Help me do right by this squirrel

August 8, 2013 8:50 PM

For a wild animal that is obviously very sick/injured, is it better to try to capture that animal and humanely euthanize it, or to let "nature take its course"? There is a squirrel that has been hanging around our house for the last week with some sort of severe injury/illness that is affecting its balance, and I'm wondering how hard I should try to catch it to take it to the wildlife rehabilitation center (where it will most certainly be euthanized).

I first noticed the squirrel in question over a week ago, as it was scrabbling across the yard, falling off to one side as it did so. It made it up a tree, but with obviously monumental effort. I'd assumed it had been hit by a car, and unfortunately had to head to work, so I crossed my fingers that a predator would get it soon and put it out of its misery.

Then a few days ago, I saw the squirrel again, and it seemed even more ragged than it had been. Later, I saw it fall out of a tree from a great height. The whole thing was utterly pitiful to watch.

I called the wildlife rehab center, and they gave a few suggestions for catching it, none of which have worked. As soon as I approach it to nab it with a net/towel, it ducks back in the bushes, where I have no hope of catching it. I'm not sure it would be physically capable of getting into a Havahart trap (I bought one anyway, and all the other squirrels immediately figured out how to game it by setting off the bait bar while standing outside the trap.)

And so, I've been leaving shelled peanuts and water out for it, both of which I've seen it consuming. The poor thing has to lie on its side to eat or drink.

I'm wondering if it perhaps has raccoon roundworm.

I've been feeling supremely guilty, because I'm thinking that if I really stepped up my efforts and got crafty about it, I could probably capture this squirrel and take it in to have it euthanized. On the other hand, I have to assume that the experience of being trapped, transported and euthanized would be a terrifying way to go. Which would be better for the squirrel?

I'm also wondering if feeding it and watering it are only prolonging its misery.

posted by whistle pig to Pets & Animals (18 answers total)

Not A Wildlife Disease Expert but rabies might also be on the list of possible causes of its balance issues. Look after yourself first.

A non-terrifying way to euthanize it without chasing and trapping it would be a gun (or sufficiently powerful airgun). I assume you're in a city though?
posted by anonymisc at 9:03 PM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

it's eating and drinking, that's probably good enough, and as well as you'll be able to do unless it deteriorates further.
posted by cupcake1337 at 9:06 PM on August 8, 2013

Please don't try to euthanize him/her yourself because unless you are skilled at doing so, it cannot be guaranteed that you will be able to do so quickly and painlessly. Please save yourself and the squirrel the absolute horror of having to bludgeon him/her multiple times because the first time resulted in the squirrel still twitching.
posted by DeltaForce at 9:07 PM on August 8, 2013 [15 favorites]

Response by poster: Unfortunately, the squirrel is still mobile enough that a heavy object "euthanasia" would not be effective. And yes, within city limits...going after it with a gun might alarm the families at the park across the street.
posted by whistle pig at 9:07 PM on August 8, 2013

Also, myself, friends, and family have on several occasions trapped and transported various squirrels, groundhogs, opossum, and raccoons and transporting is not really a cause for concern as far as traumatizing the animal.

Once I stopped on a busy road to save a hit groundhog. The whole experience was terrifying for everyone involved, required multiple boxes, and several passerby, but in the end the little groundhog was okay. My friend just a couple days ago trapped a squirrel who was hit by a car and took it to a wildlife center and he is doing okay.

So if you have the time/patience/heart to trap the squirrel, I send my gratitude and so does the squirrel.

I was just about to say that if you are in Ohio, I can help. And it seems that you are! So if you want, I can help!
posted by DeltaForce at 9:12 PM on August 8, 2013 [10 favorites]

It's not clear if you've already called Animal Control and reported a possibly rabid squirrel or not, but that's something that should definitely be done.
posted by batmonkey at 9:49 PM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]

Does your city or county have an animal control department you could call? They might have some suggestions. There's one near me that will loan out animal traps for situations like this, ymmv.

I agree that it's a sad ending, but euthanizing the squirrel might keep other animals from getting sick.
posted by balacat at 9:51 PM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

gun fired in city limits = felony, for all you readers
posted by victory_laser at 11:05 PM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

There are dozens upon dozens of sick, dying squirrels all around you, every day.

Its a wild animal. They die.

The peanuts and water are a good thing. But don't risk rabies or worse. Your instincts come from a good place, but just let go.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 11:40 PM on August 8, 2013 [3 favorites]

I recently tried to get someone to finish off a bird who was obviously pretty messed up after flying into a window. The older gentleman in question was a bit more patient/hardened than I, and left it lolling and twitching on the porch for a good forty minutes. After which it flew away. Oops! Learned me not to be so quick to offer "mercy".
posted by Iteki at 1:40 AM on August 9, 2013 [12 favorites]

Everyone has their own way of dealing with this common experience. Depends on tools, experience, your condition, the specifics of animal/problem/location/time/opportunity, risk tolerance.

I'm with pirate-bartender-etc. Letting go is USUALLY the best response. I will trap healthy critters if they are stuck, but cruel nature and bad luck is sometimes what you have to accept. Not all animals, including people, thrive.

Also, without the right tools, killing sometimes goes terribly wrong. Terror isn't mercy and what separates the two is the interval involved. Even a gun sometimes takes several shots, depending on circumstances. You have to know what you are doing. If you don't, I am doing you a favor by offering the conclusion without explaining how I arrived there.

Learn to let go. Good advice for the many times when that's the best answer, which is usually.
posted by FauxScot at 3:45 AM on August 9, 2013 [5 favorites]

There are many possibilities for the odd behaviour; illness, parasite, or disease. In any case the object at hand is a wild animal, and if brought to a vet would most likely be euthanized without even stopping to examine it. Letting nature take its course removes you from the risk of contracting a disease if it is infected.
posted by Gungho at 5:26 AM on August 9, 2013

I would call animal control. I would NOT attempt to trap it yourself. Since the squirrel isn't in your house and probably isn't rabid (it's unusual, but not unheard of, for squirrels to have rabies), you may not be high on animal control's list, depending on how busy they are, but they can give you instructions or come out and deal with it. That is why your taxes fund them, to deal with stressful wild animal situations in humane ways.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:36 AM on August 9, 2013 [1 favorite]

It may not be rabid, but it could have plague. Or even just parasites. Don't touch it. It's sad, but nature is not kind.
posted by agregoli at 5:58 AM on August 9, 2013

Had you never seen this squirrel where would it be? Forget it and leave it in that place.
posted by Max Power at 7:28 AM on August 9, 2013

I'm sorry to say I think this is just one of those sad things you can't do much about. The same thing happened to me once and I was able to trap the squirrel and intended to take him to a rehab the next day. But he died before I could. Did the stress of being caught hasten his death or was he more safe and comfortable than he would have been otherwise in his final hours? It's hard to say. But you are a good person for caring.
posted by Jess the Mess at 9:27 AM on August 9, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks for your answers. I know I'm a bit late posting a follow-up, but I unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) haven't seen the little guy again since posting this question.

I thought this was a pretty clear cut case of "nature is cruel but we don't have to be" (thanks to Temple Grandin for the quote), where I could somehow make things a little better for a clearly suffering animal living in my yard.

C'est la vie.
posted by whistle pig at 4:25 PM on August 10, 2013 [3 favorites]

I was just thinking, he could have been drunk. Fermented berries, nuts etc. It happens. So maybe he was just on a bender and went home after sleeping it off.
posted by Gungho at 11:26 AM on August 13, 2013 [1 favorite]