What type of cheese can squirrels eat?

[babedizzle]

What type of cheese can squirrels to eat ... is cheddar or swiss okay?

Rockie's becoming even more active and pretty vocal, as well. This morning I opened up the door of his cage to feed him and he jumped out of it and jumped onto the top of my closet door. Every time I try to open his cage now he tries to get out. He was also squeaking at me tonight while I was cleaning his cage, as if he were saying "Get out of here, Mom ... you're messing everything up."

The bald spot on Rockie's chin is filling in nicely. I think the cause of his hair loss was the juice from watermelon, but I'm not positive.

One of the two squirrels my fiance's brother is taking care of passed away yesterday. R.I.P. Shrek. We think he aspirated because his breathing was sparse and shortly afterwards he died. =(

[Rhapsody]

Are we allowed to even feed them cheese? - I guess I just thought "No to Cheese" for we are not allowed to give them milk and well, cheese has milk in it.

IDK - ? ? ? ?

[TexanSquirrel]

I would think cheese would give a tummy ache...? But I don't know, just a thought...

[Rhapsody]

Originally Posted by Gammas Baby

A lot of times, pieces of cheese are offered to a squirrel that isn't getting enough calcium in their diet.

Here is a list of Calcium-Rich Foods


FRUITS: http://www.citracal.com/Calcium/Food...ts-Juices.aspx

VEGETABLES: http://www.citracal.com/Calcium/Foods/Vegetables.aspx

[4skwerlz]

I just have to point out that the calcium content is less than half the story. The calcium-phosphorus ratio is what counts, because phosporus cancels out the calcium. For every gram of phosphorus ingested in the diet, the body must match that with another gram of calcium, just to avoid calcium loss. So if a food has 20 grams of calcium, but 21 grams of phosphorus, then there is a net loss of calcium.

For example, on the site of "Calcium-Rich Foods" cited by Rhapsody, a raw artichoke is listed as having 56 mg of calcium. True it contains 56.3 mg. But it also contains 115 mg of phosphorus, which means a net loss of 58.7 mg of calcium--hardly "calcium-rich"!!!!

Most real cheeses have a good calcium-phosphorus ratio. Also, since the lactose is "predigested" to a certain extent, they are more digestible than, say, milk. Like yogurt, cheese would seem on the face of it, to be a healthy treat for squirrels. The squirrel owners would have to weigh in on whether they like it or it seems to agree with them.

[Rhapsody]

Originally Posted by 4skwerlz

cheese would seem on the face of it, to be a healthy treat for squirrels.

So - Cheese is to be used only as an occassional TREAT and not as a DAILY INTAKE?


Plus.... I know all about the ratio part of the food, for I have to watch that with my three Sugar Gliders, but what would a wild squirrel eat to keep up their calcium intake since it is so important to them?

[GhosTS]

Plus.... I know all about the ratio part of the food, for I have to watch that with my three Sugar Gliders, but what would a wild squirrel eat to keep up their calcium intake since it is so important to them?

Leaves mainly. There is a tree in my yard that squirrels love to eat leaves and buds. When I did some research I found out that those leaves have a very high amount of calcium and a good calcium : phosphorus ratio..

Cheese can be given as a treat.and only as a treat.not as a main part of the diet.I prefer to give cheddar..

[4skwerlz]

Originally Posted by Rhapsody

what would a wild squirrel eat to keep up their calcium intake since it is so important to them?

I researched some wild squirrel foods and discovered they were pretty healthy and balanced. For example, acorns have the best calcium-phosphorus ratio of all the nuts. Also, in the wild, squirrels eat a lot of bird's eggs, shell and all, which is super-nutritious: protein, calcium, and one of the few natural sources of vitamin D. They love purslane and dandelions, wild-growing plants with great calc-phos ratios. Growing plant tips, mushrooms, seeds, wild fruits, etc. And don't forget bugs, beetles, and grubs. I saw one eat an earthworm once! Yuck! But all very healthy and extremely varied. Just difficult to mimic in captivity.

[squirrelmanxx]

does anyone here actually know that a normal grey squirrel will eat cheese??
all my experience (several individuals over several years) suggests that no grey will eat or is interested in cheese.
but a ground squirrel is different(regarding cheese eating) entirely.

[Rhapsody]

Originally Posted by squirrelmanxx

does anyone here actually know that a normal grey squirrel will eat cheese??

I prersonally feel tha it is up to the Squirrel........ so give it a try.

[Pam]

Originally Posted by Rhapsody

I prersonally feel tha it is up to the Squirrel........ so give it a try.

I just tried to get my two squirrels to taste some cheddar cheese, but they turned up their noses. They had just finished eating some pomegranate so they might have been too full. I'll try a white cheese tomorrow.

[justmare]

I'm sorry to hear about Shrek. Very sad.

I know ground squirrels will eat almost anything, but tree squirrels? Rachel, my Fox squirrel, won't eat cheese and won't touch meat of any kind. I hard-boiled some eggs today and gave her one still in the shell (with it cracked open on one end) and she smelled it and ran to the other side of the cage and wiped her face. Is she just an odd squirrel or is this pretty normal for Foxers?

I think the only human food I've gotten her to eat (other than her nuts, fruits, etc...) is cooked white rice. I always give her a little when we have some for dinner.

[MyBushyTail]

My last two grey squirrels loved cheese, cheddar and american only.

I found one of my greys in the center of a cheddar baked potato that I had made for myself and left unattended. It was the cutest thing, I came back in the room and there he was sitting in the center of the dish and eating all of the cheddar off of the potato.

I was told that cheese can upset their stomach, but am not sure that is a fact, it did not seem to bother my guys.

[Sarabi]

Mine love it as an occasional treat

[Sarabi]

Leigh is there a table out there that shows the cal/phos ratio?

Originally Posted by 4skwerlz

I just have to point out that the calcium content is less than half the story. The calcium-phosphorus ratio is what counts, because phosporus cancels out the calcium. For every gram of phosphorus ingested in the diet, the body must match that with another gram of calcium, just to avoid calcium loss. So if a food has 20 grams of calcium, but 21 grams of phosphorus, then there is a net loss of calcium.

For example, on the site of "Calcium-Rich Foods" cited by Rhapsody, a raw artichoke is listed as having 56 mg of calcium. True it contains 56.3 mg. But it also contains 115 mg of phosphorus, which means a net loss of 58.7 mg of calcium--hardly "calcium-rich"!!!!

Most real cheeses have a good calcium-phosphorus ratio. Also, since the lactose is "predigested" to a certain extent, they are more digestible than, say, milk. Like yogurt, cheese would seem on the face of it, to be a healthy treat for squirrels. The squirrel owners would have to weigh in on whether they like it or it seems to agree with them.

[heyjamai]

I found a chart on this link while doing a google search :

http://www.sugar-gliders.com/glidervet-60.htm (Scroll down- chart is at bottom of page)

[SkwerlGirl]

I do have a friend around here who's gray LIVES for swiss cheese


just thought I'd mention it, but.....treat only!!

[Sarabi]

Thanks so Much HJ