Best sources for calcium

[Mads]

I had read somewhere, perhaps on this board, about shells for calcium for squirrels. Do they eat them? Are they naturally attracted to them? What is the best way to get the calcium they need?

[island rehabber]

That was me with the seashells. They are harder than cuttlebones, so they grind down their teeth better and provide great calcium too. Just be sure the shells (I use clamshells) are clean, sunbleached ones with no clinging sea grass or anything that might have parasites, etc. :)

[thundersquirrel]

interesting....clam shells. i've never heard that one before. nice!

[Mads]

That was me with the seashells. They are harder than cuttlebones, so they grind down their teeth better and provide great calcium too. Just be sure the shells (I use clamshells) are clean, sunbleached ones with no clinging sea grass or anything that might have parasites, etc. :)

Great....well, I'm always by the sea....so shells are very easy. We sail out to Cuttyhunk Island all the time and there are great shells out there, sunbleached........just hanging around waiting for me to pick them up......thanks for that tip!

[CorgiLover]

Where can I buy a "cuttlebone"? :thinking

[Sarabi]

Pet stores or in the pet dept of say walmart.:)

[Mads]

I saw them online at www.squirrelsandmore.com ...I've also seen them in places that sell alot of bird supplies...

[squirrel princess]

A lot of grocery store's have them, too. :)

What does it look like and is it labeled cuttle bone. My son refuses to give me the antlers from his first deer:jump

[TexanSquirrel]

You can get cuttlebones anywhere you can find bird supplies.:thumbsup

[squirrel princess]

You can get cuttlebones anywhere you can find bird supplies.:thumbsup

Yes but does it actually say cuttlebone:poke I know I have seen nylabones, dog bones etc...but do not actually remember seeing anything that said cuttle bone:thinking

[Pam]

Yes but does it actually say cuttlebone:poke I know I have seen nylabones, dog bones etc...but do not actually remember seeing anything that said cuttle bone:thinking

I buy cuttlebones at Kroger in the pet section. They are near the pet bird seed. They have cuttlebone on the box.

[smoknbunny]

Yes but does it actually say cuttlebone:poke I know I have seen nylabones, dog bones etc...but do not actually remember seeing anything that said cuttle bone:thinking
Hi Donna - here is a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuttlebone
Tells you what it is and what it looks like.
It would be in the bird section even though it is called a cuttle "bone". Unlike nylabones it is an actual bone or bone structure. Just thought it was interesting. I bought two the other day in my neighborhood pet shop. Big enough to split in half. 1.50 each about 6 to 7 inches long. Hardly weigh anything

[CorgiLover]

Will squirrels eat cuttle bone?

[squirrel princess]

Hi Donna - here is a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuttlebone
Tells you what it is and what it looks like.
It would be in the bird section even though it is called a cuttle "bone". Unlike nylabones it is an actual bone or bone structure. Just thought it was interesting. I bought two the other day in my neighborhood pet shop. Big enough to split in half. 1.50 each about 6 to 7 inches long. Hardly weigh anything

Thanks I should have known you would give me an answer I could understand like you did about the rats:poke :rotfl

[smoknbunny]

Will squirrels eat cuttle bone?
Ginger seems to be gnawing on hers. I just gave it to her Saturday afternoon and it looks like some chunks are gnawed out.

[susanw]

Duke chews on his cuttle bone once in awhile. When IR suggested shells, I gave him one of those and he seems to use it more. Thanks IR!

[CorgiLover]

I went to Petco and found different types of cuttle bone. I bought the grape flavored and WHOA!!! ... Keebler is all over it!!! :thumbsup

[GoldenEyes]

I had been thinking about giving the outdoor squirrels calcium supplements but wasn't sure how.

Will they eat cuttlebone just like that? Has anyone tried this outdoors and what would be the best way to set it up so it's not just sitting flat on the ground?

Thank you in advance.:)

[CorgiLover]

I had been thinking about giving the outdoor squirrels calcium supplements but wasn't sure how.

Will they eat cuttlebone just like that? Has anyone tried this outdoors and what would be the best way to set it up so it's not just sitting flat on the ground?

Thank you in advance.:)

They come with a little metal band already around them so you can attach it to the bars of a bird cage. You can put a wire (maybe picture wire?), around a tree and then attach it to that. I would think (if you could place it high enough) that they might actually eat it.:dono

[GoldenEyes]

Thank you, CorgiLover.:) Now the dilemma is do I buy a birdcage to hold the cuttlebone or buy a digital camera so I could post pics. Hmm.:thinking ;) I wish those things were round with a hole in the middle like a donut so I could just hang it off a branch.:) Maybe that's a million dollar idea.:rotfl

[wheezer]

I would guess that squirrels in the wild don't need calcium supplements...least I hope they can get this without our help:thinking

They each such an incredible variety of foods out there, I was amazed when I read this:)

I even think when we feed peanuts and sunflower seeds that isn't the best for them but since they do get such a huge variety, it shouldn't harm them.

( that is what I have read about sunflower seeds and peanuts)

[Rotsuoy]

Cuttlebones, Darlin's, Like from a Cuttlefish! :D

Bone!:
http://www.avianlove.com/products/BR51252%20Fruit%20flavored%20cuttlebone%20%20sm.jp g

Fish!:
http://www.underwaterpicture.com/cpg/albums/userpics/thumb_1922-054%20Sepia%20-%20Cuttlefish%20K.jpg

[TexanSquirrel]

Cuttlebones are very soft actually. You could carefully carve a hole in it and hang it up that way.:thumbsup

[GoldenEyes]

Uhoh! Now that I know where cuttlebone comes from, I may have to resort to getting some seashells instead because I don't want to contribute to overfishing.:sanp3 Will any type of shell do? I have some shells from mussels somewhere.

I worry that my outdoor squirrels don't get enough calcium because some of them end up with dislocated hips when they get into a fight with or chase each other, or fall off a tree, and I would want those squirrels to have enough calcium to heal a lot quicker. When I read about people's yards having orchards with all kinds of fruit like mulberries and grapefruit trees available for the squirrels, I'm in awe. My squirrels don't have that much to choose from. Double :sanp3