Grotesque squirrel

dorothy

I feed the birds and generally try to deter the squirrels with chillie powder and my own special chillie 'spray' I've concocted. However there's one little fellah I have a soft spot for because he has a missing back foot. I feed him, and so must all the neighbours because he has a thick, glossy coat. That was before! I saw him this morning and he must have been in a bad fight with a fox or something. He's lost most of his fur on one side of his body and head, right down to the bare skin now, like he's been shaved. The back leg seems extra mangled and he was covered in blood. I tempted him closer with some nuts which he happily tucked into, but oh dear it's very bad. My first thought was ok, we're going to the vet now! The practicalities of doing this seem tricky though. I've a feeling Dragon's would march me out of their surgery. Has anyone taken a bird with a broken wing or anything to anywhere?

Jenowl

How about phoning the RSPCA for advice or checking their website? I hope our Barky_Fox isn't the culprit!

JaneDoe

I found a bird with a broken wing and called the RSPCA. They told me I could take it to Dragon and the RSPCA would pay for the first treatment. Dragon didn't seem very impressed at all but did take it in, however it died soon afterwards.

miss annie

Squirrels are classed as pests I think so I doubt that that any vet would treat it. They might be able to put him down but they would probably want you to pay. We had an infestation of the blighters in our roof in a previous abode in Crouch End and had pest experts in to deal with them. Once they are captured they are supposed to be exterminated and not released back into the wild. That was about 8 years ago though, the thinking may have changed since then.

dorothy

Thanks I can imagine a vet not being too impressed. Although I've spent a fortune at Dragons over the years, they'd probably keep their disdain to themselves. I did look at the rspca website. They had a thing about prosecuting someone who'd drowned a squirrel. Think it fell apart in court. They also say if you catch a injured squirrel in a cardboard box to take it to the vet, it can chew it's way out at remarkable speed and escape into your car. The idea of a hairless squirrel loose in the car doesn't bear thinking about. Anyway he probably won't last long with hardly any fur in this weather.

ADGS

There are very weird laws about which ways are and are not legitimate to kill squirrels. I believe the guiding principle is the avoidance of cruelty, but the specifics extrapolated from this are not what I expected. Sadly, I can't remember the specifics - it's more my sister's area.

Jenowl

squirrels.info recommends the following: Severe flesh wounds, abscesses, bleeding or broken bones will need immediate veterinary treatment. Internal injuries may be hard to diagnose, but possible symptoms would be bleeding from nose, ears or mouth and/or severe listlessness. Minor injuries such as cuts, bites or scratches may be dealt with patience and care. Firstly, clean with a saline solution of table salt and water (approximately 1:10). Treat any wounds with a small amount of Savlon, Germolene or similar antiseptic (not disinfectant). Flies may lay eggs on a squirrel that is not 100% healthy, especially on a wound. All eggs must be removed immediately with a pair of tweezers or they will hatch into maggots and cause further problems. Check orifices carefully for maggots and remove them.

ADGS

<i>Check orifices carefully for maggots and remove them.</i>

Good general advice for living, really.

Barky_Fox

I know of a human living close to this area who legally exterminates them in a trap, and then cuts off their tails to use as craft brushes. He is a wood floor restorer. True.

Re: grotesque squirrel. It wasn't me, I seem to be getting all the blame.

Jenowl

@Barky Aren't you worried about your own tail?

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sophie

how on earth do squirrels.info recommend getting a squirrel to sit still while you wipe its nose and remove tiny fly eggs and check in its bumhole for maggots?

andy

Pigeons: Rats with wings
Squirrels: Rats with good PR

miss annie

'Rats with furry tails' was the Sex and the City (tv show not terrible films) description. Pigeons are just disgusting vermin. I know that people believe that those that are served in restaurants are a different kind, but I have no truck with that theory and nothing on this earth would persuade me to eat those vile, disease ridden varmits.

Barky_Fox

Was contacted by a fellow in the Upper East Side this morning, he has caught and skinned three squirrels and is going cook them up. Any recipe suggestions?

miss annie

They are very nice braised in a stew. Squirrels are quite sinuous so slow cooking is best. I've had them deep fried but that doesn't work so well.

Emma

"Grotesque squirrel" is by far the best discussion title of recent times. Perhaps EVER.

dorothy

Oh! do you have to mention 'skinned squirrel'? I don't think I'll see grotesque squirrel again, apart from in my nightmares. The thing is when the squirrel has no fur the eyes look enormous. Just horrible.

dorothy

I've seen at least one other squirrel with lots of fur missing recently, I feel like they follow me. I wonder if it's mange or a fungal thing. (The squirrels, that is, not me)

Detritus

I am sorry but I have to admit I am the phantom squirrel shaver.

nick_m

@ Emma - you beat me to it. This is my favourite entitled thread for a long time. And, yes, indeed, maybe ever. Does anyone have musical talent? I feel a band name coming on...

nick_m

I now see that you beat me to it by a clear 8 months.

julieshrive

Are you sure it wasn't a pregnant rat?

dorothy

Not sure. Do pregnant rats lose their hair while pregant? I've only just learnt that female ferrets die if they don't mate while they're in heat.

Arkady

That's what i tell my girlfriend.

miss annie

And I can imagine the response that you get.

Archer

Phone the harmsworth animal hospital - see what they suggest. Squirrels are cool, but they have stools the size of cats. Cat stools, that is... or rabbits... Just larger than u would think - or expect.

krappyrubsnif

What's happening to the squirrel population here - is it dying out? I used to see them every day - now I've seen one in my garden in six months. Is somebody eating the little critters?

Archer

Yes - the idea of eating a rodent - is beyond me, but certain people think they are delicacies, which they are in certain cultures.

Archer

It's like trapping a rat/mouse - then basting it and then eating it. The idea of eating any kind of rodent puts me off because they are so thin skinned. It's probably like eating a sausage except with actual giblets stuffed inside. Ooo yum, not! Battered squirrel anyone?

krappyrubsnif

I have a good recipe for squirrel pate. Sent to me from Norfolk.