Hurt foot

[Betsy]

Skamper, my little grey squirrel is about a year old seems to be favoring is right rear foot. There is no swelling or bleeding. He licks it and uses it less than normal. He still plays and climbs indoors and out. What do I need to watch for so I will know for sure if this warrants a trip to a vet? I hate the thought that he could be in pain. He eats well and has a nice shiny coat.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[mpetys]

Hi Betsy. I just came across this thread and saw no responses. I'm sorry about that. I am hoping someone contacted you privately. Anytime you post a question and get no response, do not hesitate to post another comment, even if it just a *BUMP* to get the thread back at the top of the page and visible.


How is Skamper doing today? I am not an expert but if he is doing well, playing and climbing, then that sounds good. If he gets less active, then I would get concerned. The licking would have me worried as well. Some will lick themselves until they have created a wound. I have a dog that does that.

Please post an update and hopefully one or more of our experienced rehabers will stop in.

[4skwerlz]

Hopefully your squirrel just sprained his foot. However, it's a good idea to make sure it's nothing more serious, like MBD, which can cause weakness in the hind legs.

Can you describe your squirrel's diet? Is he eating some kind of rodent block every day?

[Betsy]

Skamper is doing much better today. He is no longer licking his foot and it is not quivering anymore. He still holds it a bit different than normal. He is still full of steam and attitude.

His diet is full of fresh fruits and vegetables such as different types of squashes, pumpkin, sugar snap peas, green beans, brocolli, cauliflour, bell pepper,sweet potao, apple, apricot, pomegranite, small amounts of avacado and small amounts of various nuts in the shell and acorns.

I have ordered two different types of squirrel blocks-- even the one for picky eaters-- from Henry's and neither of my two boys will have anything to do with it. I have also ordered from "The Squirrel Man" again the same result -- my two squirrels will not touch it. I have bought from the local PetsMart things like Kaytee FortiDiet for mouse rat and hampster. My two won't go near a rodent block. I do have an extra water dish in their outdoor habitat that I put Dolomite powder in so that there will be an another source of calcium for them. If you have suggestions for a way to make them eat rodent block I am listening and will give it my best shot.

Thanks for your interst and concern. God bless you for being there!

[4skwerlz]

Skamper is doing much better today. He is no longer licking his foot and it is not quivering anymore. He still holds it a bit different than normal. .....My two won't go near a rodent block.
You obviously realize your squirrels need blocks to avoid MBD. I do think that "quivering foot" could well be the first signs of MBD.... Below are guidelines for making the change to a Healthy Diet when you've got picky eaters. These techniques work! but you have to be firm....we call it "tough love." Good luck, and keep us posted.



Switching Your Squirrel to The Healthy Diet


Basic Steps:

1. Clean out all food stashes. This is very important, since your squirrel will ignore healthy foods if he's got lots of yummies stashed. If your squirrel has a stash, he will constantly beg food to add to it; he may also become protective or even aggressive about his stash. So stashes are a no-no, at least at first.

2. Feed blocks in the morning, when your pet is hungriest, with no other foods. Then leave. He will probably ignore the block and continue begging for something else. That's okay.

3. Eliminate treats. NO extra nuts, no fruit, and no treats of ANY kind. No sips of your coke, or bits of pizza crust, or any kind of treat.

4. Give your pet his healthy food and then leave. If he won't eat it, never go back to the kitchen to get something else for him. This is a very bad habit that teaches them to be picky eaters.


Feeding Routine:

Breakfast: 1 HHB with no other food.

Lunch: Healthy veggies (NOT corn and sweet potato and avocado: these are high-starch, high-energy treats; not healthy veggies). A handful of spring mix salad is good. There's a complete list of healthy veggies in the Healthy Diet for Pet Squirrels. Print it out and stick it on your fridge.

Afternoon snack: Some kind of wild food from outside: a fresh branch with leaves (make sure it's not toxic), some grass from your lawn (only if untreated with chemicals), a pine cone, magnolia cone, some pine needles, or more healthy veggies.

Dinner: 1 HHB. Just leave it there and don't worry if he eats it.

He probably won't eat much of the food you provided the first day; that's normal. The next morning, clear out any uneaten food, and repeat. In fact, he may not eat any of the healthy foods you're giving for several days. In the first place, your pet probably has plenty of body fat, so she won't really be that hungry. Also, she may have hidden stashes you didn't find. Just be patient. Your squirrel will absolutely not starve herself to death.

Some squirrels adjust quickly to the Healthy Diet and love the blocks. Others are more resistant and take more time. Squirrels like routine and they don't like change. Your squirrel might seem confused, restless, or he may even get angry at first. However, once he gets used to the NEW routine, he will learn to love it just as much. So stick with it.

If you stick to the above diet very carefully, your squirrel should begin to eat his healthy foods within 5-10 days.

Note: If you feed Henry's Healthy Blocks (HHBs), feed two blocks per day (approx. 10 grams). If you feed regular commercial rodent block like Kaytee or Harlan Teklad, you will need to feed 50 grams of blocks per day, which is a small handful.

[mpetys]

Skamper is doing much better today. He is no longer licking his foot and it is not quivering anymore. He still holds it a bit different than normal. He is still full of steam and attitude.

His diet is full of fresh fruits and vegetables such as different types of squashes, pumpkin, sugar snap peas, green beans, brocolli, cauliflour, bell pepper,sweet potao, apple, apricot, pomegranite, small amounts of avacado and small amounts of various nuts in the shell and acorns.

I have ordered two different types of squirrel blocks-- even the one for picky eaters-- from Henry's and neither of my two boys will have anything to do with it. I have also ordered from "The Squirrel Man" again the same result -- my two squirrels will not touch it. I have bought from the local PetsMart things like Kaytee FortiDiet for mouse rat and hampster. My two won't go near a rodent block. I do have an extra water dish in their outdoor habitat that I put Dolomite powder in so that there will be an another source of calcium for them. If you have suggestions for a way to make them eat rodent block I am listening and will give it my best shot.

Thanks for your interst and concern. God bless you for being there!

Hi Betsy - glad Skamper appears to be doing better. Diet looks good. Have you seen the recipe for the Henry blocks? It is in a sticky note in the nutrition section. You could try making a batch and see how your guys like those. Could change the nut used or change vanilla extract to almond! when I make them, my guys love them warm from the oven. I even like them.

Who or what is The Squirrel Man?

[4skwerlz]

Diet looks good.
:wave123Michele, maybe you didn't notice that although Betsy has tried to get her squirrels to eat blocks, she hasn't succeeded and they won't touch any kind of block.

No diet that does not include blocks is good. The rest of the diet looks good, but without blocks, it is still MBD waiting to happen, as we well know.

This is so important that I wanted to make sure there was no confusion about what constitutes a Healthy Diet.:peace

I hope the instructions I posted will help.

[mpetys]

:wave123Michele, maybe you didn't notice that although Betsy has tried to get her squirrels to eat blocks, she hasn't succeeded and they won't touch any kind of block.

No diet that does not include blocks is good. The rest of the diet looks good, but without blocks, it is still MBD waiting to happen, as we well know.

This is so important that I wanted to make sure there was no confusion about what constitutes a Healthy Diet.:peace

I hope the instructions I posted will help.

Leigh, I did notice that Betsy had not succeeded in getting her squirrels to eat any kind of block. That is the reason why I was suggesting that she try your recipe and make them herself; that maybe if she tweaked the flavors, she might hit upon something that her squirrels would eat. Also, I find that even when mine get tired of them and are not eating them as whole heartedly as usual, when I make a batch and give them some while they are warm, as I am cutting them up, and they smell so good, they go nuts over them and it seems like it kinda kick starts their desire for them.

What I meant when I said "the diet looks good" was that the variety of fruits and vegetables looked good as did her limiting the avocado and nuts.

Betsy, if you misunderstood what I was trying to say, I apologize. I surely didn't mean to imply that you should feed what you are feeding (fruits and veggies) without any blocks.

[Tickle's Mom]

Here's something else to try - they are called "Boo Balls". :thumbsup

I have an MBD squirrel Tickle and she is having a rough day today - been at work with me. Has had Metacam for pain and refused everything except for a Boo Ball at 5:30. They are a great way to get high quality food and nutrients in our squirrels. Most love them.

Here's the recipe [copied from Momma2Boo, who created and shared this recipe]:If you have any questions, she's a member on here too.


"Here is the recipe and instructions for my Boo Balls:

There have been a couple of changes. I used to use Kaytee and HT. I now only use Harlan Teklad. I also alternate the type of nuts I use to keep my squirrels from becoming bored. I use almonds, pecans, or sometimes I mix a bit of waltnuts in with one of the others.

Ingredients:

50 grams rodent block (crushed to a fine powder) I use Harlan Teklad 2018.

50 grams powdered Fox Valley squirrel formula. I use 32/40.

50 grams crushed nuts. I NEVER use peanuts.

3 capsules of Multidolphilus.

20 grams "organic" coconut oil (melted)

1 jar (approximately 100 grams) of Earth's Best Organic baby food fruit (I use apples and plums) (The jar is more like 110 or so grams. I use the whole thing.)

Directions for mixing:

Mix dry ingredients together well (including the multidolphilus powder from inside the capsules).

Mix organic baby food fruit in to your dry ingredients until well blended. It will seem very wet.

Mix coconut oil into the mixture until well blended. I've been adding less with the warmer weather. I add the full amount in the winter.

Put in the refrigerator for 5 hours (Overnight is even better). This lets it set up. It softens/moistens the rodent block and dissolves the FV.

Once you are ready to serve it take out about a 1/2 tsp (5 grams) of the mixture and roll is in your hands but not so much that it will melt the coconut oil. Give it to your squirrel."

[island rehabber]

This thread is about a concerned squirrel owner whose squirrel has a hurt foot and possible signs of MBD. I have moved the threads debating the virtues/use of Boo Balls to their own thread in the Nutrition Forum. This debate will NOT be revisited in the Help Needed forum, Life-Threatening or not. Stay on topic and help the squirrel, please.