Peeps the Ground Squirrel

[Klsdas1]

Hello fellow Squirrel lovers. I came across a lilttle 6 weeks old ground squirrel. She is now 12 weeks. I have been reading the dietary recommendations; she has squirrel block and gets her daily amount of fruits and veggies. Is a ground squirrels diet different from a tree squirrel? Also thank you to whom ever posted the post about their lil one getting aggresive due to peanuts. I cleaned her cage and took all the peanut stash and minimizef peanuts as only treats. Its night and day sweet lil peeps is back and not a second of agressiveness.

- Deb

[farrelli]

Yes, the diet is different. Often a lot different. Do you know what kind she is? Can you post a pic? You may be on the clock about getting her what she needs because many ground squirrels are heading toward hibernation, which can be a very scary thing first time around.

[Klsdas1]

Shes a wyoming ground squirrel. Thank you any help will work. She is thriving and is pretty chunky.

[Milo's Mom]

Oh my, she's precious!!!:Love_Icon

[Klsdas1]

Yes she is pretty cute! Do they still hybernate in captivity? How do i get her ready? What should I expect?

- Deb

[Fireweed]

Hi, Klsdas! :Welcome

From U of Michigan website: The diet of Wyoming ground squirrels is mainly herbivorous. They prefer green foliage, such as grasses and leaves, although these squirrels will also eat shrubs, forbs, flowers, seeds, stems, and roots. When there is not an abundance of green foliage, Wyoming ground squirrels will eat insects, including grasshoppers, crickets, and caterpillars, as well as eggs of ground-nesting birds. Sometimes they eat carrion.

They were formerly called Richardson's because of how similar they are. I have Arctic Ground Squirrels (I've had 11) and they are very closely related to Richardson's. This is what I now feed mine after years of trying a variety of diets based on expert, rehabber, and pet owner recommendations:

1. Oxbow Natural Science Rabbit food. To get them to eat it at first, I moisten with some warm water. Sometimes I will add a small amount of Oxbow Bunny-T's in the mix just for flavour. OR moistened Oxbow Natural Science Rabbit food with a tiny bit of Esbilac powder sprinkled on top. Slowly reduce the water and other stuff over time until they are eating the pellets straight up. I tend to feed slightly less than recommended because I feed other veggies as well (and they are made to be fed with hay only). I feed them their Oxbow in the morning, first thing. They must eat this before getting other foods.

FYI: Oxbow used to have a food specifically for ground squirrels but they weren't selling enough of it so they discontinued it. It had the exact ingredients as the Oxbow Bunny T's except the pellets were larger. Although I used to feed Bunny T's exclusively, I now use more Natural Science because there is no soy in them. But I do still add some Bunny T's to the mix sometimes if I'm running out of Natural Science.

2. After they eat their Oxbow, I feed hay and wild foods (in the summer). Wild foods include grasses of all kinds, willow leaves, some sage with roots. If you can't be sure that the wild foods are what Wyoming's actually eat and are SAFE (non-toxic, no pesticides etc.), then I would only feed hay. In the winter here, I only feed hay. Try all kinds of hay for your squirrel - some will eat only the freshest, some will eat dry. Do not feed Alfalfa hay but all other hays are good. Try to get hay which includes a lot of grass heads/seeds on it - this gives them variety. I like to use several different kinds of hay at one time. They will look at the hay disgusted when you first feed it - but if you try to ignore them (:carzy2), they will eventually eat it - especially if you find Just The Right Hay!

FYI: You will hear many ground squirrel owners claim their squirrel won't eat hay - or that they don't need to. I personally think this is a matter of tough love - just as it is when we hear people say their tree squirrels won't eat rodent blocks. Most ground squirrels need hay/grasses for gut motility, and to keep their teeth ground down. It also keeps them from becoming obese - the number one killer of pet ground squirrels. Imo, experts, scientists, and rehabbers don't usually feed hay for a few reasons: messy, easier to feed rodent blocks, and they don't have the ground squirrels around long enough to worry about long-term nutrition.

3. In the late afternoon I will give tiny pieces of veggies from GROUP 1 and 2 of the healthy diet for pet squirrels. I mix up the variety every day but they usually get about six veggies: one small piece broccoli or cauliflower (some ground squirrels have a hard time digesting these, so beware), a few pieces arugula, bok choy, raddichio (pink pee!), endive, romaine, chinese broccoli leaves, and a small piece of red cabbage (pink pee!), etc... tiny pieces. Depending on the squirrel, more or less of the pieces. And more leaves than anything else.

4. Around 5-6, I will feed two or three veggies from group 3 - a tiny piece of carrot, 1/4 of a peapod, a sliver of sweet potato. As a nightly snack, they usually get a tiny piece of fruit - watermelon usually. Maybe apple. SOMETIMES and very rarely my ground squirrels will get a half of a nut.

Also, about once or twice a week I sprinkle a mixture of seeds and oats around their rooms so they can forage for them: sesame seeds, sunflower seeds in shell, whole oats, millet, quinoa, etc. I put this mix in a bag and sprinkle with some calcium powder first. Then I toss about 1/8th - 1/4 around the room. Once they gather these, they will eat some and store most in the corner somewhere. I usually clean their stash - so they actually only eat a minimal amount.
Be careful about offering too many oats and seeds - these are types of foods that many ground squirrels eat in the fall to fatten up for hibernation. You don't want to feed too much of these or your squirrel will become obese in no time.

FYI: Many ground squirrel owners feed rodent blocks. Some blocks are HHBs, Kaytee-forti, Oxbow Regal Rat for example. Although these blocks can be fed, I personally don't recommend them as a staple because they are not made with ground squirrels in mind. Ground squirrels may get really fat when fed these and health problems ensue. I personally give HHBs only as treats.

You can also feed mealworms and waxworms every once in a while. I usually feed these once every two weeks.

One last thing - if I notice them getting too fat, I first reduce their treats - no nuts - no blocks - less fruit. Then I reduce their seeds and insects. Then I look at the amount and types of veggies they get if they still seem to be too fat. It can be tricky finding the perfect balance for your squirrels depending on their age, weight, species.

Ground squirrels in captivity will hibernate. Usually not nearly as long as a wild one. I personally don't think it's healthy for them to really fatten up before hibernation INDOORS. Keep them healthy - this is the most important thing. They are not wild and will not be hibernating in extreme conditions so they don't necessarily need to be FAT. Before hibernation if you are worried about their weight, feed a little more of what they would eat in the wild to fatten up - which is mostly seeds. Ground squirrels will wake for short periods during a long hibernation to eat - so have foods and water available to them. But from experience I can tell you that my ground squirrels won't even eat much at all when they are getting ready for hibernation - I think this is because they are healthy enough, chubby, and the conditions in their room aren't extreme. They know they don't need extra food. So, imo, try not to 'encourage' fatty foods because it's not usually necessary and may lead to health issues.

Having said all that, you need to figure out what works best for your squirrel. The ground squirrel diet is not One Size Fits All and it's definitely not scientifically sound since ground squirrels have only been kept as pets for such a short time. If you read a lot about ground squirrel pets here or elsewhere you will see different diets. I can only tell you what's worked best for my squirrels after feeding 11 'pet' ground squirrels and living with a wild population right outside my door for many years. :)

Good luck!

[farrelli]

We have one mommy (whistlingpete) who's little guy (Piute GS) disappeared last year and she thought he was lost or had been kidnapped, turned out that he had burrowed into a terrarium filled with dirt and hibernated. One day he just reappeared as if nothing had happened. It was known that he was probably going to hibernate, and his tastes radically changed before hibernation, and he apparently stopped pooping for a long time beforehand, but his mommy just couldn't find him after he decided it was time. I think she was very happy that she didn't throw out the terrarium.

Btw, I think that they can even appear to be dead when they hibernate, so if your guy does, be very sure he's not just sleeping.

Thanks Fireweed for providing all that info!

[California Squirrel Lover]

Oh my gosh, she is CUTE!! Yay, Fireweed is on it, she knows ground squirrels!! :thumbsup :grin3

[Klsdas1]

Firewood;

Thank you for all the info. This is very helpful. :).

[Fireweed]

A few more points about hay: Be careful about feeding the pet-store hays that say things like "with veggies" for example. These are full of dried veggies like corn, peas, carrots. Your squirrel will pick out the goodies and leave the hay. :nono
Also, your squirrel isn't going to gorge on hay unless they are some freak of nature who would rather eat dry grass than carrots or cabbage or oats or broccoli. So as long as they are eating some hay, all is good, I think. You just want them to grind down those grasses and poop good poops and keep a healthy figure :grin2 - hay is very helpful for this! Again, try various kinds from feed stores, pet stores, and brands to find the one(s) your squirrels likes best. :thumbsup