# Squirrels? Head-tilt.



## Pandapop (Jul 27, 2012)

Sorry guys, I wasn't sure where else to put or ask this, but I really need help.

Last weekend the boyfriend and I rescued four baby red squirrels right outside our home. They lived inside the building next to us, and the mother was found dead (half of her, anyway...) outside the nest. The babies were so desperate for food and warmth, they came right up to us and started climbing our legs. I scooped them up and took them inside.

Now I know some of you may be thinking that I should've contacted the wildlife services, but if you knew the situation around here, you'd come to realize that these babies would be far worse off in the hands of people that really don't care about squirrels. They're considered a pest around here to most people, and I'm sorry, but I'm not going to risk their health and wellbeing if I feel I can do much better for them.

They eat great, they sleep well, they're doing their business on their own and they're active and friendly... but recently as of last night, I noticed the smallest girl has developed a head-tilt. It's gotten much worse today. I don't know what to do about it, and I can't call the vet. Vets around here don't even take rats or mice, and I'd probably be laughed at if I tried bringing in a squirrel.

What do I do if I can't rely on the vet for assistance? Will my squirrel be fine and carry out her life 'normally' with the head-tilt, or should I be giving her some sort of medication? Other than her head being lopsided, she acts like nothing is wrong and continues to eat, sleep and play like her siblings.

Please help, I'm very worried.

EDIT:

Forgot to mention a few things, in case it helps.

They're in a 3-story rat cage at the moment, and when older, the one male is going with my parents who have (in the past) raised a baby chipmunk from 2-weeks to 5 years. The girls will be staying with the boyfriend and I, and we plan to get them a MUCH bigger enclosure to suit their climbing and exploring needs.

I've been feeding them KMR (kitten milk replacement), baby cereal, lab blocks (they nibble these), yogurt drops, regular mouse food and mineral blocks. They haven't figured out how to use the water bottles yet, so every two hours I bottle-feed them either water or KMR, which they happily drink.

The room they're in stays at about 70-75F, and when sleeping, we put a large towel around the top of the cage to give them privacy and a sense of security if the cat is in the room. I have to sacrifice one of my shirts every two days, as they won't sleep well without something that has my scent on it.


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## blackbirdmice (Oct 27, 2012)

Many animals get a head tilt when they have an ear infection. Your vet should probably be able to supply you with the medication to treat her. Hope everything goes well


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

People who take in squirrels as wildlife rehabbers are quite different in their opinions on whether squirrels are pests. That said, please check your local laws before you take them in to a vet. He may be required to turn you/them in to the authorities. Many places have laws against wild animals being kept by non-rehab folks, and it won't help your or their cause to get picked up by Fish&Wildlife. To figure out what they need to eat, you'll have to figure out how old they are.


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## Pandapop (Jul 27, 2012)

I already mentioned before that I have no intention of bringing the baby to a vet. I've already called once before about a rat with respiratory problems, and they told me there was nothing they could do as they don't treat small pets. They're strictly cat and dog veterinarians. They won't even take in rabbits. A few years back, we had our male rabbit neutered by a family friend (who was a retired vet, and did it in their own home) who passed away.

I do know the risks of owning the squirrels, but the likeliness of being turned into the authorities is very slim. People have caught and kept painted turtles from lakes and were never asked to have them turned over, and one would assume a turtle would be better protected by law than a squirrel.

Is there a medication I can use for her inner-ear infection?


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

You would use an antibiotic, but the dosage for a squirrel is bound to be different from a mouse's. Your best bet would be to find a wildlife rehabber, even just one over the internet in another area.


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## NikiP (May 7, 2013)

Antibiotics also usually require a script.


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## andypandy29us (Aug 10, 2012)

red squirrels are quite rare now and should be taken to a wildlife rescue centre .... But congrats on saving and helping them so far


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## AyJay658 (Jan 15, 2012)

I think the OP is overseas rather than in the UK so they probably aren't rare there like they are here =) If they are considered a pest I assume they would be treated like grey squirrels are over here, which is a shame =(


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

I assumed we were discussing the American Red Squirrel for that reason. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Red_Squirrel It's a species of least concern and is actually growing in habitat. We don't get them much down here in the South (just Grey Squirrels and the occasional amelanistic or melanistic Grey), but my understanding is that they're as common as Grey Squirrels north of us.


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## Pandapop (Jul 27, 2012)

Yes, I'm in the US. North-East coast. Red squirrels are far more common than gray squirrels here, and yet there are still a ton of them out and about in the summer.

The little girl seems to be doing a bit better without the antibiotics. She can move her head to the other side now, if only for a short while. She's still eating, sleeping, playing, etc; just fine.

My newest problem is the male squirrel. He's begun trying to mate with his sisters, so he's now blocked off on the top layer of the cage... I don't think the females are sexually mature just yet, but I'm not taking any chances.

They're already becoming less dependant on me, and the bf and I decided that we're going to see about letting them go outside, and probably soon. I'll continue to drop seeds around to help them find food out there, but I think they're going to do just fine on their own. All but the little head-tilt girl, anyway. She won't let go of me when I take her out of the cage.


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

Head tilt besides possible ear infection may also be due to the cage confinement a 3 tier cage is hardly adequate for a single baby squirrel. An aviary would be more suitable and requirements very much same as chipmunks for housing and bedding requirements.

they should be released to fend for themselves at about 12-13 weeks of age and if not handled to become tame should manage the transition fairly quickly if you continue to place food for them each day for an additional few months so they build up fat for the winter.


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## NikiP (May 7, 2013)

We had a grey squirrel that my family raised from a baby. Eventually we transitioned her outside. She was very friendly & would come scratch at our door for treats. She took up residence in a tree in our yard. At one point she had a baby, which she would bring along with treats once he was out of the nest. Slowly after that we saw less & less of her. So even thought she was friendly, she eventually grew up to be a normal squirrel


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