growth spurts and weaning

[RatLadyofHanover]

I was wondering if squirrels do the growth spurt thing...like kids do? Eat like pigs while they are having a growth spurt then level off again?

My 3 squirrel girls are now 16 weeks old. A few weeks ago they slacked off taking the formula and i thought they were in the process of weaning themselves but then they started to take it again like crazy. Now, this week they are turning their noses up again. What gives? I haven't changed anything else like the type or amount of foods i give them.

I know the logical thing to do would be to weigh them... but...well...that would be like trying to get a tazmanian devil onto a scale... not happening!

Also, any tips for geting the devils back in the cage after playtime? Presently, my husband and i have the maneuver down to 10-15 minutes to get all 3 back in, but there has to be a better way!

Thanks!

[RatLadyofHanover]

Hmmm... no takers on this thread. I'm still pondering the curiosities of squirrel physiology and behavior if anyone wants to comment.

Also, about the Henry's Blocks. My girls systematically chew them into half centimeter pieces then spit them out. At $20 a bag i'm not sure i want to keep providing them. Anyone else's squirrels do this?

[Skul]

Sometimes it takes a little time before you have a responce.
Not all of us sit at the puter waiting for the next post.

In answer to your question, yes they do.
It runs in cycles and slowly tapers off.
If you have a NR, they will continue for most of their lives.
As long as the little one will take it, offer it.
No harm is done, and it has many added benfits.

[2ndHandRanchRescue]

Sometimes it takes a little time before you have a responce.
Not all of us sit at the puter waiting for the next post.

In answer to your question, yes they do.
It runs in cycles and slowly tapers off.
If you have a NR, they will continue for most of their lives.
As long as the little one will take it, offer it.
No harm is done, and it has many added benfits.

yep they are individuals that's for sure. My NR Katie I swore has an eating disorder - non-stop piggy for 2 years now. Bear my old toothless NR - his appetite comes and goes & Ginger my 3 year old NR is just a snob, we battle every day to eat.

As for Henry's: LOVE THEM. But as a rehabber I can't afford (I have taken donations and love them) but I use Mazuri rodent block / boo balls. And when I'm flush with cash will get more Henry's. The folks there put lots of work into the calcium values. I add Boo Balls, a few nuts and lots of veggies and natural foods.

As for getting them back to their cage. I let my guys each have free time too - but they only get their nuts INSIDE the cage. So they have play time and then its nut time lock up - Ginger after 3 years - doing this every day/night still hasn't caught on!

Nice to meet you:Welcome

[RatLadyofHanover]

Thanks for the reply.

Skul...are you talking about the formula or the Henry's blocks? I will continue to offer formula as long as they want it, but i was under the impression that they kind of wean themselves eventually. If all goes well, my girls will be released in the spring.

2ndHand... nice to meet you too! What's a "BooBall"? I had a bit of a scare the other day. One of the girls seemed to have no energy and wasn't jumping and running like usual. All i could think of was the MBD thing (yes, they were getting alot of nuts). I gave her a quarter of a Tums which she scarfed, got veggies high in calcium and yogurt the next morning, and cut out all nuts and the "squirrel mix" stuff. She was back to herself the following day. I don't know if that was it or something else entirely but it scared me enough that i quit putting all the junk in their bowls. Now they are getting formula, veggies, rat blocks (which they really don't like that much), henry's, and one nut each at night. They also get wild stuff like branches and pine cones.

[Skul]

The formula.
They do wean as such, but like I mentioned, they will accept it well into their adult lives.
This doesn't mean you have to keep making it.
Only that they may take it if you do.

[2ndHandRanchRescue]

sounds like a good mix. That calcium and is important - Henry's are great and boo balls are on TSB somewhere but here's a link of cool stuff for us squirrel nerds. I tried to put all of us TSB folks on one link at my website to help.

They will wean them selves - or not LOL!!!- I know my little Garnet all of the sudden just REFUSED his formula but has a huge hungry man appetite for everything else, but I know others have squirrels that just love their formula forever! When my toothless squirrel got so sick last year - all of the sudden he wanted formula - goofy animals.

http://www.2ndhandranch.com/links-for-rehab-suppliesshopping.html