Tough Love - how long to let it go? [Archive]

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Busysqrl

10-25-2010, 06:41 PM

OK, so I have a wild squirrel I caught 2 weeks ago. He has a broken back (verified by an X-ray), but can climb just fine. I have him in an outdoor cage right now and I've been giving him his vit/min mix from the HHB recipe in 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter every day because he won't touch the blocks. He was kinda thin when I first got him so I wanted to put a little weight on him first before I tried tough love. I want him to have the protein that's in the blocks. So today I put out his veggies and fruit and the blocks. I ground up one block and mixed it with almond butter. The other one was plain. If I get home from work and he hasn't eaten any of the blocks, do I give in and give him some nuts with the vit/min mixed in with peanut butter spread on the nuts? It's cold and rainy here and I feel so bad for him. If he were indoors and warm, it might be different. I don't know how long I can hold out. Any advice? He really only eats apple, raspberries and a little cucumber and nuts with the vit/min peanut butter. He won't touch freeze dried worms or live ones either. HELP!

lilidukes

10-25-2010, 06:56 PM

Hey Busy, I wouldn't stress him with tough love yet. You two have come so far in such a short time.

mugzeezma

10-25-2010, 10:03 PM

Hey Busy, I wouldn't stress him with tough love yet. You two have come so far in such a short time.
I don't recommend tough loving a wild...work with him...you'll get there!
You can offer a dollop of yorgurt.
You can make up some booballs.

Depending on where you live try offering green branches and maple helicopters. Oak branches, twigs, acorns, buy mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, avocado...I don't know too many Sq that don't like the 'cado! :D

Busysqrl

10-26-2010, 10:22 AM

Thanks Mugz, yep tried all that. He won't eat avocado or tomatos yet. I also haven't seen him sampling his maple branch yet either. He can't sit up well, so getting into those maple helicopters is a problem, so I open them for him. I think he's eaten some of those. He also LOVES Benebac, so he gets a small amount of that every couple of days along with Vetri-DMG. He did eat a squirrel block yesterday so I rewarded him with a hazelnut with peanut butter on it and a walnut last night which he of course ate. He did eat a 1/2 brussel sprout yesterday, who woulda thunk that, LOL! Hmmm, I hadn't thought of offering yogurt or mushrooms as my girl won't touch either of them, but I'll get some and see if I can get him to try them. He gets a whole variety of fruits and veggies each day, just wish he'd eat some. I was happy with the brussel sprout though, he of course eats apple, grape and corn. I know the corn isn't great in large quantites, so just a little corn. :thankyou

Kristal

10-26-2010, 05:38 PM

They really do have such individual food preferences. Mine check what the other is digging on, so they build a kind of consensus, but each still has personal preferences. Little Babe still goes nuts over broccoli, and Nibbler still will not munch squirrel cookies, though he does like block. In other words, try everything :) Their preferences change, too, btw. So try anything later on, too. Variety is key for these guys, and it also makes for a healthy squirrel.

Busysqrl

10-30-2010, 11:34 AM

Just thought I'd post a quick update. My wild squirrel is now eating 2 homemade squirrel blocks per day along with his other stuff. It was actually pretty easy to get him to eat them if I didn't offer nuts along with them. YEA!

stosh2010

10-30-2010, 12:16 PM

Try Romaine lettuce, grapes,pear,peach,cilantro(roots) ,watermelon, green beans... mix it up. Good Luck ! (>>>>>>>>>>>Rama Rota eats almost EVERYTHING !!
################################################## ################################################## ##########Stosh >>> Keeper of the KING ( of Costa Rica )

Busysqrl

10-30-2010, 02:04 PM