The alfalfa debate

[momma2boo]

Why are we so against alfalfa? As I've been researching I've found that alfalfa is a natural food of the ground squirrel. I would think the ground squirrel is far closer to our tree squirrels than a rat, don't ya think?

Plus, Meg goes NUTS over the stuff.

I know it can cause tumors in rats but since squirrels are NOT rats, just as ground squirrels are not rats, I don't think we should keep it from our squirrels.

I am interested in everyone's take on alfalfa. Do you think it's safe, not safe, and why?

[Fireweed]

Is alfalfa a 'natural' food to ground squirrels or a 'convenient' food? :thinking

Most of what I've read about ground squirrels in captivity says not to feed alfalfa to them because it's too high in protein/too caloric. Some sites say you can give ground squirrels alfalfa as a treat only, most say not to give it at all.

As for the phytoestrogens, well...you obviously know about them causing tumours in rats. Imo, if humans eat, wear, use, and medicate all sorts of things that have been deemed safe using rats as test subjects then it doesn't seem much of a leap to suggest that what would harm rats might harm their rodent cousins, squirrels. I know it's not ideal to compare rats and squirrels but it's certainly smarter to do so than comparing rats and people! :rotfl

I personally don't feed alfalfa to tree squirrels or ground squirrels in my care because there is so much other food I can choose from to feed them that has not been reported to cause any negative effects when given to tree squirrels, ground squirrels or even rats. :tilt

[momma2boo]

I didn't find anything saying they were being fed alfalfa. These were not captive ground squirrels, these were wild. I read that ground squirrels were eating the stuff from the field on their own. Between them burrowing in the ground and eating the stuff the fields were destroyed.

[Fireweed]

Yeah, that's what I was wondering... If we grew fields of honey-flavoured corn tortillas they'd probably be living off (and among) those as well... :rotfl question is, how well? :dono And maybe because they are wild they are way more active and/or healthy and so the alfalfa doesn't affect them in quite the same way as a captive ground squirrels? :thinking Also, many wild ground squirrels hibernate or go into a prolonged state of torpor which supposedly keeps them much more healthy than captive ground squirrels...It seems to me the lack of hibernation and/or torpor in captive ground squirrels would make them even more likely to be affected by things like obesity and poorly immune systems... :dono

[momma2boo]

Yeah, that's what I was wondering... If we grew fields of honey-flavoured corn tortillas they'd probably be living off (and among) those as well... :rotfl question is, how well? :dono And maybe because they are wild they are way more active and/or healthy and so the alfalfa doesn't affect them in quite the same way as a captive ground squirrels? :thinking Also, many wild ground squirrels hibernate or go into a prolonged state of torpor which supposedly keeps them much more healthy than captive ground squirrels...It seems to me the lack of hibernation and/or torpor in captive ground squirrels would make them even more likely to be affected by things like obesity and poorly immune systems... :dono

Makes sense.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm ... honey flavored corn tortillas. I want to live there!