Foods to fatten up a 11 week old.

[Tootsie's mom]

My tootsie has really stopped gaining weight. Well I guess she is but it tiny bits at a time. Any ideas on fatty food I can give her that are safe. Is there such thing as fatty veggies? This is her diet please tell me if I should add or even take away anything. Okay in the morning she get formula (esbilac the right kind) she drinks anywhere from 20 to 25cc also gets henry block and broccoli, carrots, spring mix, and a little piece of mushroom... then at lunch another block fresh veggies again. Then before bed more formula usually only drinks around 15 maybe 20cc then and I give her a small piece of fruit and more veggies. She is health and happy and always always playful! I would love any advice she just went from a fatty to long and narrow but I'm not sure if it's just normal for her age to get narrow through a growing spurt or what. All thoughts welcome!

[stepnstone]

They do go through weight changes with body changes much the same way children do. One time your looking at chubby little toddlers
turn around and they've become lanky teenagers looking like you haven't fed them in weeks. :dono
Try giving some avocado, do not give pits or peal!

[Tootsie's mom]

Okay thank you!I have a teen in that stage lol that's what made me wonder if squirrels went through something similar to us humans. I will definitely try that! I was just a tad worried and wanted to check. Well and to see if I could pick everyone's brain for some fatty foods that are okay to give them!

[Tootsie's mom]

And thank you for taking the time to reply!!

[Diggie's Friend]

Since she is eating block, no problem introducing other foods into her diet.

Baked acorn or Butternuts squash provide a good balance of calcium and phosphorus. Be sure to store what you don't use right away in the freezer in a vacuum sealed bag, not the fridge for squash mold very quickly in the fridge after 2 days. Using a 1/2 tsp. melon ball scooper makes it easy to pre-measure daily portions to store them, then thaw them the night before to feed them after you feed the block daily.

Also boiled (then cooled) green peas provide a good vegetable source of protein and carbs also. 1 Tsp. split fed AM & PM daily.

Both of these sources are easy to digest carbs and protein.

Be aware that too much protein in the diet causes calcium wasting out the urine; for this reason when adding to other sources already providing protein in the diet best to go with a source that is not as high in protein. Stonyfield Lowfat plain creamy yogurt is such a source. Avoid those sources that are sweetened with fruit, as refined sugars interfere with calcium absorption as does added salt.
Fresh fruit are fine by themselves; a small amount daily of no more than 2 Tsp. split fed AM and PM helps to round out the diet nicely.

[Tootsie's mom]

Okay do i just get acorns from yard and bake them? Sorry if that's silly but if I do how long on what temp? Also I will add butternut squash I was using yellow but I see the butternut is better balanced cal:phos. Yeah not that I am looking at this list I am going to make quite a few changed on her daily foods! But it shows green peas are 1:4.3 in cal:phos so maybe I will just do those a couple times a week. Thank you so much!!!! I was wondering I know I am supposed to keep the cal/phos best I can to 2/1 but I don't know why lol is it so she can use the calcium and not waste it?

[Tootsie's mom]

Wow every time I wrote cal : phos i didn't space it and it showed up cal:phos lmao!!!!

[stepnstone]

Okay do i just get acorns from yard and bake them? Sorry if that's silly but if I do how long on what temp? Also I will add butternut squash I was using yellow but I see the butternut is better balanced cal:phos. Yeah not that I am looking at this list I am going to make quite a few changed on her daily foods! But it shows green peas are 1:4.3 in cal:phos so maybe I will just do those a couple times a week. Thank you so much!!!! I was wondering I know I am supposed to keep the cal/phos best I can to 2/1 but I don't know why lol is it so she can use the calcium and not waste it?

Please be warned and always, always, get a second opinion. Several if necessary before feeding
anything under question and before feeding anything new to a captive squirrel!
Acorns are listed on the healthy diet as Toxic and not recommended fed to captive squirrels.
They can have a aflatoxin that wilds are able to detect and not eat that our captives will eat.
This is why one may see many acorns left on the ground uneaten or not carried away.
Aflatoxins have killed a number of captives on this site after eating acorns! Roasting won't
matter, baking won't kill the toxin! Neither will freezing!

[LR]

Doggies Friend was suggesting baked Acorn Squash not acorns. It's easy to mix up if you don't know...

[stepnstone]

Doggies Friend was suggesting baked Acorn Squash not acorns. It's easy to mix up if you don't know...

And I was responding to this... :great

Okay do i just get acorns from yard and bake them?

[LR]

I understand and you are right about asking questions and double checking everything.

[Tootsie's mom]

Doggies Friend was suggesting baked Acorn Squash not acorns. It's easy to mix up if you don't know...

Yep I did not know lol wow I'm glad I asked I thought he was saying acorns and then sqaush !

[Diggie's Friend]

Doggies Friend was suggesting baked Acorn Squash not acorns. It's easy to mix up if you don't know...

Very true; always ask questions when you aren't sure of what someone has written.

LR was right, I mean't Acorn Squash, but also Butternut will do nicely; just no salt, seasoning, butter, or sugar, only plain and always organic certified. No salt, or other seasoning or sugars added, just plain.

Cutting up the squash into sections makes it bake faster. Using a melon baller makes quick portioning of the baked squash to store it in vacuum sealed bags.


My post on acorns, just incase you want to read about what I wrote on this: https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?58487-Another-Acorn-Question&p=1234747#post1234747

[Diggie's Friend]

Just for information here, should you ever consider feeding them, I would wait till they are being readied for release, not include them in the juvenile diet otherwise, as the block with other supportive safer sources, is sufficient to support these animals nutritionally for short term rehabilitation purposes.

PS.The deaths were from feeding frozen acorns that were not examined outside or inside the shell for fungus.

Should you want to feed acorns prior to the release, best to follow a good safety protocol to prevent a major impact from possible fungal contamination. First and foremost, NEVER store acorns in a freezer to feed to any squirrel ever, nor pick them up off the ground, as that is where the fungal spores are mainly found.


https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?58123-THREE-WOUNDED-CLAWS-INCIDENTS-IN-45-DAYS-PLEASE-ADVICE-ON-WHAT-TO-DO&p=1232104#post1232104

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?58123-THREE-WOUNDED-CLAWS-INCIDENTS-IN-45-DAYS-PLEASE-ADVICE-ON-WHAT-TO-DO&p=1231971#post1231971

[Tootsie's mom]

I am just avoiding them all together I just miss understood what was said that's all. I was just wanting to know some veggies that put on a bit of weight. I have no intrest at all in feeding her acrons. I just did not know there was such thing as acorn squash so I thought they post was saying acorns and also butternut squash LoI :) not the case at all! Thank you everyone I am glad I asked about it before I just ran to the yard lol that could have been very very bad!

[Tootsie's mom]

She has been stuck at 298g for like 4 days!! It just makes me worry but maybe it's a phase since she seems to be getting longer maybe next week she will fatten up again!

[Diggie's Friend]

It is true that they go through lean body and plump body periods as they mature. When I see the juveniles come out to feed on their own, they are poll squirrels, not much belly, pretty normal there. Soon though they fatten up, and it is a benefit to support this before you release to give them some reserve to support them as they learn the ropes of finding food in the wild.

To support this purpose, I would feed the squash and peas that will provide more healthy calories to the diet, and support the squirrel to be more apt to accepting other vegetables in their diet also. Also, add plain organic yogurt (no sugar added Stonyfield). Also add in a drop of organic Pumpkin seed oil (very healthy) to give it a appealing aroma and flavor. This product keeps a longtime when stored in the fridge; well worth the investment, for you can use it too.

(Seed Oil Company made in Oregon), https://www.amazon.com/Pumpkin-Seed-Oil-Grown-Oregon/dp/B00Z8BRCDO

[Tootsie's mom]

Okay so just wanted to update. whatever she was going through is over she is gaining again she is at 326g. woohooo!! :bliss i was soooo happy to see that scale moving again! thanks for all the responses guys!!! :thankyou