Surviving a long fall...two unfortunate squirrels come in.

These 2 poor babies came in yesterday from John the Belmont ACO. They had quite a long fall from a tree onto someones deck. Both were quite bloody and have some pretty severe facial trauma. They are on Metacam for the pain and swelling.....of which there is a lot, especially inside the mouths and noses!

This girl has it the worst.

 

 After getting her cleaned up enough to help her breathing and check the injuries, I'm a little concerned about her mouth and damage to her teeth. The mouth is still quite swollen and painful, but after a long night of stabilizing and re hydrating her, I'm happy to report she finally ate willingly, without letting it dribble out of the side of her mouth. The jaw appears to be moving fine, but everything is still too swollen to see much.

 Her sister, on the other hand, seems to have fared a little better. Most of her swelling is around the sides of her face and her mouth seems fine. Again, once the blood was cleared from her nose, she was also a little more comfortable being able to breathe better. She very eagerly took her syringe this morning and ate very well! They will still have a little trouble due to the swelling and blood inside the nose, but that should clear up and not affect them long term. .

So for now,they are comfortable and prognosis is good on one girl and guarded on the other. But I am encouraged by the fact that they are bright and alert and willing to eat. JoAnn is going to take a look at the mouths. She is a pro with mouth and teeth issues in squirrels and can evaluate it better than I can! Barring anything major that requires a trip to Tufts, hopefully all these girls need is time and TLC!

The squirrels are growing fast!

The squirrels are in one big group of 12 now and in a bigger cage. They have all kinds of hammocks and boxes in their cage but they all have to sleep in one! The hammock on the left....

 ....I can't believe all 12 fit in there....along with all the shredded newspaper they drag up in there!

 Then they hear mom coming with food! Yayyyyyy...and everyone is up and about.

 Cute little Spot is usually the first to come running.

 Walnut isn't far behind.

 After their formula everyone gets a treat....yummy nuts to exercise their growing teeth on! Some are not patient enough to wait for their own and try to steal someone elses.

 Most have learned to grab it and run to a private corner to avoid illegal seizures, LOL!

 Hey....where's mine!

 Once everyone has a nut, they settle in somewhere to hide and eat the treasured treats.

They all range from 150 to 300 grams now and are growing like weeds. Even little Acorn has finally overcome the issues he had and is gaining ground on the rest. Now it's just a matter of time before they are weaned and moving to a large outdoor release pen.

The Squirrels

The three youngest squirrels, Acorn, Almond and Walnut, are doing well. I was a little on the fence with Acorn for a bit. He was still having terrible gut issues and loosing weight as opposed to gaining and just down right sickly, but I think he's finally turned a corner. Last weigh-in he actually gained weight! I'm still keeping a close eye on him, but the weight gain was huge!

The original six maniacs are great! Eating like pigs and playing around like crazy now.
Three of the little ones, Atty, Stripe and Whistler, stop wrestling long enough to pose for a picture.

This is Foxer (one of the 2 big girls) with Spot, the smallest of the little ones.

They are having a blast climbing around and playing.

Little Spot, my sweetheart. She may be tiny, but she huge on energy! No problem keeping up with her siblings and her 2 larger step-sisters.....and she loves her momma too!

Playtime is not restricted to inside the cage either! Trying to keep them in order during feeding time is crazy! When I go to put one back in, the rest are waiting at the door to slip by when I open it...

....grabbing the empty syringes to try to suck down more formula.....

...or heading right for the source....the cup of warming formula....

...or just teasing the younger 3 in their cage.

It's almost time for a bigger cage. Once I see a little more improvement in Acorn, everyone will move up to a bigger cage together to make one big happy family.

Got a call from work on my day off about a squirrel found laying on someones porch. I picked him up and brought him home. He's doing fine! No idea what happened to him. No external injuries and in good shape. He's not a baby, maybe an older juvenile. Basically old enough to want to kill me though. My guess, he had a fall or got a good whack by a car, enough to daze him but not hurt him. Instead of releasing him back near the busy street where he was found, this lucky guy will go out into the release pen and get a soft release here where he has a better chance of avoiding deadly run-ins with cars and humans.

Flyers, greys and a chippy!

This little cutie came in Friday to kick off the holiday weekend. He was found on the kitchen floor of a home. He was either brought in by the cat or simply found in the house by it. Luckily he was scooped up before any damage was done! No injuries and in pretty good health, he was sucking down formula like a pro by the end of the weekend. Lisa took over for me on Monday. She's got 2 boys the same age....now she's got triplets.

The number of squirrel residents has increased as well. A brother and sister found by Mike on the ground while on a walk are doing well. The boy had facial trauma and a bloody nose and the female had no visible injuries but was hunched over a little. The flies had already moved in to take advantage of them. After getting warmed up, re hydrated, giving them capstar and antibiotics, and  combing the fly eggs out of their fur, they have improved greatly and are eagerly eating formula.

Both are quite comfortable now! LOL

One more little boy came in last night. He and his litter mates had fallen out of a tree. Unfortunately for 2 of them they didn't get the proper care in time. Luckily a neighbor got the last little boy, Acorn, to me last night. They hadn't been on heat and I think the fact that the neighbor blasted the heat on him and rubbed him to warm him up on the way over may have brought him back from the brink! Nice job!!! He's not out of the woods yet....but now that he is warm and getting fluids he is perking up and  I think he's on the way to recovery.

The beginning of the weekend also brought a chippy into my care. He was found by a huge uprooted tree and suffered some serious trauma, (most likely as his den was uprooted as well), to his face and head. Both eyes were swollen shut and his nose is still a swollen, blood clogged mess. After 5 days of critical care, I am optimistic! He looked terrible when he came in and just based on looks, my instinct was to euthanize. However he was actually pretty active and no other major injuries were apparent as he moved around quite well. I decided to give him the night so I gave him some pain meds and fluids and decided to re-evaluate in the morning.

Well lo and behold didn't he seem a little better! Despite his face looking like a train wreck, he eagerly sucked down pedialyte and anything else I would be willing to feed him with a syringe.  Although he is an older juvenile or adult, he is eating formula and loving it. I think his mouth is too painful to eat solid food just yet, although he has attempted, so he just laps it off the end of the nipple. He's feisty, active, eating like a pig and grooming his face regularly. Both eyes have once again opened and look good. He's cleaned the dried blood, scabs and gunk off his face pretty well, also, and although his nose is still pretty clogged, he's breathing easier out of it. Once I get a better look at any damage to the inside of his mouth and teeth and see how well the eyes are working I'll be able to make a better decision on his prognosis. Now that he's wormed his way into my heart, I can only hope he continues to improve!

Signs of spring!

I knew it was a good sign when Hissy & the Missus came waddling over to me last week on my rounds! What a wonderful surprise...and they are sporting shiny new leg bands? I wonder the reason for that and I'll have to look into it!

Shortly after their arrival the waterfowl have arrived in droves!!! Tons of geese (including a raucous gang of 6 that keep bullying Hissy away from me when I head out there!) Luckily Hissy actually comes when I call him...I just walk around to a secluded section of the pond and call. He & the Missus eventually works their way to me and get their treat! The swans, great blue heron and multiple breeds of ducks are also back....what a lovely cacophony of sounds coming from the pond now as they meet, greet and pair up! Another sign....(aside from baby raccoons already!)...moms getting their nests ready for the babies! Every year this tree next to the squirrel shed produces playful families of young squirrels! Mom was very busy bringing pile after pile of leaves up the tree and into the knot hole doorway where she is standing in the last pic.

After all that work it was time for some chow at the feeders....and I got a good look at a very pregnant mom before she returned to sprucing up the nest again!

Despite the cooler temps and the actual threat of some snow....Spring is upon us, and that comes straight from the source...nature itself!

Guess who?!

What a difference a couple weeks make! (and a never ending supply of nice, fattening, black oil sunflower seeds!) If not for the fur loss on her back, I probably would never have recognized this almost portly looking squirrel as our once emaciated little girl! I took this picture a couple days ago (exactly 15 days after the originals) and watched over the last couple mornings to be sure...and I'm thrilled to report on her progress! She could stand to gain a little more, as they say the camera does add a little weight, but whew, was I glad to see this! Once her hair fills back in I won't even be able to tell her apart anymore. Awesome!
The stubby tailed boy is also doing well and still a regular visitor. Doesn't phase him a bit!
It was grand central station out there this morning. At least 12 of them bouncing around like maniacs! I love sipping my first coffee of the day at the table watching their antics right outside my kitchen window.

Watching over the visitors.

For the past week I've been keeping my eye on this poor girl that has begun visiting the feeder on a regular basis. She's terribly thin, but quite active and normal otherwise and eating up a storm out there. So normal in fact, that she's not even close to catch-able. Sure I could put a trap out there, but with 10 or more squirrels also out there with her, what are the chances of actually getting the right squirrel? Not with my luck!

What we are seeing here is what always happens in the wild over the winters....only we don't usually get to witness it. She was probably holed up for a long time either due to an injury or the weather......and survived to come out on the other side half starved, but alive. (I'm going with injury since of all the critters out there, these guys have not missed many visits to the feeder despite the weather!)

She has probably been holed up with other squirrels as well or she would have frozen to death by now. She is not chased off or harassed by the other squirrels so she's got some friends/family out there at the very least!

Here is one of our normal little fatties out there compared to our skinny little girl....the difference is striking, poor little thing. I'll be keeping an eye on her for now. She's quick, alert and very active, and since she is eating great now, I'll make sure she continues to do so!

A couple of the reds are also hanging out there with the gang. I'm happy to see reds and grays are all tolerating each other well and no fighting or chasing each other off....well except for the 2 reds that is! They are constantly chasing each other off! I'm happy to see my little shed dweller is spending some time outside in the fresh air though.

The squirrel cafe.

For those who may be wondering what happens to all the squirrels that get released.....well they end up outside my kitchen window for breakfast every morning of course! The "bird" feeders out there weren't put there for the birds after all! LOL

There were 14 out there on this particular morning. Everyone looks quite fat and healthy I must say. This one is a regular.....and this is the preferred method of dining....hanging vampire style the whole time...every time! As you can see she's got it down to a science!

The coonies aren't the only ones that love pumpkin! I also put some out there for the squirrels and they go nuts for it!There is always one wise guy that has to take the treats I do leave for the birds! Recently the suet (that usually lasts a week or so) kept disappearing by the next day. Finally, after some snow on the ground, I think I figured out the mystery. I think the little rats are going at it, pulling it out and dropping it on the ground. It's too heavy for them to carry it off, but I'm sure the fox that belongs to the prints that lead to the feeder had noooooooo problem scoffing up the chunk of tasty fat! It's a conspiracy I tell ya! The squirrels probably worked it out with the fox.....stop eating us and we'll supply ya some good chow in return! LOLThere was one little guy that looked a little rough around the edges that I'm keeping an eye on. Looks like a large healed scar on it. I'm guessing it was badly injured and holed up somewhere and actually managed to heal. Seems to be doing well now.....a little thin but not alarmingly so (and to be expected if it was holed up healing for a while) but eating up a storm now and apparently well on the road to recovery since it's been out there regularly recently. It won't be long before it fattens right up again like the rest of them!