Balding on tummy and legs

[accdntprone86]

I've had my male eastern gray squirrel, Samuel, for a year next month. Starting this past spring he began showing signs of balding on his tummy and now it's begun to spread to his legs as well and he's visibly scratching a lot more. There are no sores and the skin doesn't look irritated. I've checked him repeatedly for any kind of infestation or obvious irritant and never find anything. We had one incident in June when he was running through the apt and started making a gagging noise and there was a bit of foam around his mouth. Never happened before that or after. I came to the conclusion that his light was at its 6 month mark and perhaps that was a reaction to him not being able to properly metabolize his calcium.

I've tried to be very cautious with his nutrition since I rescued him from a feral cat when he was estimated to be about 5 weeks of age. He received Esbilac puppy formula mixed with heavy whipping cream until he was eventually weaned to a regular diet of avocado, bell peppers, mixed greens, sweet potato, butternut squash, radishes, sugar snaps, green beans, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, the occasional squirrel approved fruits...and much more. On top of that I order squirrel nut bars from the squirrel nutrition man as well as calcium hearts. He's got a UVB light that is replaced every 6 months because I live in an apartment in the city and can't take him outside safely for the time being. Next summer I'll be moving to a house with a yard where I'll make him an outdoor enclosure.

From my research I started offering him raw coconut which he'll eat at first but then won't touch his food for that day and sometimes the next so I worried it was not agreeing with his stomach. I also started rubbing coconut oil into his skin, he is not happy about this. He gets mixed nuts in the shell that I've recently cut back on. He appears to be a healthy weight considering some of the rather fat domestic squirrels I've come across on the Web. I've also recently moved him from his first cage which was wooden to an all metal "bird" cage. There were no issues the last two weeks but a few days ago he started refusing to go to the bottom and acts very alert and cautious if I try to tempt him down there with treats. His behavior overall has become a little more "stiff" and not the norm these last few days. He just turned 1 year this month and don't know if that has anything to do with it.

I have considered he may just be shedding but I need some reassurance, especially with his odd new behavior. I forever stress that he will get MBD despite my best efforts. Any insight would be much appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this!

[Rhapsody]

A pic of the area would greatly help us determine what this is.
Plus, if you haven't already purchased them please get your
squirrel some hhb to eat...... this helps with the diet.

[accdntprone86]

I'm working on adding some photos. They just wouldn't upload last night. By HHB do you mean Henry's healthy squirrel blocks? If so, I use US rehabber William Sells squirrel nut bars. Is one better than the other? The bars I get from squirrelnutrition.com have pecans, brewers yeast, baby rice cereal, alfalfa powder, vit c, North Atlantic cod liver oil, sesame seed flour, KAL dolomite and raw coconut amongst other things.

I should have added that I live on the Virginia coast so it's been a pretty hot summer but we keep a window unit in the main part of the apt where my squirrel and other pets reside so it maintains a steady 70°-75° during the day and upper 60°'s at night. Idk if I've confused his little body and maybe it's been too cold for him?

Honestly his strange new behavior worries me more than the balding at the moment. I read that he won't reach sexual maturity till he's a year and a half old but this overly cautious attitude from a once inquisitive little beast came about almost as soon as he turned 1. And we are going on day 3 of not really being interested in his food other than a few nibbles here and there. I've worked with young children for 12 years so I'm use to picky eaters and I typically take the stance that if they are hungry enough they will eat. But I also feel if loss of appetite for the usual foods comes about abruptly something more could be going on.

[pappy1264]

Peanut molts very heavily. He has always lost the fur on back legs and tummy but it eventually grows back. He itches while he is loosing fur too. Not sure if you are a woman, but if you shave your legs, as it grows back in, it itches. I used to panic, did the lighting, tried revolution, evaluated and reevaluated his diet. I am not saying it could not be something else, but I have gone through it many times with Peanut (he is now over 5 yo). Some seasons are worse then others, as well.

[ALittleNutty]

It could be that he's has reached maturity and it's hormones kicking in or he could be bored. How much out of cage time does he get? Many get really bored if they don't have a stimulating environment which means adding branches, changing toys often and introducing new things for him to explore and play with. Hope he feels better soon.

[accdntprone86]

The farther I'm digging into these forums the more 'normal' his balding/itch appears to be. As for boredom he was recently moved to a new cage, which he loved the first two weeks but now just appears depressed. We'll be doing an activity overhaul on it this weekend so hopefully that will peak his interest. During the week he gets let out in the morning before I go to work and in the evening when I return. Next month my schedule will change so I will hopefully be home during the day so he can have more out of the cage time.

I'm going to switch up his regular menu items and add some liquid vitamin drops. He also doesn't hang out under his light as much in the new cage so that will have to be rectified as well. I'm hoping to see some behavioural improvement within a week. Aside from branches what kind of activities and 'toys' do your squirrels like? I have a swinging rope he likes to wrestle and a few stuffed toys he rolls around with and eventually destuffs for his nest. We have a large wheel in there I just had lying around and he uses it as an obstacle or to chill out in and eat his snacks lol.

[ALittleNutty]

I'd see if he'd like some yogurt. As long as it's regular, full fat and with no artificial sweetener. My flyers love it!

Natural things that haven't been sprayed with pesticides are always great. Pine cones, magnolia buds, hibiscus or rose of sharon blooms, rose hips, and a bowl of dirt do dig in (this was like crack for some of mine). Antlers are great to chew on. Some even enjoy a walnut sized rock to play with. Cardboard tubes, kleenex or paper towels to shred are always a great cheap addition. For out of cage time one friend had small crepe myrtle trees cut and mounted to boards for stability and added toys to that. She also attached carpet to the wall for climbing. Most toys that are safe for parrots are great for squirrels. Just like toddlers don't put it all out at once but keep changing it up so things seem new.

[accdntprone86]

I'm going to try to make him a tree like structure this weekend, what a fantastic idea!! I collect branches for my art as well as him so I've got quite a bit laying around. Maybe I can fashion a Frankentree of sorts lol. I do give him my empty snack, tissue, package boxes and tp rolls and he's got an antler and a few trinkets I've collected that he plays with. Carpet on the wall I hadn't considered. My walls are fairly covered with art so I might have to jostle stuff around. I'm imagining 70's shag walls now lol. Thank you for the inspirations!!

[ALittleNutty]

I'm going to try to make him a tree like structure this weekend, what a fantastic idea!! I collect branches for my art as well as him so I've got quite a bit laying around. Maybe I can fashion a Frankentree of sorts lol. I do give him my empty snack, tissue, package boxes and tp rolls and he's got an antler and a few trinkets I've collected that he plays with. Carpet on the wall I hadn't considered. My walls are fairly covered with art so I might have to jostle stuff around. I'm imagining 70's shag walls now lol. Thank you for the inspirations!!

It sounds like you are a creative person and that's all it takes is some creative thinking. Best of luck!

[lennysmom]

Both Lukaslolamaus and I have male squirrels that occasionally overgroom themselves on the tummy and sometimes the legs too. Her little guy will groom so much that he has a completly bald tummy and inner leg area - it doesn't seem to be related to boredom in his case, but I know with some squirrels it can be. My guy will only do on rare occasion and otherwise is very lazy about grooming. Duly noted that her little one seems to be much more finicky about being dirty and keeps a very neat cage for a squirrel - perhaps like people, some squirrels tend to be a bit OCD.

[Rexie]

I got some good size pecan tree branches and put them in metal buckets with cement and made trees for my boy to jump and run on, he chews them too. He loves them

[ALittleNutty]

I got some good size pecan tree branches and put them in metal buckets with cement and made trees for my boy to jump and run on, he chews them too. He loves them

Great idea! Glad he 's them.