What is MBD ? And how can I help my flying squirrel

[Shadow]

I have 1 flying squirrel who not acting herself. She not eatting her mix parrot food and when I go near her she doesn't want nothing to do with me. I am worried about her. She seems depressed as well . How can i help her? I don't want to lose her either. She so special to me . What could I do to help her.
Please help her. Thanks

[Sarabi]

OK, Somebody will be on soon to help, but check this while you are waiting. How old is your little one and were you supplementing with any Calcium?
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16526
The more info you can give the experts here the better somebody can help.

[Jackie in Tampa]

:Welcome :wave123
Welcome to TSB!
Is Shadow your sqs name?
Is it possible to post a pic? That will help the rehabbers with any obvious issues and to get an idea of her appearance.
Can you give us a history?
Where you got her, how old she is, her diet, her cage....her normal hours and why you are concerned.
We have alot of helpful forums that we can share, but need some info in order to send you to the right places!:D
Glad you found us!:thumbsup

[Sarabi]

MBD is a Metabolic Bone Disorder from Lack of Calcium, I'm trying to find info on symptoms for you.

[Jackie in Tampa]

all sqs need a wide variety of foods...seeds will not sustane life...
i need a history to advise...what does your sq eat?
they need veggies daily, if you do not offer...start now!
romaine and mushrooms immediately... do you have esbilac in the pantry?
is your sq lethargic? you can dissolve a tums in water and start syringe feeding her asap...if she is down.
is someone pm ing? with shadow?

[Shadow]

Her name is Rocky. My brother got me 2 flying squirrels from a friend who found them in a nest , their mother abandon them and she raised them since they were newborns til the age they can eat on their own.March of this year I lost her sister. She died in her sleep.

my mom and I did reaseach on them and they told me to feed them mix parrot food. I didn't know she need calsuim ,it never said anything about it. She lives in big size long bird cage.

I feed her yougert and fruit. I try veggies and she never eats them.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Her name is Rocky. My brother got me 2 flying squirrels from a friend who found them in a nest , their mother abandon them and she raised them since they were newborns til the age they can eat on their own.March of this year I lost her sister. She died in her sleep.

my mom and I did reaseach on them and they told me to feed them mix parrot food. I didn't know she need calsuim ,it never said anything about it. She lives in big size long bird cage.

I feed her yougert and fruit. I try veggies and she never eats them.
Yogurt is good! Dannon All Natural or Stoneybrook is great! Mine like Vanilla best!:D
Fruit should be minimal, but a must! Blueberries, apple, orange, banana, all good.
Veggies are a must...some are better than others and we have a healthy list!:thumbsupthis is our nutrition forum with lots of info!
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=191
I will start posting links for you to read!

[Shadow]

Is Rodent food good for her? I wanted to buy her different food.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Is Rodent food good for her? I wanted to buy her different food.
Yes it is, but most will not eat, however I would offer it 24/7 as a staple. I do offer oatmeal dry, applesauce all natural/no sugar added, yogurt, MUSHROOMS are very important, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, pecans in and out of shell, also hazel nuts.
2-3 times a week I offer mealworms, variety of fruit and veggies daily, also hibiscus and mulberry leaves and whatever natural stuff I can get...magnolia cones, spainish moss, pine cones, oak and elm branches, sweet gum, citrus leaves and branches etc...
molasses has alot of calcium, so if you have that you can add to water and let her lap. Or rub on her gums if she is not active. Romaine, kale and most green leafy veggies are the highest in calcium. But a variety must be feed.
4Skwerlz makes Henrys Healthy Blocks that are the best suppliment to a healthy veggie diet you can have. It has vitamins galore and nuts, the magical disguise! They seem to like MUCH better than rodent block!
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17510
You will find most everything you need as afar as diet info in the Nutrition Forum!
If your sq is in danger, we need to move this thread to another forum so rehabbers can interject...please let us know how serious she is...is she having problems using her limbs, is she lethargic, sleeping alot,bitey, nervous???
Were you able to post pics?

[Shadow]

She sleeping alot in a bird house. Can I get molasses at a pet store? And 4Skwerlz makes Henrys Healthy Blocks at a pet store? and she nervous but not bitting. when i pet her she jumps. She not eatting sunflower seeds and they were her favorite too.

[Jackie in Tampa]

She sleeping alot in a bird house. Can I get molasses at a pet store? And 4Skwerlz makes Henrys Healthy Blocks at a pet store? and she nervous but not bitting. when i pet her she jumps. She not eatting sunflower seeds and they were her favorite too.
Molasses can be found at the grocery store near the pancake syrup for about two bucks.
Pick up some Dannon All Natural Vanilla Yogurt [75 cents] and some heavy cream in a carton like milk, half pint will be plenty [99cents]
if you don't have a heating pad, you will need some rice, any kind to make a rice buddy , put a cup of rice in sock, tie off and heat in microwave about 20 seconds or until very warm, not hot. This will help with pain and make her comfortable.
Sunflowerseeds should be somewhat limited , I think they cause jittery sqs...is she eating anything?
4Skwerlz is a member here at TSB, she has posted a recipe for Henrys Healthy Blocks to make at home, or she sells them on line.:thumbsup
I will post it here!:D
Below is the latest version. There are a number of changes throughout. Some of the vitamins now just have the number of mgs or mcgs, so you can use different potencies of supplements and cut them, or add more, until you have the correct amount.

Quote:
Squirrel Block Test Recipe (Revised 12/08)
Makes approximately a 4-week supply for a 1-pound squirrel.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Dry ingredients:
2 scoops* Pure Whey Protein Isolate (7 scoops for growth formula)
2 scoops pecan meal or ground pecans
1 scoop almonds, chopped fine
1 scoop walnuts or pecans, chopped fine
1 scoop wheat bran, unprocessed (this is optional; some squirrels don’t like it)
2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder

*The "scoop" is the one that comes inside the Protein Isolate jar (=28 grams, or 2 1/2 tbsp).

Vitamin mix:
8-16 mg thiamin
6-12 mg riboflavin
60 mg niacin
12-24 mg B-6
100-200 mcg B-12 (note: micrograms, not milligrams)
2,000 mcg folic acid (note: micrograms, not milligrams)
2,000 IU Vit D
12,000 mg calcium**
4 tablets potassium gluconate (595 mg)

**It is fine to use calcium with Vit D, but you will also have to add some plain calcium to get the right amounts. Do not exceed the amount of Vit D by more than 10%.

Wet ingredients:
1 whole egg
1 scoop plain nonfat yogurt
1 scoop natural peanut butter (2 1/2 tbps)
2 gels Cod liver oil (1,000 mg each)
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1/2 cup water, or a little more, as needed (this is for growth formula only; do not add to the adult formula)

Place dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

Crush vitamins to a fine powder (a coffee grinder works well) and place in another bowl. Add wet ingredients and mix well.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until dough sticks together. It will be fairly dry, like a pie crust or heavy cookie dough. Wearing gloves or with your bare hands, form the dough into a ball and place it onto a lightly greased surface and knead well. Roll dough out into 4 rolls about an inch thick and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 60 minutes. While still warm, cut into 60 pieces with a sharp knife

Allow the blocks to cool for at least 2 hours. Then place into zip-lock bags and store them in the freezer. They keep very well in the freezer for at least a month. Some squirrels enjoy eating them frozen, but you can also put the frozen block into the microwave for about 10 seconds to warm it up.

Feed 2-3 per day for a 1-pound (450 g) squirrel. Different squirrels will have different energy requirements.

Below is a link with pictures of the labels of the supplements:
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=11379

Where to buy:
Whey Protein Isolate, 100% Pure (no flavoring) (Now Foods or Now Sports brand): Health food store (GNC does NOT carry it.) Or order online from Allstar Health (much cheaper): http://www.allstarhealth.com/li_b/NOW.htm

Cod liver oil (Carlson brand super 1000 mg): Health food store, or Allstar Health.

Other vitamin supplements: Walgreens or other drugstores, or online. All other ingredients should be available at the grocery store. B-vitamins: Walgreens carries a store brand version that will work.

Cost: If you have to buy every single ingredient the cost is around $60.00 but it only costs around $6.00 per batch for the adult squirrel version; about $10.00 per batch for the version for squirrels less than 1 year old.
__________________
The animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren; they are not underlings; they are other nations… ~Henry Beston, The Outermost House, 1928




Visit the Henry's Healthy Blocks website: http://healthyblocks.com/index.html



Last edited by island rehabber : 01-08-2009 at 06:02 AM.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/IMG/buttons/quote.gif (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=313998)

[Jackie in Tampa]

Have you seen our Flying Squirrel Forum?
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=93
This has lots of great info about flyers!
Read the stickys!:thumbsup

I forgot!,...and get mushrooms too! they will help metabolize the calcium [yogurt and cream], unless she will take esbilac, which is complete...
What makes you think she has MBD?

[4skwerlz]

Even though Rocky isn't showing the worst symptoms yet--seizures and paralysis--this could happen at any time. So I think you should begin the Emergency Treatment now. The long-term treatment is basically changing the diet.


Emergency Treatment for MBD

Get calcium into the squirrel IMMEDIATELY, not later, not tomorrow, NOW. Delaying treatment can cause death or permanent paralysis.

You will need:

--Tums or calcium pills (any kind)
--a syringe, eyedropper, or spoon

Crush one Tums or calcium pill and add a little water or fruit juice. Use the syringe, eyedropper, or spoon to force-feed the mixture, a little at a time, until it is all gone. Feed a total of 600-800 mg of calcium, and spread it out through the day and night to keep his blood calcium levels as steady as possible.

If the squirrel is having seizures, weakness, or paralysis, the symptoms will usually improve within a few hours, but this does not mean the squirrel is cured. It will take many months to rebuild the calcium in the bones.

Long-Term Treatment for MBD

The next step to curing MBD is to fix the diet.

1. Remove ALL seeds, nuts, corn, and treats.

2. Follow the Healthy Diet For Pet Squirrels, which can be found at the top of the “Squirrel Nutrition” forum. (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=16093 (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16093)) Your squirrel MUST eat rodent block or squirrel blocks every day. If your squirrel doesn't like rodent blocks, you can try crushing them up with peanut butter or avocado temporarily. You can also make a tastier version of squirrel blocks using the recipe at the top of the Squirrel Nutrition forum.

3. In addition to the Healthy Diet, you will need to continue giving extra calcium every day for several weeks. Either use the syringe/eyedropper or you can try putting the calcium on a small piece of fruit.

Week 1: calcium = 500 mg per day
Week 2: calcium = 250 mg per day
Weeks 3-8: calcium = 100 mg per day

The cause of the acute symptoms—weakness, lethargy, seizures, paralysis—is a drop in blood calcium levels. If these symptoms return at any time, you will need to give another emergency dose of calcium.

More Tips
MBD causes brittle bones that break easily. Try to keep your squirrel away from high places, where he might jump and break a bone. Also, if he is in a tall cage, either place him in a smaller cage, or pad the bottom very well.

Heat is very soothing for a squirrel with MBD. A heating pad turned to low and placed so they cannot chew the pad or cord, or a rice buddy (a sock filled with dry rice/beans and microwaved for about 20 seconds) will work.

[Shadow]

Can Summer time make flying squirrel sleep all the time as well? Cause here it has been warm during the day. and chill at night and she still not eatting or drinking. But she still runs around her cage at night time. But during the day she sleep all day long and don't touch her food or her water. I was wondering if the weather also causing it too? Do they really like lettuce ?

[4skwerlz]

Can Summer time make flying squirrel sleep all the time as well? Cause here it has been warm during the day. and chill at night and she still not eatting or drinking. But she still runs around her cage at night time. But during the day she sleep all day long and don't touch her food or her water. I was wondering if the weather also causing it too?

Flyers do sleep all day, but the other symptoms you described aren't normal. With the diet she's on right now, MBD is inevitable. Squirrels need calcium--lots of it. Also protein and a lot of other nutrients not found in parrot mix. MBD is a fatal disease if not treated promptly. So no matter what symptoms she is showing or not showing right now, you need to make the diet changes right away.

Don't feel bad; there's not much info out there about proper diet for squirrels. :grouphug

[muffinsquirrel]

Hi Shadow. Glad to see you made it to TSB. As you are finding out, there are lots of people here to help, and you can always PM me, or any of the others, if you need us.

muffinsquirrel (Judy C.)

[Shadow]

Last night i got her to take some tums in water and after i gave it to her she started acting her self. Can baby oatmeal with high Calsuim be good for her? Today my mom getting her Calsuim stuff and her new food and what she needs. We try to get it yesterday but the pet store had nothing. So i wanted to know if baby banna oatmeal good for her ?

[4skwerlz]

Last night i got her to take some tums in water and after i gave it to her she started acting her self. Can baby oatmeal with high Calsuim be good for her? Today my mom getting her Calsuim stuff and her new food and what she needs. We try to get it yesterday but the pet store had nothing. So i wanted to know if baby banna oatmeal good for her ?

If she improved after the calcium, then that strongly suggests it is MBD.

Just follow the instructions posted earlier. The Healthy Diet for Pet Squirrels is found at the top of the Nutrition Forum. Follow that.

[Shadow]

I shared yougert with her like i always do( i always give her it 3 times a week ) and I noticed she starting to eat more and coming to me too and starting to show little bit of her self.
Later I will be giving her the other stuff that she needs. But she starting to eat her fruit too. Does it mean she getting little better?

[Shadow]

i changed her diet, her new food has calsuim, and we got her Yougert bite , Cuttle bone, and banches for her teeth. Is their any thing else Should she need? To make her better? Later she will get her veggies.

[4skwerlz]

i changed her diet, her new food has calsuim, and we got her Yougert bite , Cuttle bone, and banches for her teeth. Is their any thing else Should she need? To make her better? Later she will get her veggies.
The fact that she's acting more like herself, and eating, means that you gave her enough calcium to temporarily raise her blood calcium levels.

Here's how MBD works:

Your body requires a certain amount of calcium in your blood and body fluids for your cells to function properly.

Normally, your body will take calcium from the food you eat to maintain blood calcium levels. If there isn't enough calcium in your diet to do this, your body will take calcium from your bones, where most of the calcium in your body is stored. The bones are like a "storage depot" for calcium.

It's okay for your body to take calcium from the storage depot occasionally; that's one reason it's there. But if you continue to eat a diet that lacks calcium, eventually most of the calcium in your bones will be gone. This makes the bones weak, and they can break easily. But even worse, your body now has no stored calcium to help keep your blood calcium level up.

Now, your blood calcium level will drop very low, which means your brain, nerves, your stomach, and even your heart and lungs can't function properly. This causes a lot of symptoms: loss of appetite, strange behavior, pain, paralysis, seizures, irregular heartbeat, etc. etc. If your blood calcium level drops too low, you will die.

Since Rocky has MBD, that means she doesn't have enough calcium in her bones to maintain her blood calcium levels properly. You gave her some calcium by mouth, and that temporarily raised her blood calcium, but without enough calcium stored in her bones, it is very dangerous, as Rocky's blood calcium level can drop again at any time!

So, to cure MBD you must do two things:

1. Give Rocky calcium by mouth several times a day to keep her blood calcium levels up.
2. Rebuild the calcium stores in Rocky's bones so she can maintain her blood calcium levels by herself.

The Tums will help with (1), but to rebuild the calcium in the bones takes many months. The only way to do this is to provide the proper diet, plus extra calcium, until the bones are rebuilt. It's even a little more complicated than that. Calcium works along with other nutrients, like protein and vitamin D. Without these, your body can't properly use the calcium to build bones.

This is why you must follow the Healthy Diet, which includes all the nutrients to maintain healthy bones. Plus the extra calcium as described in the Emergency Treatment and Long-Term Treatment.

Rocky MUST eat rodent block or squirrel blocks every day. There is no other way to give her ALL the protein and other nutrients she needs to get better.

[Shadow]

I gave her veggies today and she starting to eat and drink on her own. I'll get her the rodent blocks. Her Rodent food has calsuim in it, i also got her Yourgert drops which also has calsuim. My mother made sure all her foods have calsuim. How do i get her to start using the Cuttle bone? Where do I get vitamin D. for her?

[4skwerlz]

I gave her veggies today and she starting to eat and drink on her own. I'll get her the rodent blocks. Her Rodent food has calsuim in it, i also got her Yourgert drops which also has calsuim. My mother made sure all her foods have calsuim. How do i get her to start using the Cuttle bone? Where do I get vitamin D. for her?

Just follow the Healthy Diet and Rocky will get all the nutrients she needs. Rodent blocks have vitamin D, plus a lot of other things.

If you follow the Healthy Diet, you don't need any extra supplements normally. But in Rocky's case, of course, you will need EXTRA calcium for a while.

So Rocky's diet should be:

1. Rodent Blocks or Squirrel Blocks
2. Healthy Veggies (from the Healthy Diet List)
3. Wild Foods like branches and flowers
4. Extra calcium every day for a few months

No treats (like nuts and seeds) until Rocky is eating her healthy diet.

[Shadow]

What kind of flowers? I didn't understand that one Would Store Branch work for branches? Which one better to do make the rodent blocks or buy it? My mom try to look for rodent blocks at pet store and she said she couldn't find them. Her favorite Veggies are Carrots are they good for her? She don't like green veggies just carrots.

[4skwerlz]

What kind of flowers? I didn't understand that one Would Store Branch work for branches? Which one better to do make the rodent blocks or buy it? My mom try to look for rodent blocks at pet store and she said she couldn't find them. Her favorite Veggies are Carrots are they good for her? She don't like green veggies just carrots.

Here is a link to the healthy diet:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16093

If you still have questions after reading this, just ask.

[Shadow]

What kind of Wild food i still can't figure that one out? I was looking today for wild food but didn't know which to get her.

[muffinsquirrel]

For wild food, I gather fresh oak branches, sweet gum, apple or pear branches - they enjoy the leaves and chew all the bark off the branches. Right now, our oaks have tiny little baby acorns on the branches, and they really love those. I find mushrooms - or would if we ever got any rain! They are smart - they won't eat what isn't good for them.....at least mine never have. If they don't like it, I just don't bring any more of it in. They also like rose blooms as well as rose hips (the green round seed pods that are left after the petals fall off. The longer you leave them on the bush, the bigger they will get.) They like carnations, too, and all sorts of fruit blossoms. DO NOT feed them any bulbs or blossoms, such as tulips or jonquils. I will often bring in a hand full of weeds for them - what they don't want to eat, they sure enjoy destroying! I am in the minority on this one, but I will also bring in a dead, rotting log or branch for them - they love to dine on all the bugs they find in it. And they always seem to get them all - I never see any strange insects in the house. A log like that is just like a big all-you-can-eat buffet for them! :D In the fall and winter, they love pyracanthia (fire thorn) berries.

muffinsquirrel

[Shadow]

I am starting to give Rocky her heathy foods. I start giving her her veggis and her heathy diet. This weekend i will start giving her her rodent block.

[Shadow]

I got her the other foods she needs. But the rodent blocks. My mother doesn't think she needs them. She asked me why she needs them if the Rodent food has Protein, Calcuim , Vitamin A ,Vit D and Vitine E in it and the fresh bolici and musrums, and the Cutter one, the bite stick and the yougert snacks. I told her it her main food and that she needs it. She then says we had her for 7 years and she live fine with out it. I told her that she still needs it every day. And i also told her that the rodent food is her after she eats the rodent block. She don't think she needs it.

Does she really need the rodent block? I also give her her wild food.

[4skwerlz]

I got her the other foods she needs. But the rodent blocks. My mother doesn't think she needs them. She asked me why she needs them if the Rodent food has Protein, Calcuim , Vitamin A ,Vit D and Vitine E in it and the fresh bolici and musrums, and the Cutter one, the bite stick and the yougert snacks. I told her it her main food and that she needs it. She then says we had her for 7 years and she live fine with out it. I told her that she still needs it every day. And i also told her that the rodent food is her after she eats the rodent block. She don't think she needs it.

Does she really need the rodent block? I also give her her wild food.

What kind of "rodent food" is that?

[Shadow]

it called SunScription VITA+Plus
VITA+Plus Rat, Mouse, & Gerbil Formula it has Vitamin & Mineral and Calcium
And I feed her Broccoli , Mushrums, Cumbers, yougert, Wild life food leaveson branches, and once in a while i give her fresh fruit.
We also got her Vita- Sol liquid multi vitamins that i put in her water every 3 weeks.

I noticed since i start giving her mushrums and wild life food she been eatting more and acting like herself. 100% of her self. She still sleep but she comes out and runs around. We also give her Cutterbones and she eats that too.
And my mom was wondering if she still need the rodent blocks? we also give her yourgert bits for treats once in a while as well.

[4skwerlz]

it called SunScription VITA+Plus
VITA+Plus Rat, Mouse, & Gerbil Formula it has Vitamin & Mineral and Calcium
And I feed her Broccoli , Mushrums, Cumbers, yougert, Wild life food leaveson branches, and once in a while i give her fresh fruit.
We also got her Vita- Sol liquid multi vitamins that i put in her water every 3 weeks.

I noticed since i start giving her mushrums and wild life food she been eatting more and acting like herself. 100% of her self. She still sleep but she comes out and runs around. We also give her Cutterbones and she eats that too.
And my mom was wondering if she still need the rodent blocks? we also give her yourgert bits for treats once in a while as well.

I'm not familiar with that rodent food, but since Rocky got MBD while eating that food, it must be missing some nutrients. The rodent blocks are complete nutrition and much safer. Just keep doing what you're doing. :thumbsup

[muffinsquirrel]

Her name is Rocky. March of this year I lost her sister. She died in her sleep.

Shadow, please forgive me for being blunt about this, and please share my answer with your mother. What I am about to say is my own opinion, and I do not speak for the rest of the board.

The fact that you lost Rocky's sister 4 months ago is the best reason I know to show why Rocky's diet needs to be changed. I know you said that you did not know why your other squirrel died, but thought it might be that she might have gotten into some poison while she had escaped from her cage. I think it is very likely that she had MBD, and the symptoms were not recognized. (The symptoms can be different with each squirrel.) The MBD is through no fault of yours, but instead is a result of the bad information you got in your research, and believe me, there is a lot more bad information than good out there. So although Rocky has been on the same diet for 7 years, that doesn't mean she has been doing fine on it - it just means she has been lucky, unlike her sister.



my mom and I did reaseach on them and they told me to feed them mix parrot food. I didn't know she need calsuim ,it never said anything about it. She lives in big size long bird cage.

I feed her yougert and fruit. I try veggies and she never eats them.

Good information on flyers and other squirrels is very difficult to find. Until recently there has not been much research on them, and even now there is not a lot. But the internet has put a lot of squirrel lovers and rehabbers in touch with each other, and we exchange ideas, observations, what works and what doesn't. We know a lot more as a group than as individuals, and we share our knowledge. The information you find on TSB, NFSA, and a few other sites is as up-to-date and sound as there is. When we speak of MBD, it is from experience - we have learned the hard way what works and what doesn't in preventing and, hopefully, curing it.



I got her the other foods she needs. But the rodent blocks. My mother doesn't think she needs them. She asked me why she needs them if the Rodent food has Protein, Calcuim , Vitamin A ,Vit D and Vitine E in it and the fresh bolici and musrums, and the Cutter one, the bite stick and the yougert snacks. I told her it her main food and that she needs it. She then says we had her for 7 years and she live fine with out it. I told her that she still needs it every day. And i also told her that the rodent food is her after she eats the rodent block. She don't think she needs it.

Does she really need the rodent block? I also give her her wild food.

If you feed her HHB (squirrel blocks), she doesn't need the rodent chow or blocks. All she needs is HHB, fresh veggies, and some fresh fruit, along with some yogurt and in-shell nuts for her teeth. Keep the cuttlebone in her cage so that she can chew on it when she wants to. Keep fairly large branches in there so she can chew and climb on them. AFTER she eats her HHB, give her the veggies. You can give her a piece of pecan or other nut as a treat, but only AFTER she eats her HHB. Other occasional treats could be a few cheerios, a bit of dry oatmeal, etc. Like children with candy, they will eat nothing but nuts if you let them, so you MUST be firm about what you feed them, and make sure they eat the healthy stuff before they get their treats.

Keep up the healthy diet with Rocky - remember, it will take 'tough love' to get her eating right. But if you only feed her the good things, she will eat it eventually, and even come to like it. She WON'T starve herself to death, although she will try to make you think she is! :D

muffinsquirrel (aka Judy C.)

[Shadow]

Does it mean she getting better with her MBD? Today when i checked her cage, she ate all most all her mushrums. And her yougert.

[muffinsquirrel]

From what you have described, yes, she sounds like she is getting better. But remember - it took a long time for her to develope MBD, and it will take a long time for her to recover from it! Keep her on the healthy diet that we gave you, and keep giving her yogurt for the calcium. I am glad to hear that she is eating her mushrooms. Since flyers are nocturnal, they don't get vitamin D3 from sunshine. Instead, they have evolved to where they can take the Vitamin D2 from mushrooms and other foods, and change it into D3. And the D3 is necessary because they can't 'use' the calcium they get without the D3. My flyers get yogurt 3 or 4 times a week, as well as leg bones from chicken whenever we have it, as well as beef bones. (Mine seem to like the chicken best!) And they chew on their cuttlebone whenever they need it. (When they are pregnant, or nursing babies, they really go for the cuttlebone, because they need so much more calcium for the babies.)

I would say that Rocky's MBD was caught early enough that she will make a complete recovery as long as she is kept on the healthy diet. If you are feeding the HHB squirrel blocks, she won't need any other vitamin supplements - that's what's so great about HHB. Or one of the things that's so great! :D Just keep on caring for her, keep her eating good foods, and she should keep improving. And stay in touch with us - ask all the questions you want or need to - that's what we're here for. I've been involved with flyers for over 10 years, and am still learning new things about them. If you'd like to see some pictures of my flyers, please go here
http://community.webshots.com/user/muffinsquirrel
and look around.

muffinsquirrel

[Shadow]

my mother and I just order Rocky HHB ( Squirrel block ) for her. She really is 100% acting her self which making me so happy seeing her act herself. I am sticking to her heathy diet. She gets broccli , mushrums, her yougert , her wild branches with leaves and tiny bit of the rodent food but she been eatting her mushrooms the most and small bites of her broccoli. and night time i hear her eatting her cutterbone. When i get her squirrel block that what i'll be feeding her when she hungry then her veggies and the others. I am diffany sticking to this. She seems very happy on this diet.

[4skwerlz]

my mother and I just order Rocky HHB ( Squirrel block ) for her. She really is 100% acting her self which making me so happy seeing her act herself. I am sticking to her heathy diet. She gets broccli , mushrums, her yougert , her wild branches with leaves and tiny bit of the rodent food but she been eatting her mushrooms the most and small bites of her broccoli. and night time i hear her eatting her cutterbone. When i get her squirrel block that what i'll be feeding her when she hungry then her veggies and the others. I am diffany sticking to this. She seems very happy on this diet.

Good job! :thumbsup Just keep it up.

[Shadow]

I found some pictures of her when i took them. it was hard taking them. She a camera shy .

http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/Shadow07Sims/?action=view&current=FlyingSquirrel.jpg
one of her

http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj195/Shadow07Sims/?action=view&current=Rocky.jpg
Rocky

I wanted to share them with you.

[4skwerlz]

She's really cute! Keep us posted on how she's doing.

[muffinsquirrel]

She is SO CUTE! And those are good branches you have for her. I'm glad you have ordered the HHB for her, and that you are getting her on a better diet. Try her on some Sugar Snap Peas - all my squirrels love them. Do you have any in-shell nuts you can give her? Pecans, walnuts, hazel nuts, etc? She will enjoy eating them, and they are really good for keeping their teeth trimmed. Just don't feed her too many of them.

Sounds like you are on the right track with her now, and she should keep on improving. Give her a kiss from me. :D

muffinsquirrel

[Fireweed]

Shadow, Rocky is beautiful! :) You obviously love Rocky very much to seek out the best diet and care possible. I'm glad to hear she's doing so much better now! :wahoo

[Shadow]

She is very special to me. I raised her since she was a baby. I spoil her with different branches. I make her cage almost like a wild life. Since that where she came from so i try to change her cage around to try to make her feel like she in her own forst. I am just having a hard time keeping leaves on her top of her cage by her bed to hide her house to make it like she living in the wild. Every time i have her roof cover with leaves she eats them or turns them into a nest. Does anyone have any idea to make her cage more like wild life?
She has 3 houses to sleep. 1 a bird house. one a log house that she uses it as a feeding home and a small house she turn it into another nest. My family found a bird nest and they no longer use it and i gave it to her and she loves it. I am trying to get idea to change her home again to make it like she lives in the forst.