Spoiled squirrel

[Gypsy Love]

Okay, so I have a little red that is about 6 months old, and is waiting to be released in late April/early May. When I started out I read that I wasn't supposed to wean her because the reds tend to wean early/wean themselves and I figured that letting her have formula was the best way to make sure she was getting the calcium she needs while she is in my care. Well guess who still has not weaned and gets rather vocal and angry about it if she doesn't get formula? Spoiled little Beensy ofcourse. She gets 1-2 high protein Henrys blocks a day, fresh greens and veggies, a mix of other rodent blocks, fruit and the occasional nut as a treat, she has a piece of antler and a cuttlebone for extra calcium if she wants it and she drinks water like a champ. The formula she gets is 20/50 FV.
Should I wean her now and how should I do it? And should I change the block she is on? I'm just getting ready to put another order in on Henry's...

[ScrappyDo]

Okay, so I have a little red that is about 6 months old, and is waiting to be released in late April/early May. When I started out I read that I wasn't supposed to wean her because the reds tend to wean early/wean themselves and I figured that letting her have formula was the best way to make sure she was getting the calcium she needs while she is in my care. Well guess who still has not weaned and gets rather vocal and angry about it if she doesn't get formula? Spoiled little Beensy ofcourse. She gets 1-2 high protein Henrys blocks a day, fresh greens and veggies, a mix of other rodent blocks, fruit and the occasional nut as a treat, she has a piece of antler and a cuttlebone for extra calcium if she wants it and she drinks water like a champ. The formula she gets is 20/50 FV.
Should I wean her now and how should I do it? And should I change the block she is on? I'm just getting ready to put another order in on Henry's...

Sounds like she is getting plenty of nutrition from her solid food. Mine is a yr and still takes formula, but she is a NR. Someone else will have to guide you about weaning. And I believe around 6 months is when we switched to the adult formula HB.

[cava]

Are you giving formula via syringe still or in a dish?

If if a syringe, switch to a dish.

When I had buns I was instructed to start watering it down and they wouldn't want it anymore.

[Gypsy Love]

She gets her formula in a dish. Only 10-12cc once or twice a day. Sometimes I water it down to make it last longer, but that certainly doesn't seem to put her off.

[Nancy in New York]

My only question is why do you want her to wean? She still has several months before release.
True story. I had 4 here that took formula when I brought them to a member/rehabber from the
board, for prerelease.
They were 5+ months old.
Squirlgirl held onto them for about a month, then released.
She was still serving warmed formula to them daily while waiting to release.
AND she continued after they left.
They would come back every morning for their warmed bowl
of formula. :)

Your little one is just precious. I saw her album. :klunk

[Gypsy Love]

It's not that I want to wean her. I am happy to let her have her formula, I just wasn't sure if it would harm her ability to survive in the wild without it. If it's okay for me to let her have it until she is released, and maybe even occasionally after if she wants it, then I am happy to do that :) silly little girl likes to dunk her blocks in her formula like cookies and milk! I think I will keep giving her formula, and move to the adult HHB. Thanks everyone!

[Diggie's Friend]

I thought to share about other sources for pine squirrel's diet. The digestive tract of pine squirrels is basically the same form of all N.A. tree squirrels. This species is specialized to be able to to better digest nutrients sources higher in fiber than that of the scatter hoarder species of N.A. that their hardwood coniferous forest habitats provide.

Wild mushrooms are a key food of the Pine squirrel. They will cut them off at the base of the stem and carry them up into the canopy of trees to dry them out, which preserves this good source of protein for a long period of time.

Lots of mushrooms to choose from "Oregon Mushroom" online. They carries a number of dried choices; the Morels and Chanterelles are amongst the best ones.

https://www.oregonmushrooms.com/c-1-dried-mushrooms.aspx

https://northernwoodlands.org/articles/article/squirrel-sap-taps

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/02/0218_050218_squirrels.html


While sugar maple is the tree of choice, I’ve discovered red and gray squirrel taps on 23 species of trees and shrubs, including all maple species, bitternut hickory, red oak, apple, aspen, basswood, witch hazel, and rhododendron, to name just a few of the curious varieties involved. A stem or branch simply has to be smooth and thin-barked, and thus easily wounded. Sugars, as Heinrich proposes, are a sought after nutrient, but I suspect minerals may also be key attractants.

"Drink Maple" brand is an unrefined source of organic maple water. The company uses a sterilizing process on their equipment to prevent bacterial contamination during collecting. Since this source is perishable it will need to be refrigerated before opening. When opened it is best to measure it out into small 1 Tsp. portions, and place them into resalable ice cube containers or the like to store in the freezer until it is ready to feed them. To thaw do not heat it; instead place the small 1 Tsp. cube into a small feeding dish with a lead that seals into the fridge the day before to thaw to feed the next day.

https://www.amazon.com/DRINKmaple-Maple-Water-Fluid-Ounce/dp/B00V4LLUFI

They also eat spruce bud worms. This online store produces organic raised Grubworms. I recommend their product.

We all know Pine squirrels like nuts; they are most fond of hazelnuts (filberts, but also beech nuts, Maple catkins, and various other seed sources located in their hardwood coniferous forest habitats. Since tree squirrels prefer to take the green cones off the trees, which is better for them since they have not been in long contact with the soil that carries toxic fungus, this is is a better source than seeds from fallen pinecones.



http://www.pinenut.com/pine-nuts/pine-nuts-nutrition-value.shtml

Penny's Pine nuts online Soft shelled Nevada Pinyon pine nut, that unlike the European” pignoli” pine nut, this pinyon nut has a Ca:P ratio very close to that of the Pecan. This source is low in anti-nutrients, and even so like most nuts which aren’t a good source of calcium, it provides vital important nutrients, and is a good plant source of fat this species needs to fuel their higher metabolism. "Camilles Vita-mealies" are purchased online using Paypal http://vita-mealie.weebly.com/dried-mealworm-listings.html

http://www.pinenut.com/pine-nuts/pine-nuts-nutrition-value.shtml

Leafy greens fed in support of calcium stores are best supported by feeding the immature leaves of escarole, lettuces, and, even watercress. As long as they are immature leaves they will provide calcium, for mature leaves the calcium is is low compared the a calcium anti nutrient that upon the digestion of mature leaves causes the loss of calcium from ‘most’ mature leaf sources. Bok or Pak Choy and some Kales boiled are a good source of calcium, as boiling only reduces calcium in these source by a small fraction, while making the calcium more bioavailable to the body of these rodents.

In support of good digestion, check out Pet Flora by Vitality Science availalble on Amazon.com See description of product

This is a Soil Based probiotic like unto what tree squirrels consume by ingesting soil (geophagy) in the wild. It supplies a vital support for good digestion, and degrading of anti nutrients in the gut, in which is located over 80% of their immune system.

https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Flora-caps-Probiotic-Gastrointestinal/dp/B005PJN2HO

[gunpackingrandma]

Well, let me tell you how weaning my red went. It didn't! Ben will be two in July and absolutely loves his formula! On occasion I will intentionally forget to bring his formula with breakfast and he is super quick to notice my error. Watching a red throw a hissy fit is comical. Between the barking, which I know he needs his mouth cleaned with soap for all the bad words he is using and the thumping of his back legs he looks like he could hyperventilate and hit the ceiling at the same time. Anyway, I continue to give Ben formula once a day. He loves it and helps keep him on a good diet. Current weight is 270 grams. Just alittle bundle of fuzzy love....

[SophieSquirrel]

That's great information DF! I have never seen a Douglas (T. douglasii) in person being from the East Coast. Does this diet apply to them also? I read that one of the subspecies in AZ (T. hudsonicus grahamensis) is endangered.

I will print this info and add it to my "squirrel book" which is a 3" thick binder containing years of gathered information on Sciurids.

[Gypsy Love]

Thanks for the extra info on reds. Unfortunately Beensy does not have much interest in mushrooms. I can let her try a bit of maple sap in March, I'm sure she will like that because she loves maple syrup. But she wI'll be getting much less than a tsp, it can be dehydrating and also runs the risk of diarrhea. I live in Ontario Canada... and my family makes our own maple syrup. Even the wild reds where she will be released are pretty spoiled because lots of people in the campground feed them.

[Diggie's Friend]

Sophiesquirrel wrote:

I have never seen a Douglas (T. douglasii) in person being from the East Coast. Does this diet apply to them also?

I have seen one in person; it was about the same size as the Eastern Reds, and oh so bossy cute and vocal!

The food forms that both species rely upon are moreover the same; yet the exact sources vary from region to region.


I read that one of the subspecies in AZ (T. hudsonicus grahamensis) is endangered.

Yes it is, but that is for another thread.:grin2