Strange Black Nose on Released Wildie

[mel_la_fee]

I don't know if this is actually a problem or not, but I have a number of now-wilds that were released in previous years that still show up for snacks or food now and again. One recently presented with an overly dark nose, almost as if she had dipped her face in a substance she shouldn't have. She'll get very close to me and even take an almond or peanut (if that's all I have to give them at the time) from my hand, but as close as she would get, I still couldn't tell what was going on. It almost looks like trauma... like maybe she missed a jump and bungled her nose? She has no coordination issues or other health problems I could see, but her nose is kind of weirding me out. I've only seen her with this issue over the last 3 days and I honestly couldn't tell you if it's actually one of my releases or a new squirrel that has this kind of coloration. But it would be strange for a brand new wild squirrel to suddenly find me and take nuts from my hand, so I'm assuming it's one of my previous babies. In which case, wtf is going on and should I be worried?

[JLM27]

Is she eating OK? Biting the nut and chewing?

[RockyPops]

I'd say it's one of your releases. A wild is not likely to eat from your hand without a lot of coaxing over time.

I see "dirty" almost black noses from burying in dirt sometimes. But that looks really dark. Does it look like dry blood?
Maybe paint?

[SammysMom]

That is odd! Is it in the nostrils that you can see?

[stepnstone]

I couldn't help but to play with some exposures for different perspectives.
It appears too uniform to be a "stain."
It looks like this baby has a fuzzy black nose, even it's whiskers appear darker then usual.

[Leslie Ann]

Could it be possible that they are eating black walnuts? I've heard that when wet, the shell casing turns black.

[SammysMom]

Could it be possible that they are eating black walnuts? I've heard that when wet, the shell casing turns black.

That was my thought until I saw the pictures. Usually black walnuts make their mouth black, but not concentrated on the nose.

[Chirps]

Looks like dirt to me. Mine can get pretty dirty noses sometimes if they've been digging up their acorns. Do you have very rich, black soil? Or maybe she was digging in some black mulch and it stained and stuck? Odd for it to be that dirty three days in a row though unless she happens to dig there right before coming to you. They GET dirty but they don't seem to want to STAY dirty for very long. Odd.

[TubeDriver]

Place a little water bowl near where this squirrel eats. Keep the water clean and see if it washes his little nose off. I have a water bowl on my deck and I thought that all the dirt that got in DAILY was from birds. But I think it is mainly from squirrel noses and mouths. They dig in my yard and when they drink, the dirt washes off and ends up in the bottom of the water bowl.

[HRT4SQRLS]

If it was an other place, black walnuts would be a good thought but there are no black walnuts in mel_a_fee’s state.

[mel_la_fee]

So, we had quite a bit of rain and then an unexpected cold-snap so the regulars seem to be taking cover and I've only seen two of them in the last 2 days. None have shown up with a black nose, so I don't know if that one just hasn't been coming around or if it really was just dirt and I wouldn't have recognized her if she did show up.

It didn't look like her nose was bloody, which was what I was most worried about at first, but I wouldn't completely rule it out yet. Our soil is really sandy and mostly light to dark gray so I don't see how it could be natural dirt, but I wonder if it could be potting soil from someone's plants in the neighborhood?

I'm going to keep my eyes open and if all my regulars are back tomorrow and none of them have black noses, I think it'll be safe to assume it was a dirty nose. If it's still there, then I'll have to try and get closer to her to get a better look (if only I had a better camera!).

[RockyPops]

Since you first posted this I've paid closer attention to my wild friends. Our soil here is pretty dark and it's been wet from a lot of rain. Lot's of my little friends exhibit a very dark nose from time to time very similar looking to yours.

They are cute with the little black circle when they stare straight at you.

[island rehabber]

Have you got black walnut trees around you? They are plentiful where I work, and all through the fall our wild squirrels are peeling the green tennis-ball-looking covers off the walnuts and burying them. There are so many they don't have to go far. Now, this time of late winter, they dig 'em all up and have black noses AND lips to show for it -- Goth squirrels!!