What is the best dry food for a squirrel

[TWEEGIE918]

Hi everyone :grouphug:Love_Icon

I have not been on this site very often so if I make a mistake I apologize. I read on this site a long time ago that the dry food that I' am going to mention was a good one it is called: FORTI DIET PRO HEALTH MADE WITH REAL EGG AND IT IS FOR PARROTS BY KAYTEE AND IN THE BAG IT SAYS NEW AND IMPROVED WITH DHA. I have been given MY 3 1/2 YEAR OLD TWEEGIE MY LITTLE GIRL. SHE SEEMS TO EAT THE NUTS, SEEDS BUT LEAVES EVERYTHING ELSE. Is there another dry food that anyone could recommend? also, Is there any type of dry fruit that you can recommend? I bought from Drsfosterandsmith.com Optional Nutrition Diet they are small colorful pieces, brand name Kaytee and my Tweegie didn't like it at all. I have tried and tried feeding her the real fruit(s) and she does not like them. Any suggestions?
Thank you for your help

Odie :bliss:bliss:bliss:bliss

[HRT4SQRLS]

Oh yeah, you need to change the food. The Kaytee Forti diet is the one for rodents, not parrots. I'm not surprise that Tweegie is eating the nuts and seeds out of the mix. They love seeds and nuts but I'm sure you know that nuts and seeds are very unhealthy for squirrels. It can led to Metabolic Bone Disease.

You should buy the Picky Eater Block from Henry's Healthy Pets online.
http://www.henryspets.com/picky-blocks-adult-formula/

One or two blocks per day supplies the minerals and vitamins needed by squirrels. As a general block you could get the Kaytee Forti Rodent block. Harlan Teklad makes a rodent block also that is better than the Kaytee.
You will have a hard time getting Tweegie to eat these other blocks. Tweegie might eat the Henry block because they are made of pecans. You will have to be firm... tough love. The seed/nuts mix needs to be discontinued as soon as possible.

Are you familiar with the Healthy Pet Squirrel diet (food pyramid)?
I'll get the link for you.

[HRT4SQRLS]

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=224695&d=1391033425

[TWEEGIE918]

Oh yeah, you need to change the food. The Kaytee Forti diet is the one for rodents, not parrots. I'm not surprise that Tweegie is eating the nuts and seeds out of the mix. They love seeds and nuts but I'm sure you know that nuts and seeds are very unhealthy for squirrels. It can led to Metabolic Bone Disease.

You should buy the Picky Eater Block from Henry's Healthy Pets online.
http://www.henryspets.com/picky-blocks-adult-formula/

One or two blocks per day supplies the minerals and vitamins needed by squirrels. As a general block you could get the Kaytee Forti Rodent block. Harlan Teklad makes a rodent block also that is better than the Kaytee.
You will have a hard time getting Tweegie to eat these other blocks. Tweegie might eat the Henry block because they are made of pecans. You will have to be firm... tough love. The seed/nuts mix needs to be discontinued as soon as possible.

Are you familiar with the Healthy Pet Squirrel diet (food pyramid)?
I'll get the link for you.
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Thank you for your quick response and your advice HRT4SQRLS.

Yes I have tried the rodents/gerbils etc... but she still eats what she likes and leaves the rest. I will look into the Harlan Teklad rodent blocks. She is eating the Henry's Healthy Picky eaters blocks but she does not eat the whole thing at all so I end up throwing it out. I give her a hibiscus flower but again she eats a little and leaves the rest. I have bought the calcium powder for the food and she won't eat it. I have tried all types of fruits and she will take a bite or two and leaves the rest. With vegetables she eats her romaine that she likes, the sweet potato she also likes but leaves some, cucumber a couple of bites and she leaves the rest.
I have tried: green beans, carrots, broccoli, coli flower, tomatoes, grapes, bananas, she just may take a bite and leave it. I'm going crazy I don't know what to do anymore?
Yes I do have the healthy pyramid food chart. But she likes her nuts and seeds.........This is very frustrating.......
Thanks if you have any other ideas please let me know.
Odie :bliss

[SammysMom]

Welcome to the world of picky squirrels! :shakehead You have to be very firm. Don't give her nuts and seeds and she will have to eat her blocks. Nuts and seeds as the basis of her diet will make her very ill. She should not have either nuts or seeds until she eats healthy blocks and veggies. Think of it as though you give a kid a choice between candy and veggies. I think we both know that the kid will NOT choose the veggies. :tap We can't give them that kind of choice or they will not live a long and healthy life. It's called "tough love" around here and those of us with healthy squirrels do it even though it is not easy to do when those pleading eyes beg for a pecan instead of a picky block...:grouphug

[TWEEGIE918]

Oh yeah, you need to change the food. The Kaytee Forti diet is the one for rodents, not parrots. I'm not surprise that Tweegie is eating the nuts and seeds out of the mix. They love seeds and nuts but I'm sure you know that nuts and seeds are very unhealthy for squirrels. It can led to Metabolic Bone Disease.

You should buy the Picky Eater Block from Henry's Healthy Pets online.
http://www.henryspets.com/picky-blocks-adult-formula/

One or two blocks per day supplies the minerals and vitamins needed by squirrels. As a general block you could get the Kaytee Forti Rodent block. Harlan Teklad makes a rodent block also that is better than the Kaytee.
You will have a hard time getting Tweegie to eat these other blocks. Tweegie might eat the Henry block because they are made of pecans. You will have to be firm... tough love. The seed/nuts mix needs to be discontinued as soon as possible.

Are you familiar with the Healthy Pet Squirrel diet (food pyramid)?
I'll get the link for you.
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Hi HRT4SQRLS I have another question when you say the dry food for rodents, which kind of rodent do you mean? Rat, Mouse, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Rabbit, or Ferret? which one?
Thank you and sorry to bother you again.:klunk
g

[stepnstone]

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Hi HRT4SQRLS I have another question when you say the dry food for rodents, which kind of rodent do you mean? Rat, Mouse, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Rabbit, or Ferret? which one?
Thank you and sorry to bother you again.:klunk
g

Below are some picture examples
I can't speak for either as I'm personally steadfast with feeding HHB's. (Henry's healthy block)
Unlike your commercial block that is formulated for various critters, Henry's blocks are formulated
especially for squirrels.

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=268768&stc=1http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=268769&stc=1http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=268770&stc=1

[Rocky1]

I take the green things out of the Kaytee brand food since I'm not sure that those things are, and so do some other people I know who feed squirrels. I like to put dry squirrel food in a container with some nuts so they start to smell like nuts. This may not work with every squirrel but it helps with mine. (I'm in a hurry and haven't read the thread so sorry if this is repetitive.) Personally, I still have the pet peeve that most dry squirrel foods have soybeans as their first ingredient and I cannot find any organic food yet other than non-dry food.

[TWEEGIE918]

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Hi HRT4SQRLS I have another question when you say the dry food for rodents, which kind of rodent do you mean? Rat, Mouse, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Rabbit, or Ferret? which one?
Thank you and sorry to bother you again.:klunk
g

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New Respond and Question 2/1/16 @ 7:30 pm
Ok Thank you all for your advice and pictures of the bags. I have been to Petco and I have bought her I believe it was for Gerbil/Rat. My Question is: Which one of those dry foods should I buy? e.g. Mouse, Rat, Mice, Hamster, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Rabbit or Ferret? I do give her Henry's Block for picky eaters, she eats a little and then leaves it. I have tried almost all the vegetables and fruit from the Health Pyramid. No good results. Now I'm giving her Romaine Lettuce, Sweet Potato, Cucumber, the dry food for parrots that I got the information from someone here on the squirrel board and the Henry's Block for picky eaters. She eats a little of the hibiscus and she also has an antler in both of her cages. She leaves some of the veggies, she only eats what she likes from the Parrot dry food. She eats pumpkins seeds, sun flower seeds, dried blood worms, acorns and at times very little peanuts, sometimes around the holidays she eats almonds, hazel nuts, walnuts. HER NUTS AND SEEDS SHE LOVES.......I already know not to give her hardly any nuts and seeds. She's got stanches of nuts and seeds on both her cages. How do I do the change of her diet? Please someone help me. I want her to be healthy and live a long life............
Thanks, thank you all so much :grouphug:Love_Icon
Odie:w00t

[TWEEGIE918]

REPOSTED DUE TO THE YELLOW TEXT YOU COULDN'T READ AND TIME HAD EXPIRED.
New Respond and Question 2/1/16 @ 8:21 pm

Ok Thank you all for your advice and pictures of the bags. I have been to Petco and I have bought her I believe it was for Gerbil/Rat. My Question is: Which one of those dry foods should I buy? e.g. Mouse, Rat, Mice, Hamster, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Rabbit or Ferret? I do give her Henry's Block for picky eaters, she eats a little and then leaves it. I have tried almost all the vegetables and fruit from the Health Pyramid. No good results. Now I'm giving her Romaine Lettuce, Sweet Potato, Cucumber, the dry food for parrots that I got the information from someone here on the squirrel board and the Henry's Block for picky eaters. She eats a little of the hibiscus and she also has an antler in both of her cages. She leaves some of the veggies, she only eats what she likes from the Parrot dry food. She eats pumpkins seeds, sun flower seeds, dried blood worms, acorns and at times very little peanuts, sometimes around the holidays she eats almonds, hazel nuts, walnuts. HER NUTS AND SEEDS SHE LOVES.......I already know not to give her hardly any nuts and seeds. She's got stanches of nuts and seeds on both her cages. How do I do the change of her diet? Please someone help me. I want her to be healthy and live a long life............
Thanks, thank you all so much
Odie

[Spanky]

I already know not to give her hardly any nuts and seeds. She's got stanches of nuts and seeds on both her cages. How do I do the change of her diet?

Clean out the stashes.

Give her the HHB and not another thing until she eats the HHB.

It's tough love, she will not allow herself to starve to death when she does have HHB to eat! But she will test your will and try to break you, so you give in and give her the nuts and seeds. Don't do it.

We know a toddler would be happy being fed cotton candy and gummy bears, but we also know if that was the diet we gave a toddler we'd be doing more harm than good. Same thing here with your squirrel. But the squirrel may be smarter and more manipulative than a 4 year old! :grin

It's not that she hates the HHB's, it is that she likes the nuts and seeds better. Just balance it out, but HHB before anything else. That's my advice.

Good luck!

[HRT4SQRLS]

Wow, the first thing is don't ever use the yellow font again. :rotfl I REALLY struggled to read that. :grin2

I'll be honest with you. This will not be easy. A squirrel that 'mines' out the nuts and seeds from a parrot mix is going to a BEAR to switch to a healthy diet. The bottom line is that if the diet doesn't change Tweegie is at risk for developing MBD. It's not a question of IF, it's just a question of when. If you're familiar with the food chart I'm sure you're also familiar with the Calcium: Phosphorus ratio chart of the different foods. If not, I'll post it for you. Ideally, Tweegie should eat a diet that provides 2 parts calcium to 1 part phosphorus. Foods like nuts and seeds are VERY high in phosphorus. That's why nuts are for treats AFTER a healthy diet is eaten. The body will attempt to balance out this deficit by pulling calcium out of the bones. The bones become brittle but the metabolic effects of low calcium are even worse. Squirrels with MBD will become paralysed in the rear end. They will start having seizures and then they die. It is an awful condition and unfortunately we see it virtually every week on this board. The good news is that it is reversible IF it is treated and IF the damage done is reversible. Sometimes it's not.

As long as nuts are given, Tweegie will never eat healthy foods. The first step is NO NUTS or SEEDS. You will need to purge your house and her cage of all nut stashes. They have to go. After that I would give her a picky eater block in the morning. Period. Nothing else! She will pitch a fit but you have to be firm. It's called 'tough love' for a reason. She will beg but don't give in. You can buy a rodent or rat block BUT I will bet there isn't a 'snowballs chance in ****' that she will eat it. From my little bit of experience, if they didn't start out on the 'other' rodent blocks they usually hate them. You can try it but I don't see it happening. :peace Your best bet is with the Henry's picky eater block. AFTER she eats it or at least makes an attempt to, I would give her a veggie plate. Without her beloved nuts, she will probably give the green stuff a second look. Try avocado, butternut squash, acorn squash, kale or sugar snap peas. Keep trying until you find something she will eat. In the evening I would give her a second picky eater block.

Tweegie will not starve herself to death with food in front of her face. I wish there was an easier way but unfortunately there isn't. When she realizes that the nuts aren't coming she will start eating the healthy foods. Your motivation is because you love her and want her to live a long healthy life. With that as a driving force, you will be strong and if it takes tough love, you can do that also. Peace! :peace

Edit... I just saw your repost... yeah that yellow was a bummer to read. :rotfl

[TWEEGIE918]

Clean out the stashes.

Give her the HHB and not another thing until she eats the HHB.

It's tough love, she will not allow herself to starve to death when she does have HHB to eat! But she will test your will and try to break you, so you give in and give her the nuts and seeds. Don't do it.

We know a toddler would be happy being fed cotton candy and gummy bears, but we also know if that was the diet we gave a toddler we'd be doing more harm than good. Same thing here with your squirrel. But the squirrel may be smarter and more manipulative than a 4 year old! :grin

It's not that she hates the HHB's, it is that she likes the nuts and seeds better. Just balance it out, but HHB before anything else. That's my advice.

Good luck!
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I Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it. I guess I have to clean her stash and stick to it. I have to say is going to be hard for me as well. I have been giving her the Henrys Blocks peaky eaters but she does not eat them completely.
Thanks again......:grin3
Odie

[Spanky]

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I Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it. I guess I have to clean her stash and stick to it. I have to say is going to be hard for me as well. I have been giving her the Henrys Blocks peaky eaters but she does not eat them completely.
Thanks again......:grin3
Odie

Yes, it will be a war of wills. I have seen suggestions on TSB recently to try switching out the Picky formula for the the Wild Bites to offer them something new for a while for variety. I am going to try this myself with my next order to provide some variety.

Good Luck!