Picky , stopped eating Henry's Squirrel Blocks

[Snicker Bar]

We have tried the adult formula and picky eater variety but Snickers is just wasting them. She will eat the "boo ball" stuff, but when I asked they said here it's not meant to be fed as a main diet. What if I made the homemade squirrel block recipe or boo ball recipe using the Henry's Blocks; and cut out the nuts- and just used the Esbilac and baby food and coconut oil mixture? Could that serve as te daily 2-3 block portion? And fruits and veggies?

[SammysMom]

Honestly, if she has nothing else to eat, she will learn to eat the blocks. It's called "tough love" around here...:grin3

[lennysmom]

Yep, I had to cut WAY back on the nuts and treats with my little guy for awhile when he stopped eating his healthy foods. In fact, for a couple of days, all I gave him was blocks and healthy veggies. It took a few days and I had to sit on my hands not to give him treats when he acted so hungry after shredding his block, but he came around and started eating the healthy blocks and veggies again. Then I slowly added in a couple of treats, making sure he was still eating the good stuff. As SammysMom said, it is tough love, but it works.

[HappyLittleSquirrely]

It'll be one of the hardest things you'll do,but after time she will get used to the routine of blocks for breakfast. Just imagine if you had a child that his or her life depended on a certain medicine they didn't like to take. I struggle with this dilemma daily with my squirrels. You could improvise and grind blocks up and put them in other food like avocado for a spell. Keep at it. Some days my squirrels will wait me out for the good stuff. It's not easy for squirrel lovers I'll give you that.:thinking

[Snicker Bar]

Ok will try; today only gave her 2 blocks, some broccoli and cucumber; only ate the brocolli :(

[HappyLittleSquirrely]

Also when i think they may not be getting the nutrition they need while i'm trying to get them to eat the blocks, ,I sprinkle this on some of the food they will eat as a get by. http://www.henryspets.com/vita-mins/

[Snicker Bar]

After how many days of no blocks do I need to be worried?

[HappyLittleSquirrely]

Well, if you are giving her nothing but blocks and she's not eating anything ,could be a bigger issue ,but if you keep at it,i'm sure she'll come around. Hunger is a big motivator. :clap

[Snicker Bar]

The avocado might work, I have two in fridge will try in morning thanks for all the tips; Snicker's life depends on y'all , my squirrel wisdom is still preschool level

[HappyLittleSquirrely]

:clap At least you're aware. Some of us were clueless in the early years of this adventure.

[SammysMom]

We all learn every day. Unfortunately, these little devils are born to con...:grin3
If you give nothing but blocks, she will cave eventually. Nobody has had one that starved to death during this process yet.:grin3

[HappyLittleSquirrely]

Mash up the avocado on a plate then mix 50% avocado to 50% crushed blocked. Roll it into a ball and see if she likes it. I'm sure she'll get bored with that too after a while. Keep thinking out of the box .It's all about keeping at it. As long as she's getting a varied diet and not something like corn,nuts,and food high in phosphorus on a continual basis I would not worry too much.But make sure to push that block in some form or the other.

[Snicker Bar]

Tried the. 50/50 block avacado mixture; she barely ate any- all dried out now. Just asking, what if I use the blocks according to a Boo Ball recipe I saw somewhere? The ingredients are as follows: 50 g rodent block, 50g milk powder ( Esbilac), 100g organic baby food ( I used apple), 20 g coconut oil, and 50 g of nuts ( but could cut that back or out since the Henry's has nuts. It also calls for vitamin supplement, but I'm sure the Henry brand already has all needs- She used to eat this concoction readily, when I first made them with oxbow rodent food; but since we have all this good Henry's ; would this be ok, as a way to get blocks in her ? She is so hungry I can make them tonight; just didn't know if the extra calcium from milk powder would be harmful, but evidently adds a flavor she likes :( just worried

[Snicker Bar]

Also I'm as ignorant with technology as with squirrels; would someone here be willing to let me text a pic of her teeth? Maybe it's her mouth?

[HappyLittleSquirrely]

If you're worried about her going hungry make her that recipe and maybe back off the formula little by little each time if there's block in it. As long as her diet is varied too veggies fruit, wild foods,,I wouldn't worry to much. A long night of being hungry might help her like blocks in the morning. My male squirrel likes the oxbow,but he's been snackin on the Henry's lately . My female goes hungry ALOT. She was fed junk in her early months before I got her. Lennys mom gave me this recipe for boo balls.

Boo Ball Recipe

FV powder + mix some ground nuts (forget the ratio, but you could try 2 part of FV to 1 part nuts) If you use ground pecans or walnuts - they are more flavorful than ground almonds. Next comes the moistener...
You can use a variety of things to moisten them but I prefer to use Sweet Potatoes. I peel one and cut it into squares and microwave until soft enough to mash. Then, start adding your moisterner gradually, mixing, until it becomes like dough - not too wet, not too dry. Just enough to start shaping into balls. You may find that you need to add a little water to the mix or to make it even more yummy, try watermelon juice!

I'm not that knowledgeable on teeth, but I give mine either black walnuts or hickory nuts for them to chew on for healthy teeth,.also deer antlers .

[Snicker Bar]

That looks good! I'll try the' backed off milk powder version' if by morning won't eat them. She does get the veggies and fruits, but I've held off on normal servings for two days, just offering the blocks. I did cut her some fresh tree limbs ( hackberry) for at least something to help her teeth if needed. She has antlers too.

[HappyLittleSquirrely]

I think it's a good idea sometimes to keep cage void of any food at night when you're trying to get a steady routine going.

[Snicker Bar]

I think I will take some pics of her teeth; beginning to wonder if something is wrong- What should normal tooth alignment look like? Her top teeth overlap the bottom ; they are shorter than bottom teeth. The bottom teeth are about twice as long as top. Her teeth overlap each other is what trying to say

[Rexie]

Sometimes Rexie wont eat his block either. I came up with a clever mixture idea that seems to work pretty good on most days, LOL. I take the henrys blocks, a handful of cranberry's, or any other berry fruit. Add organic baby food in the pouches, I try to use veggie ones with some fruit. I put it on a small food chopper and pulverize it. I roll it into balls and freeze it. I feed it to him frozen. He has been eating them like that. I also soak the blocks in orange juice for a few hours, he likes it that way pretty good. I have also soaked them in coconut almond milk and he likes that too. Gota mix ideas up cause they get bored real fast. Also when I feel he needs a calcium boost I give him a 1/4 tablet of a fruit flavored tums. He likes those too. Hope these ideas can help someone out. Rexies Mom, ps.... He just turned ONE!!!

[Dekota]

Have you tried the Henry's blocks for wild squirrels? After mine out grow the baby ones, those are the ones they like the best. I feed them first in the AM and cut them in 3rds as squirrels are wasteful with big pieces. Anyway they look forwards to them as treats.:jump

[mgodsey]

Yep, I had to cut WAY back on the nuts and treats with my little guy for awhile when he stopped eating his healthy foods. In fact, for a couple of days, all I gave him was blocks and healthy veggies. It took a few days and I had to sit on my hands not to give him treats when he acted so hungry after shredding his block, but he came around and started eating the healthy blocks and veggies again. Then I slowly added in a couple of treats, making sure he was still eating the good stuff. As SammysMom said, it is tough love, but it works.

Good to read this! Our girl, Stormy (no relation to Daniels lol), has been living on her own since December but we still feed her every day. She just recently went through her first "heat" and now she won't eat her blocks. All she wants are the pecans, walnuts, and peanuts. She will eventually take the block but very reluctantly and she usually will just go bury it then come back for her treats. haha. Guess it's time for some "tough love" here in FL.

[Snicker Bar]

And I needed to Re read lol. Just posted about trying to find yer another recipe, to salvage if possible, the hard, dried out HHB’s and pieces two of my girls won’t eat :(
I apparently botched my most recent concoction; didn’t add ( or added to much ) of one thing or another, and they won’t eat these boo bars either. Tossing to the chickens, out all natural garbage disposals.

[Diggie's Friend]

Just my two cents. Keep in mind you may be defeating the purpose of feeding block by adding high sugar content (sweetened cranberries) that causes calcium loss out the urine. Same with adding equal amounts of block and avocado, which is very high in phosphorus to calcium ratio, and has a high fat content, as this source can tip the Ca:P negatively. Instead adding in fresh fruits, and a bit of organic Chia oil "Foods Alive", for a little of this oil has been found to go a long ways to adding to 'taste appeal' without adding a significant amount of fat and phosphorus to the diet.