What could be wrong with Itsy?

[Squeak]

:tapMy little darling Itsy has been doing great and his cat bites are healed. Every day we get up at 5:30 am and he is ready for the day. He eats a little kale, spinach, endive, radicchio and leaf lettuce, red cabbage, oranges, grapes, pomegranate seeds (loves them) organic grapes and just a few pecans or walnuts. I have tried Wild Bites, Harlan Teklad 2018 ground up with organic honey, applesauce, etc. etc. but he refuses them all. We played all weekend and then last night he sneezed twice and since has just kind of slept and laid around. He does not seem interested in anything and won't even eat his favorites. His stool seems to be unchanged and he does drink water but is so lethargic and I can't get him to play even his favorite games. I am worried sick and would be more than devastated if something happened to him. Does anyone have any ideas as to what is wrong? His cage is nice and clean and I haven't changed anything in his environment. Please help as I am so concerned about my sweetheart.

[SammysMom]

Is this a gray and how old is he? Does he still take formula?

[Nancy in New York]

:tapMy little darling Itsy has been doing great and his cat bites are healed. Every day we get up at 5:30 am and he is ready for the day. He eats a little kale, spinach, endive, radicchio and leaf lettuce, red cabbage, oranges, grapes, pomegranate seeds (loves them) organic grapes and just a few pecans or walnuts. I have tried Wild Bites, Harlan Teklad 2018 ground up with organic honey, applesauce, etc. etc. but he refuses them all. We played all weekend and then last night he sneezed twice and since has just kind of slept and laid around. He does not seem interested in anything and won't even eat his favorites. His stool seems to be unchanged and he does drink water but is so lethargic and I can't get him to play even his favorite games. I am worried sick and would be more than devastated if something happened to him. Does anyone have any ideas as to what is wrong? His cage is nice and clean and I haven't changed anything in his environment. Please help as I am so concerned about my sweetheart.

The ONE must in a healthy diet is the BLOCK.
Spinach is on the avoid list and Kale should be limited,
it's in group 3.

Link to the healthy diet.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

Link to dealing with picky eaters.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?31473-Dealing-with-Picky-Eaters

Good Luck with your little one. :Love_Icon

[Squeak]

Is this a gray and how old is he? Does he still take formula? He is brownish/red and is 8 months old. He was awfully sick after the cat bite caused him to be paralyzed on his right side but my wildlife rehabber took him and treated him with antibiotic and brought him to me about two weeks after the bite incident.

[Squeak]

The ONE must in a healthy diet is the BLOCK.
Spinach is on the avoid list and Kale should be limited,
it's in group 3.

Link to the healthy diet.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

Link to dealing with picky eaters.
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?31473-Dealing-with-Picky-Eaters

Good Luck with your little one. :Love_Icon
Thank you. I do limit his Kale intake and he gets spinach once a week. I have tried every "picky eater" idea on the board to no avail. I made the squirrel balls (no go), I took everything from his cage (stash) and left him with only rat block, wild bites, etc. etc. and he still wouldn't budge. I don't know what else to do to get him to eat his vitamins.

[island rehabber]

He's red/brown in color but is he an Eastern Grey Squirrel, or a Red Squirrel, or a Fox squirrel? Dietary requirements are slightly different. :)

Has the sneezing persisted? If so, you want to check his mouth and teeth. Sneezing can be a reaction to overgrown lower teeth, or to an abcess or irritation in the mouth. Is his nose running?

His diet is low on protein and nutrients and a bit high in sugar. I would limit the fruit, especially grapes because they are sugar bombs. Maybe alternate grapes and pomegranate seeds, every other day?

He needs some type of block to get his calcium and other minerals. Henry's Healthy Pets sells different kinds; you may want to order the Picky Blocks since he is so picky :grin2. They will give him all the most crucial nutrients he needs every day, so then he can have his other favorite things without worry.

Limit the nuts to one or two a day MAX.

[Squeak]

Oh I forgot to mention, he WILL NOT eat peanut butter either so trying to mix rodent block or wild bites in peanut butter doesn't work either.

[Squeak]

Has the sneezing persisted? If so, you want to check his mouth and teeth. Sneezing can be a reaction to overgrown lower teeth, or to an abcess or irritation in the mouth. Is his nose running?

His diet is low on protein and nutrients and a bit high in sugar. I would limit the fruit, especially grapes because they are sugar bombs. Maybe alternate grapes and pomegranate seeds, every other day?

He needs some type of block to get his calcium and other minerals. Henry's Healthy Pets sells different kinds; you may want to order the Picky Blocks since he is so picky :grin2. They will give him all the most crucial nutrients he needs every day, so then he can have his other favorite things without worry.

Limit the nuts to one or two a day MAX.


No he hasn't sneezed since and I will back off the grapes and pomegranate seeds. I tried the Picky Blocks too but this little smarty just won't eat vitamins. I am panicked and don't know what to do. I am afraid to feed him anything today. He also loves sugar snap peas and brussel sprouts is there anything wrong with those vegetables?

[island rehabber]

Oh I forgot to mention, he WILL NOT eat peanut butter either so trying to mix rodent block or wild bites in peanut butter doesn't work either.

Yeah I always have that problem because I never feed peanuts to my squirrels, so when I come at them with PB, thinking it's a great treat, they do that 'yucky!' move and run away :grin2
How about almond butter? I know it can break the bank, but it might get him to eat his blocks.

[Nancy in New York]

He also loves sugar snap peas and brussel sprouts is there anything wrong with those vegetables?

Brussel Sprouts are in the #1 category, so he can eat as many as he wants. Sugar snap peas is a huge favorite here as well, but that is in the group #3 category, not sure why that was moved to group #3. :dono

[Squeak]

Yeah I always have that problem because I never feed peanuts to my squirrels, so when I come at them with PB, thinking it's a great treat, they do that 'yucky!' move and run away :grin2
How about almond butter? I know it can break the bank, but it might get him to eat his blocks.

I will do ANYTHING to make my darling little boy healthy so I will get some. I have tried Organic Coconut Oil too but it is a "no" too. Thanks for your kindness.

[CritterMom]

Please begin MBD treatment.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?34495-Emergency-Treatment-of-Metabolic-Bone-Disease-(MBD)

[SammysMom]

Please begin MBD treatment.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?34495-Emergency-Treatment-of-Metabolic-Bone-Disease-(MBD)

:goodpost
He has got to eat block. There is no way around it. Tough love is not giving him anything uintil he eats block. He won't starve himself so he will eventually give in and eat them. I had to do it with Sammy and it is still a fight, but he eats his picky eater HHBs before getting anything else every morning.

[Squeak]

I just ordered some again and will get them down him somehow! My outside family loves them so I don't know what is Itsy's problem unless it is because he likes other things that I give him better but it stops as soon as they arrive, I don't care if he pickets with a little "no picky blocks" sign...it is going to be in his diet!!!

[SammysMom]

Oh yeah, Sammy picketed, held sit-ins, went on a hunger strike and then, after it all didn't work he ate the darned blocks! It was a long haul and I do think you should begin the MBD protocol and follow it through. When it starts, there are no symptoms right away. The fact that he is acting at all different leads me to believe that it is starting and you want to head it off ASAP.

[farrelli]

How many ways did you try to prepare the blocks? You just have to try all kinds of things until you find the winner. Some people put cherry juice on them, some blueberry juice, some a bit of olive oil, some serve them warm, some cold, some sliced, some ground up with yogurt, etc.

Some people who have failed at very turn have gotten the vitamin pack from Henry's, and uder their advice, added those to foods that they do like.

[Delo729]

Keep us updated please. and don't forget.....
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?48690-Henrys-Closed-Dec-15-Jan-2&highlight=henry%27s+closed+dec

[TubeDriver]

If you take out all food from his cage and just give hime some Henries blocks, he will eventually eat them. He might not eat them for 1-2 days but he will not starve himself. In the long run, that is the single most important thing you can do for his health and happiness.

I also think it might be worth it to start the MBD protocol ASAP. It will not hurt him and if he is starting to get MBD it can safe his life!

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I don't think most squirrels are fans of peanut butter, it's weird. I have tried it and some like it, but most are like :yuck and my guys get 1 peanut every other day. I have had great luck using soaked monkey biscuits rung out and then add yogurt and a little formula powder to it (sometimes peanut butter too if they like it). That works well for most greys and all reds and chipmunks LOVE it! Fox squirrels rarely enjoy it, they are strange. Flyers also like it but haven't found one that liked the peanut butter added, just yogurt and formula powder.

[czarina]

Please start the MBD protocol, now. I would not wait. Better safe than sorry.