Imp and his HHB's

[niapet]

Hey all,

Well we have recently started giving Imp HHBs just to be safe. His nutrition has always been good and he has never shown any sings of MBD but I love him too much to take ANY chances.

The problem is he wont eat them. It has been a couple days and he still refuses to even consider eating them. I haven't given him any nuts since we got them and haven't even allowed him ANY other food, but the HHBs. He just goes and gets food out or storage and begs all day. He will eventually deplete his hidden reserves but it is very sad, I think he hates the blocks a lot..

Does anyone know a recipe for squirrel blocks I could use to make my own? Imp loves hazel nuts and, while he doesn't hate pecans, they are not his favorite by far. So I was thinking if I could make the blocks myself I could use hazel nuts as a base instead of the pecans HHB's uses.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

ask the owners of Henry's
http://www.henryspets.com/contact-us/

[SquirrelCav]

Hi Niapet. Check out the "Dealing with Picky Eaters" sticky here:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31473

If that doesn't answer your questions, by all means email or call us. We'll be happy to help you.

- Jay

[Scooterzmom]

Hey all,

Well we have recently started giving Imp HHBs just to be safe. His nutrition has always been good and he has never shown any sings of MBD but I love him too much to take ANY chances.

The problem is he wont eat them. It has been a couple days and he still refuses to even consider eating them. I haven't given him any nuts since we got them and haven't even allowed him ANY other food, but the HHBs. He just goes and gets food out or storage and begs all day. He will eventually deplete his hidden reserves but it is very sad, I think he hates the blocks a lot..

Does anyone know a recipe for squirrel blocks I could use to make my own? Imp loves hazel nuts and, while he doesn't hate pecans, they are not his favorite by far. So I was thinking if I could make the blocks myself I could use hazel nuts as a base instead of the pecans HHB's uses.

You can make the HHBs yourself, and you could use hazelnuts instead of pecans then. I believe the recipe is still there in the "Nutrition" sticky. If not, just email me and I'll email you back the recipe.

[SammysMom]

Squirrel Block Recipe (Revised 01/31/10)

Makes approximately a 4-week supply for a 1-pound squirrel.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit

Dry ingredients:
72 g Pure Whey Protein Isolate for adult formula (for growth formula, use 168 g).
200 g finely ground nuts (any kind; peanuts, pecans, or almonds work well)
2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1 tsp non-iodized salt (Optional)
1 package (45 g) Henry's Healthy Vita-Mins*

Wet ingredients:
1 whole egg
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract (optional)
1/2 cup water, or a little more, as needed (this is for growth formula only; do not add water to the adult formula unless the dough is too dry when mixed)

Instructions:
Place dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

Add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until dough sticks together. It will be fairly dry, like pie crust dough. Wearing gloves or with your bare hands (oiled), press the dough down and then start to knead it. Once the dough forms a ball, place it onto a lightly greased surface and knead a few more times until smooth and uniform in color. Roll dough out into a roll about 12 inches long and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 60 minutes. While still warm, cut into 60 pieces with a sharp knife

Allow the blocks to cool for at least 2 hours. Then place in zip-lock bags and store them in the fridge or freezer. They will keep in the fridge for several weeks. They will keep in the freezer for several months (unopened and with as much air as possible removed from the bag before sealing). Some squirrels enjoy eating them cold or frozen, but you can also put a cold block into the microwave for about 5-10 seconds to warm it up.

Feed 2-3 per day for a 1-pound (453 g) squirrel. Different squirrels will have different energy requirements.

[astra]

Hi niapet,

What everyone said, and definitely - contact henryspets with any questions you might have.

I just want to say that this is perfectly normal and very common - for a squirrel, who has not been used to blocks of any kind - to reject them at first.
That's why it is strongly suggested that their first solid food be a block of some sort.
So, this is totally normal.
Especially, if a squirrel is a picky-eater personality ;)
But it can be done and it has been done.

If the homemade recipe is still not appealing enough, try BooBalls - they can be a huge help in assisting a squirrel transition to eating a block.
Start with BooBalls according to the recipe and then, gradually decrease other ingredients, increasing the block part in it.

Sometimes, breaking them into smaller pieces seems to help.
Some people pour Fox Valley formula over the broken block and that seems to help some picky eaters.

One way or the other, it will work out eventually.
Just lots of patience, consistency and tough love ;)

Also, make sure he has no stashed food and give those first thing in the morning, but stick to it, so that he does not think:" ok, I'll skip this because later on she will give me the "real" food"