food adict

[Sunnysmama]

Hi all, well im really worried about Sunny because she is extremely overwieght. When she first started eating her blocks i admit i was giving her way too much, 3 a day of harlan tekken, plus cabbage, other veggies but some from groups 3and 4, then i read on the chart only to give 2 a day. She's been eating 2 a day now for a couple months, but was still feeding avacado, nuts, etc. What im saying is basically ive created a monster because now she seems OBSESSED with food. I feed her only 2 blocks a day now and only cabbage, lettuce, only things from the first food group. But she seems like she can never get enough!!! And she hasnt lost any weight since feeding her right. She gets excersize in her cage but when i have her out, she runs around a little, but mainly just wants to sniff the carpet looking for more food! So should i keep giving 2 bloc
ks a day? And any suggestions for weight loss?

[HRT4SQRLS]

I'm a little confused. Are you feeding Harlan Teklad blocks or Henry's Healthy Blocks? The Henry's block are limited (2/day) because they are a supplement block packed with Vitamins and minerals. You don't want to give too many HHB's because you will be over supplementing. By the way, is this a grey squirrel? I believe the larger Fox Squirrels can have three. The Harlan Teklad can be given free choice and don't have to be limited. If she's only getting two HT, I bet she is hungry.

Now the weight problem is another issue. How old is she? How many nuts does she get? Have you cut out the avocado? How much fruit?

[CritterMom]

Can you give us a pic? Squirrels put on quite a bit of weight in the winter.

Two Harlan Teklad blocks are not sufficient nutritionally. Those blocks are only adequate nutritionally if they are the only thing they eat, and they would need a handful a day. They are designed to feed lab rats used in medical experimentation. They are a high quality food but I would only use them to supplement a diet that already included the Henry's food - in fact that is exactly what I do.

[Sunnysmama]

Im giving her harlan tekklan, and only 2a day because i tell you, if i gave her anything freely she will gobble it up in one sitting. She eats big hand fulls of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, all in one sitting. I cant even imagine how she has room for it all. She is a VERY large squirrel now, i got her because she fell out of a tree here in our neighborhood, the first of August, and she was just a pink little thing. Maybe a week old, if that. Now, her tail is red, her body is red and grey, so red fox? The reason ive cut back so drastic on her food is that she is so very fat! I actually saw a picture of a squirrel recently that looked just like her and it was a joke that said something like " this squirrel has eaten all the other squirrels!" So i just dont want her to be unhealthy, but i also dont want her to be miserably hungry all the time

[Sunnysmama]

So my husband said the harlan he ordered is 24% protien, i dont know how much that matters, but up untill recently she was getting 14%

[SammysMom]

Can you post a picture? Or if you text it to me, I will post it for you. (203) 214-7427

[Sunnysmama]

ok! i will get a pic now

[SammysMom]

Perfect!:thumbsup

[SammysMom]

This is one gorgeous foxer!!! She looks the way they all seem to look in the winter to me.

[Duckman]

I don't see anything wrong with her weight. She is pudgy with Winter weight/coat, but she doesn't look obese. This is an Fatty foxer.... :grin3

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[SammysMom]

DM, that second pic of Fatty Foxer is one of the best "stink eye" pics EVER!!!:grin3

[Sunnysmama]

thank yo uso much SammysMom for posting these pics of Sunny for me! i love her so much! She is just beautiful to mehttp://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/images/smilies/satisfied-smiley-emoticon.gif so knowing that she is getting 24% protien with Harlan, should she be getting 2 a day, or more?? You guys are awesome here http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/images/smilies/grin2.gif My husband makes fun of me for spending so much time here, and looking things up, and all the photo shoots i have with Sunny, but he just doesnt understand us squirrel lovers http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/images/smilies/grouphug.gif

[Sunnysmama]

thank yo uso much SammysMom for posting these pics of Sunny for me! i love her so much! She is just beautiful to me! so knowing that she is getting 24% protien with Harlan, should she be getting 2 a day, or more?? You guys are awesome here! My husband makes fun of me for spending so much time here, and looking things up, and all the photo shoots i have with Sunny, but he just doesnt understand us squirrel lovers

[SammysMom]

You can give her a bowl of those blocks to eat freely. As far as I know, the only blocks that have to be limited are the HHBs as they are very high in nutritional value.