HEALTHY BLOCKS

[Rocky2023]

Hi, at what age is it safe to start introducing Henry's Healthy blocks to squirrels? Has anyone had issues with choking on them?

[Mel1959]

I answered this in your other post. 5 weeks is when it is recommended to introduce them. I’d cut the block in half and only give 1/2 at a time so it’s less wasteful. At first most squirrels will shred the block and not consume much. Only after they are eating it well do you want to introduce any veggies or fruits. I don’t give any nuts until my squirrels are in their release cage.

[Rocky2023]

Thank you. I am new to this group and not really sure where to post what. She is very active today and starting to lay away from her heating pad and get out of her bin. I have a smaller to medium bird cage I would like to move her into so she stays safe. I am planning on putting a nesting box in and fleece, water bottle, what else will she need for now. Any choking hazards that I should watch out for? She started chewing on her fleece in the bin today and grooming her little self, so cute!

[Mel1959]

Nesting box (or hanging fleece cube), water bottle and maybe a small branch from a squirrel safe tree. Stuffed animals with no plastic eyes that can be chewed are enjoyed by some squirrels. Some will even play with a stuffed animal that hangs from the top of the cage. Ideally the small cage is used as a transitional cage. When she gets older and more proficient at climbing a larger cage is necessary. Sometimes you can find used large parrot cages on Craigslist or FB marketplace. The alternative is to build one yourself with a wooden frame and 1/2 inch hardware cloth stapled to it or buy a Critter Nation cage.

[Lighten-Up]

Any choking hazards that I should watch out for?

When you do start feeding her more foods, if you give grapes, peel them. The skins can be a choking hazzard for baby squirrels. I think they become okay with dealing with skins once they are 10-12 weeks old. But before that for sure, peel them to avoid choking.

Also, I second Mel, who said she doesn't give nuts until they are in their release cage. I do the same. They love nuts, but nuts cause a lot of problems if introduced early. First they won't want to eat the healthy block and or veggies because they'll hold out for the nuts, so you'll potentially struggle to keep them on a diet they need to keep MBD (metabolic bone disease) away. And second, they tend to stash them and then can get very territorial about their cage and protecting their stash from you. I didn't know this with my first two squirrels. When I got my next squirrels after that, I'd learned from experience and decided no nuts until they are near release. :grin2. And it has worked really well.

All of the difficult issues are avoided, and they tend to eat well, and enjoy their caretakers, so long as nuts are not in the picture. This has been my experience.

[Rocky2023]

Nesting box (or hanging fleece cube), water bottle and maybe a small branch from a squirrel safe tree. Stuffed animals with no plastic eyes that can be chewed are enjoyed by some squirrels. Some will even play with a stuffed animal that hangs from the top of the cage. Ideally the small cage is used as a transitional cage. When she gets older and more proficient at climbing a larger cage is necessary. Sometimes you can find used large parrot cages on Craigslist or FB marketplace. The alternative is to build one yourself with a wooden frame and 1/2 inch hardware cloth stapled to it or buy a Critter Nation cage.

Thank you! Can I put some small branches from his original nest that is outside in the cage and it has a wooded bird cage stick in there that is new, for him to climb on. I am not sure how to get the heating pad to get heat through the cage though. He is about 6 weeks old now. Can I use a space heater near by since he will have access to water.

[Mel1959]

A space heater is not the same as a heating pad. Can the heating pad be placed through the wires of the cage with the cord remaining on the outside and then covered with fleece? It should only be on one half of the cage so the squirrel can move off the heat if it chooses. If this isn’t possible, you might consider getting a taller bin for it to stay in until it’s no longer seeking out the heat before moving him to a cage.

Just to clarify….how old is the baby currently? And do you have a heating pad underneath one half of the bin it’s currently living in?