OATS, OATMEALS? IRISH OATS?

[BigNibbler]

I go through phases every few years where I try eating oats, and then abandon the idea.
Wondering if I could put some of those old oats to good use. I have a can of Irish Oats, Steel Cut.
No real understanding of how that is different from other oats.
But can squees eat oats?
Must they be cooked, soaked, what ?
Does grinding them finer, make a difference.
I read that someone mixes them with somewhat processed veggies, to make boo balls.
Like to try that.
Just do not know how the OATS are prepared?

Love to do this, if it means more veggies being eaten.

[farrelli]

I know that some people offer them as part of a diet. Maybe do a search? I don;t see why they would be bad. I looked up their properties before feeding them as part of a diet I give my geese and they seemed just fine.

[Anne]

All my squirrels love oatmeal, raw right out of the box and cooked. They're a great treat. I toss mine in the food processor, grind them to make oat flour and use that instead of wheat flour in making my squirrel blocks.:grin Just don't use the quick or instant.

[BigNibbler]

Thank you Farrelli and Anne!
I was worried that they could swell up when wet and could cause problems in the gut, or dehydration.
Is that not a concern?
So I do not have to soak them first.

Why not instant oats?

[farrelli]

It does increase in size in the gut, just like it does in a bowl when it absorbs water.

Instant oats are generally crap because they've been processed to death. If memory serves, steel cut, and then Irish are best because they are processed least, but I don't know how squirrels would eat them if uncooked given that they are super hard little pebbles. Though they might chew them, I would think them bad for their molars, which would be bad for indoor squirrels given their much longer lifespans.