Soft food ideas for adult can't chew?

[MsOakley]

I took in a wild adult grey that was car hit, struck in the face. One top tooth is broken to the gum line, face generally swollen. She laps formula from a dish as well as assorted baby foods. Any ideas on best ways to get adequate nutrition in her until she can chew? Thanks.

[wheezer]

I would blend all the foods you would normally give an adult squirrel. And a really good food for nutrition would be to blend some of Henrys squirrel blocks (you can order them here on the Squirrel Board). Maybe add baby food fruit with water or even maybe some formula in the blender.
Best of Luck:grouphug

[4skwerlz]

Jackie in Tampa has a recipe she uses for Rocky, her squirrel with one tooth who can't chew. It's based on the HHB recipe.

[smoknbunny]

I have an adult fox with a malocclusion. Her top teeth have been removed and until we have the bottom ones pulled, she has them trimmed regularly. I feed her veggies that I chop into little tiny pieces and she manages to eat all of them. When I give her nuts, I either make nut butter or chop a few nuts the same way as the veggies and she eats those just fine too!:)

[babybleu]

chumpy mumps has malocclusion also and what he really likes is the zupreem primate biscuits soaked in warm water and then doused with a little olive oil. I also chop things very small or grate them with a hand grater when he's having a problem eating. Avacados are soft and easy too. I also microwave sweet potato and squash to make it soft enough to eat easily. His favorite right now is the little peas inside snap peas. He won't eat the outside but the little peas he gets in his mouth and you can hear then "pop". They do have teeth further back in their mouths don't they??? I thought I saw it on the skeleton site that they do have some smaller teeth to the rear of their mouths.

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

You could try what I feed to my babies that are weaning. The flyers LOVE it and grey squirrels enjoy it too (foxers aren't too keen on it). It is soaked monkey biscuits (they become like a sponge and I ring the water out and then mix them with everything else and it makes it less watery and messy in the cage when the squirrels run through it :D ) with vegetable baby food, yogurt, esbilac powder, and rice cereal flakes (to thicken it up).

I mix everything except the esbilac powder in and get it to a nice consistancy where it is very moist, but not watery. I mix it up in a big jar and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days. I add the esbilac powder with the dish that I am making up instead of in the big jar so it doesn't go bad. This seems to work great for the little guys, they love it, so I would think a bigger squirrel would like it too.

[wheezer]

Just adding my 2 cents again, as far as the best nutrition, I would say that what Jackie is doing is the best because of all the research 4S has done with squirrel nutrition. But all the other ideas are great too because what one squirrel likes another doesn't:D

[Jackie in Tampa]

:wave123 these are all good suggestions...I give Rocky the HHs power shake 1-3 times a week to ensure his health and calcium levels. He is feed it with a strong armed syringe because he is so picky and hates it and everything good. But he will eat small chopped {I HAVE EVERY CHOPPER SOLD} everything... he eats like a dog, with his head to the bowl...pcs are too small to hold. He has had no bottom teeth for 6 years and only one top tooth for a couple years. Yes, they have molars.:thumbsup HHsblocks can be chopped and crumbled or feed raw...try any and everything...
Good Luck.
Anne has a healthy syringe recipe with baby food base also. It worked wonderful on Jane.

[Kat762]

Hi Ms Oakley,

Everyone gave you great suggestions:flash3
I just wanted to add that my 5 1/2 yr old grey has only her 2 bottom front incisors ( she lost her top teeth plus her rear molars to a horrible oral infection which almost killed her ). When she was so sick with it and didn't want to eat much at all, I gave her watermelon pieces ( which helped with hydration a bit also ) and Dannon Le Creme vanilla yogurt ( I specify Dannon Le Creme because so many of the others are lower fat with artificial sweeteners in them and artificial sweeteners can be toxic to dogs and cats, so I would never give them to a squirrel ) It is loaded with calcium also.
And, I would carefully do surgery on an empty ice cream cone, removing the top half.The bottom " container " part I would fill with peanut butter and Andi would hold it and lick the peanut butter out.I know this si a fattenning diet, but she lost half her body weight and I WANTED to give her calories.
Now, with her 2 teeth, she eats cucumbers sliced and halved,mushrooms peeled and stems removed,cherry tomatoes halved,corn on the cob,pomegrante in season,shelled nuts,etc,she scrapes all these things
with her bottom teeth. We tried Henry's blocks and she wouldn't touch them no matter what I did to them:osnap .
Poor squirrelly:grouphug that sounds very painful, is there a vet or anyone who can give you some Metacam for her ?
Good Luck with her:D

Kat, owned by Andi

[MsOakley]

Hi All,

Just ran home on lunch break to feed my 5 seven week olds. A big thanks to all who replied. I truly appreciate your collective input!