7 Week old squirrel eating oak bark

[rmorgan]

Foxie is now 7 weeks old, I have a dead Oak branch in her cage to climb on and lately I have noticed pieces of bark on the cage floor and today saw her eating some of the bark. Is this a problem? I do not want her eating something that could harm her.

[stepnstone]

Foxie is now 7 weeks old, I have a dead Oak branch in her cage to climb on and lately I have noticed pieces of bark on the cage floor and today saw her eating some of the bark. Is this a problem? I do not want her eating something that could harm her.

It is just one of the natural foods for them in the wild, it's not a problem.

[rmorgan]

Thanks, I have been concerned because her appetite has dropped off a little. Wants to play more than eat when I get her out now.

[stepnstone]

Thanks, I have been concerned because her appetite has dropped off a little. Wants to play more than eat when I get her out now.
What are you feeding her, she still on formula and have you
given her any block to start eating?

[rmorgan]

She weighs 309 grams. Is eating 25% esbilac (powdered puppy) and 75% Fox Valley Day one formula. Has been eating 15cc but the last few feedings has dropped back to 10-12cc. I also have been giving her about 3cc of apple juice a day but today she only wanted about 1.5cc. Have been feeding her 5 times a day, now she only wants to eat about 4 times a day. I have been giving her squirrel blocks but she mostly nibbles at them then plays with them, not really eating them much. The bark from the oak tree is old and dried and she has been crumbling some of it onto the floor but I have seen her eating some. Her cutting back on what she was eating seems to have started about time she started nibbling on the bark. She has also started nibbling on carrots and pecans. May be worrying needlessly, but can't help but wonder when changes are happening, don't want anything to happen to this sweet little thing.

[Mel1959]

Don't offer her any pecans. She needs to be eating her block REALLY well before any veggies are introduced. Nuts are like candy to squirrels. Once they taste them that's all they want to eat. Nuts are also not healthy. They have a very high phosphorous to calcium ratio and will pull the calcium out of a squirrels bones which leads to metabolic bone disease. Continue encouraging the formula for as long as she will take it. It's your guarantee against metabolic bone disease.

There is a squirrel food pyramid in the Squirrel Nutrition section that you should familiarize yourself with so you will know the healthy foods to offer, when the time comes. Blocks first, though. :grin3

[Rexie]

Pecans will spoil her then she won't eat her healthy foods. Practice tough love when it comes to nuts, corn and sunflower seeds. Sorry...

[stepnstone]

She weighs 309 grams. Is eating 25% esbilac (powdered puppy) and 75% Fox Valley Day one formula. Has been eating 15cc but the last few feedings has dropped back to 10-12cc. I also have been giving her about 3cc of apple juice a day but today she only wanted about 1.5cc. Have been feeding her 5 times a day, now she only wants to eat about 4 times a day. I have been giving her squirrel blocks but she mostly nibbles at them then plays with them, not really eating them much. The bark from the oak tree is old and dried and she has been crumbling some of it onto the floor but I have seen her eating some. Her cutting back on what she was eating seems to have started about time she started nibbling on the bark. She has also started nibbling on carrots and pecans. May be worrying needlessly, but can't help but wonder when changes are happening, don't want anything to happen to this sweet little thing.

Five times per day is overfeeding her especially at this age, her dropping back reflects that.
Below I'm posting a chart below so you can see an average on what to expect.
What she is doing with the block is what they all do, they will eventually start eating them.
However, I can not stress enough that block should be the first and only solid they are eating
and eating well. Giving her nuts is counter productive to a healthy diet for "captive" squirrels
and can have some serious consequences. It is not recommended.
I'll also post the link for the Healthy diet below...

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=286804&stc=1
Healthy Diet Pyramid:
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels


Edit: Ignor the "weaning" on the chart, we allow babies to wean themselves when they are ready.

[Nancy in New York]

Five times per day is overfeeding her especially at this age, her dropping back reflects that.
Below I'm posting a chart below so you can see an average on what to expect.
What she is doing with the block is what they all do, they will eventually start eating them.
However, I can not stress enough that block should be the first and only solid they are eating
and eating well. Giving her nuts is counter productive to a healthy diet for "captive" squirrels
and can have some serious consequences. It is not recommended.
I'll also post the link for the Healthy diet below...

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=286804&stc=1
Healthy Diet Pyramid:
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels


Edit: Ignor the "weaning" on the chart, we allow babies to wean themselves when they are ready.

Stepnstone is correct about not weaning. :thumbsup

I would also like to point out the the chart ONLY reflects the "rule of thumb" of 5%.
That is the bare minimum of formula.

Here is an interesting discussion about the "rule of thumb".
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?53433-Let-s-Discuss-the-5-7-Formula-Rule&highlight=5-7%25+rule+of+thumb

As you will see most of us go above the "rule of thumb" once we've done this
a few times, and we know what our little ones can handle.

You never want a baby's belly to get hard, it should feel like an inflated balloon
after feeding.

[Nancy in New York]

Looking over this chart again, is very concerning.

It states for a 10-20 grams squirrel to feed ~.5 that is NOT even the 5% minimum for a 20 gram squirrel.
Then it states for 20-40 grams .75-1 cc. A 40 grams squirrel should have BARE MINIMUM of 2 cc's

I suggest looking at the second chart below for amounts. AND remember this is only a "rule of thumb" with the BARE MINIMUM being 5%
I also suggest reading this thread to see what many feel about the "5-7% rule of thumb"
While it's necessary for some beginners, as a reference, it's not set in stone.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?53433-Let-s-Discuss-the-5-7-Formula-Rule&highlight=5-7%25+rule+of+thumb

https://photos.smugmug.com/Feeding-Chart/i-Spjx8tJ/0/M/CHART-M.png



https://nmognoni.smugmug.com/Feeding-Chart/i-JsmjnNr/0/X2/001-X2.jpg

[stepnstone]

Looking over this chart again, is very concerning.

It states for a 10-20 grams squirrel to feed ~.5 that is NOT even the 5% minimum for a 20 gram squirrel.
Then it states for 20-40 grams .75-1 cc. A 40 grams squirrel should have BARE MINIMUM of 2 cc's

I suggest looking at the second chart below for amounts. AND remember this is only a "rule of thumb" with the BARE MINIMUM being 5%
I also suggest reading this thread to see what many feel about the "5-7% rule of thumb"
While it's necessary for some beginners, as a reference, it's not set in stone.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?53433-Let-s-Discuss-the-5-7-Formula-Rule&highlight=5-7%25+rule+of+thumb


I agree that chart is not correct on feeding, weights and age don't exactly coincide either. I'll scrap it...
What I was concentrating on was the suggested "time" schedule, 5x per day for a 7 week old is too often.

[rmorgan]

I want to thank everyone for all the help. Much to Foxie's disgust all treats have been removed from her cage. The only thing she is now getting is formula and Squirrel block. We have cut her feedings back to 4 times a day and she is paying more attention to the Squirrel block. 286840 This is what she looked like when she entered my life 286841This photo is what she looks like now just over a month later.

[Nancy in New York]

Oh Foxie is adorable, I wished I had a foxer to raise! :klunk

[Mel1959]

Oh Foxie is adorable, I wished I had a foxer to raise! :klunk

Me too! :Love_Icon