How to get my squirrel to eat rodent blocK???

[Ozmarotta]

Hi I read somewhere that the first food to introduce to my squirrel is Rodent and Block
My squirrel is about five weeks old now only still currently on formula but I can’t seem to get her to eat the rodent and block The form that I read said that it is crucial for them to eat rodent block before any other solids so they can get the proper nutrition that they need ..... any advice would be helpful and if what I read was right I feel I’m gonna have a hard time transitioning her from formula to solids ....🙁

[Javarat]

They actually aren't ready to eat solids at 5 weeks, and will just shred the blocks.
But this is good... they will get used to the taste as they chew on it.
They start to consume the blocks in the 6th or 7th week. This varies, so we want blocks to be the first thing they eat.
About the time she starts playing you will see see her actually eating.
Then you can introduce basic vegetables like arugula, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage.
When I put a dish of food in for my 8 week olds they normally pick the blocks out and eat them first.

She will transition from formula to formula and solids and then just solids at her own pace.
You want her to have both, and eat formula as long as possible. The longer she takes it the healthier and bigger she will get.
Every other week or so you will notice she starts a pattern of eating a lot of formula at one feeding, and then light at the next. This is the classic sign that they are not hungry yet, and you should reduce the number of feedings per day by one.
At 5 weeks you should already be cutting out the nighttime formula feeding.. letting her go from 10pm to 6am just digesting what she has backlogged.
Right now you are probably doing five feedings per day.. in a week or two when she displays that alternating heavy/light pattern of eating.. step it to 4 times per day.. and then again to 3 a few weeks later.
At 3 feedings per day I normally limit them to 20ml of formula, to encourage eating solids. When they step to 2 or 1 feedings per day I let them have all the want again.

You can also help by adding dry sticks (smooth bark.. not rough bark like pine or fir). They will give her more practice chewing without destroying too many expensive blocks. Sticks are baby squirrel pacifiers.

[Ozmarotta]

Hi My squirrel is about eight weeks now and still having a hard time getting her to eat solids she does not like the rodent block it all
She sometimes is eating walnuts and I have tryied to give her multiple other solids like almonds apples etc. that’s really about it for solids she wants to still have formula and even though I have cut down on that she still doesn’t seem to want solids she has become very attached to me constantly wanting to crawl all over me and be with me at this point I don’t think my squirrel is releasable if anybody can give me some tips on how to get her to be a little more independent and start eating solids that would be very helpful thank you

[redwuff]

Hi I read somewhere that the first food to introduce to my squirrel is Rodent and Block
My squirrel is about five weeks old now only still currently on formula but I can’t seem to get her to eat the rodent and block The form that I read said that it is crucial for them to eat rodent block before any other solids so they can get the proper nutrition that they need ..... any advice would be helpful and if what I read was right I feel I’m gonna have a hard time transitioning her from formula to solids ....🙁

Can you give us more detail about how you feed her. Ie how much and how often you feed formula, when and what you feed as solid non-formula food. Thanks

[Javarat]

You said sometimes she eats walnuts... look closely when she does that. Is she taking small 'chips' off it and then chewing, or does it look like she is kinda 'mashing' it?
'Mashing' a nut to eat it is a sign of bad teeth alignment, which would require a trimming.

[Ozmarotta]

Can you give us more detail about how you feed her. Ie how much and how often you feed formula, when and what you feed as solid non-formula food. Thanks



Hi,
Since I posted I actually ordered the rodent block from Henry’s and it was a successful but also wanted to see how to get her to drink water from the water bubbler thing I put in cage I don’t know what it’s called lol

[Ozmarotta]

You said sometimes she eats walnuts... look closely when she does that. Is she taking small 'chips' off it and then chewing, or does it look like she is kinda 'mashing' it?
'Mashing' a nut to eat it is a sign of bad teeth alignment, which would require a trimming.

When she eats the walnuts she takes chips off she does not mash ....I did but the Henry’s rodent block since I posted and it was a success Now I have to focus on vegetables and water to try to get her to eat and drink that and suggestions would be awesome😊

[Ozmarotta]

Can you give us more detail about how you feed her. Ie how much and how often you feed formula, when and what you feed as solid non-formula food. Thanks

Hi,
I feed her formula 4X a day 9cc each feeding I know it sounds a little much but since she was not really eating anything else and wanted the formula I figured at least that way I can keep her healthy