Tough love = really tough to do

[shllyrse]

So it's been 2 days now that I've only been offering Thumbelina healthy vegetables that she doesn't like, and this is really hard. She's definitely pissed at me, and seems really hungry, but still won't touch her vegetables. I'm guessing to keep going, and sooner or later she'll eat them?
She's still getting 13 cc FV 2x's a day, and 1-2 HHB (160 gram red squirrel) as well as the veggies.
What she's been served the past 2 days:
parsley
kale
dandelion greens
brussel sprouts
celery

Kinda munched on a brussel sprout today, but nothing more than 1 nibble.
Do I keep this up? She's definitely upset, and will show no affection at all, and doesn't want me to touch her. She's not being mean, just moving away from my hand anytime it comes near her :(

[djarenspace9]

Realistically it's not gonna happen overnight but I promise from my own experience with some tough cases that it can happen!

I have Nugget who was 5 months old when her owner sold her to a TSB member off Craigslist.
She had only been fed a mix of sunflower seeds, peanuts and dried corn and would literally not touch the dish of veggies and fruit I gave her for weeks.
She did not recognize these things as food.

After about 2 weeks she started with some of the tastier items (fruit), and within 4 weeks was picking the broccoli first off her dish.
Now after 2 months in my care she is a solid good eater and very healthy, just working her way to release!

You have to be REALLY consistent in the feeding schedule and offer the good foods every day, even if she does not touch it, until she does one day, you will see!

I've had many tough cases and they all gave in eventually.

It does not mean you should starve her, but leave the good stuff in long enough before you give other food sources every day (afternoon I'd say) and only enough to feed not save or stash.

Before you end your day make sure there are no goodies she can munch on in the morning when you start over with the good stuff for the first half of the day.

[shllyrse]

Realistically it's not gonna happen overnight but I promise from my own experience with some tough cases that it can happen!

I have Nugget who was 5 months old when her owner sold her to a TSB member off Craigslist.
She had only been fed a mix of sunflower seeds, peanuts and dried corn and would literally not touch the dish of veggies and fruit I gave her for weeks.
She did not recognize these things as food.

After about 2 weeks she started with some of the tastier items (fruit), and within 4 weeks was picking the broccoli first off her dish.
Now after 2 months in my care she is a solid good eater and very healthy, just working her way to release!

You have to be REALLY consistent in the feeding schedule and offer the good foods every day, even if she does not touch it, until she does one day, you will see!

I've had many tough cases and they all gave in eventually.

It does not mean you should starve her, but leave the good stuff in long enough before you give other food sources every day (afternoon I'd say) and only enough to feed not save or stash.

Before you end your day make sure there are no goodies she can munch on in the morning when you start over with the good stuff for the first half of the day.

Ok, but aren't I supposed to give her HHB in the am so she eats that when she's hungriest?
*What I've been doing is giving her 1 FV feeding and a HHB in the morning. Then in the afternoon giving her fresh veggies and another HHB if she's eaten hers... Then at night I would give her a piece of fruit, 1 nut, and 1 more feeding of FV.
*What I've done yesterday and today is still the FV and HHB in the AM, healthy veggies that she doesn't like in the afternoon, and FV at night. I'm guessing this is wrong, because she seems so hungry, ravenous even.
Help me :D

And, I clean out her stashed every night before bed, except I leave the veggies overnight incase she wants any (take them out in the morning, and replace with new ones in the afternoon). I leave pinecones in all the time. Please correct me if this is wrong.

[djarenspace9]

Oh yes, definitely keep feeding the FV and blocks!
You can try not giving the FV in the morning and focusing on the blocks + veggies.
Offer FV later because if she fills up on that first thing it does not leave much appetite for the block and veggies.
It's a matter of teaching her to eat those foods for now and creating the conditions where that might happen (appetite and what is available!)
Don't reduce the amount of daily FV just rearrange when it is given.
I don't know much about Thumblina, how old is she?

[shllyrse]

Oh yes, definitely keep feeding the FV and blocks!
You can try not giving the FV in the morning and focusing on the blocks + veggies.
Offer FV later because if she fills up on that first thing it does not leave much appetite for the block and veggies.
It's a matter of teaching her to eat those foods for now and creating the conditions where that might happen (appetite and what is available!)
Don't reduce the amount of daily FV just rearrange when it is given.
I don't know much about Thumblina, how old is she?

She's approximately 13 weeks old. When I found her at 6 weeks or so, she was pretty much hairless, except for a layer of peach fuzz covering her whole body. No-one was sure why, because it wasn't patchy, and she wasn't itchy. I treated her with revolution, and nothing happened. Then, about 10 days later my FV came in the mail and after about 1 week on that she grew hair in a week!! Except for her tail, which is really sparse, and I'm kind of worried about that.
I was finally thinking she would be releasable, until I realized she was having issues with her vision. Her pupils are a hazy blue color. She can see, but it seems limited, and when she runs around, she runs head first into things. I posted pictures of her eyes on here and was told it was definite vision loss/impairment, and again there's a possibility she's NR if it doesn't improve (which I was also told is extremely rare). So, that's this poor girls story. She's approxiamtely 160 grams.

[djarenspace9]

Awww poor baby, she has been through a lot. Seems you really care about her wellbeing -- nutrition is the one major thing that can help her be her healthiest so keep working at it. I have 13 squirrels in my care either NR or in long term care (meaning they should be releasable but have a long rehab process ahead) and regardless of where they came or how bad their nutrition was before, all eat veggies and blocks now. Nugget is the one I'm most proud of because it was bizarre to me she would not even eat the naughty produce like fresh corn, avocado and fruits!! She had no idea and no interest. It really takes time and patience and some wasted food while you work on it, but they do learn to like it!

[shllyrse]

Awww poor baby, she has been through a lot. Seems you really care about her wellbeing -- nutrition is the one major thing that can help her be her healthiest so keep working at it. I have 13 squirrels in my care either NR or in long term care (meaning they should be releasable but have a long rehab process ahead) and regardless of where they came or how bad their nutrition was before, all eat veggies and blocks now. Nugget is the one I'm most proud of because it was bizarre to me she would not even eat the naughty produce like fresh corn, avocado and fruits!! She had no idea and no interest. It really takes time and patience and some wasted food while you work on it, but they do learn to like it!

Well, Nugget is an inspiration! Yes, Thumbelina LOVES corn. I used to give her about 3 kernels once a week or so, and she would dig through the bowl like crazy, tossing everything else out on the ground just to get to it! She loves avocado too, but she would only get a small piece at night every now and then.
I do care about her well-being, so much. That's all I'm trying to do, is do right for her. She's the sweetest little thing (when she's not starving!!) I will be patient.
13 squirrels! That's a lot of squirrels for sure :jump

Also, I know I read she is supposed to wean herself off of the FV, but I'm wondering when around that happens? And I've heard about giving yogurt, so I would give about 1/2 a tsp. every 3rd night or so. Is that alright? Should it be done more often? Should I mix powdered FV into it?
Thanks for all of the help :bowdown

[djarenspace9]

Weaning is something I believe should be done on their terms.
I do rearrange when they get the FV so it encourages eating the solids at the start of the day.
I think if you take away the morning feeding and give the FV later in the day and before bed you will see a big change!
Yogurt is great, and it does not need to be daily just regularly for probiotic benefit and if she is on the small side it can help her gain if it has fat in it.