View Full Version : Help with calcium and mbd
SquirrelGirl31
07-24-2019, 09:10 AM
and advise on what anyone found has worked to get their squirrels to eat the crushed up tums? Also, I know I can’t keep giving him tums what do folks recommend I use for him? He is about 4 months old. Red squirrel.
I’m trying to correct his awful diet I had him on.
Thanks!
HRT4SQRLS
07-24-2019, 02:24 PM
They usually won’t eat the Tums other than a nibble. You should crush the Tums, add water and syringe feed it. The volume given for a dose is small because you dose it throughout the day, not all at once. Be careful to NOT aspirate.
Another option is to mix the powdered Tums into peanut butter and make small PB/Tums balls and feed it.
The megadosing calcium is a temporary thing while treating for MBD. When the diet is corrected Tums are not necessary.
SquirrelGirl31
07-24-2019, 02:47 PM
They usually won’t eat the Tums other than a nibble. You should crush the Tums, add water and syringe feed it. The volume given for a dose is small because you dose it throughout the day, not all at once. Be careful to NOT aspirate.
Another option is to mix the powdered Tums into peanut butter and make small PB/Tums balls and feed it.
The megadosing calcium is a temporary thing while treating for MBD. When the diet is corrected Tums are not necessary.
Thanks! I did try the peanut butter balls. He liked it for 5 seconds and has refused it.
I crushed up one tums (400 mg ) and separated it up into 5 PB balls.
Today I even added crushed walnuts and has the same outcome.
Can I try putting it on fruit like watermelon or apple?
Also during the process do I still keep sticking with his higher calcium diet? Rodent block and mostly high calcium veggies like mustard greens?
HRT4SQRLS
07-24-2019, 03:05 PM
Thanks! I did try the peanut butter balls. He liked it for 5 seconds and has refused it.
I crushed up one tums (400 mg ) and separated it up into 5 PB balls.
Today I even added crushed walnuts and has the same outcome.
Can I try putting it on fruit like watermelon or apple?
Also during the process do I still keep sticking with his higher calcium diet? Rodent block and mostly high calcium veggies like mustard greens?
Yes, you can put the calcium on anything. Avocado is a good one because the calcium will stick to it nicely.
Have you seen this chart. https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=67967&d=1232419601
It is the calcium to phosphorus ratio of the different foods. Kale is another good high calcium food.
Actually they will always need a diet with balanced calcium to phosphorus. That’s why we limit the nuts. They are very high phosphorus foods. Look at pine nut on the chart if you want to see a horrible food in terms of phosphorus.
Even now while treating for MBD the diet can be varied but keep the calcium in mind.
SquirrelGirl31
07-24-2019, 03:12 PM
Yes, you can put the calcium on anything. Avocado is a good one because the calcium will stick to it nicely.
Have you seen this chart. https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=67967&d=1232419601
It is the calcium to phosphorus ratio of the different foods. Kale is another good high calcium food.
Actually they will always need a diet with balanced calcium to phosphorus. That’s why we limit the nuts. They are very high phosphorus foods. Look at pine nut on the chart if you want to see a horrible food in terms of phosphorus.
Even now while treating for MBD the diet can be varied but keep the calcium in mind.
He loves avocado!
That chart has been so fantastic. We are still trying different items on there right now. He seems to love mustard greens.
I just wanted to make sure that I can still offer him these foods while doing the procedure.
He is stubborn. I’ve been trying to stick to the picky eater diet for him. He ate the rodent block at first and now refuses it.
He was getting better, at least I thought, but today he has just been out of it.
Diggie's Friend
07-25-2019, 01:08 AM
You may want to adding Calcium citrate, adding it to low fat plain organic yogurt.
Recommend either Green Valley Low fat (lactose free), or, "Stonyfield low fat yogurt" (low lactose), with this whole wild blueberry powder.
Use a maximum of (1/64 Tsp.) of the whole blueberry powder to 1/2 Tsp. of yogurt.
https://www.amazon.com/Frontier-Calcium-Citrate-Powder/dp/B000UYA1T6
https://www.amazon.com/Blueberry-Powder-Whole-Extract-Concentrate/dp/B07PRFTGBG/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=wild+blueberry+powder&qid=1558719811&s=gateway&sr=8-5
Adding in one drop of this organic vanilla extract may help to improve the taste and aroma of the plain yogurt.
https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Organic-Vanilla-Flavoring-Ounce/dp/B00I6CV8FK
You can change up the fruit source by adding (1/4 Tsp.) of organic naturally sweetened applesauce (no sugars real or artificial added), instead.
https://www.amazon.com/Frontier-Calcium-Citrate-Powder/dp/B000UYA1T6
This brand of applesauce also comes combined with apricot.
https://www.amazon.com/Santa-Cruz-Organic-Apricot-4-Ounce/dp/B001M0ALHO
A drop of this food grade organic sourced Chia oil on a rodent block has worked to entice some squirrels to eat the rodent block.
https://foodsalive.com/products/organic-chia-oil-foods-alive
SquirrelGirl31
07-25-2019, 07:43 AM
You may want to adding Calcium citrate, adding it to low fat plain organic yogurt.
Recommend either Green Valley Low fat (lactose free), or, "Stonyfield low fat yogurt" (low lactose), with this whole wild blueberry powder.
Use a maximum of (1/64 Tsp.) of the whole blueberry powder to 1/2 Tsp. of yogurt.
https://www.amazon.com/Frontier-Calcium-Citrate-Powder/dp/B000UYA1T6
https://www.amazon.com/Blueberry-Powder-Whole-Extract-Concentrate/dp/B07PRFTGBG/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=wild+blueberry+powder&qid=1558719811&s=gateway&sr=8-5
Adding in one drop of this organic vanilla extract may help to improve the taste and aroma of the plain yogurt.
https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Organic-Vanilla-Flavoring-Ounce/dp/B00I6CV8FK
You can change up the fruit source by adding (1/4 Tsp.) of organic naturally sweetened applesauce (no sugars real or artificial added), instead.
https://www.amazon.com/Frontier-Calcium-Citrate-Powder/dp/B000UYA1T6
This brand of applesauce also comes combined with apricot.
https://www.amazon.com/Santa-Cruz-Organic-Apricot-4-Ounce/dp/B001M0ALHO
A drop of this food grade organic sourced Chia oil on a rodent block has worked to entice some squirrels to eat the rodent block.
https://foodsalive.com/products/organic-chia-oil-foods-alive
Some fantastic ideas and options! Thanks!
Diggie's Friend
07-25-2019, 12:42 PM
This source of Calcium citrate is fine grit, not like some other powdered sources I have seen; it also has no additives.
I also recommend this organic Pumpkin seed oil. Pumpkin seed oil was found in a rat study to support liver health, by protecting the liver from toxins. Available in smaller size, see options on this page.
https://www.amazon.com/Pumpkin-Seed-Oil-Grown-Oregon/dp/B07CRPJBYF?th=1
Once your squirrel is eating the block again, add baked organic butternut squash, organic green peas boiled 5 to 10 min. and cooled to feed.
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