Help!! I have a sick little girl!

[I believe in Steve]

I think I gave my fur babies some rancid acorns!! My sweet baby boy of 3 yrs passed away about a week ago and now I have a sick little girl of 2 yrs. She’s was vomiting yesterday and has been very lethargic… losing weight … won’t eat and extremely thirsty. I’ve been giving her pedialyte about 10cc every hour and have a water bottle full with pedialyte as well. I also have been giving her small diluted amounts of ensure vanilla original. She seems to be getting better but far from being herself. Has anyone got any advise for me!? Also I live where a vet is not an option since they are illegal to have as pets in MO

[island rehabber]

Fluids, fluids fluids -- you're doing it right! How long ago did she eat the acorns?

[I believe in Steve]

Well she stashed them like my male did so I’m guessing 3-4 days ago. I also lost her sometime during the early morning 😢 I have 2 others that lived in the same habitat but they are perfectly fine! They were not big on the acorns. Thank you for your reply… I’m just at a total loss to what’s going on! They eat all the things that I have read to keep them healthy and they have been healthy little toads until the past week and a half 😭

[CritterMom]

I am so sorry. My house is surrounded by oak trees to the point where I have to remove the acorns in wheelbarrows to prevent them from becoming missiles from the lawnmower, and I do not feed acorns. They aren't like normal nuts - the insides are wet, like fibrous water chestnuts. They are a perfect medium for all sorts of dangerous molds and funguses to grow. Some people cut their acorns open to inspect them but I won't even do that, because just eyeballing them won't show spores just beginning to grow. BTW, regular chestnuts from the grocery store are the same way.

Also, don't allow your squirrels to stash food. Anything can go bad after a period, and stash protecting will also cause aggressive behavior. Go through and empty their stash daily. I suggest putting them elsewhere while you do it (where they can't see you).

Squirrels in the wild eat acorns all the time. But they are in an environment where they have a million acorns to choose from. If one is "off" they toss it and go to the next. In a cage situation, they have only the few you give them and they become very valuable, to the point that they will eat them even if they are bad.

I am so sorry about your babies. It is just heartbreaking...

[I believe in Steve]

Also is chick probiotics and electrolytes safe for squirrels? I got some at the farm store in our town but hadn’t used them yet.

[Charley Chuckles]

I'm so sorry about your boy
How's your little girl doing? Sending many prayers 🙏

I use to give acorns because I didn't know about the mold issue. It was just luck none of mine got sick.

[I believe in Steve]

Thank you so much!! And thanks for all the information. I will be throwing the acorns in the trash today! It truly is heartbreaking!! I’ve raised them all from hairless pinkies. I went down after Eva passed and cleaned their cage out real good… they are not happy with me at all now but it’s for their own good and they now have a small bowl where I can closely monitor what they are eating and what they are not. Are de-shelled almonds, pecans and walnuts still good to give to them?

[I believe in Steve]

I'm so sorry about your boy
How's your little girl doing? Sending many prayers 🙏

I use to give acorns because I didn't know about the mold issue. It was just luck none of mine got sick.

Thank you so much and she passed sometime during the early morning 😭

[CritterMom]

Also is chick probiotics and electrolytes safe for squirrels? I got some at the farm store in our town but hadn’t used them yet.

I honestly don't know, but HUMAN probiotics are okay - you can even give them yogurt. As far as electrolytes are concerned, they are normally given to prevent dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea, not as a daily "supplement." Pedialyte works great for that. It should only be given for 24 hours - it has lots of sodium (all electrolytes do).

When giving antibiotics, we usually recommend probiotics be given. They need to be administered at least 2 or 3 hours before or after the antibiotics are given.

[Charley Chuckles]

Thank you so much and she passed sometime during the early morning 😭

Seriously my heart breaks with yours 💔
Prayers continue 🙏

[Mel1959]

Thank you so much!! And thanks for all the information. I will be throwing the acorns in the trash today! It truly is heartbreaking!! I’ve raised them all from hairless pinkies. I went down after Eva passed and cleaned their cage out real good… they are not happy with me at all now but it’s for their own good and they now have a small bowl where I can closely monitor what they are eating and what they are not. Are de-shelled almonds, pecans and walnuts still good to give to them?

I’m sorry to hear about your little girl and boy passing.

Un-shelled almonds, pecans and walnuts are ok, as well as in the shell varieties of those nuts. The recommendation from the pecan orchard I purchase my nuts from is to store them in the freezer or refrigerator. We feed our wilds these nuts and have never had a problem. Again as CM stated, wilds will be selective if the nut is bad, captive squirrels not-so-much.

Do your squirrels also get a rodent block and fresh veggies and limited fruits? A rodent block is imperative for captive squirrels.

[I believe in Steve]

I give them lots of greens daily… blueberries on occasion along with cherries and blackberries. They get pumpkin seeds fresh and roasted. The rodent blocks I get are from Walmart and I think I’m gonna drop those and get some from petco bc they hate them!

[CritterMom]

Thank you so much!! And thanks for all the information. I will be throwing the acorns in the trash today! It truly is heartbreaking!! I’ve raised them all from hairless pinkies. I went down after Eva passed and cleaned their cage out real good… they are not happy with me at all now but it’s for their own good and they now have a small bowl where I can closely monitor what they are eating and what they are not. Are de-shelled almonds, pecans and walnuts still good to give to them?

Nuts should only be given in TINY quantities, and honestly, most of us do not introduce them until they are older. Squirrels need to be eating a good quality rodent block as their staple diet. Most of us buy these: https://henryspets.com/squirrel-diet/ - the first three, most squirrels like the hazelnut and picky block the best. They are very prone to metabolic bone disease after weaning, brought on by a diet too low in calcium and too high in phosphorus, and nuts are both of those things. MBD leaches calcium from the bones and muscles causing brittle. fragile bones, inability of muscles to contract and work properly ending in seizures and eventually death.

I would put them on blocks and not give ANY nuts even as treats until they are eating the blocks well. It will be a chore to achieve this - unfortunately, starting them on nuts and then switching is sort of like raising a child on pizza, candy, and chicken nuggets and then suddenly announcing that from now on they get broccoli and brussels sprouts. There will be tantrums...

[I believe in Steve]

Great on the probiotics!! I work in a pharmacy and I’ll get them some! Thank you! Speaking of pharmacy I have to get there soon! I’ll be back on later but thank you all so much for your support and all the information!

[CritterMom]

Great on the probiotics!! I work in a pharmacy and I’ll get them some! Thank you! Speaking of pharmacy I have to get there soon! I’ll be back on later but thank you all so much for your support and all the information!

If you get the capsules, open and dump the powder into a little container with a lid. Just a tiny pinch of the powder - the capsules are for giant humans after all! It is sort of sweet, so you can usually just add it to their food without much pushback.

[I believe in Steve]

Great!! Thanks so much!!!

[Mel1959]

If you don’t purchase Henry’s Healthy blocks which are most easily accepted because they’re tasty, then I’d recommend Harlan Teklad 2014 hard extruded rodent block. It is 100% complete nutrition. From big box stores there is Oxbow Regal rat and Mazuri rat block that are both recommended. You definitely don’t want any type of rodent food that has multi colored pieces or seeds.

[I believe in Steve]

That’s good to know bc one of my friends just gave me some food her chinchilla wouldn’t eat!!

[Mel1959]

Chinchillas and squirrels have different nutritional needs.

[I believe in Steve]

I will definitely be ordering some squirrel food off line bc around this stingy boring state squirrel food is not sold in stores. Lol!