Monk fruit sweetener?

[ScrappyDo]

It has zero carbs, calories and fat. Has anyone used this in a block or boo ball recipe? Wondering if Rose will eat them better if they taste sweet.

[cava]

It would help if you posted photos of it's label and ingredients.

Generally artificial sweeteners are dangerous to animals. Xyllitol causes fatalities in dogs. It lowers the blood sugar to dangerous levels causing seizures and death if not immediately treated. That's not to say that ALL artificial sweeteners are dangerous but it would be safer for you to sweeten with natural things. Pureed fruit for example. Also consider you are encouraging a sweet tooth which can cause even more picky eating in the future.

Edit: I use fruit baby food in my boo balls

[ScrappyDo]

It would help if you posted photos of it's label and ingredients.

Generally artificial sweeteners are dangerous to animals. Xyllitol causes fatalities in dogs. It lowers the blood sugar to dangerous levels causing seizures and death if not immediately treated. That's not to say that ALL artificial sweeteners are dangerous but it would be safer for you to sweeten with natural things. Pureed fruit for example. Also consider you are encouraging a sweet tooth which can cause even more picky eating in the future.

Edit: I use fruit baby food in my boo balls

It's an actual fruit grown in Asia. The only nutrition info I found was about the no carbs, calories or fat. It's also supposed to keep blood sugar from spiking (in humans). She's refusing boo balls with different variations of baby food, mashed fruit or yogurt made with HB or any other block (she's never even tried other blocks!) She will eat 1 HHB a day if I hand her a little piece here and there throughout the day but will refuse any more. Even if I mix 2 with something she loves she will only eat half (and I've made it fresh for the second HB) Lol She gets lots of nutrition otherwise in her veggies. Thanks to this wonderful site, I've learned to balance her calcium/phosphorus ratios but am having a VERY hard time understanding why blocks that have vitamins added to them is SO MUCH better than just giving her the vitamins with her veggies and wild food? I understand it helps fill them up for those raising several squirrels where it might be more cost effective to feed blocks, but is there a reason I can't just give her the vitamins in a syringe after she eats her veggie bowl? None of the dry ingredients in any block is a natural diet for squirrels except the nuts in HHB (which are wonderful if they actually eat it!) I would much rather her eat 2 blocks and be done with it. As was recommended on this board, she has only had HHB given to her (regular, picky, and wild-doesn't matter to her) for the last FIVE days. She still only eats 1. I have put out every block I have over the last five days (which is basically all of them) and she only eats 1 HHB and won't even touch the others once she's smelled it. I also give her a tums every now and then. I'd like to dust some of her food with calcium but can't figure out how much is too much. Is 1 HB a day ok with no other supplements or block and a balanced calcium/phosphorus ratio in her veggies? Or 1 HB with just calcium on some veggies (how much?). Or 1 HB a day with 1/2 dose Henry's vitamins? Can someone please explain this to me? Thank you!

[ScrappyDo]

I won't use monk fruit sweetener in case it lowers her blood sugar like xylitol though! But I really would like info on just supplementing with vitamins. Essentially blocks ARE vitamin supplements since the bulk of the block ingredients aren't even in their natural diet. And some of those ingredients are definitely not good (corn/soy). Although for squirrels that will be released it wouldn't be a problem short term. I have resources to feed organic veggies and she gets plenty of wild food too as we live in the country surrounded by nature.

[Diggie's Friend]

Try adding Organic chia oil instead of sugars; this source it seems to have worked to get squirrels to eat block which they previously had refused. It is high in Omega 3 to 6, yet like all oils it is a fat, even so a very good fat, four drops a day should make the food more appealing.

https://www.amazon.com/Foods-Alive-Artisan-Cold-Pressed-Organic/dp/B007788AZA