Frozen food!!

[YamahaGirl]

Hi Everyone!

Ok, here is my latest dilemma....

Being that it is about 10 degrees here in Buffalo, I am finding everytime I put food out it freezes within a short time. I dont think my 2 are eating as much at all, not nearly as much as they used to.

First, do they normally eat less in the winter time in the wild?

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep the food from freezing? Would a heated bowl help? I was concerned about a heated bowl that they might eat/chew the cord, NOT GOOD!

Even the water freezes and I will find them licking at the ice trying to drink, poor little guys.

They dont even want to eat the rodent block, it must be freezing somewhat too!

I would appreciate any suggestions!
:thankyou

[Critter_Queen]

A heated bowl would only work if you could keep the cord totally out of reach...I haven't figured out how to do that yet. :)

When it gets this cold, you're better off to do a morning and afternoon feeding...giving half portions at each feeding and replacing the water. In the wild, most all water is frozen right now, so I doubt most wilds are drinking much besides what humans put out for them...and snow.

Hope this helps! Only a little longer and they'll be FREE! :thumbsup

ETA: the warmer the food and water are when you put them out, the faster they will freeze. I know it sounds illogical, but I tried it with water-to-ice and it's true. Warm water freezes faster than cold water. Just food for thought...

[YamahaGirl]

:thankyou :thumbsup

[Mars]

They need high protein for energy and fat this time of year. Think about what the wilds will be finding or have stashed. I feed a grop based in pumpkin seeds and has dried fruit. I'll post the recipe later when I have more time. In the summer time I give nuts as treats but in the winter they become a staple. Try dried mushrooms. I also feed sweet potato and carrot sticks. They will eat those frozen. For the water bowl try putting a Snuggle safe under it. Even so you will have to change it often.

Hope this helps

[Critter_Queen]

They need high protein for energy and fat this time of year. Think about what the wilds will be finding or have stashed. I feed a grop based in pumpkin seeds and has dried fruit. I'll post the recipe later when I have more time. In the summer time I give nuts as treats but in the winter they become a staple. Try dried mushrooms. I also feed sweet potato and carrot sticks. They will eat those frozen. For the water bowl try putting a Snuggle safe under it. Even so you will have to change it often.

Hope this helps

Yep, mine get more nuts (not a TON, but more than the rest of the year) and a lot of pumpkin seeds. Mars is absolutely right... I also feed the petite baby carrots, sweet potato chunks...and occasionally they will eat the sugar snap peas frozen as well.

A snuggle safe, huh? I might just try that... Watch, I'll come back in a couple of hours and all the wilds will be in my aviary standing around it like the office water cooler... :D

[Mars]

:jump :jump

[YamahaGirl]

Thanks sooo much!

I am cutting up butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, mushrooms. They will eat it when I first put it down for a bit then they run up to the house and sleep for a while when they come back down to eat again, of course its frozen and they dig at the bowl, the food flings everywhere, they dont seem to like it frozen at all. So when I see them out I try to change the food so at least I know they are eating at that time.

Yes, please that recipe would be great, thank you! What is a snuggle safe?

I have a few of those heat packs you break open, I was thinking about trying one of those inside of a fleecey bag and putting the bowl or at least the food on that and see if it would stay "unfrozen" longer.

[GhosTS]

Good ideas Mars..Pupkin seeds are great because of the high protein content.And nuts.:thumbsup

[Mars]

Go here

http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=390

:D

[YamahaGirl]

Go here

http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=390

:D

Great!!! These are re-usable?

[Critter_Queen]

Yes, they last for hours at a time, and can be reheated for years. :thumbsup

I LOVE THEM.

[YamahaGirl]

OH EXCELLENT!

Ill order one today!

Thanks!!!!

[rygel1hardt]

They do make heated dog water bowls with wrapped cords to prevent chewing. Another option would be to put the cord inside a piece of PVC pipe to stop them chewing it. Stacey

[myflyer]

they also have reuseable hand warmers like hunters keep in their pocket while hunting-you would just have to make sure to enclose them so the squirrels cant tear them up and ingest the media.

[Mars]

As promised one recipe for Squirrel Grop

One 5lb bag pumpkin seed (petco)
one 5lb bag Woodpecker fruit and nut mix (Wild Delight is the one I purchase)
one 3lb Bag Jumbo raisens (BJ's or Sam' club)
one 3lb Bag Dried sweeten Cranberries (BJ's or sam's club)
One 4lb bag kaytee Supreme Fortified Daily Blend for small mammals (petco)
and about 3lbs pigeon seed mix (this is a mix of larger seed for racing pigeons purchased at the local farm and grain garden center)

Mix well and serve. :D

I try to pick the products that have the fewest sunflower seeds and peanuts in them. But it seems they are impossible to avoid all together.

[YamahaGirl]

Are the sunflower seeds bad for them or just if you give too many?

[island rehabber]

hi YG :wave123....we just checked out this subject on another thread:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3592

[YamahaGirl]

Hiya!!!:thankyou