My baked boo balls turned to cereal!! Granola?? Mush!!

[SquirrelSense]

Hi kids... My very thin squirrel has stayed alive thanks to Boo Balls.. I only adapted here and there but the recipe and baking were 100%. In checking them after 45 min they just became dust!

With all the coconut oils, nut oil, nut butter in with other ingredients (purée squash), when they are raw how any part at 250* in less than 1 hour could become crumble topping I don't know!!! 😿🍪 they are crushed cookies! If I add nut butter etc back to the raw goo it defeats the loss of interest due to no texture grrrr! He went from 6 balls a day to 2 after a month just so I'd give him raw nuts. My guy is wild but an old pal.. He has to have more nutrition than nuts after this ordeal. He is so underweight if you care to read his Sarcoptic Mange Saga.


Boo Balls that won't turn to dust.. Please advise??

💜🐿💜🌰🙏

[astra]

Could you post the recipe you used?
Because boo balls usually don't get baked. They are made from already-made blocks and added nuts. You take some rodent blocks - ground, ground nuts, some people add FV formula (personally, I stopped adding it after there were problems with it) and something for moisture - usually organic no sugar added baby food (some water will do, too). Proportions: usually equal parts of the dry ingredients, but it's better if there are more blocks than nuts + just enough of the moisture to make the batter hold together. You put too much moisture - it will be runny; too little - will be too crumbly and won't hold up.
You mix it all and shape into balls. Refrigerate. Ready to serve. No need to bake.
In order to track just how many blocks your sq gets in these balls, try to make as many balls as the blocks that went into your recipe. It's good to keep track of how many blocks because eating too many blocks may not be a good thing.
Some variations on this: use natural nut butter instead if ground nuts, or split the nut portion into ground nuts and nut butter.
You don't need to use all these oils and butters and puréed squashed and such - sounds like overdoing.
When adding coconut oil, in the original recipe as far as I remember it was very little.
Besides, there hasn't been extensive long-term research on it, and along with some benefits there may be some minuses long-term, so you may want to go easy on it.
Whatever liquid ingredients you add - it should be just enough to make your batter hold shape and be easy to shape into little balls.

So, because boo balls are made from ready-to-eat blocks, ground nuts and baby food - they are not baked usually.

Are you referring to homemade Henry's healthy block, which do get baked? But then, they don't use all those oils and butters either. Of course, you can add some, but again - literally a teaspoon or tbsp of coconut oil.


Whatever you are using, don't overdo on oils - they will make any batter runny, and overly oily and overly buttery batter, as well as overly moist batter, will not bake well.

Hope this helps a bit. Can't say anything more specific because hard to tell what recipe you are using.

Others will share their experiences

[astra]

PS. Since he had mange he needs not only and not so much to put on weight (wild squirrels are rarely heavy unless it's winter), but he needs to strengthen his immune system.
In which case give him a variety of good foods:
Avocado (flesh only, no pit and no skin), berries - blueberries, raspberries, strawberries; Apple, banana, watermelon, mango, etc. Just consult the fruit section of the Healthy diet fir pet squirrels.
Good tree nuts (instead of just peanuts) are also a very good and healthful way to help him gain some weight and strengthen immune system.
Wild squirrels usually won't eat human greens and veggies, but they will eat fruit.
Also, some people add some echinacea supplement to water, but I forget which one - hopefully, someone who remembers will share.

[SquirrelSense]

I consulted a few squirrel vets as well as the board as this was a severe issue in freezing weather at time. We had to make food and get the ivermectin ASAP.. Whatever got ordered took over a week and the Sarcoptic mange was almost lethal in his case. He's the alpha male.. As as small
and attacked but his survival speaks volumes. He has lived through what would have killed most for a long time and due to issue in detail re his teeth from one attack as a juvy, one blind eye from an attack as a baby and 3 attacks last summer leaving him with a stump tail, this took last second. mange took him in March from beautiful fury lil guy to naked, sub q mites and eggs etc. the recipe was specific re his issues.
Basically an almond paste, finely ground raw organic filberts, walnuts, pecans, coconut meat, some added coconut oil (it's like a past when raw organic and melts as you roll), Apple, baby sweet potato puree, some extremely funny chopped broccoli and kale for calcium, goat pup Esbilac, probiotic. It has worked well for 6 weeks. A number of site said 'if they get bored with the texture to bake on low .. 250 for an hour and dust the probiotic after it cooled. The coconut oil contains a few ant bac properties and his extreme dry skin was why the vets were adding more of it. Not a ton.

I had never done any 'baking' before. It was always made as usual, rolled in the chopped nuts as extra way to keep them from sticking to each other, plus they like it textually.. then refrigerated. I make them QOD. Every other day. I could make them a week in advance but I enjoy knowing they are fresh. I have calcium supl. etc but since our squirrels are not in hot weather.. they are not keen on avocado etc. The summer a few might eat strawberries.. Usually apples. This varies with other fruits etched, but that can turn these guys off. As in macrobiotics... Not all eastern greys eat the same food. Depends on the territory. Unfortunately being an the oldest US park and a 'botanical strolling garden' often the garbage is overflowing, rat poison is added to areas as well as pesticides, fertilizer and other horrors that have done a number in their immune systems. I've rehabbed many since 1983. The throngs of tourists throwing bread, cooked salted peanuts, ice cream cones, skittles and chips to and Chinese take-out has made a very picky and odd bunch since 1865 (?) when the Common and Public Gardens were established. The babies start off well with some nuts and seeds (not enough due to donated decorative trees) in the spring they eat buds from Sctch Elms... etc. but this is hardly a natural diet and one very beaten up guy. He's doing better but the suggestion came from the a few posts suggesting changing the consistency ... He has trouble rasping nuts.. (His bio is all on the EW forum re Sarcoptic Mange. He's been seeking his usual .. Pecan, walnut and filbert.. Hulled. So I read about this baking think to make them crunchy. Guess it didn't work.



PS. Since he had mange he needs not only and not so much to put on weight (wild squirrels are rarely heavy unless it's winter), but he needs to strengthen his immune system.
In which case give him a variety of good foods:
Avocado (flesh only, no pit and no skin), berries - blueberries, raspberries, strawberries; Apple, banana, watermelon, mango, etc. Just consult the fruit section of the Healthy diet fir pet squirrels.
Good tree nuts (instead of just peanuts) are also a very good and healthful way to help him gain some weight and strengthen immune system.
Wild squirrels usually won't eat human greens and veggies, but they will eat fruit.
Also, some people add some echinacea supplement to water, but I forget which one - hopefully, someone who remembers will share.

[astra]

sorry, don't have time to read through all previous threads, so sorry if I repeat what's been said or miss smethg.


I am not familiar with this recipe.
Just as I skimmed through, from what I see - almond paste - poorly nutritionally: less almonds than all the stuff to make it into paste. Way too much sugar, corn syrop (usual ingredients in almond paste) - causes obesity in rodents (i.e., not healthy weight, but "bad" weight)
It's better to just give regular normal almonds.
With so many nuts in it, any calcium in kale and broccoli is almost negated, besides the fact that the absorption rate of calcium from these veggies is not the greatest.
Like I said, coconut oil has some benefits, but its long-term effects, both good and potentially harmful, have not been tested. So, it's better to go easy on it.
Besides, just by looking at the ingredients - there is not enough of "dry" stuff that would make baking possible. WIth so many soft ingredients no wonder it didn't work out.

There are all sorts of recipes online, some are ok, most or not.
I can only speak for myself:
I prefer to give fruits and nuts in their natural form; if I need to make something, it will either be the original boo balls of ground block and ground nuts/nut butter + just enough moisture; or I will improvise some oatmeal cookie type of thing = mix old fashioned oats + sesame seeds + calcium supplement + natural nut butter to hold it all together. Refrigerate and serve. I get cal. supplement from Henry's and try to add the amount equivalent to the number of cookies I intend to make (i.e., each cookie contains about 1 serving of calcium and not more, b/c too much calcium is bad).
Blockwise - my preferences are Henry's and harlan teklad.

Some people use Mazuri or Harlan teklad blocks, doctor them with nut butter and feed.

SOme people get Henry's Wild Bites for their wilds. Since he is so ill and since this is temporarily to boost his immune system, maybe, Wild Bites could be the way to go. I am sure, there won't be a drastic difference in cost between Wild Bites and all the ingredients that went into the recipe you found on the intrnet (with the almond paste etc).

BTW, vit. E in avocado, almonds, the phytonutrients in avocado as well as fats in nuts provide more than enough of good fats for his skin.
Besides, besides fat, healthy tissues, including skin, fur, eyes etc. need vit. A, vit. C and protein. Fresh fruit, sweet potatoes (many wilds, to my surprise, ate sweet potatoes) will provide that. To give sweet potatoes, if he does not want to eat them - you can grate them finely, add some almond butter, mix and shape into balls. They will be moist. If they are too moist - just add some ground nuts as a dry ingredient to make shaping into a ball easier. And you don't need a lot - literally, just a slice or two of sweet potatoes grated = one daily serving.

:grouphug
Others will chime in.

[astra]

PS in baking you need the right ratio of dry and wet/soft ingredients.
If there are too many soft ones - it will be mushy
It there are too many dry - it will be crumbly, or hard.
For something to be crunchy there should be enough of dry stuff

[astra]

Besides, besides fat, healthy tissues, including skin, fur, eyes etc. need vit. A, vit. C and protein. Fresh fruit, sweet potatoes (many wilds, to my surprise, ate sweet potatoes) will provide that.

:grouphug
Others will chime in.

just to clarify myself: fresh fruit and sweet potatoes will help with vit. A and C.
For protein - other sources will be needed, such as block and nuts.
But right now - with all the bugs and greenery available, they can get whatever vitamins, nutrients, protein etc. they need from their natural sources. Whatever humans give - will be just a treat / supplementation.

[SquirrelSense]

Thanks Astra but I'm afraid you totally misunderstood my post re boo balls. Everything for 35 years we have made or ground.. Nothing pre made.. Only added calcium etc medical grade.
His Ivermectin dose is more important right now and your coming in 3 months after the initial EW.

I would never use anything with 'corn syrup' as a nut base. I know you don't have time to read all of my posts. Winks base was home ground paste of pecans filberts and walnuts fresh . The 1st day in an emergency added a tiny bit of available organic raw nut butter. The test is totally traditional straight from the curator of Sciuridea who did the nutritional needs before commercial blocks were made.

Winks fur looked great today. It's good close up look since Sat. I appreciate all your input


QUOTE=astra;1158858]just to clarify myself: fresh fruit and sweet potatoes will help with vit. A and C.
For protein - other sources will be needed, such as block and nuts.
But right now - with all the bugs and greenery available, they can get whatever vitamins, nutrients, protein etc. they need from their natural sources. Whatever humans give - will be just a treat / supplementation.[/QUOTE]

[Cesta]

Hi kids... My very thin squirrel has stayed alive thanks to Boo Balls.. I only adapted here and there but the recipe and baking were 100%. In checking them after 45 min they just became dust!

With all the coconut oils, nut oil, nut butter in with other ingredients (purée squash), when they are raw how any part at 250* in less than 1 hour could become crumble topping I don't know!!! 😿🍪 they are crushed cookies! If I add nut butter etc back to the raw goo it defeats the loss of interest due to no texture grrrr! He went from 6 balls a day to 2 after a month just so I'd give him raw nuts. My guy is wild but an old pal.. He has to have more nutrition than nuts after this ordeal. He is so underweight if you care to read his Sarcoptic Mange Saga.


Boo Balls that won't turn to dust.. Please advise??

💜🐿💜🌰🙏


I'm not an expert by any means, but I enjoy baking and have made both boo balls and HHBs. I think you need more dry ingredients. I'd purée all your soft stuff, perhaps add an egg, and add some (about 1/2 cup) flour and 1 tsp aluminum free baking powder to your dry ingredients (wheat or I use coconut flour, they like the taste). Lightly grind nuts so they don't turn to nut butter. Mix the wet into the dry like you would for any baking. I think you're going for a 'quick bread' consistency. I would NOT roll these into balls. Pat your batter, with oiled hands (I use coconut oil so maybe decrease the amount in the recipe) into a 9x12 baking pan, lined with parchment paper & very well oiled. Bake at 250 for about 45 minutes. Take out and immediately cut into blocks. They are fine to freeze for a while so you don't have to do this every other day :eek
It sounds like you know best what this squirrel's nutritional requirements are. I'm just trying to make the consistency 'right'.

So, you're sort of baking as if they're HHB's but calling them boo balls. No problem, except I can definitely see why you'd have trouble baking your recipe successfully, especially as small balls!

If you only want to use your ingredients and make as balls- I'd try baking like cookies- 10 to 15 mins at about 300' and see how that works. I still think you need a bit of flour or ground block to hold it all together while it bakes.

Good luck!!

[SquirrelSense]

You totally got it Cesta!
It was not a 'Boo Ball' as named by Henry's but that has become the popular nomenclature! When I described classic squirrel nutrition balls I was 'corrected' so many times with BOO balls I just said, yeah ok.
This 100% homemade recipe I can customize as I have for cancer and humans I have treated in chemo, compromised immune systems etc.:jeffrey:squirrel3:peek1 Many of us out there know there are VERY picky and totally different eaters. Some won't TOUCH an apple, another will try and drag it away. I've done experiments ad putting out 6 varying nut to see which will choose what. Like clockwork the pregnant ones taste changes!

Anyhow, you are right about the shape and consistency. Most important as well is not to heat any food that looses it's value. Squirrels don't cook.. But they do like a good crunch even when healing from a mouth issue etc.


Thank you my friend!
:klunk


I'm not an expert by any means, but I enjoy baking and have made both boo balls and HHBs. I think you need more dry ingredients. I'd purée all your soft stuff, perhaps add an egg, and add some (about 1/2 cup) flour and 1 tsp aluminum free baking powder to your dry ingredients (wheat or I use coconut flour, they like the taste). Lightly grind nuts so they don't turn to nut butter. Mix the wet into the dry like you would for any baking. I think you're going for a 'quick bread' consistency. I would NOT roll these into balls. Pat your batter, with oiled hands (I use coconut oil so maybe decrease the amount in the recipe) into a 9x12 baking pan, lined with parchment paper & very well oiled. Bake at 250 for about 45 minutes. Take out and immediately cut into blocks. They are fine to freeze for a while so you don't have to do this every other day :eek
It sounds like you know best what this squirrel's nutritional requirements are. I'm just trying to make the consistency 'right'.

So, you're sort of baking as if they're HHB's but calling them boo balls. No problem, except I can definitely see why you'd have trouble baking your recipe successfully, especially as small balls!

If you only want to use your ingredients and make as balls- I'd try baking like cookies- 10 to 15 mins at about 300' and see how that works. I still think you need a bit of flour or ground block to hold it all together while it bakes.

Good luck!!

[Cesta]

You're welcome. You'll have to let us know how they turn out.
I was going to mention not baking things that can lose their nutritional value but figured you know that already. I make 'boo balls' w/ yogurt and FV so would never cook. Probiotics would be gone.
But I do successfully bake blocks and have used puréed veggies/ fruit as the 'wet' ingredient. Think of zucchini bread or banana bread, I figure it's basically the same thing. Except no person would eat what I make as squirrel food. I don't think anyone's interested in hard little blocks, except squirrels!

[DarkLies212]

If you're still having problems, here are a bunch of recipes gathered in one area: http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?52232-Squirrel-Friendly-Cook-Book&highlight=cook+book