Just got him 1 week ago - need help ID

[SlowcarIX]

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150414_124422_zpsopw1ysmo.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150414_124418_zpsr4jya9to.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150414_124706_zpspupsu6pt.jpg

What kind of squirrel is he?

[stepnstone]

Tufted Pygmy squirrel (Exilisciurus whiteheadi)
255678

[SlowcarIX]

Thanks for the reply.

the picture is the type of squirrel but the name...i think is wrong

http://www.planet-mammiferes.org/drupal/en/node/40?indice2=Photos%2FRongeur%2FSciuromo%2FSciuride% 2FExilWhi5.jpg

[stepnstone]

Thanks for the reply.

the picture is the type of squirrel but the name...i think is wrong

http://www.planet-mammiferes.org/drupal/en/node/40?indice2=Photos%2FRongeur%2FSciuromo%2FSciuride% 2FExilWhi5.jpg

Just goes to show one can't believe everything you see on the internet. :dono
I'll search some more...

Edit: I got nothing and I'm about squirreled out...
I can find the image but not species listed outside of Tufted eared tree squirrel.

[SlowcarIX]

Thanks for the help!

Here in China, they call it the "devil squirrel".....i did some search but cant find the scientific name for it...

I have seen the adult, they get about 2x the size of the usual squirrels i have seen. (maybe they get so big because they are fed almost 100% sunflower seeds...)

[SlowcarIX]

the mysterious chinese squirrel.....he is ~8 weeks old

[stepnstone]

Could this be one of the "giant" species I've read about?
Edit: Never mind, I don't see the tasseled ears on the giants...

[TubeDriver]

Cuteicus Maximus earish enormousicis?




:grin3

[CritterMom]

I believe this is a dark color phase European Red Squirrel baby. They range into northern Asia. I have seen pics of dark babies before. I hate that they sell them in shops and street displays...

This baby should still be getting formula? Is he? I can also pretty much absolutely guarantee that the info you got on diet is completely and totally wrong. We have seen these poor little things before after they had been fed this diet for far too long to be able to save them.

PLEASE stay here on this board and let us help you help give this precious little creature a long, healthy life. We have tons of diet info and lots of people here who really know squirrels.

So question 1: Are you giving formula? If so, what is it? And what is his name?

[HRT4SQRLS]

That is the cutest baby. :grin2

As CritterMom said, please hang around and check out the proper diet. I was in touch with a person in China regarding a similar squirrel that she purchased. The tiny baby only lived a few days. When she did her research (after the fact) she found that the baby was receiving NO calcium in the diet. It is a common practice. The baby she received was compromised when she got it so time is critical.

[CritterMom]

If he is not getting any formula at all, please look to see what is available to you for puppies. Is Royal Canin sold there? If so, their "babydog" formula is excellent.

[island rehabber]

:goodpost:goodpost DIET is the most important thing needed to keep your squirrel alive. Please take the advice given above very seriously, because that baby is too unbelievably adorable to ever get sick and we want to watch him grow up with you. :grin3

[SlowcarIX]

found a squirrel thats very similar...only that it has a white ring around the eyes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abert's_squirrel

These are a few pics of the adult squirrel i shot at the shop, hygiene is somewhat lacking...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150405_204250_zpsyklnm1ee.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150405_204402_zps0hu0gbh5.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150405_204627_zpsyhxp16ds.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150405_204521_zpsmnbcefzv.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

there was also several flyers there...they are as big as a full grown cat!

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150406_211446_zpspc98ajzx.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

eats and sleeps...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150409_231245_zpsagxr6ax5.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150410_211718_zpsleunsqu2.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150410_210401_zpsmfltjhxd.jpg

[Annabelle's papa]

Cuteicus Maximus earish enormousicis?




:grin3
:serene


That is the cutest baby. :grin2

As CritterMom said, please hang around and check out the proper diet. I was in touch with a person in China regarding a similar squirrel that she purchased. The tiny baby only lived a few days. When she did her research (after the fact) she found that the baby was receiving NO calcium in the diet. It is a common practice. The baby she received was compromised when she got it so time is critical.


If he is not getting any formula at all, please look to see what is available to you for puppies. Is Royal Canin sold there? If so, their "babydog" formula is excellent.


:goodpost:goodpost DIET is the most important thing needed to keep your squirrel alive. Please take the advice given above very seriously, because that baby is too unbelievably adorable to ever get sick and we want to watch him grow up with you. :grin3

:wave123 Hi SlowcarIX, and :Welcome to The Squirrel Board , those are magnificent photographs :thankyou for posting them.:thumbsup

:)It is always wonderful when International members like yourself share photos of your beautifully exotic Squirrels.:serene

:)Please post what your Lil' One eats each day, all Squirrels require a diet that is high in calcium and low in phosphorus, here is a link to the healthy diet chart; www.thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels However as mentioned your Lil' One should be on a puppy milk replacement formula such as Royal Canine, there is also a goats milk formula that can be used temporarily and that recipe can be posted for you also. In the meantime can you get some calcium carbonate antacid such as Tums or the equivalent, you need an antacid that only contains calcium carbonate and no other additional ingredients. You can crush this into a powder and mix it with a small amount of water to make a paste to give your Squirrel, or the powder alone can be sprinkled on some food and given that way.

:)Please keep posting and ask as many questions you might have.:great

[SlowcarIX]

I believe this is a dark color phase European Red Squirrel baby. They range into northern Asia. I have seen pics of dark babies before. I hate that they sell them in shops and street displays...

This baby should still be getting formula? Is he? I can also pretty much absolutely guarantee that the info you got on diet is completely and totally wrong. We have seen these poor little things before after they had been fed this diet for far too long to be able to save them.

PLEASE stay here on this board and let us help you help give this precious little creature a long, healthy life. We have tons of diet info and lots of people here who really know squirrels.

So question 1: Are you giving formula? If so, what is it? And what is his name?

Hi CM, i think you are right...its a darker colored sciurus vulgaris...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_squirrel

I am feeding him sponge cake dipped in cow milk...thats what squirrel sellers here feed the babies. There is no petsmart or anything fancy like that here. And most of the websites are in chinese, which i cant read...

His name....have not thought of one.....maybe MJ b/c he is black/white

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2AitTPI5U0

[island rehabber]

H
I am feeding him sponge cake dipped in cow milk...thats what squirrel sellers here feed the babies.

Of course they do...they have no long-term interest in the animal's health whatsoever. :shakehead
Can you get goat's milk? FAR better than cow's milk for sure.....cow's milk may very well kill him.
Are there any kinds of puppy milk replacers available anywhere?
The goat milk formula posted here would be your best bet until he is weaned:



3 parts goat’s milk
1 part heavy whipping cream*
1 part vanilla yogurt

[Annabelle's papa]

Of course they do...they have no long-term interest in the animal's health whatsoever. :shakehead
Can you get goat's milk? FAR better than cow's milk for sure.....cow's milk may very well kill him.
Are there any kinds of puppy milk replacers available anywhere?
The goat milk formula posted here would be your best bet until he is weaned:



3 parts goat’s milk
1 part heavy whipping cream*
1 part vanilla yogurt

:alright.gif I R :alright.gif

[stepnstone]

I believe this is a dark color phase European Red Squirrel baby.

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/hand-gestures/facepalm-gesture-smiley-emoticon.gif That would explain why several times I read an entry that said
China only had one tassel eared squirrel and that was the red squirrel.

[SlowcarIX]

:serene







:wave123 Hi SlowcarIX, and :Welcome to The Squirrel Board , those are magnificent photographs :thankyou for posting them.:thumbsup

:)It is always wonderful when International members like yourself share photos of your beautifully exotic Squirrels.:serene

:)Please post what your Lil' One eats each day, all Squirrels require a diet that is high in calcium and low in phosphorus, here is a link to the healthy diet chart; www.thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels However as mentioned your Lil' One should be on a puppy milk replacement formula such as Royal Canine, there is also a goats milk formula that can be used temporarily and that recipe can be posted for you also. In the meantime can you get some calcium carbonate antacid such as Tums or the equivalent, you need an antacid that only contains calcium carbonate and no other additional ingredients. You can crush this into a powder and mix it with a small amount of water to make a paste to give your Squirrel, or the powder alone can be sprinkled on some food and given that way.

:)Please keep posting and ask as many questions you might have.:great

sponge cake n milk...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150414_234917_zpsze4zg5my.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150414_235059_zpsq5i6gzav.jpg

as for calcium, i bought a piece of mineral chewing stone and i also got a piece of cuttlefish bone...it smells nasty tho..

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150414_235449_zpsaunzwhsk.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

Of course they do...they have no long-term interest in the animal's health whatsoever. :shakehead
Can you get goat's milk? FAR better than cow's milk for sure.....cow's milk may very well kill him.
Are there any kinds of puppy milk replacers available anywhere?
The goat milk formula posted here would be your best bet until he is weaned:



3 parts goat’s milk
1 part heavy whipping cream*
1 part vanilla yogurt


the only goat milk i have seen are these mobile goats on motorcycle carriage...dont see them too often to be able to get fresh stuff...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/goatmilk_zpsfmwl1jtr.jpg

i will go to the grocery store to see if they have goat milk in a box...

[Annabelle's papa]

:) Hi SlowcarIX, the motorcycle carriage is cool, we need to get Lil' MJ on a better diet, so both of you are members here for a very long time.:thumbsup I've searched various sites and came up with a few images you can compare in the store. The place where you purchased the Jolly Pet mineral stone might carry some of these puppy milk replacement formulas, (avoid kitten replacement formulas at all cost, they will make a Squirrel very sick.:sadness)

:) Tums and similar antacids are sold in China, and I found an image of a Chinese labeled product which is supposed to be 'like Tums'. However if you were to thoroughly wash the cuttle bone you have and allow it to dry, you could shave an ample amount of powder from it and begin coaxing Lil' MJ to injest some until you locate something with pure calcium carbonate.:thumbsup

:) I've uploaded images of Royal Canine puppy replacement formula, and
a package of what appears to be Baby Animal formula,
however there is a picture of a cat on the label as well
so I don't know if it would work.
Lastly is an image of a can of goats milk that could be purchased in a food store.
255697 255698255699
255702

[SlowcarIX]

AP and and all, you guys are the awesome and helpful!

An update...last few days, i put cake/milk, apple, banana and a chew stone into the cage...only the cake/milk got gobbled up. The rest were untouched.

But this morning, i think he decided that he has enuff of the cake/milk he has been eating for the last ~10days. He went for the apple, banana and stone instead.

[Annabelle's papa]

:)Hi SlowcarIX, I hope these images will help out some, but the place you purchased the Jolly Pet mineral stone might be the best place to find the Royal Canine puppy milk. And if you can find some calcium, I would start offering it right away just to be safe against calcium deficiency, Squirrels require a lot of calcium.:great And regular canned goats milk would be great, if you could get some of that and mix it as in the recipe, this would be a good start.:thumbsup

[Annabelle's papa]

AP and and all, you guys are the awesome and helpful!

An update...last few days, i put cake/milk, apple, banana and a chew stone into the cage...only the cake/milk got gobbled up. The rest were untouched.

But this morning, i think he decided that he has enuff of the cake/milk he has been eating for the last ~10days. He went for the apple, banana and stone instead.

:)Hi SlowcarIX, you will have to stop offering the cows milk altogether, they can't digest it very well, and when MJ starts developing gastro intestinal problems he won't be able to digest anything good for him at all. Please try to locate some canned goats milk for the formula recipe, Squirrels can digest goats milk without adverse effects, however the lactose in cows milk is almost like poison to them.:tilt

[Annabelle's papa]

:) Hi again SlowcarIX, the healthy diet chart lists boc choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, and watercress as very good vegetables to offer, I'm sure these are available and would be very good for MJ's digestion.:great

[SlowcarIX]

:)Hi SlowcarIX, you will have to stop offering the cows milk altogether, they can't digest it very well, and when MJ starts developing gastro intestinal problems he won't be able to digest anything good for him at all. Please try to locate some canned goats milk for the formula recipe, Squirrels can digest goats milk without adverse effects, however the lactose in cows milk is almost like poison to them.:tilt

since he is not eating it, i will just stop feeding and switch to healthier foods...

In just a few hours, he has eaten a small part of the stone.....any side effects eating too much of it? Is calcium from the stone adequate? I guess he knows when to stop.....?

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150416_130938_zpslu5kbxgm.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150416_083237_zpsvw9axkgd.jpg

Thanks! :thumbsup

[Kristi S]

What about hydration? Does his fur look spiky to anyone besides me?

Depending on what others say, you might want to give him supplemental fluids between meals. For hydration, you would dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar and a pinch of salt in a cup of water. If you haven't fed a squirrel before with a syringe, you should check out the threads for that and for hydrating a squirrel. Or will he lap liquid from a dish? Whatever liquid you give should be quite warm, even warmer than human skin.

Taking care of a young squirrel is not easy! There is a lot to know to keep them healthy. How sad that they sell these lovely animals. He's such a cutie!

The mineral chew looks reasonable to me, though it's hard to say without a breakdown of how much of each is in there. There's no vitamin D, which he absolutely must have. Is it possible to give him sun (not through a glass window)?

[SlowcarIX]

:) Hi again SlowcarIX, the healthy diet chart lists boc choy, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, and watercress as very good vegetables to offer, I'm sure these are available and would be very good for MJ's digestion.:great

Awesome, Thanks!! I will go to the store to hunt some down.....but 1st i got to google to see what they look like, not much of a veg eater myself :grin2

[czarina]

Hi and :Welcome we are very glad that you have found us. This is the place to learn about squirrels. Just about anything you need to know, can be found here.

Your little guy is absolutely precious.

I am going to speak very frankly to you. Many members have told you the proper formula for your little guy. You have us worried sick.

Squirrels absolutely cannot digest cows milk. It will start to cause severe disrrhea, and then lead to his death.

He needs a puppy milk replacer. NOT kitten formula. This is not optional. Your little one will become very sick, very soon, if you continue feeding what you are feeding.

Squirrels are susceptible to a horrible disease, called MBD. Metabolic Bone Disease. Every squirrel owner lives in fear of this horribly painful and debilitating disease. If the squirrel does not get enough calcium in their diet, the body starts leeching calcium from the bones. This is EXTREMELY painful, and back-end paralysis soon follows. And then death. This horrid disease is completely preventable, by simply feeding the oroper diet.

Cake and milk are not good for your little guy.Actually, they are very bad for him.

Try to find a veterinarian's office. They should sell the puppy milk, or be able to tell you where to buy it.

If you absolutely cannot find the puppy milk, then you must start with the goat milk recipe ASAP.

One thing that wasn't mentioned, you usually need to dilute the can of goats milk, with one can of water.

Then, follow the recioe that was posted above. Time is critical for your little guy.
Baby squirrels are extremely hard to raise, and simply cannot survive on the diet you are giving him.

You must introduce the new formula slowly, to give his tummy time to adjust. The first feeding put 1/4 of the goatsmilk to 3/4 cow milk

Next feeding 1/2 goatsmilk 1/2 cow

Then 3/4 goatsmilk 1/4 cow milk

Then full strenght goatsmilk.

Use this same dilution if you find the puppy milk. Go SLOWLY, give his tummy time to adjust.

He would still be nursing from his mama at this age. If yiu find a vet, or a place that sells oet supplies, get some 3 cc syringes and baby animal feeding nipples. NO BABY BOTTLES.

I would offer the milk through the syringe and nipple. He will eagerly take it. It is a wonderful time for bonding.

Also, he needs a bunch of fleece, to hide under, so see if you can find some. If not, you can use T-shirts. No towels, as their little nails get caught.


THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT INFORMATION WE HAVE GIVEN YOU ABOUT YOUR LITTLE GUYS DIET AND LIFE. PLEASE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, AND ACT ACCORDINGLY.

We have much more information to share with you, to keep your little guy healthy, but getting the right milk into his system is the priority for right now!

Goid luck!

[SlowcarIX]

What about hydration? Does his fur look spiky to anyone besides me?

Depending on what others say, you might want to give him supplemental fluids between meals. For hydration, you would dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar and a pinch of salt in a cup of water. If you haven't fed a squirrel before with a syringe, you should check out the threads for that and for hydrating a squirrel. Or will he lap liquid from a dish? Whatever liquid you give should be quite warm, even warmer than human skin.

Taking care of a young squirrel is not easy! There is a lot to know to keep them healthy. How sad that they sell these lovely animals. He's such a cutie!

The mineral chew looks reasonable to me, though it's hard to say without a breakdown of how much of each is in there. There's no vitamin D, which he absolutely must have. Is it possible to give him sun (not through a glass window)?

Hi Kristi, he drinks from 2 bottles...they are just plain bottled water, same stuff i drink.....do i need to add electrolytes..salt/sugar?

The only thing i find difficult, he is very very messy! 5 mins for him to eat and i spend 10 mins to clean up the mess because he flings the cake/milk everywhere and gets it all over himself. I have to wipe his face down...also, when he gets done eating, he poops and pee...is that normal?

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150416_132010_zpsq1gstasv.jpg

[Annabelle's papa]

:)Hi again SlowcarIX, using two water bottles is a great system,:great I'm not sure how much each holds, however you can make your own electrolyte with 8 ounces of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar, and a small pinch of salt, and it good if the water is very warm, Ms. Kristi mentioned all of this in her post.:thumbsup Yes it is very good when MJ poops and pees right after eating, and you do have to keep them clean with plain warm water and no soaps.:)

(Your going to do great if you follow all of the good advice provided by everyone, and your photos are looking good also.)

[SlowcarIX]

Hi and :Welcome we are very glad that you have found us. This is the place to learn about squirrels. Just about anything you need to know, can be found here.

Your little guy is absolutely precious.

I am going to speak very frankly to you. Many members have told you the proper formula for your little guy. You have us worried sick.

Squirrels absolutely cannot digest cows milk. It will start to cause severe disrrhea, and then lead to his death.

He needs a puppy milk replacer. NOT kitten formula. This is not optional. Your little one will become very sick, very soon, if you continue feeding what you are feeding.

Squirrels are susceptible to a horrible disease, called MBD. Metabolic Bone Disease. Every squirrel owner lives in fear of this horribly painful and debilitating disease. If the squirrel does not get enough calcium in their diet, the body starts leeching calcium from the bones. This is EXTREMELY painful, and back-end paralysis soon follows. And then death. This horrid disease is completely preventable, by simply feeding the oroper diet.

Cake and milk are not good for your little guy.Actually, they are very bad for him.

Try to find a veterinarian's office. They should sell the puppy milk, or be able to tell you where to buy it.

If you absolutely cannot find the puppy milk, then you must start with the goat milk recipe ASAP.

One thing that wasn't mentioned, you usually need to dilute the can of goats milk, with one can of water.

Then, follow the recioe that was posted above. Time is critical for your little guy.
Baby squirrels are extremely hard to raise, and simply cannot survive on the diet you are giving him.

You must introduce the new formula slowly, to give his tummy time to adjust. The first feeding put 1/4 of the goatsmilk to 3/4 cow milk

Next feeding 1/2 goatsmilk 1/2 cow

Then 3/4 goatsmilk 1/4 cow milk

Then full strenght goatsmilk.

Use this same dilution if you find the puppy milk. Go SLOWLY, give his tummy time to adjust.

He would still be nursing from his mama at this age. If yiu find a vet, or a place that sells oet supplies, get some 3 cc syringes and baby animal feeding nipples. NO BABY BOTTLES.

I would offer the milk through the syringe and nipple. He will eagerly take it. It is a wonderful time for bonding.

Also, he needs a bunch of fleece, to hide under, so see if you can find some. If not, you can use T-shirts. No towels, as their little nails get caught.


THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT INFORMATION WE HAVE GIVEN YOU ABOUT YOUR LITTLE GUYS DIET AND LIFE. PLEASE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, AND ACT ACCORDINGLY.

We have much more information to share with you, to keep your little guy healthy, but getting the right milk into his system is the priority for right now!

Goid luck!

Hi czarina, thanks for the great advice!

[SlowcarIX]

:)Hi again SlowcarIX, using two water bottles is a great system,:great I'm not sure how much each holds, however you can make your own electrolyte with 8 ounces of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar, and a small pinch of salt, and it good if the water is very warm, Ms. Kristi mentioned all of this in her post.:thumbsup Yes it is very good when MJ poops and pees right after eating, and you do have to keep them clean with plain warm water and no soaps.:)

(Your going to do great if you follow all of the good advice provided by everyone, and your photos are looking good also.)

Hi AP, the bottles are 80ml/2.7oz ea.

Decided on 2 bottles b/c many years ago i had 2 pet gerbils...they were drinking from a bottle like those. They died 1 day b/c there was a bubble in the metal tube that cause water to stop flowing...anyways there is 2 just incase one has an issue.

I stopped giving milk/cake. He is now totally on solid food. So now i do not have to deal with the big mess and cleaning after it.

[stepnstone]

Hi AP, the bottles are 80ml/2.7oz ea.

Decided on 2 bottles b/c many years ago i had 2 pet gerbils...they were drinking from a bottle like those. They died 1 day b/c there was a bubble in the metal tube that cause water to stop flowing...anyways there is 2 just incase one has an issue.

I stopped giving milk/cake. He is now totally on solid food. So now i do not have to deal with the big mess and cleaning after it.

A common problem that takes very little time to check dailey to be assured they are working properly.
A squirrel will succume quicker from dehydration then they will from starvation.

[SlowcarIX]

got a few of the ones on the left...he gobbled it up!

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150417_182050_zps3syxwlze.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150418_121837_zpspjwfh5tq.jpg

[Annabelle's papa]

:)Good Morning SlowcarIX, I live in a small country town in the southern part of our country, and I really enjoy the photos that international members such as yourself post. Even the recent photos you just posted from the Chinese market are exciting to see, we don't have any fresh tree nuts available here until October. :great

:)I'm not familiar with the nuts on the right, but I think the ones you point out on the left are Hazel nuts, although I could be wrong.:tilt They are good for MJ to keep his teeth worn down on, but they have to be limited to only 2 or less a day. Nuts and seeds in general are loaded with phosphorus, and this can cause Lil' MJ to lose calcium from his bones and become very ill.:sadness

:) Did you locate some canned goats milk, one can can be mixed in half with water, and this would be very healthy for MJ to drink while he is still young. Post back with some photos of the good vegetables you have found, I'm sure you have located some broccoli and bok choy.:thumbsup

[SlowcarIX]

:)Good Morning SlowcarIX, I live in a small country town in the southern part of our country, and I really enjoy the photos that international members such as yourself post. Even the recent photos you just posted from the Chinese market are exciting to see, we don't have any fresh tree nuts available here until October. :great

:)I'm not familiar with the nuts on the right, but I think the ones you point out on the left are Hazel nuts, although I could be wrong.:tilt They are good for MJ to keep his teeth worn down on, but they have to be limited to only 2 or less a day. Nuts and seeds in general are loaded with phosphorus, and this can cause Lil' MJ to lose calcium from his bones and become very ill.:sadness

:) Did you locate some canned goats milk, one can can be mixed in half with water, and this would be very healthy for MJ to drink while he is still young. Post back with some photos of the good vegetables you have found, I'm sure you have located some broccoli and bok choy.:thumbsup

AP, they are both chestnuts....one on the right is chinese chestnut and left one is another kind that looks like hazelnut externally.

I stopped giving milk...

I dont know what he likes to eat but he has all of these in his cage for the last ~2 days...lettuce, apple, banana, walnut, sunflower seeds, digestive biscuit, raw peanut, fruit muesli and chestnut this afternoon....he eats a bit of everything. i throw the uneaten stuff out at nite and reloads new stuff in the morning.

[SlowcarIX]

vegetables here are sprayed with a lot of pesticides...whats a good way to make to make sure its washed off? Broccoli and cauliflower have a lot of crevice that traps a lot of the spray..

[Annabelle's papa]

AP, they are both chestnuts....one on the right is chinese chestnut and left one is another kind that looks like hazelnut externally.

I stopped giving milk...

I dont know what he likes to eat but he has all of these in his cage for the last ~2 days...lettuce, apple, banana, walnut, sunflower seeds, digestive biscuit, raw peanut, fruit muesli and chestnut this afternoon....he eats a bit of everything. i throw the uneaten stuff out at nite and reloads new stuff in the morning.


vegetables here are sprayed with a lot of pesticides...whats a good way to make to make sure its washed off? Broccoli and cauliflower have a lot of crevice that traps a lot of the spray..

:)H SlowcarIX, you have the right idea about washing the vegetables, and even though there are certain soaps/sprays used to help clean them, just rinsing them really well under running water will remove most of the harmful chemicals. Over here our government lies to us about the chemicals used on and in our food, so we have to be very careful too.:tilt

:)Your're doing great with the foods you have chosen, but please limit the nuts to only 2 a day, and no seeds at all they are the worse. This includes corn and other grains, it sounds confusing doesn't it, but in the wild Squirrels don't eat nuts and seeds all year. Mostly green plants, certain flowers and buds, certain tree bark, and fungi although mushrooms are high in phosphorus also, but Squirrels in the wild know how to balance what they eat.:thumbsup

:)You're right about the chestnuts, I'm not very good at identifying nuts or vegetables either, but the photos you're posting look great. What is MJ eating in that recent photo, it looks like a piece of fruit. And the purple/grape mineral block you have is loaded with calcium, and MJ should eat some of it all the time.

[SlowcarIX]

...What is MJ eating in that recent photo, it looks like a piece of fruit.

he is wrestling/eating a chestnut that has been de-shelled.

this is him eating a loquat fruit...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150418_180922_zpsn1j1gz3g.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

Post back with some photos of the good vegetables you have found, I'm sure you have located some broccoli and bok choy.:thumbsup

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150418_211415_zps5zacxxny.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150418_211721_zps5frs48he.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150418_211445_zpsdhviudjs.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150418_211737_zpsfncrc87s.jpg

Bought some...
bok choy - 0.16rmb / $0.025
cauliflower - 0.16rmb
broccoli - 0.88rmb / $0.14

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150418_223508_zpsg8brnbs7.jpg

[Annabelle's papa]

:)That photo is cool SlowcarIX, I asked about the other pic because that chestnut was large, it looked like a piece of fruit.:klunk Is there any blanket or t shirt material you could put in MJ's cage, they love to snuggle and bury themselves in it, and sometimes they can hang up a toe in the open cage racks.:tilt Not trying to be bossy, you're doing everything great .:great

:)The grape mineral stone you have is loaded with calcium, they look like they have more calcium than the mineral blocks we have over here.:great I couldn't even find out how much calcium these things have, the package your grape block came in lists three different forms of calcium.:thumbsup255920

[Annabelle's papa]

:) Those photos look great almost 3-D, and those are the best vegetables on the food lists, our dogs love boc choy and broccoli, so we never have any spoil in the refrigerator.:great

:)You must be using a really nice camera.:serene

[SlowcarIX]

:)That photo is cool SlowcarIX, I asked about the other pic because that chestnut was large, it looked like a piece of fruit.:klunk Is there any blanket or t shirt material you could put in MJ's cage, they love to snuggle and bury themselves in it, and sometimes they can hang up a toe in the open cage racks.:tilt Not trying to be bossy, you're doing everything great .:great

:)The grape mineral stone you have is loaded with calcium, they look like they have more calcium than the mineral blocks we have over here.:great I couldn't even find out how much calcium these things have, the package your grape block came in lists three different forms of calcium.:thumbsup255920

i got him a pouch...looks like a canvas material, a little stiff but should stand up a little to his chewing...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150419_073842_zpstsdbac7u.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

:) Those photos look great almost 3-D, and those are the best vegetables on the food lists, our dogs love boc choy and broccoli, so we never have any spoil in the refrigerator.:great

:)You must be using a really nice camera.:serene

its just a Samsung S5 phone camera....the image processor is know to up saturation/contrast to make the pics look a little more "punchy"

[Annabelle's papa]

its just a Samsung S5 phone camera....the image processor is know to up saturation/contrast to make the pics look a little more "punchy"

:)Hi SlowcarIX, the S5's are great, I think it has 16 megapixel's and that is really good for a phone, I think that is twice what the apple I5 has. :great

:)How is MJ taking to the vegetables, didn't you weigh him on a digital kitchen already I'm not sure if I remember.:tilt

:)Those pouch's will hold up well, canvas I think. If you had an old t shirt you could put over some of the wire shelf area, it might prevent a toe from hanging up, sometimes when they break a toe they end up losing it. But not an old towel because MJ can hang up a nail in the loops of a terry cloth towel, and still break a toe.:tilt

[SlowcarIX]

:)Hi SlowcarIX, the S5's are great, I think it has 16 megapixel's and that is really good for a phone, I think that is twice what the apple I5 has. :great

:)How is MJ taking to the vegetables, didn't you weigh him on a digital kitchen already I'm not sure if I remember.:tilt

:)Those pouch's will hold up well, canvas I think. If you had an old t shirt you could put over some of the wire shelf area, it might prevent a toe from hanging up, sometimes when they break a toe they end up losing it. But not an old towel because MJ can hang up a nail in the loops of a terry cloth towel, and still break a toe.:tilt

He is bringing his vegetables to bed! I do not have a scale at home but he has grown noticeably heavier after going all solid foods. His turd used to be small specks...now they are like logs :eek

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150419_105406_zpsq6x1sypy.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150420_134149_zpsd6b4s3mc.jpg

[island rehabber]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkk! You need to put a warning on this thread!! that is possibly the


Cutest Baby Squirrel,
EVER.
I can't stop laughing and giggling at this baby with his tufty ears -- omg! Halp!!

:bliss:klunk:grin3:grouphug

[Chickenlegs]

Oh glory! He's precious. Where are you? Can we send some things to make your sweetie more comfortable? How can you stand to put him down! I'm guessing he isn't going to be released so bond tight with the little guy. Afterall, he'll grow up to be a squirrel with a squirrels instincts and opinions. Some of those need a loving bond to get you through the rough spots. What do these squirrels eat in the wild? We have lots of different kinds of squirrels here at TSB and some diets are higher in fruit (Variegated tree squirrels in Costa Rica) some squirrels need more protein (flying squirrels). Just wondering. Maybe find some of his natural foods if he's indigenous to your area. He likely needs some kind of rodent block to fill him up and keep him healthy but what's available? Everybody else has pushed the calcium button and looks like you're trying to get as many calcium rich foods into him as possible. Please kiss your boy's little head for me and give him some ear skritches. Oh I would LOVE to skritch those earsies! :grin3

[SlowcarIX]

ZZzzzzZZZzzz

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150501_121956_zpsqjdwrjmn.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkk! You need to put a warning on this thread!! that is possibly the


Cutest Baby Squirrel,
EVER.
I can't stop laughing and giggling at this baby with his tufty ears -- omg! Halp!!

:bliss:klunk:grin3:grouphug



:grin3

[SlowcarIX]

Oh glory! He's precious. Where are you? Can we send some things to make your sweetie more comfortable? How can you stand to put him down! I'm guessing he isn't going to be released so bond tight with the little guy. Afterall, he'll grow up to be a squirrel with a squirrels instincts and opinions. Some of those need a loving bond to get you through the rough spots. What do these squirrels eat in the wild? We have lots of different kinds of squirrels here at TSB and some diets are higher in fruit (Variegated tree squirrels in Costa Rica) some squirrels need more protein (flying squirrels). Just wondering. Maybe find some of his natural foods if he's indigenous to your area. He likely needs some kind of rodent block to fill him up and keep him healthy but what's available? Everybody else has pushed the calcium button and looks like you're trying to get as many calcium rich foods into him as possible. Please kiss your boy's little head for me and give him some ear skritches. Oh I would LOVE to skritch those earsies! :grin3

I am in Xiamen, Republic of China...Thanks a lot for the offer! I can get most of the squirrel stuff here, planning a trip to Hong Kong to get a bag or 2 of the mazuri rat blocks.

This fellow is from northeastern china: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_China

The squirrel sellers tells me all it needs is sunflower seeds and some apples. There are a few big versions of this in his shop that are exclusively fed this diet with no apparent ill effects...they are 2 - 3yrs old.

I throw a bit of everything into his cage...digestive biscuit, cauliflower, walnut, sunflower seeds, oats, apples, corn, chestnut, pine nuts. He eats all of those...theres also a piece of mineral chew stone and a cuttlefish bone...the big cuttlefish bone is already eaten half thru...so i am quite sure hes got enuff calcium

[Kristi S]

They also need vitamin D to metabolize the calcium. The best way to give him this is if he can get some sunshine (not through a window, it has to be direct) a few hours/week. Or feed him a mushroom that has sat in the sun for a few hours...maybe once or twice a week(?) Hard to dose. They can get too much vitamin D if fed orally, but they will control it themselves physiologically if in the form of sun. (Sorry if I'm repeating what someone else said; I only scanned some of the posts).

Great photos! He's gorgeous! Thanks for posting them.

[CritterMom]

I am in Xiamen, Republic of China...Thanks a lot for the offer! I can get most of the squirrel stuff here, planning a trip to Hong Kong to get a bag or 2 of the mazuri rat blocks.

This fellow is from northeastern china: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_China

The squirrel sellers tells me all it needs is sunflower seeds and some apples. There are a few big versions of this in his shop that are exclusively fed this diet with no apparent ill effects...they are 2 - 3yrs old.

I throw a bit of everything into his cage...digestive biscuit, cauliflower, walnut, sunflower seeds, oats, apples, corn, chestnut, pine nuts. He eats all of those...theres also a piece of mineral chew stone and a cuttlefish bone...the big cuttlefish bone is already eaten half thru...so i am quite sure hes got enuff calcium

The squirrel sellers sell squirrels. The faster they die after sale, the more squirrels they can sell. They are giving you very bad diet advice. I do hope you listen to us on this. 2-3 years old is NOTHING. We have a number of 10+ year old squirrels here on the board. They get to be that age with a healthy diet!

[SlowcarIX]

They also need vitamin D to metabolize the calcium. The best way to give him this is if he can get some sunshine (not through a window, it has to be direct) a few hours/week. Or feed him a mushroom that has sat in the sun for a few hours...maybe once or twice a week(?) Hard to dose. They can get too much vitamin D if fed orally, but they will control it themselves physiologically if in the form of sun. (Sorry if I'm repeating what someone else said; I only scanned some of the posts).

Great photos! He's gorgeous! Thanks for posting them.

Hi KS, his cage sits out in the balcony and it gets sunlight in the morning. Mushrooms are readily available too.

Are mushrooms the same? Will the dried ****ake mushrooms work?

[SlowcarIX]

shi-ta-ke mushrooms

[SlowcarIX]

The squirrel sellers sell squirrels. The faster they die after sale, the more squirrels they can sell. They are giving you very bad diet advice. I do hope you listen to us on this. 2-3 years old is NOTHING. We have a number of 10+ year old squirrels here on the board. They get to be that age with a healthy diet!

Went to Hong Kong and got 4 bags of the mazuri rat food...should be able to last quite awhile.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150503_004914_zpsfeaamj5o.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150503_005002_zpsjjzvvdf9.jpg

[CritterMom]

:thumbsup:thumbsup

If he give you a hard time about eating them, let us know - we have all kinds of tricks.

[SlowcarIX]

:thumbsup:thumbsup

If he give you a hard time about eating them, let us know - we have all kinds of tricks.

CM, he is not particular about food...seems to be eating anything i put into the cage :shark1

[SlowcarIX]

just to double check.....MJ is a boy?

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150503_010631_zpsip8rpyvq.jpg

[Annabelle's papa]

:)Good Morning SlowcarIX, Thank You for the wiki link of North Eastern China, it's cool that you were able to get the rodent blocks over in Hong Kong. It's almost unanimous, MJ is just about 'The Cutest Baby Squirrel Ever', either his photo from post #46 in his pouch, or his photo from post #49 in his pouch with the cauliflower, would make a really good avatar picture.:thumbsup

[SlowcarIX]

:shine


http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150503_101312_zpscxzll5wb.jpg

[Chickenlegs]

Aaaaak! He's so sweet! That boy needs CAGE GEAR! Bet he'd love a cube and hammocks and things to swing on! Yep--BOY!

[Annabelle's papa]

:)That is a great cage SlowcarIX, and I see you actually have three water bottles, I downloaded the photo you posted of the two bottles side by side to use as an example when explaining the importance of multiple water sources.:thumbsup This cage is different from the one you use outside isn't it, and I know you want to keep it clean but if you put a tall limb in there, MJ could burn off more calories from all those good vegetables he's been eating.:klunk

[Shewhosweptforest]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkk! You need to put a warning on this thread!! that is possibly the


Cutest Baby Squirrel,
EVER.
I can't stop laughing and giggling at this baby with his tufty ears -- omg! Halp!!

:bliss:klunk:grin3:grouphug



:yeahthat :klunk oh my gosh, I've been klunked and can't get up :rofl4

[Kristi S]

What a great pose! You can tell he appreciates his pouch. It's not just his ears or his lovely black fur, but that bright white belly that makes him such a cutie pie. What is the straight line near the division between the black and white on the left side of his belly that appears in the "boy" shot? It almost looks like a scar. Or is it just the photo?

I kinda like the cage set-up - he can burn calories jumping from perch to perch and climbing the chain (although I wonder if he could get his toes pinched in it? Probably paranoia talking). Still, branches are good for them to gnaw on and provide a little more of a natural habitat. The trouble might be finding a suitable, clean branch in the middle of a Chinese city. Is this perhaps the "outside" cage? I can see where he could some sun.

One thing dietary thing that is generally frowned on is corn. A little won't hurt, but it's high in phosphorus and low on calcium. Just so you're aware. I'm trying to remember if dried mushrooms work. I wouldn't count on it.

[SlowcarIX]

:)Good Morning SlowcarIX, Thank You for the wiki link of North Eastern China, it's cool that you were able to get the rodent blocks over in Hong Kong. It's almost unanimous, MJ is just about 'The Cutest Baby Squirrel Ever', either his photo from post #46 in his pouch, or his photo from post #49 in his pouch with the cauliflower, would make a really good avatar picture.:thumbsup

:grin3

[SlowcarIX]

Aaaaak! He's so sweet! That boy needs CAGE GEAR! Bet he'd love a cube and hammocks and things to swing on! Yep--BOY!

CL, i hose down the cage everytime i empty the debris collecting tray thats why i keep it to bare minimum and water resistant stuff in there. Will see what the shops have that i can add

[SlowcarIX]

:grin3
:yeahthat :klunk oh my gosh, I've been klunked and can't get up :rofl4

[SlowcarIX]

What a great pose! You can tell he appreciates his pouch. It's not just his ears or his lovely black fur, but that bright white belly that makes him such a cutie pie. What is the straight line near the division between the black and white on the left side of his belly that appears in the "boy" shot? It almost looks like a scar. Or is it just the photo?

I kinda like the cage set-up - he can burn calories jumping from perch to perch and climbing the chain (although I wonder if he could get his toes pinched in it? Probably paranoia talking). Still, branches are good for them to gnaw on and provide a little more of a natural habitat. The trouble might be finding a suitable, clean branch in the middle of a Chinese city. Is this perhaps the "outside" cage? I can see where he could some sun.

One thing dietary thing that is generally frowned on is corn. A little won't hurt, but it's high in phosphorus and low on calcium. Just so you're aware. I'm trying to remember if dried mushrooms work. I wouldn't count on it.

Kristi, i its just a skin flap when he is all stretched out.

Xiamen is actually one of the "cleaner" chinese cities...but still, the table gets a layer of "dust" when i get home in the evening after the cleaner lady comes by to clean in the mornings. Will look for something more natural for him to climb.

I am keeping everything big whatever i put into the care or else he takes it back into the pouch! He eats a bit of everything and that corn will last him a week....

[SlowcarIX]

just read this.....:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02935/Four-Unexpected-Food-Facts.html


"1. Mushrooms make vitamin D in sunlight.
Most people are aware that the human body makes vitamin D in response to sunlight. Less known is the fact that mushrooms, even picked ones, can perform the same feat - which means that eating mushrooms that have been exposed to sunlight can be an excellent way to supplement your "D" levels.

In the summer of 2004, mycologist Paul Stamets discovered that the level of vitamin D in freshly picked, indoor- grown shiitake mushrooms rose from 110 IU (international units) to an astonishing 46,000 IU per 100 grams when the mushrooms were placed outdoors in the sun for just six hours with the gills facing up (when the gills were facing down, the level rose to 10,900 IU).

This means that eating just one gram of sun-treated shiitake - about one tenth of one mushroom - would give you 460 IU, close to the FDA's recommended daily dose of 400 IU, and about a quarter of Dr. Weil's recommended 2,000 IU. In his book, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World, Stamets concluded, "(In) populations where vitamin D is seriously deficient, sun-exposed dried mushrooms can help address a serious health issue.""

[SlowcarIX]

:)That is a great cage SlowcarIX, and I see you actually have three water bottles, I downloaded the photo you posted of the two bottles side by side to use as an example when explaining the importance of multiple water sources.:thumbsup This cage is different from the one you use outside isn't it, and I know you want to keep it clean but if you put a tall limb in there, MJ could burn off more calories from all those good vegetables he's been eating.:klunk

AP, i actually went away for a 5 day work trip last week...thought its better to add 1 extra drinking bottle. They are $1 ea here.

This is his 3rd cage...1st one i brought him home with, 2nd one...he outgrew it in 2 weeks. He could leap from the lower shelf to the upper one in one go....this 3rd one, the height is extendable. Might think of adding another section on later.

[Kristi S]

Kristi, i its just a skin flap when he is all stretched out.

Xiamen is actually one of the "cleaner" chinese cities...but still, the table gets a layer of "dust" when i get home in the evening after the cleaner lady comes by to clean in the mornings. Will look for something more natural for him to climb.

I am keeping everything big whatever i put into the care or else he takes it back into the pouch! He eats a bit of everything and that corn will last him a week....

Is the corn dried? I don't want to alarm you, and maybe I'm (again) being paranoid, but corn is susceptible to a fungus that produces aflatoxin, which has killed squirrels through fungal growth on acorns, which is why people around here say you shouldn't ever feed squirrels acorns. But if it's dried, and stays dry, it shouldn't be a problem.

That's remarkable about the immense increase in vitamin D in sh1takes (weird how the software automatically censors the name of a mushroom)! Very interesting and useful information. Could be a reason to steer clear of sun-treated 'shrooms for squirrels - very hard to dose.

[SlowcarIX]

fresh sh(i)take mushroom...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150505_130507_zpsmpqd5wgh.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150505_130325_zpsvlx9gi9y.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

Is the corn dried? I don't want to alarm you, and maybe I'm (again) being paranoid, but corn is susceptible to a fungus that produces aflatoxin, which has killed squirrels through fungal growth on acorns, which is why people around here say you shouldn't ever feed squirrels acorns. But if it's dried, and stays dry, it shouldn't be a problem.

That's remarkable about the immense increase in vitamin D in sh1takes (weird how the software automatically censors the name of a mushroom)! Very interesting and useful information. Could be a reason to steer clear of sun-treated 'shrooms for squirrels - very hard to dose.

starts out as a fresh corn but it dries up in a couple of days...

[SlowcarIX]

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150508_081730_zpskgfza2ag.jpg

So he has been eating his mazuri rat blocks for the last week...then last nite and this morning, he decides hes had enuff and decides to pee into his food bowl and messes up all the blocks! So annoying!

[Annabelle's papa]

:)The mushroom photos are cool SlowcarIX, Thanks for the new pic of MJ, he's getting bigger everyday.:thumbsup Everyone goes through the same thing with the blocks, one day they like them the next day they don't.:tilt

[SlowcarIX]

:)The mushroom photos are cool SlowcarIX, Thanks for the new pic of MJ, he's getting bigger everyday.:thumbsup Everyone goes through the same thing with the blocks, one day they like them the next day they don't.:tilt

yep, getting bigger, leaps further and bites harder :grin3

like it or not, there are 4 bags of it...hes got 1 yr to finish eating them :grin2

[SlowcarIX]

going to blocks has made feeding him so much easier. less mess to deal with and i dont have to put so many types of food item into the cage everyday.

[czarina]

Hi SlowcarlX, I am a little concerned about a few things.

While squirrels are not a dirty pet, they are however an extremely messy pet to keep. I am getting the impression that you are kind of a "neat freak". I do not mean this in a negative way. (I wish I was more of one!).

But, I am getting the impression that you are denying your guy things that he needs, like a big branch in his cage, that he can climb on, but more importantly, it fights boredom, by allowing him to get some aggression out of his system, by allowing him to gnaw on it, which by the way, also helps keep his teeth trimmed.

I have the impression that you don't want to clean up the mess it will make. And it will. He will leave a pile of toothpicks for you to clean up. But, he needs it.

Also, just because he is eating his blocks, DOES NOT MEAN, that he doesn't need all of the fruits and vegetables you have been feeding him. To stay healthy he needs both, whether or not he makes a mess.

Also, his cage looks extremely bare. I know you "hose it down " daily, but he needs stuff "to do", while he is stuck in his cage, to fight boredom. Our cages have all kind of goodies for the squirrel to play with. (Maybe some members can post pics of their cages, so can see)

I am sorry to have to bring these things up, but I would really like to think about whether or not a squirrel is the best pet for you, because they are extremely messy, but these are things they need for their health.

So, just maybe think about it. I have no question that you love your little guy, but just think about the things I mentioned,:Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

[SlowcarIX]

Hi SlowcarlX, I am a little concerned about a few things.

While squirrels are not a dirty pet, they are however an extremely messy pet to keep. I am getting the impression that you are kind of a "neat freak". I do not mean this in a negative way. (I wish I was more of one!).

But, I am getting the impression that you are denying your guy things that he needs, like a big branch in his cage, that he can climb on, but more importantly, it fights boredom, by allowing him to get some aggression out of his system, by allowing him to gnaw on it, which by the way, also helps keep his teeth trimmed.

I have the impression that you don't want to clean up the mess it will make. And it will. He will leave a pile of toothpicks for you to clean up. But, he needs it.

Also, just because he is eating his blocks, DOES NOT MEAN, that he doesn't need all of the fruits and vegetables you have been feeding him. To stay healthy he needs both, whether or not he makes a mess.

Also, his cage looks extremely bare. I know you "hose it down " daily, but he needs stuff "to do", while he is stuck in his cage, to fight boredom. Our cages have all kind of goodies for the squirrel to play with. (Maybe some members can post pics of their cages, so can see)

I am sorry to have to bring these things up, but I would really like to think about whether or not a squirrel is the best pet for you, because they are extremely messy, but these are things they need for their health.

So, just maybe think about it. I have no question that you love your little guy, but just think about the things I mentioned,:Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

i would love the see pics of your cage and others to get an idea of the stuff to add.

it gets to be 100% humidity here in this span of few months. the metal grid above the debris collection tray is starting to rust from the pee and also the ammonia/urea smell get quite strong after 2 to 3 days. best solution i thought is to wash it when i clean out the tray...seems to lessen the rusting and definitely the small. i just got a bag of bentonite clay aka cat litter last nite, will add a layer to the debris tray to see if it helps neutralise the smell. just seeing what i can do to make his living condition better.

been looking for a branch but can't seem to find anything yet...will see if i can find a piece of drift wood from the aquarium shop later

he eats about 6 of the mazuri blocks/day and he still gets his other food...pinenuts sunflower seeds, dragon fruit, freeze dried coconut...but variety is not as much as pre blocks. or else he just hide the blocks in his sleeping pouch and ignores it.

this morning he got a smoothie of pear, banana, apples, dragon fruit, passionfruit, muesli...he drank up 2 tablespoons of it :grin2

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150509_075115_zpstqzrjbra.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150509_075322_zpsgjdzfni7.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

he gets whole walnut to chew...

https://youtu.be/p4RnkxneyLI

[SlowcarIX]

saw these at walmart...dried chinese red dates, bought a small bag. he gobbled them!

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150510_084326_zpsebctasee.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

lots of Vit C in them

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jujube

http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/607529/14451275/1317659033903/Jujube+Dried.jpg?token=G97t9rDOqWRfkk6dU%2FytTjK6K xk%3D

[island rehabber]

He is SO darned adorable I just can't stop smiling when I look at him! :serene

[SlowcarIX]

He is SO darned adorable I just can't stop smiling when I look at him! :serene

:grin3

[SlowcarIX]

the layer of cat litter in the debris tray is doing a great job keeping the urea smell down! :grin2

[Chickenlegs]

Cat litter in a bucket (even better--DIRT) would give him a place to dig, hide things and pee. Try a litter box. I've had plenty of squirrels use one exclusively. You can braid strips of fabric to make ropes for him to climb on. Hang a basket in his cage (not plastic but non toxic wood) He'll chew on it, swing on it, and maybe even sleep in it.

[astra]

the cutest little guy ever.

You've already been given so many great suggestions, so, I'll just expand on some nutritional points czarina made.

It's great that he eats his block, but he does not need dried fruit, nor does he need that much fruit in general.
Dried fruit is way too much concentrated sugar for him. Squirrels, too, can become diabetic. Also, if he ends up developing a sweet tooth, it will be a constant battle uphill for you to ensure he eats the good veggies and block.
Some sqs can one day just refuse all the stuff they should eat and wait for all the "desserts." You don't want that to happen :).

Also, once released, he will not be able to eat all that fruit, but if he gets used to sweets, it will be a very hard transition for him in the wild.

So, you can safely cut down on all the fruit, and get rid of the dried fruit completely.

In addition to block, you want to go heavy on veggies and greens.
Fruit - as a treat only after all the veggies and block have been eaten.

Here is the Healthful Diet for squirrels in rehab. It's broken down into groups and very easy to follow:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

:grouphug

[SlowcarIX]

the cutest little guy ever.

You've already been given so many great suggestions, so, I'll just expand on some nutritional points czarina made.

It's great that he eats his block, but he does not need dried fruit, nor does he need that much fruit in general.
Dried fruit is way too much concentrated sugar for him. Squirrels, too, can become diabetic. Also, if he ends up developing a sweet tooth, it will be a constant battle uphill for you to ensure he eats the good veggies and block.
Some sqs can one day just refuse all the stuff they should eat and wait for all the "desserts." You don't want that to happen :).

Also, once released, he will not be able to eat all that fruit, but if he gets used to sweets, it will be a very hard transition for him in the wild.

So, you can safely cut down on all the fruit, and get rid of the dried fruit completely.

In addition to block, you want to go heavy on veggies and greens.
Fruit - as a treat only after all the veggies and block have been eaten.

Here is the Healthful Diet for squirrels in rehab. It's broken down into groups and very easy to follow:

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

:grouphug

awesome. roger that!

[SlowcarIX]

MJs is ~16weeks old now. Been charting his weight the last 3 weeks...yellow is measured weight and the rest are interpolated to fill in the gaps.....

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/mj%20weight%20screen%20capture_zps2tdq21o8.jpg

So according to the line equation...y = 3.6001x + 222, in ~30weeks, MJ will reach 1000grams :grin3

Read a little, they will grow to a max of ~340grams...in 32days / 4.7 weeks time....according to the linear plot :grin2

[SlowcarIX]

he is eating his mazuri rat blocks and group 1 vegetables...lychees and durians as they are in season, just a small bit. he goes nuts from the smell of durians and would keep licking his paws after he gets done eating! he chews on these, wild wildnut from northeastern china...very thick hard shell, keeps his mouth busy and teeth trimmed.

http://www.firstwildworld.com/photo/pl370328-wild_walnut_northeast_china.jpg

[astra]

Wow, you are good - keeping the charts and graphs.
Yeah - he won't reach 1000g :), unless his is some giant species. :)

It's great that he eats his block and good veggies, and has hard nuts to trim his teeth.
What kind of nut is it? Kind of looks like a cross between a walnut and a butternut.

I never tried durian. Having read all sorts of stories about their allegedly very strong odour, I wasn't sure if I wanted to try - it is a rather large fruit to buy just to try a little bit.
So, is the odour as "controversial" as they say?
And he loves it?... hmm... maybe I should try it - squirrels usually know where the good stuff is. :)

[SlowcarIX]

Wow, you are good - keeping the charts and graphs.
Yeah - he won't reach 1000g :), unless his is some giant species. :)

It's great that he eats his block and good veggies, and has hard nuts to trim his teeth.
What kind of nut is it? Kind of looks like a cross between a walnut and a butternut.

I never tried durian. Having read all sorts of stories about their allegedly very strong odour, I wasn't sure if I wanted to try - it is a rather large fruit to buy just to try a little bit.
So, is the odour as "controversial" as they say?
And he loves it?... hmm... maybe I should try it - squirrels usually know where the good stuff is. :)

visibly i can see that he is gaining mass...so i just want to see how much...

its a walnut, a wild variety from the northeastern part of china. i got 2lbs of it and shipping cost more than the nuts...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150611_185556_zpslbj43cnt.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150611_185751_zpset7gvjkx.jpg

it takes him 10mins to break open a regular walnut...this wild variety, takes him several hours to break. its great when i need to wash his cage, just give him one and he will be chewing at one spot, concentrating on breaking it open...nothing distracts him from it!

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/cracked_zps0bxdmvmz.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

I never tried durian. Having read all sorts of stories about their allegedly very strong odour, I wasn't sure if I wanted to try - it is a rather large fruit to buy just to try a little bit.
So, is the odour as "controversial" as they say?
And he loves it?... hmm... maybe I should try it - squirrels usually know where the good stuff is. :)

i grew up eating durians so durian taste like durians to me :grin3...we have a durian plantation in malaysia. they know which durian is the best and will chew a hole thru the shell. makes the fruit unsightly but you know it will be a good one. my dad during durian used to shoot them down...after awhile, he got sick of it and just let the squirrels choose the best..."holey" durians for him

[astra]

so, those walnuts must be very similar to wild black walnuts we have here - great for teeth, that's for sure.
hhmmm... will venture to try a durian next time I see it :)

[SlowcarIX]

eating some durians....

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/P6130923_zpsuflz43bz.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/P6130925_zpsfs2befr5.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

its getting really warm in the nites, guys sleeping belly up...:grin3

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150617_231529_zpsixsx1gqq.jpg

[Sara in NW MS]

How adorable!!! I just love looking at pics of this little one.

:serene

[Shewhosweptforest]

:klunk :klunk:klunk I just want to rub that white belly and ear tuffs and kiss that sweet head...he's adorable:Love_Icon I'm glad your dad gave up on shooting the little ones:thumbsup I know it's frustrating when they go through and take nibbles ...just enough to make it unusable :dono but as my husband always says.."everything's got to eat" :grin3 We need more pics, more often :hyper :grin3

[czarina]

Gosh, he is just so precious! I just want to tickle and smootch him all over.
You are doing a great job with him.:grin2

[TubeDriver]

What a cute little squirrel! :klunk:w00t

You are dong a great job with him, giving him a healthy and varied diet based on blocks is the single most important thing you can do for his health!

Squirrels are messy, I had to clean out cages 1-2x per week because I am a neat freak!


Looking forward to seeing more pictures of your little fellow.


PS I put in a big log in my squirrels cage. They seemed to really like running and standing on it. They would chew it a bit too but wood chips are pretty easy to sweep up and absorb odors and urine.

[Chickenlegs]

WHAT a sweet little guy! I'm with Czarina. Oh would I love to love on that sweetheart!

[SlowcarIX]

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150619_141040_zps4hw5uhil.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150619_141303_zps5xiowcvx.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150619_141551_zpsd81jqpw8.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150619_141627_zpsq8suba9x.jpg

[HRT4SQRLS]

:serene How adorable! :grin2

[SlowcarIX]

ZZzzzzzzzzZZZzzzzzzz

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150627_120923_zpsezum1cbu.jpg

[Sara in NW MS]

Look at that precious little baby!!! I just love that pic, how cute is that?!?! I would never get anything done if I had that little baby... I'd be too busy loving on him.

[astra]

ZZzzzzzzzzZZZzzzzzz
too much :):Love_Icon

[sparklesquirrel]

this squirrel is SO CUTE I almost can't handle it!!!!! You've done such a great job making his life with you a healthy one! I may have missed this elsewhere on the thread but is he named after Michael Jackson? :grin2

I've heard so many things about durian... I never in my life imagined a squirrel eating it. Let alone enjoying it!

[SlowcarIX]

this squirrel is SO CUTE I almost can't handle it!!!!! You've done such a great job making his life with you a healthy one! I may have missed this elsewhere on the thread but is he named after Michael Jackson? :grin2

I've heard so many things about durian... I never in my life imagined a squirrel eating it. Let alone enjoying it!

Yep MJ...from this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2AitTPI5U0

i did a little experiment the other day to see what he like best...pine nuts, sunflower seeds, durians, apples...he went after the durian first...:grin3

[SlowcarIX]

this is how he sleeps...always

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150701_222546_zpsj0f7fj8l.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

i picked up a fallen mynah bird...cats around so i thought i bring it home and set it free once it can fly well. the squirrel was interested in making friend but the bird was scared to death...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150704_193523_zps6yv6k5zc.jpg

[SammysMom]

My great grandparents had 3 minah birds. They are very cool birds! That squirrel is absolutely wonderful!!! :grouphug:Love_Icon:grouphug

[Shewhosweptforest]

:peace1 :klunk Oh my gosh.......you're killing me with the adorableness:Love_Icon That little guy is undoubtably the cutest little fellow....the pics, the pics...we asked for it :rofl4 thank you for the cuteness :bowdown :Love_Icon

[SlowcarIX]

i had gone thru 3 cages since i got him...the durability is just horrible. the chrome plating is thin and it would start to rust almost immediately...his white belly is now a rusty brown color from the rust stain.

anyways i decided to have a custom made cage, all out of 304 stainless steel :grin2

stainless mesh + 16mm sq tubes = $65
workmanship = $25
lower plastic pan = $5

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150722_000106_zpsknwd3snj.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150722_000039_zps35djuckj.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150722_000139_zpstnpsziq2.jpg

Quality is a bit rough, had to go thru with a file to remove some sharp edges. for 95 bucks, its quite ok.

[island rehabber]

VERY ok! Nice job, and nice and tall too. Now you get to have fun decorating it. :grin2

[TubeDriver]

Very cool cage and nice job building it!


Your little guy is super cute!

[SlowcarIX]

some obstacle course to keep him busy...

cage is 4.92'(H) x 1.76'(W) x 1.16'(D)

will look for more stuff to add...most stuff at the store will rust/fall apart in no time...might have to diy some

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150725_020313_zpsdbqi5sij.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150725_020323_zps85s4ktor.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150725_020154_zpsuapgoa9u.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150725_020231_zpsze3lmleo.jpg

[Sara in NW MS]

It's a start! Be sure and give that baby some soft cozy stuff too. Maybe some sort of pouch or "house" he can climb into and feel safe. It can hang from the top or the side of the cage. Jude think of squirrels as being little kids. They need plenty of things to keep them busy and a tree house to feel safe in... Eat, sleep, and play. lol.

The cage is looking great though. I can tell you have really worked hard on this and you are making such an effort to make that baby happy. :serene

[SlowcarIX]

It's a start! Be sure and give that baby some soft cozy stuff too. Maybe some sort of pouch or "house" he can climb into and feel safe. It can hang from the top or the side of the cage. Jude think of squirrels as being little kids. They need plenty of things to keep them busy and a tree house to feel safe in... Eat, sleep, and play. lol.

The cage is looking great though. I can tell you have really worked hard on this and you are making such an effort to make that baby happy. :serene

he's quite a big baby...when his belly starts getting whiter, will snap a pic of him with his ginormous fluffy tail....:grin2

[SlowcarIX]

MJs girlfriend :grin3

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150728_134122_zpsqm8tzesm.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150728_133844_zpst7sov5rz.jpg

[HRT4SQRLS]

:eek MJ has a girlfriend!!! :grin2


Have you introduced them yet?
If not, I would take it slow. They might fight. :thumbsup

[SlowcarIX]

:eek MJ has a girlfriend!!! :grin2


Have you introduced them yet?
If not, I would take it slow. They might fight. :thumbsup

lol...

i keep them apart but in sight of each other. the lady has loose stool, don't know if its the switch in diet or coccidia...got a bottle of baycox coming. will make sure she's ok before letting them play together.

[Sara in NW MS]

Oh my gosh!!! Is she the cutest thing ever or what?!?! We need more pics! :klunk

[SlowcarIX]

Oh my gosh!!! Is she the cutest thing ever or what?!?! We need more pics! :klunk

sure. she is a little sick now, will let her rest. will take pics when she gets well.

[SlowcarIX]

he's quite a big baby...when his belly starts getting whiter, will snap a pic of him with his ginormous fluffy tail....:grin2


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Yv5-RzTgpTo/Vb4mBDm_hWI/AAAAAAAAAYs/JluiL1PzhHQ/s640-Ic42/P8020283.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xHX-igpbI7M/Vb4l78F_eAI/AAAAAAAAAYg/9VVOYqzIh0A/s640-Ic42/P8020285.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cRYRE64Yo0c/Vb4l8SB1_CI/AAAAAAAAAYk/koJ4qPc8YUE/s640-Ic42/P8020289.JPG

[CritterMom]

Where are his little ear fringes? I bet that is only part of their winter coat???

[SlowcarIX]

Where are his little ear fringes? I bet that is only part of their winter coat???

CM, they fall off in summer and regrow when the weather starts cooling down....

[SlowcarIX]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pcqcN7rzuZk/Vb4suq-pPsI/AAAAAAAAAZM/O_tUQryi4BM/s640-Ic42/20150802_142858.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Klf02_TAJwM/Vb4st-KwseI/AAAAAAAAAZM/poX_42pO_mM/s640-Ic42/20150802_143130.jpg

[FlyingEmily]

Sooooo cute! :klunk

[HRT4SQRLS]

Sleepy face!!! :klunk

[SlowcarIX]

Where are his little ear fringes? I bet that is only part of their winter coat???

fringes are back :grin3

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150923_080701_zps6rwcoiw1.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150923_084352_zps84xdstwy.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150923_084310_zpsevgfq6eb.jpg

[Chickenlegs]

I love his looooong feetsies! :Love_Icon he's the most beautiful color!

[SlowcarIX]

had missy for only 2 months, she is already heavier than MJ...had MJ for 4 mths. I think missy is not the same kind of squirrel as mj...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150925_092833_zpsc80n5ztn.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150925_092912_zpsmozx9mk2.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150925_100547_zpsv2ha3qfl.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150927_083616_zpseqp5jqf3.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150927_103020_zpsrhqhyrch.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150927_090953_zpsl9f4y2bx.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

https://youtu.be/D3IHCtOylr4

https://youtu.be/rndIn5OgRu0

[Rocky1]

He is bringing his vegetables to bed! I do not have a scale at home but he has grown noticeably heavier after going all solid foods. His turd used to be small specks...now they are like logs :eek

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150419_105406_zpsq6x1sypy.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20150420_134149_zpsd6b4s3mc.jpg


I may be late to the party, but that fuzzy little baby taking the cauliflower to bed with her head sticking out of the pouch is the cutest thing I've seen in a long time! Another calendar squirrel if we ever make a calendar. :serene

[SlowcarIX]

Hair on the ears are in full bloom, looks like hes got 2 brooms sticking out on the sides of his head :grin2

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20151019_085746_zpswpaulg3f.jpg

[CritterMom]

He is ridiculpusly cute. You obviously are working him way too hard though - look how sleepy he is! Is Missy growing ear fringies?

[DarkLies212]

Just found this thread and :eek they're both sooooo precious!!!!

[SlowcarIX]

He is ridiculpusly cute. You obviously are working him way too hard though - look how sleepy he is! Is Missy growing ear fringies?

They both are keeping themselves busy...chewing up and destroying up everything inside the cage, jumping around in there and wrestling each other :grin

Missy should have big brooms sticking out of the side of her head in a couple of weeks...now just little brooms

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20151020_073126_zpsf2v7earn.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

Mjs molting...quite messy, hair all over

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20151105_080942_zpsyfr8mucm.jpg

[Gardentoes11]

I just read this whole thread--how beautiful your squees are! The ear tufts are KILLING ME!!! And I, too, am a fan of the cauliflower picture. Think I might die of the cuteness! So wonderful to get to see squirrels from all over the world--so many colorful varieties! I'm so glad you found TSB when you first got MJ, & now Missy can benefit from the knowledge you've gained here. Back in the early-1990's, I had a rescued squirrel who died of MBD--like you were back when this thread first started, I was ignorant of the special diet that squirrels need. Had the best of intentions, but no knowledge to back it up, & she paid the price. So glad your babies are getting the proper care! I've enjoyed reading their stories & hope you continue to post both updates & pix. Your dedication to them is so evident!

[island rehabber]

....the tufts........:klunk,,,,,the TUFTS!,,,,,,,,,,:klunk:klunk:klunk:Love_Icon

[SlowcarIX]

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/20151114_144158_zpscgvrpy8p.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

been trying to teach the myna (Acridotheres grandis) to speak with a mp3 player...but so far, not talking. What is surprising is he is learning from the 2 squirrels how to do back flips :headbang


http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_0358_zpsnzabvuik.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_0365_zpsijl6ba0k.jpg

[DarkLies212]

What a beautiful bird!! :eek

Your squirrels are just too cute, too!! We need more updates!! :poke

[SlowcarIX]

he is molting the 1st time and should look like that in a short time.

birds molting, squirrels molting...feathers/hair all over :shakehead

http://ibc.lynxeds.com/files/pictures/Acridotheres_grandis_1_0.jpg

[DarkLies212]

What a super shiny bird!!! :eek
Looks huge too!!

I can't imagine the mess around your house with those 3! :grin2

[SlowcarIX]

they belong to a family of birds called Starling

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starling

[astra]

they are beyond cute!! :)

As for back flips, a word of caution:
sqs are not meant to do back flips - that can lead to serious back injuries and usually indicates boredom (restlessness due to insufficient stimulation).
They probably can't wait till their release day.
Until release maybe there is a way to add more variety for their daily routines? e.g., more different toys, out of cage time, branches to climb?... Stosh created an awesome "tree room" - a bunch of branches and limbs tied and combined in some sort of "gym" for them to climb and jump on.

Don't know much about birds, but think it's safe to assume that back flips may not be a good thing for birds either. The myna, probably, can't wait to be released, too.
Although I do not know much about birds, I know some about mynas and one thing is - they mate for life, and always live/fly with a companion. So, since this little one is alone, it must be hard for him/her emotionally. Besides the fact that he wants to fly.
So, again - until he is ready to be released, maybe, some toys or activities to bring some variety into his daily routine. Maybe, some parrot toys will help :thinking

[SlowcarIX]

Not too much is happening, MJ has grown a set of ginormous nuts and is constantly wanting to hump Missy...might be having some babies soon? Need to start looking for a nest box......

Food wise, the mazuri blocks i get cumbles and i get sometimes, 50% blocks + 50% block crumbles. I will be switching to Oxbow rat food. Hope wastage can be lessen considering the food cannot be purchased in China and i have to make frequent trips to Hong Kong to get them.

[SlowcarIX]

they are beyond cute!! :)

As for back flips, a word of caution:
sqs are not meant to do back flips - that can lead to serious back injuries and usually indicates boredom (restlessness due to insufficient stimulation).
They probably can't wait till their release day.
Until release maybe there is a way to add more variety for their daily routines? e.g., more different toys, out of cage time, branches to climb?... Stosh created an awesome "tree room" - a bunch of branches and limbs tied and combined in some sort of "gym" for them to climb and jump on.

Don't know much about birds, but think it's safe to assume that back flips may not be a good thing for birds either. The myna, probably, can't wait to be released, too.
Although I do not know much about birds, I know some about mynas and one thing is - they mate for life, and always live/fly with a companion. So, since this little one is alone, it must be hard for him/her emotionally. Besides the fact that he wants to fly.
So, again - until he is ready to be released, maybe, some toys or activities to bring some variety into his daily routine. Maybe, some parrot toys will help :thinking

i think i am stuck with them....when i post pics of my beautiful myna, a lot of my chinese friends immediately think it will make a bowl of good bird soup! To them, everything thats 2 or 4 legged can be eaten...except tables and chairs.

The squirrels come from the cold China/Russia border...2000+ miles away. They are supper human friendly now, big fat and
succulent, they will be made into a pot of soup or 2 BBQ rodents on skewers.......

[Mel1959]

Are you serious??:eek:eek You couldnt possibly eat your babies, could you??:boohoo:boohoo:boohoo

[Bitsy]

GAH! Don't eat those beautiful babies! :drama

[TubeDriver]

Good to see that they are still doing well! Both are super cute and you have done lot to make their life more happy and comfortble. If they breed, that will present lots of challenges, I would start to really think wht it would be like with 3-4 more squirrels in your home!:eek

If these two will be living in the same cage, I wonder if a vet could fix MJ so he can't make babies? Just something to think about before it actually happens!

It does sound like they will probably have to be non releases at this point. The only option might be if you have some type of forest reserve area that is not too far from you? Perhaps where similar types of squirrels can be found? If not, I can't think of any real way to get them back to the trees?

[astra]

i think i am stuck with them....when i post pics of my beautiful myna, a lot of my chinese friends immediately think it will make a bowl of good bird soup! To them, everything thats 2 or 4 legged can be eaten...except tables and chairs.

The squirrels come from the cold China/Russia border...2000+ miles away. They are supper human friendly now, big fat and
succulent, they will be made into a pot of soup or 2 BBQ rodents on skewers.......

Yes, that's a tough situation... 2000 miles...

Are there, by any chance, any suburb-countryside-wooded areas outside cities where they could be released? Or there are only heavily populated areas with people ready to eat anything with 2-4 legs other than tables and chairs :)? LOl that was funny
B/c if there is absolutely no way to release them, you need to prepare for a long haul :).

In captivity squirrels can live up to 20yrs, 10 about average, many live up to 13-15 yrs.
So it will be a lifetime commitment if they end up staying with you.
Also if you end up having to relocate, you will not be able to take them with you as in most countries (especially, in North America) one cannot cross borders with wildlife - they will be ceased and euthanized.
So, if you are sure you will stay in China for the next at least 10-15 yrs, then they will be ok.

Also, keeping them healthy, both mentally and physically, long term is essential and crucial.
Feel free to review the diet in the Nutrition section.
They may need a large enclosure, lots of toys etc.
You could create a tree-gym or something by getting tree limbs and branches of various thickness and length and tying them up together into a gym-tree-type of thing.
One way to do that is use an old piece of furniture (ok to be chewed) as the "base" and tie branches to it.
Or a cat tree as the base.
That will be a good way for them to exercise and entertain themselves.

They'll need regular out of cage time, too.

There is ton of info here about different things people do for their non-releasable squirrels, so you can ask any questions and someone will have an answer :thumbsup

[SlowcarIX]

Are you serious??:eek:eek You couldnt possibly eat your babies, could you??:boohoo:boohoo:boohoo

I wont, but if i release them and some chinese catches them, its food.

[SlowcarIX]

GAH! Don't eat those beautiful babies! :drama

I wont :grin3

[Mel1959]

Then I'm glad you don't plan on releasing them! I couldn't imagine anyone eating them and they are probably so tame they would walk right up to someone and be an easy supper! :boohoo

[KarmaKay]

:hug what a super cute baby! What's his/ her name? I love the ear tufts!

[JRSherlock]

So, you can purchase squirrels in China? OMG! It's NOT illegal to keep them as pets there?

[SlowcarIX]

:hug what a super cute baby! What's his/ her name? I love the ear tufts!

guy = MJ
lady = Missy aka Bitch

[SlowcarIX]

So, you can purchase squirrels in China? OMG! It's NOT illegal to keep them as pets there?

not illegal but they are all not fed the correct diet....

[SlowcarIX]

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_3083_zpsps1ddi4o.jpg

[Mel1959]

They are the cutest squirrels! They look happy and healthy! Good job. :bowdown

[SlowcarIX]

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4084_zpsvayyylm7.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4082_zpsqoeqfiwj.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4081_zpsuosfgjnq.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4080_zpsvpzlmi8x.jpg

[stepnstone]

Love the pictures! :klunk
Beyond Sweet... :Love_Icon:Love_Icon:Love_Icon

[Mel1959]

They look wonderful! I bet they really like having each other for company. Did you ever get your little guy neutered? Or are you planning for some babies?

[SlowcarIX]

They look wonderful! I bet they really like having each other for company. Did you ever get your little guy neutered? Or are you planning for some babies?

I think Missy is pregnant...?

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4094_zpsgbjejwfh.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4093_zpsu0fg0rm0.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4092_zpsog345g94.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4091_zps5sljepr2.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4090_zpskb9bxmf8.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4089_zpsbjwrnvz4.jpg

[Mel1959]

How exciting! Congratulations! They are going to be the cutest baby squirrels ever! Please keep us posted!

[SlowcarIX]

Summer is way too warm...36C = 97F...

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_5007_zps0rajla6i.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_5006_zpspt18yeze.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_5005_zpsy0alzz1n.jpg

[Mel1959]

Yep, it's about the same temp here in FL.

[HRT4SQRLS]

So I guess Missy wasn't pregnant. ?

Those are the CUTEST 2 squirrels I have ever seen. They are adorable. :Love_Icon
The pics are beyond precious. You are killing me with cuteness. :klunk

[DarkLies212]

Aahhh! Those pictures are adorable!!!

[SlowcarIX]

dad, mom and daughter

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_8505_zps2ymimncd.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_8509_zpsyvbwxoit.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_8515_zps7dswxmiu.jpg

[HRT4SQRLS]

:grin2:grin2:grin2 They are SO cute.

That's some impressive ears you have there Dad! :peace:rotfl

[kendradfw]

I. Cant. Take. It. :klunk:klunk:klunk


I want to reach through the screen and squish their faces, they are so fricken cute!!

[lennysmom]

:Love_Icon:klunk:Love_Icon:klunk:Love_Icon

[DarkLies212]

Those...EARS!!! :klunk

[Mel1959]

So, is this the little baby that you helped Missy raise? I think I remember you writing that Missy didn't seem to have enough milk and you were hand feeding her. If so, I'm glad to see that she has done so well and grown up! :grouphug. They are all incredibly cute. :grouphug

[Squeekhart]

I am very happy to see that MJ and Missy and their daughter are doing well! They are precious little animals and it is wonderful of you to work so hard to take care of them and give them a good life. (And to protect them from people that would eat them!)

I wish you all a healthy and happy 2017.

[KarmaKay]

:Love_Icon what a beautiful squirrel!!

[Squeekhart]

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4084_zpsvayyylm7.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4082_zpsqoeqfiwj.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4081_zpsuosfgjnq.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4080_zpsvpzlmi8x.jpg

They look so pretty, so sweet, so happy. I love gazing at them in these pics. They are very happy to have each other. They look loved and taken care of. I hope you are all doing well.

[KarmaKay]

You're so lucky to have these cuties!!! I love the ear tufts! So sweet!!

[SlowcarIX]

Missy should be giving birth anytime soon...tummy is so much bigger than the first and 2nd pregnancy...hope she has enough milk for all the babies....


http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4157_zpsb2yaebaq.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4165_zps2rviip13.jpg
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4164_zpsmdextazd.jpg

[SlowcarIX]

woke up this morning to find 3 babies in the box :Love_Icon

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff172/slowcarIX/IMG_4179_zpswktqsqbf.jpg

[DarkLies212]

I hope she does well this time around :hug

[KarmaKay]

Aw, they are precious!!!:Love_Icon

[Mel1959]

Oh my! I must have missed the second pregnancy (or maybe it was the first). Anyway I remember the one where you had to offer some supplemental food to the baby. How is that baby doing? Do you still have it? What are you going to do with three little ones? You're going to need lots of cages!

[SlowcarIX]

I hope she does well this time around :hug

Me too! :serene

[SlowcarIX]

Aw, they are precious!!!:Love_Icon

Only mamaged to catch a glimpse and take a few shots...trying to not disturb them as much as possible

[SlowcarIX]

Oh my! I must have missed the second pregnancy (or maybe it was the first). Anyway I remember the one where you had to offer some supplemental food to the baby. How is that baby doing? Do you still have it? What are you going to do with three little ones? You're going to need lots of cages!

the boy/girl pair from the 1st pragnancy did not make it....missy was clumsy and i did not know about esbilac...

the girl (miss milky) from the 2nd pregnancy is all grown up now, shes all friendly

this 3 babys, missy seems to be very attentive, always with the babies. I hope she can raise the 3 herself. Dont know if the 3 are boys or girls yet...i think i will keep a female as a playmate for miss milky. The other 2, maybe give away

[Mel1959]

Thank you for bringing me up to date on Missy's babies. I just love your squirrels! They truly are stunning with their colors and little ear tufts! :Love_Icon

[Nancy in New York]

What am I missing, isn't missy a non releasable?
Do you have a male?
Is she typically cages or does she have free roam?

[SlowcarIX]

What am I missing, isn't missy a non releasable?
Do you have a male?
Is she typically cages or does she have free roam?

Started out with MJ/Missy...

out came miss milky from the 2nd preg

3 babies was born Mar 22, 2017 morning....

They are way too human friendly to be released, make them EZ prey for the locals...they eat anything thats 4-legged xcept table and chairs!

[SlowcarIX]

they get to roam the house when i am around