(CNN) A gaggle of baby squirrels were found with their tails braided together. Veterinary staff who treat them worry they fell prey to animal abuse.

Four 6-week-old squirrels were discovered on train tracks in Berlin, Connecticut, last week. Their tails were braided in pairs, then the two knots were braided into one big tangle, Kensington Bird and Animal Hospital said.

Their tails incurred a few broken bones, which can heal, but lost blood flow often means amputation. One of the squirrels has already had its tail amputated, Anthony Dibella, a veterinary technician at the hospital, told CNN.

The baby squirrels' tails were knotted together, breaking bones in their tails and cutting off blood flow. One has already had its tail amputated.

It's not uncommon for baby squirrels to naturally get their tails stuck together. It can happen in the wild if their mother doesn't clean them well enough or sap leaks into their nest and on their tails. The result is a sticky, painful mess -- kind of like if you got superglue stuck to your fingers, he said.

The difference with these squirrels, he said, is that when vet staff untangled their tails, they were clean -- and the braids were symmetrical.

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