Legumes and such..

[Forrestsmom]

I have a young special squirrel.
He can not put food to mouth. Forrest has learned to eat nuts. Some must be opened for him.
I read legumes were a good source of protein and fiber. Raw soaked ...does it matter? He gives up one foods that give him too much trouble.

[Forrestsmom]

Any food ideas would be great . Hes a picky little bugger.

[RockyPops]

Hello and welcome to TSB Forrestsmom!

How old is your baby?

If under a certain age he needs to be on formula. And then HHB's. Henry's Healthy Blocks.

They don't thrive at all on nut diets!

Can you post pictures?

Thanks for helping your baby!

Check back here often for more info and advice. Lot of good help on this board!

[Forrestsmom]

We are well past formula now.
It's still offered only due to his special front legs.
We believe it has to do with the formula.
He is a non-releaseable kiddo. I'd like to give him a nice varied diet. We are building him a lg outdoor enclosure. We want him to live as close to a squirrel as possible. So any food ideas are helpful. Hes picky.

[Forrestsmom]

He is being offered fruits squashes etc. Hes not digging much. Squirrel chow ...its on my floor.

[RockyPops]

Have you seen the post' a few lines up from yours?

"Healthy Diet for a Pet Squirrel"

What happened to his front legs that he can't use them properly?

Esbilac problem?

Poor baby!

[Mel1959]

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

This is the link for the recommended diet for pet squirrels. Legumes are not healthy for squirrels. Peanuts are legumes, and although they like them, it’s not in their best interest to have them regularly. Nuts, in general, are high in phosphorous which creates an imbalance in the calcium to phosphorous ratio in the squirrel when eaten. The body makes up for the additional phosphorous by pulling calcium from the bones to maintain the proper ratio in the body. This leads to metabolic bone disease, which is fatal if left untreated. A varied diet is necessary to provide all the nutrients they need.

Are you feeding a rodent block? If so, which one? A good quality rodent block is ABSOLUTELY necessary for captive squirrels.

[Forrestsmom]

We are not sure what happened. 2 of 3 have a leg issue.
The best way to describe it is when he sits up, he looks like a caught bank robber. His arms go into a "freeze put your hands up stance".
So he can do many squirrel things, some are beyond his literal reach.
His sister has only a slightly turned out leg. She can do everything.
We are building an outdoor squirrel run. We want to allow him to be as squirrely as possible.
We've designed it for digging and safe climbing.
He is not found of squirrel chow. I think its frustrating for him. He can only eat what he can pin down with his face.
So I was hoping for some natural diet items.
I will forage for him as need be.