Question about Homemade HHB'S

[jbillings]

I have everything I need to make homemade HHB'S except for the Vita•Mins. Can I use anything in place of them or are they a must? :dono

[astra]

I have everything I need to make homemade HHB'S except for the Vita•Mins. Can I use anything in place of them or are they a must? :dono

yes, they are a must. Actually, they are the whole point of HHBs :)

[jbillings]

​Grrrrr

[astra]

yes, they are a must. Actually, they are the whole point of HHBs :)

PS if you buy a bulk package, it is fairly affordable. A bulk package is about 5.5 months of HHBs for one grey squirrel, feeding 2 per day. Keep vitamins in the fridge.

PPSS - I mean bulk vitamins

[jbillings]

I let myself run out of them and I have 9 kids to feed! I know, BAD ME! Can I make them without the vitamins for now until I get them just so I have something other than veggies to feed them?

[astra]

I let myself run out of them and I have 9 kids to feed! I know, BAD ME! Can I make them without the vitamins for now until I get them just so I have something other than veggies to feed them?

i guess, you could, but why waste ingredients?

Maybe, instead you could make some balls out of Fox Valley? if you have some FV - mix it with some ground nuts, some no sugar added baby food or apple source, shape into balls (just let them sit overnight in the fridge before feeding)

But if you don't have FV - go ahead, make them without vitamins.

Also, some squirrels like oatmeal - just dry flakes of oatmeal, straight from the package, not cooked or anything. Maybe, you could try that, too. Oatmeal is no vitamins, but it is nutritionally good and provides bulk, too

[jbillings]

I don't have any applesauce but I do have apples that I could smoosh up. Would that work?

[astra]

I don't have any applesauce but I do have apples that I could smoosh up. Would that work?

if they are juicy :)

do you have some yogurt, or kefir? even plain water will do.

You need it to moisten FV and ground nuts enough to be able to shape them into balls.
It's just that apple sauce is more delicious than plain water, but hey - whatever you have to moisten will be fine.

I used yogurt and kefir, as well as, water sometimes. If it comes out not flavourful enough for them on water - add a smudge of some almond butter to "spice it up"

[jbillings]

Thank you astra! I will try done now! I'll let you know how they turn out :thumbsup

[astra]

Thank you astra! I will try done now! I'll let you know how they turn out :thumbsup:thumbsup

[jbillings]

Quick stupid question: do you leave the FV in powder form and just use enough "liquid" to make the ball stick?

[astra]

Quick stupid question: do you leave the FV in powder form and just use enough "liquid" to make the ball stick?

yes, just take some FV powder + mix some ground nuts (forget the ratio, but you could try 2 part of FV to 1 part nuts; or something like that. I prefer to start with the possible minimal amount of such fillers as nuts, and see how it is liked, and increase it gradually just enough to make it palatable. Sometimes, I just add a little bit of some natural nut butter for extra flavour kick. If you use ground pecans or walnuts - they are more flavourful than ground almonds
).
Then, start adding your moisterner gradually, mixing, until it becomes like dough - not too wet, not too dry. Just enough to start shaping into balls.

Because you will be using powder into which you are gradualy adding moister/liquid, but it's not as much liquid as when you mix FV to feed as formula, it needs to sit in the fridge overnight, so that it all mixes and dissolved well.

and not a "stupid" question at all :poke:grouphug

[jbillings]

Thank you :grouphugThank you :grouphugThank you:grouphug

[astra]

PS i think, in the original booball recipe it was equal parts of FV and ground nuts... but don't remember for sure...
again, try and see what will work for them.

Don't make a lot the first time - just enough for one day. Then, see if you need to adjust the ratio

[jbillings]

:thumbsup

[jbillings]

The Booballs were a complete SUCCESS! I made about 30 of them and they ate them all and kept wanting more! Guess I'll be making more today!
216423

[Anne]

They certainly look yummy! Better make a huge batch and freeze part of it or you will find yourself with another career!

[jbillings]

Haha! Thanks Anne! I think the fresh apples are what made them! I was thinking of adding some vanilla whey protein to them! What do you think?
Hope liked them so much that she refused to drink her FV after I gave her one! She just wanted more of those! :eek

[Anne]

If they are BooBalls instead of homemade HHB's, I wouldn't add anything more to them. The vanilla whey will make them smell great-the wonderful aroma of FV!
Your title said HHB's but your post said BooBalls:poke:grouphug

[jbillings]

I started out wanting to make HHB'S but I didn't have the Vita•Mins from Henry's so it was suggested that I make Booballs instead til I could get them. Just wanted to see if I should try and make them a little healthier.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

I made treats with mashed sweet potato and FV moosh together until you can roll it into a ball and freeze, They LOVE them!!!
You can add crushed nuts ( I only used almonds ,which block calcium as much as other nuts do) and sesame seeds ( high in calcium )

[jbillings]

Sweet! I'll try those too! I have plenty of sweet potatoes and I already know mine love those! I have walnuts, pecans, almonds and sesame seeds! Maybe I'll just crush them all and put them in a big zip-loc for when I need them! :thumbsup

[astra]

The Booballs were a complete SUCCESS! I made about 30 of them and they ate them all and kept wanting more! Guess I'll be making more today!
216423

:thumbsup just make sure they don't replace HHBs :)(balls are a treat and a temp. solution only - in case your fuzzers decide they want balls only and no HHBs :))

[jbillings]

OK guys, back again with another question! I finally got the Vita.Mins to make my blocks after which I had already looked into making my own mix from all of the different vitamins that are in it. With a little help from someone here and an OLD recipe from way back in the day, I was gonna make them the hard way! Well, I never got around to doing it so here we are again.... Anyway, my question is, the recipe has changed quite a bit from back then as far as the wet ingredients go. You used to put plain yogurt and all natural peanut butter in the mix. Has anyone done this with the new recipe and if so, how did they turn out? It just seems to me that a combination of both recipes sounds even yummier :grin2

[astra]

that really old recipe must have been before my time:), because even in the older versions that I do have, there is no yogurt.

So, can't share any experience with that.

I did try mixing natural almond butter with ground nuts, and it was ok. But ground nuts + some courser ground nuts seem to be working best for me.

[jbillings]

Thanks astra! Guess I'll wing it! :thumbsup

[astra]

Thanks astra! Guess I'll wing it! :thumbsup

why not use the new version?

Although, I am all for yogurt and such as part of one's menu, I am apprehensive about it as an ingredient in HHBs.

Don't know what the old recipe was like, but was it, too, for a one month supply?

If the recipe provides a 1 month supply, that means the final product should have a storage life of 1 month.
But I am not sure how yogurt mixed with other things will do sitting in the fridge for one month. Fermented dairy products do have a longer shelf life than non-fermented, but still...
but, maybe, it does work... :thinking

[Chip27]

If not too difficult could you please post the recipes for these? They look delicious and I'm sure my lil one would love these.:thankyou

[jbillings]

why not use the new version?

Although, I am all for yogurt and such as part of one's menu, I am apprehensive about it as an ingredient in HHBs.

Don't know what the old recipe was like, but was it, too, for a one month supply?

If the recipe provides a 1 month supply, that means the final product should have a storage life of 1 month.
But I am not sure how yogurt mixed with other things will do sitting in the fridge for one month. Fermented dairy products do have a longer shelf life than non-fermented, but still...
but, maybe, it does work... :thinking

I am just gonna stick with the old recipe plus a few tweaks! It came out way too wet so I added some FV to it. It's in the oven now! We'll see :eek

[jbillings]

If not too difficult could you please post the recipes for these? They look delicious and I'm sure my lil one would love these.:thankyou

​Did you want the recipe for the Blocks or the BooBalls?

[astra]

Homemade Squirrel Block Recipe (or Henry's Healthy Block - HHB)
(Revised 11/01/11)
Makes approximately a 4-week supply for a 1-pound squirrel.

Preheat oven to 205 degrees Fahrenheit

Dry ingredients:
80 g Pure Whey Protein Isolate for adult formula (for growth formula, use 160 g).
130 g finely ground nuts (any kind; peanuts, pecans, or almonds work well)
1/3 cup wheat flour (optional)
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1 package (33 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 or flatten into a square, and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. 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 1-3 per day. Different squirrels will have different energy requirements.

+++++++++++++++++

for an average grey squirrel 2-3 per day, usually.
Make sure, they actually eat it and not just stash it.

Also, please remember that BooBalls are treats only.
HHBs - daily staple. HHBs first, everything else comes next.

[jbillings]

I would suggest adding the water very GRADUALLY! Mine was WAY too wet. Then of course my daughter was helping me and that was her part. She very well could have added too much and I just don't know it! That will teach me to turn my back :eek

[jbillings]

The finished product! Still cooling so I don't know if they are a hit yet but they sure do look good! :grin2

217035

[jbillings]

I thought I resized this pic but apparently not! Uggghhh Sorry!:eek

[jbillings]

All cooled and a HUGE success! :jump ​I have 9 VERY happy squirrels!! :thumbsup

[farrelli]

So glad they're a success! Good job!

[SugarBugFerret]

They look good! Glad the squirrelys liked them! :thumbsup

[jbillings]

Thanks guys! :tilt

[island rehabber]

They look great! :thumbsup

[kastillo]

Homemade Squirrel Block Recipe (or Henry's Healthy Block - HHB)
(Revised 11/01/11)
Makes approximately a 4-week supply for a 1-pound squirrel.

Preheat oven to 205 degrees Fahrenheit

Dry ingredients:
80 g Pure Whey Protein Isolate for adult formula (for growth formula, use 160 g).
130 g finely ground nuts (any kind; peanuts, pecans, or almonds work well)
1/3 cup wheat flour (optional)
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1 package (33 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 or flatten into a square, and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. 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 1-3 per day. Different squirrels will have different energy requirements.

+++++++++++++++++

for an average grey squirrel 2-3 per day, usually.
Make sure, they actually eat it and not just stash it.

Also, please remember that BooBalls are treats only.
HHBs - daily staple. HHBs first, everything else comes next.

This is the version I use. They turn out just like HHB's . I love it and save a little $$ per bag.

[kastillo]

Oh and the easiest way I get the dough out of the bowl, because it is very sticky. I cover my hands with coconut oil and have a pile of wheat flour there, and I gradually work the ball out of the bowl with a fork dusting it with wheat flour and working the edges out with a fork, dust, work, etc.... then it comes out in a nice non sticky ball which can be kneading on a surface with coconut oil, and coconut oil covered hands. And it won't stick to the baking pan either.

[jbillings]

They get better and easier every time I make them! Thanks for all the help! :thumbsup I have a batch in the oven now and it smells yummy!

[squirrellove89]

i just made CHB's (carlas healthy blocks) i ground some blocks up with pumpkin and some veggies and baked it and gabby is lovin it =)

[jbillings]

That's a great idea! I'll have to try that :thumbsup

[mimipapa]

I followed the recipe and converted the grams to cups and so forth. I also made it with the wheat flour and tweaked a few other things but they came out just like Henry's blocks. Better than the first time and the vitamins ARE a must and Henry's has the best mix of vitamins and Pure Protein Isolate. The whey you get at the store doesn't have the amount of protein that Henry's has.
The first two pictures are my first attempt at making the blocks and without the wheat flour. Notice how hard and brittle they were. My little nuts still ate them.
218509218510

This photo is my second and successful batch with the wheat flour. I only baked these 1 hour instead of the 1 and a half hours the recipe called for. I formed it into a loaf before I baked it. They are very dense but not dried out. 218511

[farrelli]

They look great!

[mimipapa]

Thanks, If we only had one "Nut" I would probably order from Henry's but because we have three it keeps the cost down, and I just love doing it for them. :Love_Icon

[jbillings]

I hear ya! I have 10! Couldn't do Henry's anymore! I make a fresh batch every 2 weeks! Expensive little boogers! :eek

[mimipapa]

Yes but a labor of love. They are like having toddlers. They are jumping all over me as I'm typing.

[Madamelipstick]

I made blocks and they loved them but they don't look like every one elses.At what age do you need to stop with the growth recipe and go to the regular on with only 80 gms of whey? And when you do that don't the blocks get smaller less product? I made one terrible mistake. I had them on the pan and realized i had forgotten an ingredience so I put it back in the bowl and added it. I forgot to grease my pan again. Well needless to say I had to literally scrape it out of the pan. Sand blasting would have been easier. I think parchment paper is the way to go here.They aren't as dark. I wish the recipe was convert to oz. Am I correct there are 28 grams to an ounce. You know in the gold business it is 31.1grs to an oz. so I have to have a refresher.

[Saverywood]

I made blocks and they loved them but they don't look like every one elses.At what age do you need to stop with the growth recipe and go to the regular on with only 80 gms of whey? And when you do that don't the blocks get smaller less product? I made one terrible mistake. I had them on the pan and realized i had forgotten an ingredience so I put it back in the bowl and added it. I forgot to grease my pan again. Well needless to say I had to literally scrape it out of the pan. Sand blasting would have been easier. I think parchment paper is the way to go here.They aren't as dark. I wish the recipe was convert to oz. Am I correct there are 28 grams to an ounce. You know in the gold business it is 31.1grs to an oz. so I have to have a refresher.
You can use your gram scale to measure the dry ingredients and then you don't have to convert.:grin2
I believe they continue to get the growth formula until age they are 6 months old.

[Madamelipstick]

Funny that would mean I would have to carry my scales down stairs.Oh yeah and wash them too. No actually it is because my scale is not a kitchen scale. It is for diamonds so the top is not that large of an area. But I got your point. :grin3
You can use your gram scale to measure the dry ingredients and then you don't have to convert.:grin2
I believe they continue to get the growth formula until age they are 6 months old.

[Ridelikeagirl]

Where are these recipes? Boo Balls and HHB's?
:grin3

[harimau]

We finally got our protein and vitamins from Henry's today (only $75 including shipping to Indonesia for 5 months supply, which I think is a bargain to keep Naiki healthy)

I'm going to need to get a bit creative to get them into him, because

1. We have no access to an oven
2. He's very small, and just the daily vitamins and protein is bulky
3. He hates nuts. All nuts. Have tried so many and can't find a single one he doesn't discard in disgust.

For today only I've mashed his favourite things, banana and raspberry conserve, and added the vitamins and protein to that. He's eating it of course, but it's too much for him, and not good for him either (he won't have any room left in his wee belly for enough papaya to balance it out!)

So, any nut free, cooking free, itty bitty tropical squirrel recipes on hand?

Sorry if this is hijacking and the wrong place to post this, I'm still trying to work out whether to start new threads or contribute to others...

[harimau]

Had a forehead slap moment and tried to edit post but was too late when my husband asked why I don't just mash it in with the papaya, which I will try tomorrow.

Should I change the dose of vitamins and proteins because he's so small? The recommended protein dose of 2 teaspoons seems like a lot. Looks bigger than his stomach must be!

[CritterMom]

I haven't tried the recipe before, but you should know that since we are based in the US and the most numerous squirrel we have here are the Eastern Grays, which are larger than your little guy - 1 to 2 pounds at maturity. You may need to adjust your amounts based on that.

I strongly suggest you send a note to Leigh, the woman who owns Henry's. The email is on their site, and she is a member here posting as "4skwerlz" so you can also PM her. I know she will be happy to answer your specific questions - she formulated this food and knows more about it than any of us do!

[harimau]

Thanks CM. I'll send a PM to Leigh to get more info about dosing :)

[czarina]

Great idea CM!
I would also suggest that you send her some idea of his weight. I know you don't have access to a scale, but in any of your research did it mention what the normal weight of a plantain squirrel is? You could send her that info.
Also had a thought about the " nut " problem. Does he eat sunflower seeds, or sesame seeds or any kind of seed that grows there? Perhaps that could be exchanged for the nuts, you might need to modify the amount, but if it is part of his regular diet, it might be a possibility.
I would also mention this to Leigh.
Do you have a refrigerator, to keep them in? And maybe you could ask a local baker if you could pay him to use his oven, once a month? :dono
Good luck!

[czarina]

Those dancing/stomping guys are supposed to be crittermom! I abbreviated her name and got them! I was shocked, but they are kinda cute. Here's to you critter mom!:grin2

[harimau]

I've just been talking to my husband Doug (who is HOME, at least for a week, yay!) and now he says he thinks he remembers seeing some kitchen scales. He's going to go and take a look tomorrow, so I'll wait to talk to Leigh in the hopes I'll get a weight for my little guy.

We tried him with sunflower seeds and he sniffed them once and pushed them aside :( We haven't found sesame seeds yet. I showed our housekeeper and she said she's never seen them, but there are some gourmet places we can try.

He ate palm nuts the first time I gave them to him (the squirrels in the yard eat those all the time, and plantain squirrels are considered a pest in oil palm plantations because of this) but he hasn't touched them since. I think maybe they are good food but don't taste so great, and he won't eat them now that he is fat and spoiled ;)

Oh - and we have a fridge, so we can keep everything nice and cool. My husband also found some pure calcium tabs when he was in Australia so we have them on hand for emergencies.

I was also trying to say CritterMom, hehe

[czarina]

I have found that when Churtle turns up his nose and won't eat it, if I offer it again in a couple of weeks, he eats it like it is his favorite!
I wonder if the palm nuts were roasted if they would taste better?
I serve only raw vegetables, and have tasted most of them, and they are bitter, but I figure they would be raw if he was raiding someones vegetable garden,:tap , so thats how I serve them.

I would just try offering new/old things he has refused, and see if he will eat them. Maybe offer him nuts that are shelled, cause maybe his wee little teeth can't get through a shell.:dono

[harimau]

Stosh said the same thing, about trying again with things that have been rejected before, so I'll try all the nuts again. I do give him the occasional dried mung bean as a treat. He loved those at first but ignores them now. Maybe they are just like us, and have "food moods".

The trees are here so laden with mangoes now that the branches are pointing at the ground. The wilds grab one, munch on it for 2 minutes, then drop it and find another one. The jackfruit are less numerous but as big as my head. I don't think there are any squirrels going hungry here this season.

[czarina]

I was thinking of the nuts or seeds to firm the HHBs up . I think if you use fruit instead of nuts, it might be to " mushy ". But ask Leigh from Henrys, shes the expert.
It sounds deliciously exotix there, and I am envious! :Cry

[CritterMom]

I was thinking of the nuts or seeds to firm the HHBs up . I think if you use fruit instead of nuts, it might be to " mushy ". But ask Leigh from Henrys, shes the expert.
It sounds deliciously exotix there, and I am envious! :Cry

You need to be careful what you add to the mix - the recipe has been calculated to deliver specific calcium : phosphorus ratios and your add-ins can skew that dramatically.

Adding sesame seeds would be a GOOD choice - sesame seeds have an excellent ratio. Sunflowe seeds, pumpkin seeds - those would be very bad because of THEIR ratios.

Also beware of flax seed - it is very trendy now and has many, many good benefits...but if you are severely LOW in phosphorus you would be told to eat flax seed - it is one of the highest natural concentrations of phosphorus. You can see how adding THAT would be bad.

[harimau]

I don't think I can make HHBs themselves without an oven. When I bought the vitamins and protein Leigh was saying I could just use Naiki's regular fruit and veg diet (which is pretty well balanced) as a vehicle for the important ingredients. I'll get more info from her soon and in the meantime I think I can mash his usual papaya staple to add them.

It has to be mashed and well mixed because as I found out when trying to give him calcium supplement he's very adept at removing the outside bits of fruit with supplements dusted on it and only eating the inside. Too sneaky!

[farrelli]

Do you have avocados there? Squirrels usually love them and they could easily be mashed up with vitamins.

[harimau]

Yes, lots of avocados. I tried it once and he wasn't interested, but I'll try again. He's gotten fussier as he has gotten older but thankfully he doesn't get tired of oranges, papaya, pineapple and Chinese cabbage, which are his staples, along with the bark I collect from the garden.

[SUNSHINE]

I still make the original squirrel blocks and it had potassium gluconate, I used 2 vitamins and I was told to use folic acid 3 vitamins too, so if I am using the newer version recipe do I not need to use either of these being there not listed?















:thankyou