We have a 1 year old squirrel that lives in the house with us. Everything was normal until this morning. He wants to sleep and is not eating. Has urinated once and drank once. Yesterday he had 2 healthy blocks. What should I do?
Junior Member
Sudden lethargy and not eating
We have a 1 year old squirrel that lives in the house with us. Everything was normal until this morning. He wants to sleep and is not eating. Has urinated once and drank once. Yesterday he had 2 healthy blocks. What should I do?
Senior Member
Re: Sudden lethargy and not eating
Hi LittleDude:Originally Posted by littledude
Thanks for finding The Squirrel Board! What is your Squirrels name? What has been his regular daily diet? Please be as specific and detailed as you can. Any injury or aspiration of fluids that you are aware of or suspect? There are at least two important possibilities that should be considered when there is decreased activity and appetite and the first is infection. Do you have any antibiotics available or can you have access to them from family or friends? This would be for "just in case!" Please post what antibiotics you have and their strengths (usually in milligrams [mg] per tablet or capsule) and also obtain an accurate weight of your Squirrel with a digital scale preferably in grams! Can you hold your Squirrel up to your ear or listen to his chest with a stethoscope? What you would be listening for would be faint sounds similar to those you would hear if you rubbed some of your hairs together near your ear. These sounds are called Crackles (also called Rales) and there presence may suggest a pneumonia. Is your Squirrels urine clear or is it cloudy or blood tinged.
Another major concern would be for the possibility of your Squirrel having developed Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD)! This is caused by a inadequate dietary intake of ELEMENTAL Calcium or excessive dietary intake of phosphorus (or both)! MBD is an emergency at least in initial treatment. This is also the reason I asked about your Squirrel's diet!
I have posted a link to Henry's Pets excellent Emergency Treatment of MBD! Please read this and I would strongly recommend that you start the treatment immediately! If your Squirrel's behavioral changes are not from MBD, the treatment protocol is harmless anyway and IF they are caused by MBD, starting the Treatment may very well prove to be life saving! Here is the link; ( https://henryspets.com/emergency-treatment-for-mbd/ ).
Please keep on with updates!
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel
Tashahaven (10-01-2023)
Administrator
Re: Sudden lethargy and not eating
What does he eat in addition to the Henry's Blocks?
Tashahaven (10-01-2023)
Junior Member
Re: Sudden lethargy and not eating
His name is little dude and he weighs about 16 ounces. He eats Henry’s blocks plus pecans, Brazil nuts, acorns, sweet potatoes. I do have antibiotics. I think I have amoxicillin 500 mg.
Administrator
Re: Sudden lethargy and not eating
OK, I think that the amount of nuts you are feeding him have even overwhelmed the supplemented Henry's blocks.
First, you need to stop feeding nuts altogether. Completely. At a later date you can add in tiny amounts OCCASIONALLY as a treat. The Henry's blocks have nuts so he won't be without, but the rest of the block is balanced nutritionally so those nuts aren't throwing his calcium levels off.
I strongly suggest you begin the MBD treatment that SamtheSquirrel linked you to. You need to start getting calcium into him right now. Continue to offer the Henry's blocks.
He may be hurting, which would also show as lethargy and decreased appetite. Buy a bottle of Infant Ibuprophen (Baby Motrin). I will PM the dose to you. It is in a cherry or grape liquid and they usually like the taste so giving it isn't a circus.
Please start the calcium and STOP THE NUTS!
SamtheSquirrel2018 (10-01-2023)
Member
Re: Sudden lethargy and not eating
Do not feed Brazil nuts- the selenium is wayyyyy too high
Spanky (10-01-2023)
Senior Member
Re: Sudden lethargy and not eating
Yes, Brazil Nuts contain a relatively high selenium content that is potentially toxic! Squirrels and other rodents do need selenium but in minute amounts and far less than they would be getting by consumption of Brazil nuts! All quality Blocks such as Henry's Blocks, Envigo, Mazuri and Oxbow contain all the tiny bit of Selenium Little Dude requires!
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel
Senior Member
Re: Sudden lethargy and not eating
Hello again, LittleDude:
Just so we know the specific details of Little Dude's diet, please state how often he get is Henry's Blocks and how much he gets and provide this information about each component of his diet!
I am also posting a link to Henry's very critical and informative Guidelines for providing a Healthy Diet for Pet (captive) Squirrels! This is in the form of a Food Pyramid with the foods that are most important and most necessary from a nutritional standpoint are toward the wider base of the pyramid and as you go up level on the pyramid, the items at each level should be be fed less than the level below. Nuts and "other treats" are at the tip of the pyramid and yes, nuts are treats and should given rarely if at all! Blocks should constitute at least 80% of a captive Squirrel's diet and there truly nothing wrong with making 100% of the diet except for the fact that Squirrel appreciate (as do you and I), variations in there diet and if you are feeding Henry's Blocks rather than one on the other quality blocks; they are highly concentrated and two to a maximum of 3 will provide ALL of the necessary daily nutritional support that the "average Squirrel requires including all of the necessary Elemental Calcium needed to prevent but NOT treat MBD. The main reason for the Pyramid for those Squirrel eating 2-3 Henry's blocks is to provide other means for satiety (felling full) and variation and for Squirrels destined for release, some introduction to "wild foods!" Three Henry's blocks weighs only about 15 grams which doesn't do much for filling the tummy! Here is the link to Henry's Healthy food Pyramid:
( https://henryspets.com/healthy-diet-for-pet-squirrels/ )
For MBD treatment I would recommend following the protocol exactly as Henry's has it and emergently use Tums or similar and obtain a Calcium source that is pure Calcium Carbonate and does NOT contain any added Vitamin D! The human Calcium supplements contain excessive and potentially dangerous concentrations of Vitamin D for a little Squirrel and are made for humans only!
Use Henry's Blocks for the maintenance dose of Calcium and for general nutrition in the relatively early treatment protocol of MBD as a decrease in appetite is commonly associated with untreated MBD and having to eat the entirety only 2 (or 3 if there is some waste) blocks will be far easier to have happen then if you were feeding the required relatively many of the other type Blocks to a Squirrel whose appetite is poor!
Please also provide a source of clean pure water and never use the water source for dosing vitamins or medication or anything but water! What is Little Dude currently using for him getting his necessary water (and he should have a constant, always available water source such as a well functioning water bottle (or two).
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel
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