Meggie has become a picky eater

[momma2boo]

My Meggie will eat Harlan Teklad blocks, organic babyfood fruit with FV mixed in it, and pecans but will not eat them when mixed together to form Boo-balls. :thinking :dono

She refuses to eat kale, collard greens, mixed greens, asparagus, the tops of the broccoli, bok choy, celery, mushrooms, parsley, arugula, watercress, bean sprouts, sprouted beans, .... oh <sigh> the list goes on and on and on.

Oh my fluffy girl (can't say fat ... she gets offended) has no problem eating carrots, grapes, blackberries, blueberries, apples ... really, anything sweet. Oh yeah, she can't get enough acorns. She would gorge herself on them if I let her (of course, I won't let her).

Who knows what vegetables are sweet that she might like? I am spending an arm and a leg (small fortune) trying to find something that will appease the queen. :shakehead

When I got Meggie she refused to eat anything. She would only take FV formula. I was able to get her to eat the Boo-ball ... she loved them, but now we've gone full circle.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. My overwintered girl (Picabo) loves everything so I don't know what the scoop is.

[djarenspace9]

Those darn picky eaters!!! :nono

The only way I get around that is feeding the stuff I want them to eat first in the morning,
and withholding any fruit or nuts (basically the GOOD stuff) until the end of the day.

It has worked so far.
Of course my picky eaters still don't eat as much of the veggies as I'd like, but we've made that compromise.

It sounds like you are offering a good variety, which is key because they are fickle too.
Some days celery is AWESOME, then the next it SUCKS! :D

As far as not liking the Boo Balls try different nut mixtures.
I had the same issue when I tried giving Blocks and had to keep trying til I perfected the nut mixture that was agreeable to their taste buds.

Now its the first thing everyone grabs off their dish.

This morning I RAN OUT OF BLOCKS...forgot to make some last night.
You cannot imagine the nasty looks I got...the silence in the room... :dono

If she LOVES acorns, try blending some into the mix.

Squirrel Psychology :thumbsup

[lizharrell1]

Have you tried sweet potatoes? Mine love them. Mine also like parsnips, yellow squash, sugar snap peas, yellow wax beans, pole beans and snow peas. Of course, that was YESTERDAY.:shakehead Today may be a whole new story.:D

[momma2boo]

Oh she loves the stuff I need to limit (like sweet potatoes, acorn squash, carrotts ...) Go figure.

Today she actually nibbled on some radish, a little red cabbage, an entire snow pea pod, and a taste or two of the broccoli. Hoping her pickiness turns around soon.

Until it does I will continue to mix babyfood fruit and FV together. She laps it up off a baby spoon. At least I know she is getting her vitamins in the FV.

Should I roast the acorns first before trying to grind them up to put in the Boo-ball?

[mugzeezma]

Oh she loves the stuff I need to limit (like sweet potatoes, acorn squash, carrotts ...) Go figure.

Today she actually nibbled on some radish, a little red cabbage, an entire snow pea pod, and a taste or two of the broccoli. Hoping her pickiness turns around soon.

Until it does I will continue to mix babyfood fruit and FV together. She laps it up off a baby spoon. At least I know she is getting her vitamins in the FV.

Should I roast the acorns first before trying to grind them up to put in the Boo-ball?
I wouldn't do acorns
Acorns scare me because of aflatoxins. I would rather throw them a few and let them pick.
Keep offering the good stuff...don't let her chose the menu so much
If she's eating block and active relax. Maybe she isn't hungry due to less activity and growth requirements.

[momma2boo]

[QUOTE=mugzeezma]I wouldn't do acorns
Acorns scare me because of aflatoxins. I would rather throw them a few and let them pick.
[QUOTE]

That was my original thought because they would pick the ones that were good and leave the others behind to produce worms.

She was really hungry before our cold snaps began. I think she was packing on the weight for the cold winter and now she doesn't need all that weight so she is self regulating.

[mugzeezma]

[QUOTE=mugzeezma]I wouldn't do acorns
Acorns scare me because of aflatoxins. I would rather throw them a few and let them pick.
[QUOTE]

That was my original thought because they would pick the ones that were good and leave the others behind to produce worms.

She was really hungry before our cold snaps began. I think she was packing on the weight for the cold winter and now she doesn't need all that weight so she is self regulating.
That would be my guess :thumbsup

[muffinsquirrel]

All of mine - grey, foxer, and flyers - have gone totally crazy over garbanza beans (aka chick peas). Some of them will take the garbanzo beans instead of a pecan piece. Not only do they like to eat them - they seem to think it great fun to shell them. There are usually 1 or 2 peas in each papery, sort of oval, pod. I'm sure that they will eventually tire of them, but they show no signs of slowing down so far.

muffinsquirrel

[Rhapsody]

When my Picasso tried to get picky on me I just waited a little longer in between feedings and I only gave two choices of vegetables at a time and never gave him any treats or nuts (fruits are treats btw) to eat until the end of the day had arrived and he had eaten all of the other days healthy foods... it worked for us.

[momma2boo]

The Divine Miss M likes her veggies steamed. She dove into her bowl with wild abandon! She shoved her face into a piece of cauliflower, ate her broccoli stem, ate the entire snow pea pod (minus the strings), ate her zucchini, sweet potato, and her acorn squash. She is now munching on a blackberry and a blueberry. My girl even ate part of a Boo-ball this morning ... it was accidental but she still ate some. She was trying to eat the seasame seeds off the outside of the Boo-ball and also got some of the Boo-ball. :D :thumbsup

I was telling hubby how Meg likes steamed zucchini ... he looks at me and says "ummmm .... I like steamed zucchini." :poke Poor guy is jealous of the squirrels. LOL

:dono Whatcha gonna do? Guess I'll be making him some steamed veggies for dinner tomorrow night. Tonight we'll be eating at my parents since I need to be out there to shower my mother and sister.

Have a great Sunday everyone.

[Anne]

WhatdidItellya---whatdidItellya:D :jump :jump :wahoo :wahoo

[mugzeezma]

WhatdidItellya---whatdidItellya

ANNE!!!
you told her to STEAM the veg???:rotfl :rotfl :rotfl

what type of wine should she serve with that?

champagne perhaps???:rotfl
:jump :jump :jump

[island rehabber]

Tonight we'll be eating at my parents since I need to be out there to shower my mother and sister.



uh-oh...I'm remembering how you described this at the Gathering and the giggle fit has started.....mmmmmmbbbbbbahahahahahaaaaaa!!!! :rofl4

[momma2boo]

uh-oh...I'm remembering how you described this at the Gathering and the giggle fit has started.....mmmmmmbbbbbbahahahahahaaaaaa!!!! :rofl4


Yeah, but I forgot my special _______ scrubbing clothes at home. :rotfl :rotfl

[island rehabber]

Yeah, but I forgot my special _______ scrubbing clothes at home. :rotfl :rotfl
:jump:osnap:jump

[Skul]

We feed acorns on a regular basis. They're part of their natural and wild diet.
Just open the nut first so you can evaluate it.

[momma2boo]

We feed acorns on a regular basis. They're part of their natural and wild diet.
Just open the nut first so you can evaluate it.

I have only one bag left in the freezer so I have to ration them :dono
But if Meggie had her way that would be ALL she ever ate. She loves them ... not really, I mean she LOVES them. :shakehead

[Rhapsody]

The Divine Miss M likes her veggies steamed.



Yes.... that is another way you can try giving them to your squirrel. When you get a picky eater you can try frozen, cooked, steamed or even place a little peanut butter on the food you are serving to get their attention again.

[Rhapsody]

We feed acorns on a regular basis. They're part of their natural and wild diet.

I just went acorn hunting with my 5 year niece yesterday at the park - we are in Central Florida so it acorn season all year long :wahoo :wahoo

It was so cute - my niece wanted to go play at the park with her brother and yet she didn't want to leave her Aunt Carolyn along to gather all the acorn by herself (so she stayed with me)..... that made me fell so loved. :Love_Icon

P.S.
after about 5 minutes I finally talked her into going to play at the park.

[momma2boo]

Here is something quirky and new.

Meggie likes the Boo-balls (get this) FROZEN. She tore into it this morning. I had made too much last time so I froze it in small batches. I decided this morning to try it ... I knew it was a long shot but figured I had nothing to lose. So I chisled through it and offered her a chunk. My goodness she was very enthusiastic over eating it.

:thinking Who knew? She is such a strange girl. :shakehead
Oh well :dono ... I do whatever it takes to get my squirrels to eat what they need. I would stand on my head if I thought it would help.

[momma2boo]

Yep ... she ate another one tonight. I guess it's the new fad. :dono

[momma2boo]

:bump for those interested in the antics of my crazy squirrel

[muffinsquirrel]

My Meggie will eat Harlan Teklad blocks, organic babyfood fruit with FV mixed in it, and pecans but will not eat them when mixed together to form Boo-balls. :thinking :dono



Meggie reminds me of a book I read long long ago - I don't remember the title or the author. But the little girl in the book would go out with her parents to a nice restaurant, and ask for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich - all on separate plates! (Maybe Meggie can read?)

muffinsquirrel