Why is Jasmine running circles in her cage?

[Jazzis Mom]

She is about 6.5 months old. Had her since she was about 2.5 to 3 weeks. She is on Henry picky eater blocks. 2 per day. Eats veggies. Butternut squash, sweet potato, avocado, apple, pear, turnip Greens, kale, sugar snap peas and a few more but these are her favorites but she gets just a few of these per day then alternate as she runs out. She get a peanut or two, a pecan or hazelnut a day. Unless she begs husband for extra which I tell him no. She is in her cage when I am gone and a few time during the day and at night. She has run of house otherwise. Except for birdroom. That is off limits due to her sneaking in a eatin their leftovers. So today she is running circles in her cage with the door open. She does the
Is when wanting out but she keeps going back in the cage and runs circles. What is she wanting. I am at a loss. She will normally lay on my chest for an hour or so. Today just running circles.

[Diggie's Friend]

Are you feeding rodent block? I ask for most of the calories in the diet come from protein, which rodent block provides. If you aren't then she is starving.

As squirrels get closer to maturity, their instinct to forage (explore) for food becomes greater than their desire to be given food.

This kind of like a child that is maturing saying, "Mommy, I want to do it myself!".

One thing you can do to help it so hide a staple food like boiled peas, offered daily, hidden around her habitat to forage to find them.

Also, according to the rehabbers manual, more mature squirrels require a greater area of space; (6 x 5 x 3 1/2 ft ) minimum

This reduces both stress and encourages good activity like climbing on safe wood branches that are added and secured within the habitat cage.

Another factor may be the sweet potato, which being very high in carbs can impact the brain in acting as an "excitotoxin", as all sugars can.

This food isn't one I recommend myself to include in the diet, for overtops the need for carbs in HHB block and whole foods diet.

[Jazzis Mom]

She won’t eat regular rodent block. Never has. But she does eat the henrys picky bite blocks. Which I thought was equal to rodent block. Is it not? She weighs 403 grams. She normally eats pretty good. I have given her a peanut today and she hid it. An hazelnut and she hid. Only trying to offer to her. If she was starving she would eat those. She always has fresh veggies in her cage.

[Diggie's Friend]

I asked, as I didn't know what you are presently feeding. :dono

Yes, HHB is the best of the available rodent block sources!

[Jazzis Mom]

Awesome that kind of worried me. I am wondering if she might have spring fever. Or I am having a really bad nervous day. My dog and my birds are acting differently. She be feeling my aniexity as well. I just weighed her again and she is staying at 403 grams. Which I think is ok for her age.

[Jazzis Mom]

308013

My sweet baby!

[SammysMom]

She is beautiful and very likely having spring fever. HHBs are the gold standard so she is on a perfect diet!

[Jazzis Mom]

Thank you! She is vet special to us. Our plan was to do a soft release this spring, but she has became an awesome pet. Now we are hoping we don’t have to release.

[SammysMom]

Well, its important to listen to what she needs. It is quite probable that she will want her freedom to be a squirrel. She will tell you, just be open to listening. :Love_Icon

[Jazzis Mom]

That was the reason for asking about the circles she was running. We will do what is best for her. It is just hard knowing what is best at this time for her.

[ArizonaWildRescue]

It may not have anything to do with *what* you are feeding. How much out-of-cage time does she get every day? Does she get to run around a room with things to climb, play with, sleep in, destroy, etc.? That frenetic pacing could be a sign of boredom, similar to zoo animals pacing or rocking back and forth.


Delphia Strickland
Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator
Arizona Wild Rescue

[Chirps]

Original post said she has the run of the house except the bird room most of the day and is running circles in the cage with the door open,