Daughter bitten through the knuckle by 5 month old squirrel….

[Wil781]

My daughter tried to stop our 5 month old squirrel from escaping out the front door, Bonnie bite her through the knuckle. We have washed it with soap and water, peroxide and wonder should we bandage it, I think she should go to the hospital but she is 28 and stubborn. Needless to say Bonnie, the squirrel, managed her escape and now we are worried about her. What should we do, we are afraid she won’t make it through the night? Any advise would be very appreciated!

[Diggie's Friend]

How old is your squirrel?

Suggest opening the door in the morning to invite her back in using a trail of small pieces of nuts that reach far enough into the house escape won't be an issue.

Best to wash the wound of course and wrap it. Generally speaking, a flesh wound from a bite from a squirrel that has been raised in captivity isn't an issue; yet with being bitten in the knuckle I would myself want a doctor to take a look at it, not because it was done by a squirrel, but because the knuckle / tendon might be damaged. If asked, say it was done by your pet rat.

[Mel1959]

I’m sorry your daughter was bitten…I know how bad that must have hurt…especially in the knuckle.
A doctors visit might be in order, but I’m not sure what they would be able to do even if there is tendon damage. It’s been my experience that bandaging with an antibiotic salve usually helps with the discomfort. Changing the bandage and routinely washing it will allow you to watch for infection. I recommend you use betadine (povidone-iodine) instead of hydrogen peroxide when washing it. Peroxide kills healthy cells, too. I have experienced nerve damage from being bit in the thumb which over time did regenerate. This would be something else to be aware of.

At 5 months old your girl is old enough to be released, but obviously the time of year is far from ideal. Diggie’s suggestion is a good one to try and entice her back in the house. Many times they do realize once they’ve escaped that it’s not so great outside and will return.

Please keep us updated on your daughters recovery and whether your girl returns.

[Charley Chuckles]

Just in case your daughter goes to a doc you may want to bring this information....many think squirrels carry rabies but they actually do not.
Hope your girl returns 🙏

[Small rodents (like squirrels, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, chipmunks, rats, and mice) and lagomorphs (including rabbits and hares) are almost never found to be infected with rabies and have not been known to transmit rabies to humans.]

[Wil781]

Thank you everyone! My daughter did go to the Dr and she has a significant injury to the knuckle but no broken bone. She was given a big booster shot of antibiotics and a Toradol shot for inflammation and pain. Hopefully no problems down the road.

As for our little Bonnie we did see her this morning we left out food on the deck by the front door and hope that she will come back in. At this point all we can do is try.

[Charley Chuckles]

[Wil781]

Update on my daughter and Bonnie the squirrel:

My daughter is doing much better, still unable to Ben her finger completely but I’m sure still healing with a big knot on the knuckle. Still pain only if she bumps it, so may need another trip to the Dr.

Bonnie the squirrel came to the deck for two days, would eat and run and never would come back inside. We are in Alabama and winters are generally mild but we have had some cold nights with temps in the 20’s but warming to 50’s and 60’s during the day. We left food out for several days but she only came those first two days. Needless to say we are sad about that we would have rather done soft release in the spring but she had other things in mind. Clyde the squirrel, her sibling, is doing amazing. I really thought he might be sad but he is perfectly happy (she was starting to act aggressively towards him). He will not be able to be released due to some neurological issues he sustained when exiting the nest at 2 weeks old and ending up in our care. Thank you guys so much for your help during this adventure!

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Update on my daughter and Bonnie the squirrel:

My daughter is doing much better, still unable to Ben her finger completely but I’m sure still healing with a big knot on the knuckle. Still pain only if she bumps it, so may need another trip to the Dr.

Bonnie the squirrel came to the deck for two days, would eat and run and never would come back inside. We are in Alabama and winters are generally mild but we have had some cold nights with temps in the 20’s but warming to 50’s and 60’s during the day. We left food out for several days but she only came those first two days. Needless to say we are sad about that we would have rather done soft release in the spring but she had other things in mind. Clyde the squirrel, her sibling, is doing amazing. I really thought he might be sad but he is perfectly happy (she was starting to act aggressively towards him). He will not be able to be released due to some neurological issues he sustained when exiting the nest at 2 weeks old and ending up in our care. Thank you guys so much for your help during this adventure!

Do you still see Bonnie around the neighborhood? I hope she is doing well in the wild! I know you must miss her being with you!

In regard to you daughter's injury; I don't see that you mentioned which finger or which knuckle was involved but it appears from what you have described that Bonnie's teeth actually penetrated into a joint. This type of injury, not the fact that it was a Squirrel bite in particular, is worrisome for the potential of developing an infection in the joint (commonly called a Septic Joint) or in the bone (called osteomyelitis). Further, it may be that there has been damage to the tendons that run over the joint or the ligaments that hold the joint stable. I know this is the Squirrel Board but since you again mentioned your adult daughter's injury in your post, I wanted to convey some concerns from a human medical standpoint. I would certainly like to encourage her to be seen again by a physician as soon as practicable. It may also be worth considering having an evaluation by a Hand Specialist. Oftentimes, a physician may also recommend having an MRI of the finger prior to the visit.
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel