Possible foxer dwarf?

[Tiniest]

Woo it’s been a busy week. I spent all of Sunday and Monday trying to get a pair of cuties out of a tree after their momma got hit and they were too young.(they went right to the wildlife center as they were very healthy) Then Tuesday evening I get a late call from my reptile rescue friend who had a squirrel from their friend who said mom never came for it when they left it out all day. I saw the pic and immediately went to go get him. I got him hydrated and started squirrel formula feedings feedings. But I’m realizing a few things.

He is tiny, and not just thin, but his eyes are open and his tail is bushed and his length looks like a 2-3 week old to me. Plus, with eyes open and tail bushed I’d assume at least 6 weeks, but he weighs 75 grams. I know the lose rapidly without food for even a day or so but this still seems drastic. I just don’t think he was ever very big. He’s having a hard time with the nipple as well, very uncoordinated which could easily be from a few days without mom but I’m wondering if he wasn’t kicked from the nest for being a runt?

Sisu was a foxer and was behind for several weeks as she had to heal out her wounds, but this guy didn’t have that and could only possibly have been out of the nest for maybe two days tops with the heat we’ve had in Texas.
Thoughts?

[Diggie's Friend]

It is possible that he is a dwarf. (whatever he is, he's a cutie!!

Also to consider; sometimes a baby didn't get enough nutrition from its mother and may for this reason develop a bit shorter legs and body.

Another potential reason for this young one being by comparison smaller in stature than others you may have seen of the same age; is that it may belong to the smallest Fox Squirrel subspecies,. commonly known as, 'The Texas Fox Squirrel'. Even if you are located on the border of this territory with another, it might explain why this squirrel is of a smaller stature.

Here is the distribution map for the noted 10 subspecies of the Eastern Fox Squirrel, territory (3) (Sciurus n. limitis) is where this smallest subspecies is located. This information is just for you to consider; not asking her the region where this squirrel was found. (see map below for reference)

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/...fig1_261928102

[Tiniest]

It is possible that he is a dwarf. (whatever he is, he's a cutie!!

Also to consider; sometimes a baby didn't get enough nutrition from its mother and may for this reason develop a bit shorter legs and body.

Another potential reason for this young one being by comparison smaller in stature than others you may have seen of the same age; this squirrel may belong smallest subspecies population of Fox Squirrel in central west TX, (Sciurus n. limitis). commonly known as the, 'Texas Fox Squirrel'. Not knowing the general region of TX. that you reside in. Even if you are located on the border of this territory with another, it might explain why this squirrel is of a smaller stature.

Here is the distribution map for the noted 10 subspecies of the Eastern Fox Squirrel, territory (3) is where this smallest subspecies is located. This information is just for you to consider; not asking her the region where this squirrel was found. (see map below for reference)

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/...fig1_261928102

Thank you, I hadn’t considered the possibility of a subspecies. I have an NR eastern fox female and she’s pretty big, but was also developmentally delayed initially (fire ants while she still had an umbilical stump) so I’ve been looking at her pictures from this age and it just was such a stark difference. She continued to grow lengthwise but her fur didn’t come in til she was 4-5 weeks old and was skinny for a good bit. Being a smaller subspecies could definitely explain it, I’m very much hoping that’s what it is.

Of course if he is a dwarf baby he will have a home with me, I’ve got a vet appt with him this afternoon to make sure he is all well.

[Spanky]

I am no dwarf expert having never seen one in person... I do know the dwarf folks always ask for pictures from the rear and the ears. Something about the ears being placed lower down on the side of their heads..

[CritterMom]

I am no dwarf expert having never seen one in person... I do know the dwarf folks always ask for pictures from the rear and the ears. Something about the ears being placed lower down on the side of their heads..

LOL. This baby doesn't look like one, but I have never seen a foxer like that. The ears look almost like those of a dumbo rat.

[Spanky]

Yeah, he reminds me of some of the malnourished grey's I have raised.. the ones that opened their eyes weighing less than 50grams. They all did well, caught up some but remained on the smaller end of adult spectrum for my area.

[Tiniest]

LOL. This baby doesn't look like one, but I have never seen a foxer like that. The ears look almost like those of a dumbo rat.

He’s definitely a bit odd. It’s throwing me for a loop because his body length is so short as well

[Tiniest]

Yeah, he reminds me of some of the malnourished grey's I have raised.. the ones that opened their eyes weighing less than 50grams. They all did well, caught up some but remained on the smaller end of adult spectrum for my area.

That’s part of what’s throwing me off as well. This spring I had a malnourished MBD grey and her head looked positively enormous on her body when she was underweight but his doesn’t.

[Tiniest]

LOL. This baby doesn't look like one, but I have never seen a foxer like that. The ears look almost like those of a dumbo rat.

Is it possible a grey and a foxer mated? The coloring says Fox to me but those ears are quite odd.

[Diggie's Friend]

Unlikely, he looks all foxer!

Baby fox squirrels ears up at 3 weeks.

The most likely cause is failure to thrive from lack of sufficient nutrients when nursing which may have effected his ears as well.

[Tiniest]

Just got back from the vet and I feel better knowing she is as baffled as I am.

He is healthy, lungs and heart both sound perfect.
But…
His milestones are all over the place.
His ears are really big, but his head is perfect size for his body. His body is very small, but his limbs are very long. His paws are enormous.
His teeth are very very tiny, and he has a very strong suckling drive, but he grooms himself like an adult squirrel.
He can scoot around but is very clumsy . He can cling/climb awkwardly as well. He can’t regulate his body temp, or go potty on his own.
She doesn’t think he has dwarfism but isn’t ruling it out because there is clearly something going on. She suspects he might be a grey-fox hybrid which would be very rare and could explain his weird milestones and odd appearance and it is unknown how that could affect him. We both agree he is likely around 6 weeks but could potentially be older.

He is alert and isn’t frightened of people. He was comfortable almost immediately at the vets office, even with all the vets techs coming to observe.

She wants me to hold him for observation for awhile to see what’s up, if he grows and hits milestones normally I’m all good to bring him to the center.

.

[Tiniest]

Oh, and he is up to 80grams!