Teeth

[Pamela]

How do I know if and when Hurry (Hurricane) needs his teeth cut back? He has stopped trying to open his nuts and only wants one’s that are shelled. Should I take him to the vet? Can I measure them and how long should they be? Oh! And he keeps getting nuts stuck in his mouth and I have to get them out. And he doesn’t want me to. As ya’ll know this can be a real fight.
He has also stopped eating his veggies he only wants nuts. He loves mushrooms and now turn’s his nose up at them. I was thinking will his sick of that kind so I have gotten every mushroom I can find. Even dried ones and nope want touch them.
I know that I have spoiled him. But its hard not to! His so sweet and loving. Its hard not to give him a pecan when his kisses his mom and those little eye’s or saying please mom just one pecan or a dozen.
I'll take him to the vet if ya'll say I should. She is going to get on to me "AGAIN". I just don't want to take him and pay all that money again to be told he is "FAT and SPOILED".
:dono

[Somebody's Mother]

i don't know about the teeth but you might want to tell your vet what winston churchill told a woman that was heckling him one time about his weight. he said," mam i may be fat but you are ugly and at least i can do something about my condition!" i hate vets that try and tell us we have overweight and spoiled animals. anything that can give me that much love and comfort can have whatever he or she wants, including the last cinnamon roll at the breakfast table. :D

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

or saying please mom just one pecan or a dozen. I know what you mean, I have always loved your avatar, fiqured it was time to let you know.:D

[Timber]

"he's Fat and so Spoiled". Now that didn't cost you a cent!:jump :rotfl :jump
But we love him anyway!!!

[Secret Squirrel]

For the health of Hurricane I would cut out the unshelled nuts and give him only 1 nut in the shell per day.
Do you have deer antler, cuttle bone and fresh branches for him to gnaw on? Each of those will help him keep his teeth worn down. Also squirrels will grind thier teeth on thier own. Kinda like what my dentist tell me not to do!!! Grind my teeth...LOL!!!

For healthy bones he needs more green leafy vegtables, kale, spinage etc....mine like fresh brussel sprouts too!! It keeps them busy and good for them too. I also put a small rock about the size of golf ball, so they can chew on it ....and belive me they do.
It wouldn't hurt to let the vet check his teeth for proper alignment or trimming if necessary.
If the vet says he's too fat....just let it roll off....then look at the vets butt while he/she isn't looking!!!!!:jump It make the day go by with a inner chuckle!!!!!:smoken

[Secret Squirrel]

For the health of Hurricane I would cut out the unshelled nuts and give him only 1 nut in the shell per day.
Do you have deer antler, cuttle bone and fresh branches for him to gnaw on? Each of those will help him keep his teeth worn down. Also squirrels will grind thier teeth on thier own. Kinda like what my dentist tell me not to do!!! Grind my teeth...LOL!!!
For healthy bones he needs more green leafy vegtables, kale, spinage etc....mine like fresh brussel sprouts too!! It keeps them busy and good for them too. I also put a small rock about the size of golf ball, so they can chew onit ....and belive me they do.
It wouldn't hurt to let the vet check his teeth for proper alignment or trimming if necessary.
If the vet says he's too fat....just let it roll off....then look at the vets butt while she isn't looking!!!!!:jump It make the day go by with a inner chuckle!!!!!:smoken

[Mars]

Does he have a malclusion (sp?) ie are his teeth not matching up? If so yes he needs to see a vet. This can be very uncomfortable and dangerous. And yes he would have difficulty eating. You can offer him bones and antlers (both available at Chris's Squirrels and more) to chew on. Also branches of maple, beech, oak, apple as well.

Hope this helps.:D
Mars

[Pamela]

No he doesn't have malocclusion. His teeth do line up.
He want eat on the bone's. I did get some from Chris. He wants no part of them. I tried washing them to get the wild smell off. Nope didn't work. Anything to do with a tree he goes nuts we have to take it out. I have to buy things at the pet store for him to bite on.
He can eat and he can drink. But his teeth are long. And he gets nuts stuck in the top of his mouth. Maybe he just like to hold them there. Do they do that?
I give him every kind of veggies you can think of. Even things I want eat. As for the nuts. Well let me say its not just me. I go to work and come home to find that the NUT FAIRY has came by. And when I ask his Dad or Mister they don't know how they got in the cage with him.
How long should his teeth be?
:dono

PS: Now Timber (Pam) you know my sweet little baby is not "Spoiled" Ops let me run Hurry is calling... LOLOL

[Somebody's Mother]

btw the cinnamon roll went to the cocker spaniel. i would never give dinky a cinnamon roll. no worries.

[Pamela]

btw the cinnamon roll went to the cocker spaniel. i would never give dinky a cinnamon roll. no worries.

Hurry would have loved to have just a small bite of that cinnamon roll.

:jump

[Mars]

Here is a picture of a skull with healthy teeth. http://www.kidwings.com/skulls/nonbird/easterngraysquirrel/left.htm

I hope this helps.

[Somebody's Mother]

dinky likes oatmeal cookies. :)

[Pamela]

Here is a picture of a skull with healthy teeth. http://www.kidwings.com/skulls/nonbird/easterngraysquirrel/left.htm

I hope this helps.

Thank you Mars that did help. Now I have a few more questions. Do they hold things in the top of there mouth? And do they lick or sip water? The reason I ask about the water is Hurry (Hurricane ) will only drink water from a bowl. And he will be a sleep and have a nut in the top of his mouth.

[Mars]

I have never seen a squirrel hold food in thier mouth as you discribe. Have the top teeth curled back? I have babies who drink from water bottles and I have babies who perfer bowls. I believe they lick the water. There may be some sputtering as they learn not to inhale the water when they drink. Either is fine. There are no water bottles in the wild and all must learn to take water from a bowl before release.

[Preacher]

Just a thought....does Hurry have a place to "bury" nuts? That may be why he holds on to them. BH will grab one & have it all day till I let her out to bury it!! Once in awhile she'll bury it in her nest box...but shes learned if she has it everytime I come in the room I will eventually feel sorry for her & let her out!! Never seen her sleep with one though.
Yes they lick, either in a bowl, or a waterbottle, or glass, or cup...unless the cup happens to be styrofoam...then they just bite a hole in it & stick their head under it & go to town!!!
I've seen others post & I've learned with BH to give them their veggies before any nuts, ya know...like telling a kid they have to eat their veggies fore they can have dessert. If you have a hard time finding nuts still in the shell then go out & hunt some acorns...he should tear into them!
It is IMPORTANT to keep something around for him to chew on ....he'll figure out the chewin part!!!

[Pamela]

I have never seen a squirrel hold food in thier mouth as you discribe. Have the top teeth curled back? I have babies who drink from water bottles and I have babies who perfer bowls. I believe they lick the water. There may be some sputtering as they learn not to inhale the water when they drink. Either is fine. There are no water bottles in the wild and all must learn to take water from a bowl before release.

No his teeth are not curled back.Maybe he just gets them to far back in his mouth and can't get them out. I guees I need to open his mouth wider and check his back teeth.

He has always used a bowl. He has a bottle but he want use it. I just can't see how they can get there tongue over those teeth to be able to lick anything. And he gets water up his nose at times.
I guess I just feel at his age he should be able to drink water without doing that. After all his over a year old.
:dono

[Pamela]

Just a thought....does Hurry have a place to "bury" nuts? That may be why he holds on to them. BH will grab one & have it all day till I let her out to bury it!! Once in awhile she'll bury it in her nest box...but shes learned if she has it everytime I come in the room I will eventually feel sorry for her & let her out!! Never seen her sleep with one though.
Yes they lick, either in a bowl, or a waterbottle, or glass, or cup...unless the cup happens to be styrofoam...then they just bite a hole in it & stick their head under it & go to town!!!
I've seen others post & I've learned with BH to give them their veggies before any nuts, ya know...like telling a kid they have to eat their veggies fore they can have dessert. If you have a hard time finding nuts still in the shell then go out & hunt some acorns...he should tear into them!
It is IMPORTANT to keep something around for him to chew on ....he'll figure out the chewin part!!!

Hi Preacher
He does have a place that he hides all his nuts.He get fresh veggies put in his cage 2 times aday. They are in it 24/7. So he can eat when ever he wants to.
And I do keep wooden things in his cage that he can chew on. And he did but now his not. So that has me worried. I guess today I'll try and put something his not had in there before. But what am not sure. The inside of his mouth looks good. Just in case your going to ask.
Maybe tonight when his dad is home we can get some pictures of his teeth and mouth. Oh! That should be fun.

[Mars]

Here is an idea some other kind soul posted earlier. Put marbles or stones (something too large to get in his mouth) in the bottom of the water bowl. That way he will not be able to get his nose in too deep. Be care to check the water level if you do this least it get to low. It should be just above the stones. :)

[Mrs. Jack]

Would it be okay to give Hurricane something to shred? I am thinking of the sad demise of poor Mr. Pillowman. Maybe he's tired of chewing and would like to tear something to bits.. it'd be a change and get him using his mouth again for something other than holding nuts.

[Pamela]

[QUOTE=Mars]Here is an idea some other kind soul posted earlier. Put marbles or stones (something too large to get in his mouth) in the bottom of the water bowl. That way he will not be able to get his nose in too deep. Be care to check the water level if you do this least it get to low. It should be just above the stones. :)[/QUOTE

I can try that but the only thing is he like to bath in his water. And then scream and want me to come and dry him. But that sounds good I have some nice river rocks that I can use.
Thank you

:flash3

[Mars]

Keep his bath water and his drinking water separate. Who wants to drink their own bath water? Only put the bath water in when you are their to tend him. It can become a play time.

[Pamela]

Would it be okay to give Hurricane something to shred? I am thinking of the sad demise of poor Mr. Pillowman. Maybe he's tired of chewing and would like to tear something to bits.. it'd be a change and get him using his mouth again for something other than holding nuts.

That sounds good I'll do it.
I was also thinking that just maybe I should not leave his food in the cage 24/7. Maybe just put a small amount 2 times a day. Leave it so long and then remove it. What do you think about that.

:dono

[Mars]

I feed my babies once a day. I start in the morning by giving them rodent block. About an hour later I take in seed and dried fruit and melon or veggies or what ever is on the menu that day. I rotate what I feed to keep them interested. They get nuts about twice a week. The only food I leave in the cage for them to snack on is the rodent block. It's GOOD for them, doesn't spoil and I want them hungry to start all over in the morning. So I know they are eating at least some of the rodent block and not just their favorites. Kids and veggies again. My babies are healthy little thunderpaws.

Squirrels get bored. You need to think about enrichments, ie toys, cardboard tunnels, new branches to pull apart and shred. And you must change these often. I was up to two this morning doing a complete change over in one of my cages. I can try to post pictures tonight if you like.

[Gabe]

Mars, I know I would love to see pics. If you stayed up that late to do an "extreme makeover" give yourself credit.:D It's always fun to see how someone else sets up their habitats.