Teklad 14 16 or 18

[Winnie77]

Which teklad is best for adult wilds 2014, 2016 or 2018 ?

[Spanky]

How old is the squirrel you are feeding?

[Chirps]

Hi!

My wilds eat Mazuri Rat and Mouse blocks. If you are anywhere near a feed store you can probably get it there. I expect cheaper than Teklad especially since there's shipping cost. Also you might decide not to feed Teklad if you read the article in the News forum here, "Envigo Lab Horror" or similar title.

[Diggie's Friend]

Not only the inhumane practices of Envigo company an issue; but also their lab Rodent diets (Italy) of which 2016 is cited in research of many sources of rodent diets, which have been now confirmed to contain over the allowed limit by the industry, having levels noted as higher than what is considered high levels. These same synthetic toxins (pesticide and herbicide compounds) were recently confirmed in a number of rodent block diets used for laboratory studies to promote cancers in rats and mice. (see my GMO thread for the review and data on various sources of rodent blocks tested)

[Winnie77]

How old is the squirrel you are feeding?

All ages they are wild and releases from over the years .
But now reading some of the responses I think I will stick with the Mazuri and hope they start to eat it better.

[Winnie77]

Not only the inhumane practices of Envigo company an issue; but also their lab Rodent diets (Italy) of which 2016 is cited in research of many sources of rodent diets, which have been now confirmed to contain over the allowed limit by the industry, having levels noted as higher than what is considered high levels. These same synthetic toxins (pesticide and herbicide compounds) were recently confirmed in a number of rodent block diets used for laboratory studies to promote cancers in rats and mice. (see my GMO thread for the review and data on various sources of rodent blocks tested)

Thank you, I wasn't aware of this. I will stick to the Mazuri and hope they will learn to like it better so much waste but I feed so many outside buying the chuckanut wildlife blend and all the walnuts and almonds was getting expensive around 300 a month. I've started the Mazuri but they are leaving it and it gets wet and turns to mush . Is there anything I can sprinkle on it to make them want it more ? I thought I read chia oil .

[Chirps]

Thank you, I wasn't aware of this. I will stick to the Mazuri and hope they will learn to like it better so much waste but I feed so many outside buying the chuckanut wildlife blend and all the walnuts and almonds was getting expensive around 300 a month. I've started the Mazuri but they are leaving it and it gets wet and turns to mush . Is there anything I can sprinkle on it to make them want it more ? I thought I read chia oil .

Ah, your crew is just spoiled. Going from all those yummy walnuts and almonds to Mazuri, no wonder they waste it. My more spoiled guys do the same. One comes begging and I toss it a block and it sniffs it then looks at me wanting the almonds. I can't help teasing them sometimes like that. Also they will sometimes surprise me and snatch it up and go to town on it. I figure they haven't got what they need yet for the day when they do that and are taking advantage of the easy nutrition.

How many do you reckon you're feeding? How good is the habitat for providing natural sustenance? If you have a roundabout idea how many are out there, I suggest putting maybe three blocks per squirrel out for now, and none of the good stuff. They will likely be pissed at you at first and wondering where the good stuff went, but I have found mine to be pragmatists who just can't pass up an easy source of nutrition. Also their competitiveness will make them more likely to try to beat the rest to get the most of whatever's on offer. It may take a few days, but after a while they should start making it disappear. I like mine to have it all gone within an hour. It's meant to support/supplement them, not be their main diet. Also I have observed that after they eat two or three, they start running off to bury subsequent blocks, and we all know how well THAT will work. :shakehead

I don't know your squirrels' habits, but at my house I don't see many squirrels through the summer. The wildest ones are off making their own way. That will change once the colder, shorter days come, and I will be increasing what I put out for them. It might seem mean, but if you don't put out enough for everybody it might work psychologically to make them want the limited resource more. Then you can increase it until you feel like everybody's getting at least a couple.

Also in very harsh as in cold, raining/snowing weather, they get a peanut party. It's meant to give them a quick shot of fat and protein to get through that day or days of exceptionally frigid or miserable weather. But if it's dry out they get Mazuri.

[Winnie77]

Ah, your crew is just spoiled. Going from all those yummy walnuts and almonds to Mazuri, no wonder they waste it. My more spoiled guys do the same. One comes begging and I toss it a block and it sniffs it then looks at me wanting the almonds. I can't help teasing them sometimes like that. Also they will sometimes surprise me and snatch it up and go to town on it. I figure they haven't got what they need yet for the day when they do that and are taking advantage of the easy nutrition.

How many do you reckon you're feeding? How good is the habitat for providing natural sustenance? If you have a roundabout idea how many are out there, I suggest putting maybe three blocks per squirrel out for now, and none of the good stuff. They will likely be pissed at you at first and wondering where the good stuff went, but I have found mine to be pragmatists who just can't pass up an easy source of nutrition. Also their competitiveness will make them more likely to try to beat the rest to get the most of whatever's on offer. It may take a few days, but after a while they should start making it disappear. I like mine to have it all gone within an hour. It's meant to support/supplement them, not be their main diet. Also I have observed that after they eat two or three, they start running off to bury subsequent blocks, and we all know how well THAT will work. :shakehead

I don't know your squirrels' habits, but at my house I don't see many squirrels through the summer. The wildest ones are off making their own way. That will change once the colder, shorter days come, and I will be increasing what I put out for them. It might seem mean, but if you don't put out enough for everybody it might work psychologically to make them want the limited resource more. Then you can increase it until you feel like everybody's getting at least a couple.

Also in very harsh as in cold, raining/snowing weather, they get a peanut party. It's meant to give them a quick shot of fat and protein to get through that day or days of exceptionally frigid or miserable weather. But if it's dry out they get Mazuri.

If I had to estimate I'd say about 100 squirrels I notice they come in groups some are ones I've rehabbed through the years that have had babies and I thinknsome are grand squirrels and great grand squirrels I have some that are getting up there in age that still come every day a few take food from me and a couple like to come in and get their own nut from the box but they come in groups throughout the day I have early morning crew late morning crew afternoon crew and then the evening crew . We are in the country have lots of wood line and a river . I know it's my fault for giving into them for so long I think the oldest ones here that I know personally and can recognize them apart are about 7 years old .
I've changed their food I provide a lot of times but with the prices of everything going up its definitely getting tougher, I have 6 different feeding spots but only fill the feeding stations in the morning and lately it's just been the Mazuri with some walnuts and almonds sprinkled around each station . In the winter I usually buy between 40 and 50 pounds of mixed nuts in shell and that was lasting about a month adding them to the feed stations along with the chuckanut wildlife blend and other things I added to it . It's only been recently that I've used the Mazuri so they may still need time to adjust to it .

[Chirps]

A hundred squirrels! Mercy! Then I have nothing useful to say to you, since your situation is so much different from my own. Even if your crew accepted Mazuri gratefully, so many will go through it right quick! A 25# bag lasts me a couple of months in spring/summer, maybe one month in winter. I'm only putting out two or three or up to four handfuls per day. It varies since some days I put out more than others, but 100 squirrels! :eek

Maybe if you don't have them yet some of those hinged lid feeder boxes would at least keep it from dissolving in the rain? They sell them at my feed store but I keep feeling all frugal and cheap every time I think I'm going to splurge on one. And then am sorry when that icky weather comes and there's nowhere to put the block to keep it dry. We've practically been in a drought here all summer even though it seems unnoticed by the MSM, so dissolving blocks have not been on my mind.

It's possible that CritterMom has similar circumstances to yours. I hope she or someone else who feeds hordes of squirrels will chime in.

[Diggie's Friend]

The only downside to using the oil for other than in a homemade recipe where the oil is incorporated into the mix that is baked per the minuts noted on the boo ball or other similar recipes, is that oils appeal to ants.

[Winnie77]

The only downside to using the oil for other than in a homemade recipe where the oil is incorporated into the mix that is baked per the minuts noted on the boo ball or other similar recipes, is that oils appeal to ants.
Thank you for the information, I ordered the chia oil and for now I had some organic almond oil so this morning I poured some of the almond oil on my hands and rubbed the blocks lol I'm hoping that they will like it better my goal is to get them eating the blocks so I will eventually not have to put anything on them . Winter time they get mixed nuts in shell , I was using a mix of chuckanut wildlife blend and I added organic oats , Nuts and cherrios to it but I didn't like the fact they were adding more corn to the mix so I wanted to cut all that out completely plus the sunflower seeds and stiff in it wasn't very good for them . I was filling a huge tote with the mix and the other ones had the almonds and walnuts out of shell and then at night I would toss some peanut out and the few I'm very close with like to come in and pick out their own nut then they go back out.
I just want to keep them healthy but it's getting hard with all of them and the damn prices of everything is outrageous.
I like ordering their Nuts from anuts. Com but it's the shipping that kills my wallet, I called them and the lady said that anything over 32 pounds they have to use a second box and even if it's only a pound or 2 in the second box they still have to charge for a whole box which is over 20.00 so now I just get the one box 32 pounds 16 pounds of almonds and 16 pounds of walnuts and been sprinkling that over the blocks . Winter I will get mixed nuts in shell instead of the out of shell ones but still fingers crossed they eat the Mazuri. I'm glad I found out about the teklad and didn't order that.

[Diggie's Friend]

Chia oil, is also higher Omega 3 to Omega 6 content. And is not goitrogenic. Goitrogens, also found in brassica vegetables (neutralized moreover with heat, lower the uptake of iodine to the parathyroid gland lowering the production of pro vitamin D3 by the kidneys, which in turn lowers the production of provitamin D3. D3 is key to supporting calcium absorption into the bloodstream. For reason of its nutraceutical properties and enticing aroma and taste, I would go just with the chia oil.

[Winnie77]

Chia oil, unlike near all other seed oils, Unlike Flaxseed oil that is also higher Omega 3 to Omega 6 content. And unlike flaxseed oil, chia oil is not goitrogenic. Goitrogens, also found in brassica vegetables (neutralized moreover with heat, lower the uptake of iodine to the parathyroid gland lowering the production of pro vitamin D3 by the kidneys, which in turn lowers the production of provitamin D3. D3 is key to supporting calcium absorption into the bloodstream. For reason of its nutraceutical properties and enticing aroma and taste, I would go just with the chia oil.


Is this OK this is what I ordered.

[Diggie's Friend]

It's not organic is it?

If not organic it means that means that it may have been exposed to toxins used to kill insects and/or herbicides to kill weeds.

These toxins are known to promote cancers in rodents.

[Winnie77]

Oh no we'll I will send it back and find another one . Thank you for pointing that out

[Winnie77]

Oh no we'll I will send it back and find another one . Thank you for pointing that out

I canceled the order and found one that says organic it's called foods alive organic chia oil

[Diggie's Friend]

That's the one Winnie, tried and true!