Calcium Questions!

[CupCake'sMomma]

Howdy all!

Cupcake is now down to about 1 feeding of formula a day, in the morning. I have been following the "healthy squirrel" diet, and trying to include as many dark greens as possible! She also gets 2 or 3 squirrel scones that she will nibble on consistently through out the day.

But , Cupcake being the princess she is - does not finish all of her greens! She devours fruits and scones (loves them!) and just samples her vegetables. I'm afraid now that she isn't getting as much formula that her calcium intake is going to decrease! Do you recommend any supplements that i can slip into her feeding schedule? I am so terrified of of MBD. TERRIFIED!!:shakehead

Also, we now have acorns!! About how many of those should she get a day? They are still tiny and green. Pine cones aren't necessarily native to my area, but its beginning to be the season where you can purchase them, opened and unopened. Even though this wouldn't be in her diet naturally can i still get her a few? They look like they would be a blast to open and play with...if i was a squirrel that is :crazy

[CupCake'sMomma]

Another concern! I forgot to mention that she has FSL on her about 8 to 9 hours a day, but shes been spending more time out of her cage - thus less time under the lights! Exercise and play time vs keeping her in a space where shes under her lighting!?

[FallensMommie]

I would give her fruit after she ate her veggies and if took all day then that is what I would do. They shouldn't be getting much fruit to begin with or it can cause problems (diabetes). I give Fallen 1 or 2 pieces a day about a thumbnail size and that is it.

I am in the same dilemna on the FSL as you. I let Fallen out all day long unless I have chores/errands or cooking....and I always put him in his cage for his nap. To alter this I have been putting him outdoors in his cage for a hour a day plus giving him the Squirrel Blocks which have vit. d. There is no way to set up FSL in other parts of the house as he is all over...he never is just in one place.

Squirrel Blocks:
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12386

I'm not sure about the acorns, as mine are very small too so I limit him to 2/3 a day but I then don't give him any other nut that day.

[CupCake'sMomma]

FM and Gamma - what would i do without you guys!:grouphug :grouphug

Ohh shes going to miss her fruit! But if that gets her to eat her veggies then I'm all for it!

I just bought her a very tall "kitty pagoda" - its one of those towers for cats to climb and scratch , but it has a cute little house on top of it! she LOVES it , so now it has a light rigged above it - not the most attractive thing in the world - but definitely worth it! Its one of the plastic covered ones so I dont have to worry about her getting to close. I'll post pictures soon - she is rather adorable on her palace :rotfl

[FallensMommie]

I too have FSL on him while in his cage :thumbsup Plus what he gets of natural sunlight.

[tangledfedish]

Did you ever try to put celery in a glass of water with calcuim pills crushed up in the glass? Celery will soak up the water in the glass which also has calcium in it now. If you can get your squirrel to eat celery! Good luck

[muffinsquirrel]

Did you ever try to put celery in a glass of water with calcuim pills crushed up in the glass? Celery will soak up the water in the glass which also has calcium in it now. If you can get your squirrel to eat celery! Good luck


I hadn't thought of that! My squirrels don't like celery, BUT......carnations will do the same thing! I remember putting carnations in water with food coloring in it to watch how the petals changed. If it will do it with food coloring, it should certainly do it with calcium! And every squirrel I have would absolutely KILL for a carnation!!!!

Great idea, tangledfedish, thanks for posting.

muffinsquirrel

[CupCake'sMomma]

Ohh great idea! About how many pills and how often? Once a week? Some more detailed info would be great :thankyou

[4skwerlz]

The squirrel blocks (using the recipe here on TSB) contain all the calcium and other nutrients that she needs.