Two Legged Squirrel......there's a first

[Rolfe 2]

Caught a squirrel in a cage trap tonight in a clients garden, (number 10 in just over a week) and was amazed to find it had two legs missing right front and left back. Both cuts were extremely neat not broken and jagged like you would find in a trap caught escapee. The front one was nearly healed and the rear leg wound was clean and uninfected but still open. I have seen loads of mended (trap type) wounds but never any as cleanly cut as these.........any ideas as to the possible cause of such injuries?

[heritage 202]

ive been looking in amazement at those photos.....i honestly cant make any sensible suggestions as to the cause.I find it hard to belive the missing limbs were as a result of "trapping" as there so neat,almost surgical....besides wich,if this squirrel was to be unfortunate enough to be foul caught,losing a limb in the process,what are the chances of this happening twice ! im "stumped",but great photos rolfe.

[Flamin'Nora! 50]

very unusual! shows the healing power of nature its amazing really

[OldTrapCollector 376]

ive been looking in amazement at those photos.....i honestly cant make any sensible suggestions as to the cause.I find it hard to belive the missing limbs were as a result of "trapping" as there so neat,almost surgical....besides wich,if this squirrel was to be unfortunate enough to be foul caught,losing a limb in the process,what are the chances of this happening twice ! im "stumped",but great photos rolfe.

 

I am also bewildered about this - I thought about RTA and then discounted it

 

To be that clean I can only think that they were 'removed' when the squirrel was a young one, maybe by a cat or something ... not sure really

 

Got me stumped!

 

OTC

[John Keswick 119]

If i had to guess, i would say caught in a gin or foul caught in a fenn, leg has been broken at the joint, probably by the animal twisting about, eventually manged to tear the limb off.

Quite feasable that it could happen twice if someone was targeting it.

[trappa 517]

Wow. really interesting. Ive caught a squirrel with no tail but this is amazing! Im shocked it could have survived this. My guess would have to be the limbs were lost in a fenn trap but they look very neat cuts which seem to point against a fenn trap.

Well done for taking photos! I doubt i would have believed it if i hadnt seen it.

[Catcher 1 639]

This one,s stumped me.

[Dosser 52]

Removed whilst still a youngster in the nest/drey by another squirrel while mum wasnt looking ?? who knows,

[Rolfe 2]

Was an adult squirrel and the wounds were reasonably fresh.........can't think for the life of me what caused them........very unusual to say the least. Oh well don't suppose we'll ever know for sure but sure is interesting none the less.

[stealthy1 3,964]

It just goes to show how resiliant the grey squirrel is, because at least one of it meals cost it an arm and a leg

[comanche 2,799]

Dunno . I suppose a squill might well chew itself to clean up a wound and that might explain the neatness of things . In a rural area I s'pose a near thing with a .22 round.Maybe someone playing with home-made snares , but my money is that its been chucked-up by an untunnelled Fenn but as has been said -looks too squared -off .

 

What about electrocution on a power-line or similar ?

Edited June 14, 2010 by comanche

[kevin from bristol 95]

very strange may even have been to different events over its life span good post but it wont ever be solved me thinks

[DUCKWING 302]

THE FOX OFTEN KILLS POULTRY IN EXACTLY THE SAME MANNOR .......... IT CHASES THE BIRD ROUND THE PEN TILL THE SCARED STIFF POULTRY PUSHES ITS HEAD THROUGH THE MESH IN AN ATTEMPT TO BREAK FREE .......... THEN THE OWNER COMES DOWN TO FIND A HEAD LESS BIRD ..............

FOXY DOES THE SAME WITH OTHER CAPTIVES IN A SIMILAR MANNOR

 

 

ALL THE BEST

 

 

DUCKWING

[John Keswick 119]

I suppose the fox felt sorry after doing its dastardly deed and let the squirrel out of the cage to its freedom, only to be caught again by Rolfe?

 

FFS

[ArchieHood 3,692]

Would liked to of seen how he adapted to climbing.