12 week old squirrel randomly lethargic and bloody stool

[lillie]

i posted this under a different forum as well i just want to get as much help as possible


so ive been taking care of this baby squirrel like i have before dozens of times and hes been doing really good hes pretty much weaned and eating very good and within the last eightish hours hes became i little lethargic and has blood coming from his bottom but he still has an appetite and was acting completely normal this morning i don't think its a diet issue because he still is getting his milk and plenty of water hes also loves his rodent blocks and the rest of his diet but im very concerned hes been a very dramatic squirrel since ive got him i believe its a neurological issue like one time he was drinking and got his front legs wet and refused to use them until i got him on a heating pad and dryed them off and eailer he stopped using his back legs while l was checking his bottom but then 1 minutes later he was climbing around his cage so im pretty positive hes non releasable im hoping hes okay and its a small injury but im not sure so i need some help

[TomahawkFlyers]

Hi Lillie,

What kind of milk and rodent block are you feeding your squirrel? Specifically, what brand and type? You also mention not using back legs all the time. Does this happen often? Do the legs just go limp?

Jamie

[lillie]

so for formula ive been giving him fox valley and for his blocks i get squirrel complete from exotic nutrition and i mix in some veggies as for his legs its not that they stop working its that he chooses to stop using them like the first time he stepped in his water so he held his front legs close to him and just scooted around like he didnt even have them and today it was his right back leg he held it up and stoped using it but once i left him alone he was climbing normally and these are the only times ive noticed it about thirty minutes ago he was climbing around eating but still has blood on his bottom

[lillie]

update Just checked on him again; no signs of any blood and very active. Still concerned, though, because he was acting strange before. I'm thinking he might have over groomed himself and licked himself raw, causing some bleeding, which is why he was so sensitive, When I was looking earlier, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case because he's been very particular and hates to use the restroom in his cage. He always likes to go whenever I let him out, and then he'll wipe himself after using the restroom or eating. I think it's a sensory thing because he loves to go on my cat's scratching pad and rub his entire body on the carpeted part.

[TomahawkFlyers]

Thanks for the answers, Lillie. I have two suggestions for you. First, if you are feeding Fox Valley 32/40, please stop and switch it out for 20/50. The 32/40 does have a history of causing serious digestive difficulties in younger squirrels. Digestive difficulties can keep important nutrients from making it into the squirrel's system and result in malnutrition and MBD. If you are feeding 20/50, good! Keep on keepin' on. Second, for a long and healthy life free from medical issues and crises, a diet of excellent food of the proper type and in the right quantities and proportions is critical. It is my strong belief and that of several of us that Exotic Nutrition food products do not do the best job of meeting these requirements. Please consider switching to Henry's Healthy Blocks in conjunction with supplemental foods found on the healthy foods pyramid found here: https://henryspets.com/healthy-diet-for-pet-squirrels/ Print this out and tape it to your fridge. If you're wondering whether a particular food is safe, if it is not on the list, don't feed it.

Pam and I feed a lot of squirrels every day - some wild and some not. Getting Henry's blocks premade for this many squirrels is pretty pricey for us. Instead, we buy their pre-mixed vitamins and their protein powder and use them to bake our own blocks. Same premium and tasty food at a price we can afford. Frankly, our squirrels are probably healthier than we are. If you'd like the recipe, let me know and I'll put it up for you. Good alternatives include Mazuri Rodent and Mouse Blocks" https://mazuri.com/products/mazuri-rat-mouse-diets and Harlan Teklad (now Envigo) 2014 or 2018. 2018 for growth, 2014 if your squirrel is getting a little chunky: https://www.amazon.com/ENVIGO-Harlan...35177858&psc=1

A good rule of thumb: If it comes in a bag that says "Squirrel Food," it isn't. Anything that looks like bird seed or bird seed mixed with dried fruits, nuts, insects, and or sunflower seeds will make your squirrel sickly and lethargic, dramatically shorten its life, and might very well lead to MBD and premature death. I do hope this helps to get you on the road to a long and happy life with your squirrel. Questions? Ask away!

By the way, can you please post a clear closeup photo of the area that has been groomed to the point of bleeding? A picture with the fur pushed up and away from the skin so the irritated skin is clearly visible will be helpful as we look to see what is causing this issue. Out of curiosity, is your cat strictly an indoor cat? Does it sometimes go outside? Is it ever exposed to animals from outside? Does it scratch itself a lot? Are there bald or raw spots? Does any other animal come in contact with the scratching post?

Also, a picture of the squirrel's poop will be of help. I assume it is peeing regularly and the pee is not darker than dark amber?

Jamie

[lillie]

I just want to say thank you so much for the information. I really appreciate it, and I would love to know the recipe for your rodent blocks. I order food for my pig and other exotics through Mazuri, so if those are just as good, I can switch to them ASAP, and I have been using the 20/50 for a while now. After I heard the news about the 32/40, I just got the exotic nutrition one for him since I have used them for my sugar gliders for their HPW and calcium, but I had no idea about the squirrel food not being good, as this is the first time I've had to keep a baby, and for my cat, she's strictly indoor, takes flea and tick meds, and has a great coat, as well as my dog, who never comes in my room anyways, and the cat hasn't been in my room since I put him in his larger setup. He also came with a healthy coat since the people who found him brought him to my local vet clinic immediately. I'm going to get some photos right now and see if there are any visible spots on him.

[lillie]

[lillie]

so as for the poop it looks good but had a bloodish residue on it but not in it i know those photo arnt the best but he did not enjoy being restrained like that and didnt want to cause him anymore stress i think the dark spot on the left side is where the blood was coming from normally his bottom is much more clean then that the dried blood is making his fur clump together and yes his pee is healthy and clear

[TomahawkFlyers]

Good morning, Lillie. You are entirely welcome.

Well, I see no signs of external parasites (mites, etc.) assuming that the small speck and the larger dark spot are feces or dried blood and fur matted with dried blood/feces, respectively. I don't see irritated skin, either. Good job getting him to hold still for the pictures. On the poop itself, the picture does not come through showing blood. Doesn't mean it's not there, just that the combination of the photo and my screen don't let me see it. If you have a Q-Tip and some hydrogen peroxide, place a drop of the peroxide on the poop and see if there is a reaction. Let me know what you see? To help rule out super-hard poop causing some anal bleeding, please make sure your squirrel has lots of clean fresh water to drink. If a stool is too dry and hard, it can abrade and make it look as if there is blood in the stool. Blood on the surface of a stool that comes from abrasion of the anus is bright red. Blood in the stool as quite dark - almost black. What does it look like to you?

Here's that recipe - if he gets tired of it, put a tablespoon of honey in a batch to switch things up a little:

Squirrel Block Recipe
Squirrel Refuge Version

Preheat oven to 205 degrees Fahrenheit
Prep time 25 Minutes, Bake time 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
· 3 cups nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, filberts, or a mix of these. Mixing Pecans and Walnuts with one of the other nuts ensures balanced Vitamin E.)
· 150 grams or 1/3 bag Henry’s Healthy Protein powder
· 3 Large Eggs
· 2/3 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
· 2 tsp Vanilla
· 2 tsp Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
· 1 to 2 Tbs water
· 33 grams or 1/3 bag Henry’s Vita-mins

Required Recipe Tools
· Grinder or food processor to finely grind nuts
· Electric Mixer (standing mixer works great with the bread hook)
· Gram scale and or measuring cup
· Rolling Pin
· Plastic sheet or pastry cloth (preferred) or oiled surface
· Parchment paper (preferred) or lightly greased cooking sheet
· Pizza cutter (preferred) or sharp knife

Preparation
1. In bowl number 1, measure out whey protein and set aside.
2. In bowl number 2, break open the three eggs and add vanilla.
3. In bowl number 3, add the baking powder and Vita-mins.
4. Grind the nuts as finely as possible (without turning into nut butter).
5. In bowl number 4, add whole wheat flour and ground nuts.

Mixing
5. Place the contents of bowl number 2 into the mixer and mix on medium-high speed until eggs and vanilla are thoroughly combined.
6. Add the contents of bowl number 3 into the mixer.
7. Mix medium-high speed, scraping the sides as needed, until smooth.
Note: the baking powder will begin to bubble when added to the wet ingredients and tend to clot until fully combined.
8. Add the contents of bowl number 1 to the mixer and mix on medium speed until mixed well and fairly smooth. Mixture should be sticky.
9. Slowly add the contents of bowl number 4 to the mixer, mix on low speed, scraping the sides. The mixture will be dry. If too dry, add a small amount of water.

Rolling
10. Roll out dough to 1/3” to 1/2” inch thick and shape into rectangle with your hands. The dough is very thick and somewhat stiff. You did it right if the dough is difficult to roll and shape!
11. Place the dough on parchment paper or lightly greased baking sheet. Tip: Roll it out on a plastic sheet so it easily transfers to the baking sheet.

Baking
12. Bake in oven at 205 degrees Fahrenheit for 90 minutes. The low baking temperature helps keep the vitamin and mineral chemical structure intact making a healthier block.
13. When done, remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
14. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife cut lengthwise 1/2 to 3/4 in apart.
15. After making all lengthwise cuts, turn and cut crosswise until small cubes are formed.
16. After cutting, let cool for two hours.
17. Place on a paper towel to help absorb additional nut oils, if desired.
Storage
18. Once completely cool, place block in bag or closed container in the refrigerator (lasts for two to three weeks) or the freezer for longer storage.

Jamie

[lillie]

so i just put some hydrogen peroxide in the old stool and it had a small reaction so i did it to a fresher one and that had no reaction ive never noticed hard feces with him theve always been softer. when there was bleeding it wasnt too dark it was pretty light im going to try and clean his bottom of and get a better photo also thank you so much for the recipe!

[lillie]

[lillie]

it looks much cleaner then before (other then the wetness) and hes starting to groom himself again i think theres some redness in between his penis and anus which would actually make a lot of since he seems to have some stimulation issues when he was younger and no longer needed to be stimulated he would still self stimulate by rubbing on things i havent seen the rubbing anymore so i thought he grew out of it but i think he might be self stimulating himself and being a little to rough hes down to only getting formula in the morning and a little at night if he seems hungry. so how often should i be stimulating him to prevent this