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Thread: Bot fly?

  1. #1
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    Default Bot fly?

    Harry is almost 9 months old. For reasons noted in the linked thread below, he was moved to his release cage much earlier than normal:

    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...el-attacked-me!

    Anyways, he has been outdoors for over 7 weeks and released for 2 1/2 weeks.

    Maybe a week ago, I noticed a weird swelling on his right side. I thought it might be an abscess, but there has never been any sign of an injury, no loss of fur, etc.

    It is really hard to get a decent photo, as with the fur looking otherwise normal, it needs to be shown from a certain angle. And given recent experience with Harry (refer to attached thread), I do not want to handle him unless it is completely unavoidable.

    Whatever this thing is, it is quite large. Imagine a hemisphere that is 1'' diameter right under the skin. You can see it in the photos if you trace a line from his right rear foot across his side towards his tail.

    None of my squirrels have ever had a bot fly, so I have only seen pictures. My impression was that these wouild cause fur loss, etc. And since I first noticed this almost a week ago, I have seen no evidence of fur loss.

    Does anyone have any ideas what this might be?

    Examining Harry will likely be quite a challenge, as I have let him jump up on me since he attacked me the day after his release. If it comes down to it, I would need to don all my protective gear, get him to jump up on me, then come inside and make my way to a smaller room like a bathroom or sun porch and try to get hold of him. I will be safe in my gear, but having to do this is not going to help Harry feel safe once again, so handling him is not something I will attempt unless there are no other options.

    There is no sign that this thing bothers him. He moves fine, has plenty of energy, does not seem to scratch at it unduly. But in person, this thing is quite large and hard to miss.

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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Here is a much better photo -

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  4. #3
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    It definitely has the identifying feature of a bot fly pocket,
    I'd be inclined to just keep an eye on him and wait it out.
    Barring anything unusual it should resolve itself without
    intervention being necessary.
    Step-N-Stone
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Quote Originally Posted by stepnstone View Post
    It definitely has the identifying feature of a bot fly pocket,
    I'd be inclined to just keep an eye on him and wait it out.
    Barring anything unusual it should resolve itself without
    intervention being necessary.
    Thanks stepnstone

    My first thought had been bot fly, but not having seen one, I was unsure as to when/if the fur would fall out, etc.

    A couple times i have thought the lump moved on its own, but was never sure whether or not I was just imagining things!

    I had searched 'bot fly' on TSB and noted that in most cases intervention was not needed, which under the circumstances is good news.

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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Quote Originally Posted by olorin19 View Post
    Thanks stepnstone

    My first thought had been bot fly, but not having seen one, I was unsure as to when/if the fur would fall out, etc.

    A couple times i have thought the lump moved on its own, but was never sure whether or not I was just imagining things!

    I had searched 'bot fly' on TSB and noted that in most cases intervention was not needed, which under the circumstances is good news.
    You will notice (more) movement as it's getting ready to emerge.
    The fur is not going to fall out like it does when it's an abscess.
    As it's getting closer to emerging the hole can look kind of messy
    and gross but once the bot has dropped out it clears and closes
    up pretty fast.
    Step-N-Stone
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  10. #6
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Quote Originally Posted by stepnstone View Post
    You will notice (more) movement as it's getting ready to emerge.
    The fur is not going to fall out like it does when it's an abscess.
    As it's getting closer to emerging the hole can look kind of messy
    and gross but once the bot has dropped out it clears and closes
    up pretty fast.
    Thanks stepnstone

    Good to know!

    Somehow the image that comes to mind is the creature bursting out of the person's belly in Alien.

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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Quote Originally Posted by olorin19 View Post
    Thanks stepnstone

    Good to know!

    Somehow the image that comes to mind is the creature bursting out of the person's belly in Alien.
    Yeah, I get that!
    Step-N-Stone
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    Wildlife Master Rehabilitator


  12. #8
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    If it's a bot, you should see an air hole oozing fluid. That's how that thing breathes.

    Seems a little early in the year.

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  14. #9
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Quote Originally Posted by RockyPops View Post
    If it's a bot, you should see an air hole oozing fluid. That's how that thing breathes.

    Seems a little early in the year.
    Thanks

    I have not seen any fluid, but I will keep an eye out

    Yes, I wondered about the time of year. It was a mild winter, but not an especially warm spring. But not having seen a bot fly before, I am not sure how warm it needs to get for them to appear. We've not had an overnight frost for at 5-6 weeks, but still many nights that get into the 40s.

  15. #10
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Looks lile a bot fly to me too
    Sciurus meus amicum optimum est!

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  17. #11
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Quote Originally Posted by niapet View Post
    Looks lile a bot fly to me too
    Thanks niapet

    I'm a bit further south than MA. Would you see bots this early up there?

    I'm from a bit west of Boston originally with family still on Cape Cod. With all the trips back and forth over the past 30+ years, I would say spring here is about 1-2 weeks ahead of the Boston suburbs and maybe 2-3 weeks ahead of Cape Cod.

  18. #12
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    How much time is there from when the bot fly pocket first becomes obvious to when the critter leaves?

  19. #13
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    So, the previous photos are from 5/11. I would have noticed the swollen area at least 4-5 days before then, so let us call that 5/7 or at least 11 days ago.

    I have not yet definitively seen any liquid or discharge. I have also never seen anything that clearly looks like an opening.
    .
    These are photos from today, so 7 days after previous photos.

    It is hard to get a great or even good photo, sorry. What is visible to me is that there is a darker area under the fur. But again, never any obvious discharge or obvious opening.

    Early on, it seemed to me that Harry seemed to have plenty of energy and to move fine. Over the last few days, he seems to be less energetic and possibly moving somewhat tentatively. This would be like me having something about 6" across on my side, in which case I imagine I might be a bit lethargic and tentative in my movements.

    Does anyone think this might be anything other than a bot?


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  20. #14
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    The only thing that would look like that is an abscess. They can be really hard to tell apart, since once an abscess begins to open and drain it also darkens the surrounding fur like what you are seeing.

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  22. #15
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Here are some better photos taken today 5/19.

    You can see the darker area in the center, especially in the closeup.-

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  23. #16
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    So original photos from 5/11 and bot pocket first evident 5/7 or earlier.

    As of today 5/26, I believe I can see the opening.

    I will try and get a photo.

  24. #17
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Shortly after noticing the opening, I started to see something white coming out. At first, just 3-4 mm, but within 45 minutes a rather large wormy looking thing.

    Is this a bot?
    Attached Images Attached Images      

  25. #18
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    This white wormy thing coming out of Harry looks nothing like the photos in this post :

    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...ghlight=botfly

  26. #19
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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Not a bot. Looks like pus/discharge, but it's awfully . . . creamy? It looks more like what a chicken has inside when they get bumblefoot, but not even like that really. That's thicker, kind of like ricotta cheese? Maybe it's not a normal abscess, but a foreign body like a thorn was in there and the pus-y stuff built up around it? At least it's finally draining, whatever it is. That's gotta be a relief.
    "I hope everyone got or gets their Baby Love today"~Shewhosweptforest

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

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    Default Re: Bot fly?

    Quote Originally Posted by olorin19 View Post
    This white wormy thing coming out of Harry looks nothing like the photos in this post :

    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...ghlight=botfly
    Does it look alive, like squirming around trying to get out, or is it just a really long blob of discharge? I'd love to squeeze/depress it to squirt that gunk out.
    "I hope everyone got or gets their Baby Love today"~Shewhosweptforest

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