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LSardou
09-04-2014, 01:48 AM
I've been reading through the nutrition section and notice that feeding Squirrel/Rodent blocks is a necessary food item to have.

Where can I purchase the 'best' ones available? Thank you.

SugarBugFerret
09-04-2014, 01:58 AM
These are the ones that are highly recommended here. They are specially formulated for squirrels, and were even designed by a TSB member! :thumbsup

http://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-diet/

LSardou
09-04-2014, 02:05 AM
:thumbsup Thank you!

kath.hall43
09-08-2014, 08:01 PM
If I need a rodent block in a hurry, would the Critter Cube be an ok substitution while my henryspets order is on it's way?

Rhapsody
09-08-2014, 08:12 PM
If I need a rodent block in a hurry, would the Critter Cube be an ok substitution while my henryspets order is on it's way?
If you order the HHB now --they should arrive in 3-4 days.

Ace-the-squirrel
09-14-2014, 09:32 PM
Ok will order tonight, thanks!

Edit: Done! :grin2

Ace-the-squirrel
09-18-2014, 04:39 PM
Yay! Ace's blocks arrived today.............. now hopefully he will like them!

UDoWhat
09-18-2014, 05:05 PM
Yay! Ace's blocks arrived today.............. now hopefully he will like them!

If he has had other foods he may not want even the HHBs but....... BE FIRM. It would be better to remove or limit all other sources of food even if they are on the healthy list so he will get use to the HHBs. Squirrels are like kids... most, if given a choice, will eat junk food only . When I begin to wean my babies I put only rodent block in their cage until I see them picking up the block and eating it. They need to recognize it as a food source. At that point then I offer other foods and HHBs. Then they will usually choose the other foods and HHBs but I still want them to have rodent block so they will eat it if necessary. Block, HHBs, healthy veggies and fruits from the list usually guard against MBD. Nuts, 1 or 2, are only offered a few times a week as a limited treat.

Ace-the-squirrel
09-18-2014, 05:18 PM
If he has had other foods he may not want even the HHBs but....... BE FIRM. It would be better to remove or limit all other sources of food even if they are on the healthy list so he will get use to the HHBs. Squirrels are like kids... most, if given a choice, will eat junk food only . When I begin to wean my babies I put only rodent block in their cage until I see them picking up the block and eating it. They need to recognize it as a food source. At that point then I offer other foods and HHBs. Then they will usually choose the other foods and HHBs but I still want them to have rodent block so they will eat it if necessary. Block, HHBs, healthy veggies and fruits from the list usually guard against MBD. Nuts, 1 or 2, are only offered a few times a week as a limited treat.
Thank you but I am so confused! :thinking I thought the Henry's was the block?? I have sooooo much reading to do here :grin2

Milo's Mom
09-18-2014, 05:33 PM
Thank you but I am so confused! :thinking I thought the Henry's was the block?? I have sooooo much reading to do here :grin2

Henry's (HHB's) are the block. Some rehabbers use several different kinds of blocks in addition to HHB's, simply due to the volume of babies they do in a year.

Now that you have the HHB's, give ONLY the HHB's first thing in the morning, like the moment you wake up. This is also when squirrels are the hungriest.

I'm not sure how old your kids are, but as an example I'll share how I run. Between 6 & 6:30 in the morning my kids (those of block age) each get an HHB. Then around 7:30 - 8am they get their formula. Then I prepare their salads and put 1 more block per squirrel on top of the salad (sort of like croutons) and feed the salad around 9. They much on the salad on and off all day till about 6 and then they get more formula. Of course if you have kids younger than mine you would feed on a different schedule...this was just an example.

If your kids are really young and their primary food is formula, just put the HHB's in their cage/bin and they will pee on it, poop on it, play with it, bury it, sleep with it, and eventually they will begin to nibble on it, then one day they will eat it. (I cut the blocks into 4 pieces when the kids are just learning so I am not wasting them and I replace the block every morning with a new fresh one).

If your kids are already eating their veggies and now you want to introduce the block, give the block first thing in the morning and veggies in the afternoon.

Hopefully this helped and did not further confuse you.

Ace-the-squirrel
09-18-2014, 06:59 PM
Henry's (HHB's) are the block. Some rehabbers use several different kinds of blocks in addition to HHB's, simply due to the volume of babies they do in a year.

Now that you have the HHB's, give ONLY the HHB's first thing in the morning, like the moment you wake up. This is also when squirrels are the hungriest.

I'm not sure how old your kids are, but as an example I'll share how I run. Between 6 & 6:30 in the morning my kids (those of block age) each get an HHB. Then around 7:30 - 8am they get their formula. Then I prepare their salads and put 1 more block per squirrel on top of the salad (sort of like croutons) and feed the salad around 9. They much on the salad on and off all day till about 6 and then they get more formula. Of course if you have kids younger than mine you would feed on a different schedule...this was just an example.

If your kids are really young and their primary food is formula, just put the HHB's in their cage/bin and they will pee on it, poop on it, play with it, bury it, sleep with it, and eventually they will begin to nibble on it, then one day they will eat it. (I cut the blocks into 4 pieces when the kids are just learning so I am not wasting them and I replace the block every morning with a new fresh one).

If your kids are already eating their veggies and now you want to introduce the block, give the block first thing in the morning and veggies in the afternoon.

Hopefully this helped and did not further confuse you.
That really helps, thank you so much :dance
I am going to introduce it to him :)

UDoWhat
09-18-2014, 10:59 PM
Just to clarify my advice to you, yes I do a lot of squirrels and I use rodent bock to begin the first stage of weaning . I do believe that at TSB, HHBs are considered "block " but technically they are food supplements as the package states. When you have 20-25 squirrels to overwinter it becomes impossible to feed HHBs and keep track of who ate them and who did not eat them and hope that every squirrel got one or two. So rodent block is a better choice for those of us who do so many squirrels and it meets the daily nutritional requirements for squirrels. Many rehabilitators who have many squirrels feed only rodent block as the food source. It helps to ensure that all squirrels are getting the nutrition they need. I do however, use HHBs as a healthy alternative. If I were feeding only one or just a few squirrels I would use HHBs in the manner that Milo's Mom has discussed. Just wanted to make this clearer for you and restate that it is essential that your squirrel use either rodent block or HHBs as a main food source to keep him healthy for many years.:Love_Icon

beezle-weezle
09-20-2014, 01:45 PM
Henry's (HHB's) are the block. Some rehabbers use several different kinds of blocks in addition to HHB's, simply due to the volume of babies they do in a year.

Now that you have the HHB's, give ONLY the HHB's first thing in the morning, like the moment you wake up. This is also when squirrels are the hungriest.

I'm not sure how old your kids are, but as an example I'll share how I run. Between 6 & 6:30 in the morning my kids (those of block age) each get an HHB. Then around 7:30 - 8am they get their formula. Then I prepare their salads and put 1 more block per squirrel on top of the salad (sort of like croutons) and feed the salad around 9. They much on the salad on and off all day till about 6 and then they get more formula. Of course if you have kids younger than mine you would feed on a different schedule...this was just an example.

If your kids are really young and their primary food is formula, just put the HHB's in their cage/bin and they will pee on it, poop on it, play with it, bury it, sleep with it, and eventually they will begin to nibble on it, then one day they will eat it. (I cut the blocks into 4 pieces when the kids are just learning so I am not wasting them and I replace the block every morning with a new fresh one).

If your kids are already eating their veggies and now you want to introduce the block, give the block first thing in the morning and veggies in the afternoon.

Hopefully this helped and did not further confuse you.


:goodpost