Coat and tail fur quality questions

[showey]

I have two Foxers over wintering.
Thelma's coat and tail is beautiful and full while Louise's is considerably thinner, especially in the tail.
They eat 3-4 Rodent blocks in the am, then veggies including Kale, Sweet potato, Broccoli and Cauliflower. Sometimes (recently) a couple of cranberries, an occasional Pecan and then 3-6 Rodent blocks again in the evening.
Thelma's tail has progressed nicely but I am worried about Louise's coat / tail.
Comments, suggestions?

[showey]

Thelma has the full tail, Louise has the thinner tail.

[showey]

Oh, BTW. They are inside all the time and do not get any sunlight at this point. They also eat some carrots, pine and oak bark and pine cones. Recently, Some vitamin yogurt drops too. Both are very active and have no movement / mobility issues. I am feeding Katee Fortidiet for Mice, Rats and Hamsters.
They are estimated at roughly 16 weeks now.
While her thinner coat or tail does in no way appear alarming, it's not as full as Thelma's.
Thanks in advance for your help and support.

[Mavrycs Mommy]

I have two Foxers over wintering.
Thelma's coat and tail is beautiful and full while Louise's is considerably thinner, especially in the tail.
They eat 3-4 Rodent blocks in the am, then veggies including Kale, Sweet potato, Broccoli and Cauliflower. Sometimes (recently) a couple of cranberries, an occasional Pecan and then 3-6 Rodent blocks again in the evening.
Thelma's tail has progressed nicely but I am worried about Louise's coat / tail.
Comments, suggestions?

are they eating 3-4 rb in the morning and 3-6 at night because thats all youre offering?! or is that just what youve noticed theyre eating!? because if youre feeding Kaytee you should keep their bowls full at all times because it is designed to be fed freely and should make up 75-80% of their daily diet!

im not sure about the tail because im not an expert lol (i just feed Kaytee,great stuff :D ) but im sure someone will be in to help you with this shortly!!!!! :jump

[Jackie in Tampa]

:poke FoxValley in a shallow lapping dish...
add mushrooms to their diet {store bought baby whites or porta bellas}
:thumbsup

:Love_Icon :Love_Icon
:poke we need more pics too!:D
My sqs have pretty tails and like HHBs!!!

[showey]

They get a half a bowl of the Kaytee in the morning immediately followed by a full bowl of veggies and then, when the veggies are gone, more Kaytee. Maybe I should be adding MORE Kaytee instead of just 6-10 blocks at a time?
I'll get them some mushrooms today.
Thanks!!

[UDoWhat]

They get a half a bowl of the Kaytee in the morning immediately followed by a full bowl of veggies and then, when the veggies are gone, more Kaytee. Maybe I should be adding MORE Kaytee instead of just 6-10 blocks at a time?
I'll get them some mushrooms today.
Thanks!!
This year am feeding KayTee and Zupreem Primate biscuits. I usually give 3/4 cup of block and 3-4 "monkey" biscuits per squirrell and like you a bowl of Veggies after the KayTee and biscuits. I check in the early afternoon to see if the KayTee needs to be replenished and usually add a couple of hand fulls more. I find very little uneaten block when I clean everyday. My squirrels are greys.

Marty

[gs1]

i don't see any kind of meat protein in there and i know that reds,greys and especially flyers need meat and (in flyers case could possibly lose hair if not enough meat, flyers can also die without enough meat)

i'd suggest trying waxworms or meal worms... (fresh - bought at pet store)

I'd also ask for suggestions from others feeding these bugs(larva) because you can't put them in the fridge and i think you have to be careful with them ...don't want them escaping into your house when they develop as insects....

also i don't know the amount - if any - of feeding worms to foxers......

:grouphug


in addition to the meat protein which is very,very important ... i also would recommend fox valley formula given in a dish (the fox valley is best insurance against mbd regardless if you will release or not) (the fox valley can be mixed in with a full fat yogurt ....)

keep trying....:)

[Skul]

Small pieces of cooked chicken can also be offered, as well as the drumstick bone.
The darker meat is probably the best.
Cooked egg, both the white and yolk, are also good.
Definately some mushroom. Helps with the vitamin D.

[showey]

They sniffed the portabella pieces I put in there last night and as if on cue they both looked at me with that "are you crazy? These SUCK!" Look on their little faces.
LOL

:dono :thinking

[SammysMom]

I am all to familiar with the "Are you crazy? These suck!" look...:jump

[Mavrycs Mommy]

They sniffed the portabella pieces I put in there last night and as if on cue they both looked at me with that "are you crazy? These SUCK!" Look on their little faces.
LOL

:dono :thinking

Mavryc is a foxer as well and he DOES NOT like mushrooms!! he will not touch them... they will sit in his cage until i remove them

but yes id def givethem more than 6-10 pieces of kaytee!!!! i keep mavs bowl full at all times (because like i said theyre designed to be fed freely) i fill his bowl up in the am (he often needs a refill before the day is over) i give him veggies in the after noon and nuts and treats just before bed :jump

[gs1]

slowly...it's like you're trying to stear a ship ... tiny little changes... maybe the mushrooms with something else they like or covered in some kind of sauce that they like ...like mashed strawberries etc...

they've got to get used to the food before they'll think it's safe enough to eat....

or maybe they'll see you eat it for a while etc.....

you can just buy two mushrooms every time you go to the store etc... you'll get some wierd looks from the cashier but so what.... :D

this is the same for all their foods....

for example the worms... if they don't want them ... try dusting something else they like onto them....

edit: maybe there should be a separate thread for foxer diets??? ... what's natural for a foxer to eat??? maybe it's a special mushroom found only in dakota etc???? (although be very, very careful if you think of collecting wild mushrooms ) get a really, really good guide first....

[showey]

Well, they do like the white ones!
Took a few days and a wee bit of sneaky-ness, but now they eat 'em up. They have a constant supply of Kaytee now as well.
We'll have to try again on the eggs.
It appears they just blew out their baby-tail fur because now, they are filling in SO much fuller!! beautiful!
Oh!! Today, they learned to bark at the other critters around the house if they got close.
Milestones, one right after the other.
Now, anyone have any tricks for teaching them NOT to pee outside the cage?