Round-tailed Ground Squirrel

[Pintabean]

I have rehabilitated many chipmunks and squirrels but I now have a 6 week old desert squirrel that I am not familiar with. I am currently feeding her Fox Valley 20/50. Is this even recommended for a Round-tailed ground squirrel? Also, soon I will need to start introducing native vegetation for her to eat. Does anyone know what that would be? These are not typical nut/seed/berries squirrels!

[CritterMom]

My favorite place in Tucson has a lot of info: https://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_squirrels.php#:~:text=The%20round%2Dtailed%20 ground%20squirrel%20depends%20on%20succulent%20gre en%20vegetation,roadkill%20of%20its%20own%20specie s.

I do think that they could also eat the rodent blocks. I know for a fact that they give Mazuri blocks to the prairie dogs in their "community" at the Desert Museum, and the round tails live free and scavenge all of the other animals' habitats. I
have watched them go to town on the soft spring mesquite leaves. If I was trying to raise one I would wean to blocks and then give as much natural safe forage as you can, supplemented by grocery store produce.

[Pintabean]

Thank you. I will look into the Desert Museum resources abd use the rodent block, which I have. I had contacted two rehabbers in the Phoenix area but was disappointed not to hear back from them.