grains? coconut?

[justplainnutz]

I was looking through the Calcium/phosphorous charts and I see I've not been doing such a good job of balancing their diet, though they seem quite healthy and happy. But it looks like I need to add some greens and cut back on the corn & sweet potatoes(they're not gonna like that!).

I did have some additional items I'd like to ask about. First, grains. My munchkins (greys) LOVE wheat and oats. They eat whole grains of wheat that I get from the international market and rolled oats. And they also eat prepared oatmeal and farina (Cream of Wheat) to which I add a bit of flax and some ground almond. Especially when it's cold, they love these hot cereals. Is there anything wrong with them eating wheat and oats? How do these rate on the Cal/Phos scale?

Lately I've also added fresh coconut to their diet to help fatten them up for winter. They LOVE it. Anybody know any reason why it would be bad for them? (or why they shouldn't chew on the coconut shell, which I'm saving to make a hanging toy for them).

[justplainnutz]

I don't know anything about "blocks". I'm not a rehabber, just an animal lover who ended up with a couple of orphans on my doorstep. This is my first time raising anything other than dogs & cats. Are you talking about those little rodent blocks they sell at PetCo for $2-$3 each??? I bought those once and my 2 squirrels went through them before the day was up, and that was before they were fully grown. I figured I couldn't afford to keep that up. They've lived on grains & veggies & Science Diet (which I'd read was the best thing if you can't get Zupreem Monkey biscuits) since they were weaned which has probably been 6 months ago. They seem very healthy, happy, and active. I hear a lot of people on here talking about FoxValley. What is that and where can I get it?

[grinn75]

Fox Valley is a formula (milk replacer) you feed to young babies. Once the babies are old enough to eat solid foods they should be started on a high quality rodent or squirrel block. This is to ensure they are getting proper nutrients, all the other foods on the healthy diet list are supplementary. Most squirrels to maintain a healthy diet and weight should eat 2-3 blocks per day. I listed a few of the good blocks below.

Henry's Healthy Blocks - online, http://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-diet/

Harlan Teklad - I think you can only buy on-line

Kaytee - available in most pet stores, http://www.kaytee.com/products/fortdiet-mouse-rat-2-lb.php

Mazuri - available at some Pet Smart and other pet stores but also on-line, http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/product/416/mazuri-rodent-block.htm

And Zupreem - available on line, http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/product/416/mazuri-rodent-block.htm