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Thread: Help for a picky eater!

  1. #1
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    Default Help for a picky eater!

    Hello everyone,
    I have a problem, Winnie Lee is a gray squirrel she will be one in March, she has always been a picky eater. The problem I am having with her is finding a way to get her Vitamin D . She will not eat veggies hardly at all. I have tried everything on the healthy list. Here is her daily diet . 730 am 1 Henry's picky block and a combination of fresh and frozen veggies (which she won't eat veggies) mid day snack again more veggies she won't eat, dinner time a Henry's picky block and more veggies she won't eat.
    I have tried so many different kinds of veggies with no luck. Once in a while I can get her to eat a bit of mixed frozen peas and corn, or a fresh snow peas , or sugar snap peas or green beans. Pretty much only veggies I can get her to eat are the beans and frozen peas and corn. Once in a while she will take a bite or two of a mushroom or cherry tomato. That's it. How can I get some vitamin D in her ? Is there a supplement I can use? Also once in a while she gets 2 nuts at night if she has been good and ate some veggies that day. The nuts differ from peanut in shells, almond or walnuts but only 2 a day at night if she did eat some veggies that day . But lately no nuts or treats at all . And yes I have tried all the veggies on the list . HELP HOW TO GET VITAMIN D???

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    Also forget to add she will eat fruit but I don't offer it often because I don't want her to have a lot of sugar.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    Ok, first thing limit the corn to once a week. Corn is a phosphorous bomb that is worse than nuts -- it will throw off her blood calcium levels.

    I know you said you've tried all the veggies on the list, but have you also tried more starchy veggies like sweet potato, yama (sometimes called batata), or the cruciforms like broccoli and cauliflower? How about butternut squash? That's usually a favorite and you can even steam it or nuke it for a few seconds if she doesn't take to it raw.

    Henry's vitamin powder should give her the VitD she needs, as they don't need very much.......maybe sprinkle that on something she definitely WILL eat (like an almond?) once a day.....

    I've never known a squirrel to like peas and I've been rehabbing since 2004, so not surprised she doesn't like them that much . How about Brussells Sprouts? My Owena loves them.
    Keep trying!!
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  5. #4
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    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    Thank you for the information, I have tried broccoli and cauliflower also butternut squash. She will take a bite or two or the squash and she will eat some green peas if they are frozen. I will take away all corn .And I didn't know about the powder I will definitely try that. What about yams ? She will not eat brussel sprouts at all .Also what veggies have the best source of vitamin D? And if I can get her to eat something like squash or sweet potato should I still sprinkle the powder once a day? Sorry for all the questions but I do appreciate the help. She is very active and fit and appears to be very healthy.

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    If she is eating 2 Henry's blocks per day she should be getting her Vitamin D requirements, which is the purpose behind feeding the Henry's (to meet dietary requirements).

    Quote Originally Posted by bednarkim77 View Post
    She is very active and fit and appears to be very healthy.
    If she is healthy and fit, I am guessing she has to be eating more than a couple HHB's and a bite or two of veggies every day suggesting there has to be more to her diet than what is listed.

    IMO the "trick" to getting squirrels to eat their veggies is to keep in mind that veggies are nature's intended diet. They are exactly like a human toddler and if they learn they get a decadent, less than healthy desert regardless of whether the eat a healthy dinner they'll stop eating their dinner in preference of desert (and larger portions of desert). It's tough love, but I promise she will appreciate her treats even more than she might now once she is trained to understand the treat comes after the healthy veggies!


    Picky Blocks:
    Ingredients: Pecans, whey protein isolate, wheat protein isolate, wheat flour, cracked wheat, dried whole eggs, sugar, tri-calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, lecithin, potassium chloride, baking powder, phylloquinone (vitamin K), selenium, magnesium oxide, cholcalciferol (vitamin D3), folic acid, iodine, ferrous sulfate (iron), zinc, copper glycinate chelate, molybdenum, manganese, d-alpha tocopheryl succinate (vitamin E), vitamin A (60% beta-carotene; 40% retinyl palmitate), pantothenic acid, niacin (vitamin B-3), riboflavin (vitamin B-2), pyroxidine hydrochloride (vitamin B-6), thiamin (vitamin B-1), cyanocobalamin (vitamin B-12), biotin.

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    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    Thank you. That's pretty much all she is getting, I had called and spoke to the woman from Henry's a couple months back asking her about the wild bites, and we had discussed the Vitamin D and I thought she had said that a lot of it gets baked out of the blocks and I had to keep trying to get her to eat veggies. She has always looked and acted healthy even when she was being bottle fed , I had been worried all along about her nutrition so I had spoken with the lady from Henry's a few different times. Last time like I said was a couple months ago. I was also worried her fur was getting weird and softer but turned out it was just her changing fur to winter fur. Thank you all so much. I am just a paranoid mommy I guess. I will continue the 2 blocks ,try the powder a little sprinkle once a day and even though she waste a lot of food gonna keep trying different veggies. Spring and summer will be easier because she will have fresh branches and things from outside. Luckily we have a big yard and no chemicals are ever used around here.

  9. #7
    Peachesmom Guest

    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    It is ok to fed them frozen veggies? Dixie is a very picky eater....she will eat sugar peas, butter nut squash, green beans. Does not like broccoli, caulif, any lettuce or cabbage, brussel sprouts. She likes alot of fruits, but I feel she needs more greens. Can she eat regular Cherrios? Any suggestions? TY

  10. #8
    Peachesmom Guest

    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    BUMP..PLEASE ANSWER

    It is ok to fed them frozen veggies? Dixie is a very picky eater....she will eat sugar peas, butter nut squash, green beans. Does not like broccoli, caulif, any lettuce or cabbage, brussel sprouts. She likes alot of fruits, but I feel she needs more greens. Can she eat regular Cherrios? Any suggestions? T

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    Scott (02-12-2017)

  12. #9
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    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    NOT a squirrel pro but I read that someone on here boiled veggies with a bit of Italian seasonings for their little ones. And I recently found that Percy likes cilantro - what a weirdo! So maybe keep trying some of the veggies on list and you might stumble a new fave.

  13. #10
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    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    Sure, she can have frozen veggies but MOST squirrels won't eat them. They do like cold things (even ice) but keep in mind as soon as it thaws, frozen veggies are pretty gross.

    Cheerios are fine as an occasion treat but are not a staple of a squirrel diet. They are mostly carbohydrates.

    You can try avocado, acorn squash or sweet potato.

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    Scott (02-12-2017)

  15. #11
    Peachesmom Guest

    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    She loved butter nut squash, shes not eating that now. Shes loves sweet potato, but has slacked off that now. The only thing she will eat is the blocks, sugar sweet peas and fruit.

  16. #12
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    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    Have you tried Kale? I have a paralyzed juvie girl here (Opal) that came in after being hit by a car, so she was free and wild before her accident. She loves her blocks, but will mostly eat Kale.. and zucchini and yellow squashes.

  17. #13
    Peachesmom Guest

    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    She doesnt like kale or yellow squash, havent tried zucchini. Im just afraid shes not eating enough, i still give her formula at night, she drinks the while 2 scoops formula/4 scoops water...

  18. #14
    Peachesmom Guest

    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    Hello.......

  19. #15
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    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    Sounds like you indeed do have a picky eater on your hands. In my experience, sometimes they just won't eat the healthy veggies until those are the only veggies they are offered.. but with her still being on formula, she may not eat as many veggies anyway. I wouldn't stress too much about it at this point if she is eating the blocks well and still taking formula too. Neither of mine are eating their veggies well right now either - I think some of it might be seasonal too. Just keep offering them and hopefully she will start eating them better eventually.
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  21. #16
    Peachesmom Guest

    Default Re: Help for a picky eater!

    Thank you, she was a picky eater in the beginning. I had to buy the Picky eater blocks. Shes 5 months old today.
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