Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Limping leg

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2021
    Location
    N. Ft. Myers
    Posts
    6
    Thanked: 2

    Exclamation Limping leg

    Hello, thank you for being here for “Buddy”! I don’t have a current wild life license, but I did have one 20 years ago. I want to renew. But in the meantime, I have a baby grey squirrel. Got him at 3 weeks of age. He is now 9 weeks and calculated from when eyes opened. I didn’t use the esbilac as I was a coon rehabber 20 years ago and goats milk with mint jelly was the way to go. No, not using mint jelly now, but have been using the goats milk from day one just from experience. Baby was doing GREAT until today. 1. Yes he will be released as my family hates me right now for not sharing the feedings but I will deal with them later. 2. My dog is not allowed interaction either. I want him scared of dogs. 3. This is not my first rodeo with squirrels. I never had issues up til now. I do not suspect mbd because this issue came literally in the blink of an eye from when we went to bed to awakening. I have been letting him explore outside of his small cage on the lanai. He needs to learn to jump and run and he needs his exercise. I woke up and he is avoiding the usage of his back right leg. It extends to the same length as his other and he exemplifies no squeeling or discomfort while I SLOWLY extend. I was watching for pain from breakage or dislocation. I inspected his foot and there is no signs of injury. He is eating very well! He loves his broccoli! He is remaining VERY active like normal! I’m actually in fear that he will injure another because of balancing only on three. He loves his warm baths! He will jump in the sink if I’m not fast enough. Would the warm bath be helpful or harmful? Ice or hot? Am I dealing with a possible sprain or do you have another idea? Please advise.....

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    East Coast, USA!
    Posts
    20,090
    Thanked: 12516

    Default Re: Limping leg

    You can try palpating his leg to check for fractures but it sounds unlikely given the circumstances. Biggest way to avoid MBD is to get him on a quality rodent block (Henrys or Teklad). You could start with calcium and the MBD protocol, it will not hurt him and will help to rule that out. But it sounds like he might have sprained/strained something, give him a few days and see if he improves. Limit him for now to a one level or low cage so he can't fall far if he slips while he is compromised. I don't think a bath will harm him but I usually don't bath my squirrels. But if he seems to enjoy it, then I guess why not.
    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

  3. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to TubeDriver:

    Buddy (04-05-2021), Deana Campbell (04-03-2021)

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2021
    Location
    N. Ft. Myers
    Posts
    6
    Thanked: 2

    Default Re: Limping leg

    Ok, thank you! Will do! Blocks will be here Monday per Amazon. That is a new one to me. The baths, I’m aware it is not normal. I feed him next to kitchen sink as I use warm water to warm milk. He literally has dived into my dish water twice! So I give warm bath once a week to appease him.... he’s got me on that one too. I don’t use soap! Just the warm water..... go figure. Nope, checked skin and all clear and no irrational scratching. I expect to see him sun bathing in my bird bath! Lol. I will give a few days. I’m praying because this boy will need all 4 to go! However he is also the first to be sooooo clingy! Thank youuuuuuu!

  5. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Deana Campbell from:

    TubeDriver (04-04-2021)

  6. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    East coast of Florida
    Posts
    9,781
    Thanked: 12707

    Default Re: Limping leg

    Honestly, goats milk is very lacking in the necessary nutrients to keep a squirrel healthy. I’m surprised he made it to 9 weeks on goats milk. Are you using the goats milk formula recipe mixed with heavy cream and full fat yogurt? Not that it matters because that formula is only supposed to be a temporary formula anyhow.

    I’m glad you have rodent block coming. I hope he will eat it. If you find he won’t then I’d order some Picky Blocks from Henrys Pets. They’re almost always well liked.

  7. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Mel1959:

    Buddy (04-03-2021), Deana Campbell (04-03-2021)

  8. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2021
    Location
    N. Ft. Myers
    Posts
    6
    Thanked: 2

    Default Re: Limping leg

    Oh my! Now your concerning me....... yes I have with the egg. I have not had any issues with the goats milk. Not trying to differ, your educating me. Again, I’m going on 20 years ago. I have with the last 2 batches over the last 5 years. There was only one instance with a loose bowel and that was when I first got him. Hence intro to bottom half of getting a light bath. But when I saw your flash post of the esbilac, I went back to what I knew on the farm. So if not esbilac or goats milk it looks like I have more homework to dust cob webs!

  9. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    East coast of Florida
    Posts
    9,781
    Thanked: 12707

    Default Re: Limping leg

    Back when the Esbilac debacle happened rehabbers came up with a formula that finders would be able to go to the store and readily get ingredients for....hence the goats milk formula with an egg. The egg ups the nutrients but I thought it was always assumed that it would tide the squirrel over till a commercially made squirrel formula could be purchased. Squirrels as young as 3-4 weeks have been transitioned to Fox Valley 20/50 with no ill effects.

    Fast forward a year and the Esbilac issue has been resolved. There are rehabbers that will never use it again, but that’s a personal choice. As long as the expiration date on the can is 10/22 or later we have not heard of any problems.

    When Esbilac made its change 18 months ago and baby squirrels were developing MBD, had broken bones and were dying some research was done into the nutritional composition of commercially prepared formulas. It uncovered some nutrient deficiencies with most formulas. But if you combined two different formulas you could get the nutrient composition very close to momma squirrels milk. An added benefit to combining formulas is that if a manufacturer makes a slight change to their formula the squirrels health isn’t totally dependent on it as the other brand of formula in the mixture is still providing the nutrients needed.

    You can read the full report and download the formula calculator at ewildagain.org

  10. 3 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Mel1959:

    Buddy (04-04-2021), Deana Campbell (04-04-2021), TubeDriver (04-04-2021)

  11. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    SC (Madison)
    Posts
    7,177
    Thanked: 6807

    Default Re: Limping leg

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    As long as the expiration date on the can is 10/22 or later we have not heard of any problems.

    I believe the good (corrected?) Esbilac has an expiration of 10/2021 or later....

  12. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Spanky:

    Deana Campbell (04-04-2021), Mel1959 (04-04-2021)

  13. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    East coast of Florida
    Posts
    9,781
    Thanked: 12707

    Default Re: Limping leg

    Quote Originally Posted by Spanky View Post

    I believe the good (corrected?) Esbilac has an expiration of 10/2021 or later....
    Absolutely right about the date...sorry.

  14. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Mel1959 from:

    Deana Campbell (04-04-2021)

  15. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2021
    Location
    N. Ft. Myers
    Posts
    6
    Thanked: 2

    Default Re: update of Limping leg

    Buddy says hello, I kept buddy on a low active profile all night and half of today. I can’t control the one layer idea on the lanai due to the couch and table. So I kept him pretty much restrained in his cage. I palpated the leg last night and he only pulled back gently when I was on his knee. So I was thinking you were right in perhaps a bad twist. This am I let him out for a stretch but interfered when he tried jumping on things. Then I put him back up after his little stretch. This evening I let him out. This little man is something else! He was using his leg again but I could tell not full force. I am confident he is going to be fine. He is something else though. He sprinted away from me and went in the kitchen for the sink. He climbed up my daughters leg, she freaked cause she was screaming mommy I’m not touching him like you said, and he was up on the counter. It was empty and he was not happy! I think he identifies as a beaver! What is it with him and the water! I had my dogs up, as always when I get him out and do you know what he did? He ran into their water bowl! I have never seen a squirrel do this! So I ran him some warm water! At least that way I can be sure he doesn’t get it in his nose! I really don’t know about this guy. I’m thankful his leg is getting better! But he is refusing the resistance of domestication! I love him and his personality! I’m going to be heart broken when it is time for him to be free. Hopefully he will stay in our yard. Fox valley 20/50 will be here tomorrow as well. I trust modern advice. Thanks for being here! I was upset last night that he got hurt in my care and I guess I wanted to seek information as quickly as I could because I was afraid to wait it out. I will keep you posted. Until then tomorrow I’m going to seek where to get my license again. Thanks again for you both being here!

  16. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Deana Campbell from:

    Buddy (04-05-2021)

  17. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    Rivendell
    Posts
    1,861
    Thanked: 2154

    Default Re: Limping leg

    So glad your little man is on the mend! He does sound like he has a singular fursonality!
    "I hope everyone got or gets their Baby Love today"~Shewhosweptforest

    https://www.henryspets.com/1-baby-squirrel-care-guide/

  18. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Chirps:

    Buddy (04-05-2021), Deana Campbell (04-04-2021)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •