I can do now" and at that point he just joined into the hoard that eats here, indistinguishable from his pals now that he is well. He is likely still out there cadging treats from me. So they CAN get better if they have taken a bad fall. I would never in a million years have thought this little guy would be able to come back from his condition!

  5. 3 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to CritterMom:

    RockyPops (10-13-2019), TubeDriver (10-23-2019)

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Adult squirrel lists to side as if she has had head trauma

    Thank you.

    I hope it isn’t round worm from the raccoons. She’s a little worse today but she was better yesterday. She’s still eating. I’ve been giving her Henry’s bites for squirrels when she comes to the door.

    I’ll keep updating. Thanks, Kevin

  7. #6
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    Default Re: Adult squirrel lists to side as if she has had head trauma

    So sad, she hasn’t visited since the last day she visited and her symptoms were so much worse. I’m still full of hope that I’ll see her again. Kevin

  8. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Kevin:

    RockyPops (10-23-2019), TubeDriver (10-23-2019)

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