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View Full Version : NORMAL WEIGHT FOR NR MALE SQUIRRELL 5 YEARS OLD



Trooper
05-26-2016, 03:00 PM
I wish I can get some feedback from caregivers to Non Releasable Eastern Gray squirrels. My Trooper is a 5 year old male, which for all practical purposes seems to be in good health. By reading the textbook of Kropowsky et al. on squirrels, I found that the average weight for males is 750 grams (1.6 lb). My Trooper has been on the higher side of that, oscillating between 770 and 810 grams (1.7 to 1.8 lb).

Is the weight of NRs much higher than wilds becuase they have a captive, predictable and consistent diet? Can anyone share the weight of their NR to see for comparison how Trooper rates on the scale?

I've tried to bring him down to 1.6 lb as Kropowski states, but it has been difficult and I don't want to go against the nature of his NR condition if they have a tendency to be on the higher side of the average. The attached pics are from last week when he was trying out his new cowboy hat.

Thanks,

Trooper's dad

Rhapsody
05-26-2016, 03:18 PM
Your little guy looks just fine...... I wouldn't worry to much that he is just slightly over the
weight limit for his type of squirrel, as you have already said........ Trooper is not a wild
squirrel running free in the trees, he is in captivity, which includes time in cage where they
will sleep or lay around a lot if yours is any thing like my Marven when he is in his cage.

My Marven is 6 years old and he is around 750, his weight fluctuates at times, but my
over all concern is that Marven is healthy and gets plenty of daily exercise.

TubeDriver
05-26-2016, 03:19 PM
Just an observation, I see plenty of slightly overweight, older, NR squirrels here on the TSB but seldom do I see overweight, mature wild Grey squirrels. The few mature adult Grey squirrels I have weighed are in the ~650-700g range. The activity level of wilds must generally be MUCH higher than NR, sort of like comparing an athlete to a sedentary office person.

kendradfw
05-26-2016, 03:25 PM
I just have to say, the hat is too cute.

CritterMom
05-26-2016, 03:38 PM
There is a big difference in size for these guys. Squirrel people who visit me absolutely FREAK when they see my wilds - especially in the winter, the small ones are 2 pounders! When I go to Florida and see them running around I think I am seeing juveniles - adults are about a pound down there. Heck, my boy P could EAT a Florida squirrel and it wouldn't even leave a visible lump!

Captives are always going to be a little bigger due to the differential in exercise, because the big squirrel secret is that they are LAZY if they can be - give them a chance to snooze the day away in comfort and they are all over that idea! And if they don't have to forage for food because it appears like magic, well, why not a nap?

Trooper
05-26-2016, 08:11 PM
Thank you all guys for chiming in. Trooper's weiht has been weighing (no pun intended) on my mind for a long time. I am glads to hear the sedentary "lunch is
served mi'lord" is the main reason for them being a little porkers.

thanks,

Trooper's dad

Rexie
05-26-2016, 09:27 PM
I understand your concern. My boy is 2 and his weight goes up and down. When i notice he is pudgy i cut back on his avacado and coconut. He always eats his blocks, he his not so crazy about his greens. I found that he will eat cactus pears so that makes me happy. Where i live we call them tunas... btw i love his cowboy hat!!!!

Trooper
05-26-2016, 11:16 PM
Rexie: thanks for the note. Trooper also likes "tunas", where I come from, we know them as "cactus figs" and Trooper also like "nopales" or the cactus leaves, he loves
them as much as avocado and fresh corn.

I tried to give him a squirrel wheel, but he is so big that I would need a 1 foot diameter one and I am afraid of hurting their backs on smaller ones. Since he loves his nuts,
I was thinking of making a clear 6 inch diameter tube runnway, so he can run around my shop until he finds his nut. Anything to make him exercise!!

regards

Trooper's dad

TubeDriver
05-27-2016, 07:54 AM
Ypu might need to make the tube 8" in diameter to account for the extra height of the .....cowboy hat! :grin2

:grin3


But all joking aside, some NR squirrel owners have a room set aside filled with branches, climbing towers, ropes etc, sort of a squirrel exercise room.



Rexie: thanks for the note. Trooper also likes "tunas", where I come from, we know them as "cactus figs" and Trooper also like "nopales" or the cactus leaves, he loves
them as much as avocado and fresh corn.

I tried to give him a squirrel wheel, but he is so big that I would need a 1 foot diameter one and I am afraid of hurting their backs on smaller ones. Since he loves his nuts,
I was thinking of making a clear 6 inch diameter tube runnway, so he can run around my shop until he finds his nut. Anything to make him exercise!!

regards

Trooper's dad

CritterMom
05-27-2016, 08:22 AM
Yeah, that works. My squirrel lives in an enclosure that is 6' tall, 6' deep, 15' long, attached to a SECOND enclosure that is up high right next to the ceiling on top of a bookcase that is 6' long, 2'tall and about 18" deep. It has about the same square footage as my first apartment. As my dear friend has pointed out on numerous occasions, I could house him in a shoe box for all the use the cage gets, lazy little %^!$.