mbd

[Freddie's mom]

I need some guidance on caring for a squirrel that developed MBD. I wish I had found this site sooner, as we could have avoided a lot of pain, but at least it was soon enough to save Freddie from MBD. Freddie is a 16 week old squirrel. We adopted him at about 2 weeks of age as we were unable to reunite him with his mother. Freddie did very well up until about 2 weeks ago when he unexpectedly became inactive and lethargic. He was in pain and seemed to be experiencing strange problems with his hind legs. In web searching, I found the info on this site. The symptoms were similar to MBD and contributing factors also were present. As the site instructs, we immediately gave calcium and saw results within hours. Freddie has been on calcium and recovering for about a week. He is doing well. Now, I am not sure if I should keep him on formula as he had been off the formula for about 3 weeks prior to showing the MBD symptoms. I put him back on the formula as an avenue to administer calcium. He was not provided lab blocks previously but now I have introduced Henry's picky blocks (as he did not take well to rodent blocks) and he is very receptive. I am not sure if I should continue with the calcium and if so how much, as I believe the lab blocks should provide most of what he would normally need. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

[TomahawkFlyers]

Hi Freddie's Mom!

Good job of identifying the problem and providing the proper treatment. While Henry's Blocks provide almost all that is needed to keep your baby healthy, it is a good idea to supplement with fresh vegetables, an occasional fruit treat, and additional protein. Just check the Squirrel Nutrition area for recommendations. In the meantime, your baby will process and expel excess calcium and providing extra in moderation for awhile will help on the trip to full recovery. As you have learned, a good calcium/phosphorus balance must be maintained to keep MBD and generally poor health at bay. Henry's blocks will do that for you. Nuts, beyond the occasional small piece as a treat (no Brazil nuts), will counteract the benefits of Henry's and send phosphorous levels skyward.

An admin will surely answer your questions more thoroughly than I can. When they respond, follow their directions and your little one will likely do just fine.

Jamie

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

I need some guidance on caring for a squirrel that developed MBD.


Hi Freddie's Mom and thanks for finding The Squirrel Board! I'm sorry to hear that Freddie may very well have developed MBD!

A few questions first; 1) what species of Squirrel is Freddie and even more to the point, what is Freddie's current weight? 2) what was Freddie's diet prior to the symptoms you described and 3) what were the "strange problems with his hind legs?" 4) what formula did you use before the problems developed and are you using this same formula now to supplement Calcium? 5) did Freddie wean himself or did you stop giving the formula? 6) what brand of Blocks did you try before using the Henry's Blocks? 7) how many Henry's Blocks is Freddie consuming daily? 7) when you say you "immediately gave calcium" did you mean in the form of formula or did you give a specific form of Calcium as a supplement and if so, what is the form of Calcium and how much calcium did you give and are giving (or has it all been formula)?

Next, you have already been to Henry's Pets website in order to purchase the Henry's Blocks but have you read their Information about MBD ( https://henryspets.com/what-is-metabolic-bone-disease/ ) and their Treatment protocol for MBD ( https://henryspets.com/emergency-treatment-for-mbd/ )? If you have not read these two pages please do so now!

MBD is caused by an absolute inadequacy of Calcium in the diet or an excessive amount of phosphorus in the diet or what is oftentimes the case; elements of both. When an animal has developed MBD they have lost significant Calcium and this Calcium is lost from bone. Bone normally contains at least 99% of the body's total Calcium and it takes a while for clinically evident (development of signs of MBD) to develop and it will ordinarily take months for it to resolve! The complete consumption of two Henry's Blocks daily will provide full nutritional support including Calcium for maintenance (normal daily requirements) BUT two or even three (which should be considered the maximum to be offered) Henry's Blocks will not provide the needed supplemental Calcium that a Squirrel must have to recover from MBD! That is why extra Calcium beyond what is contained in two Henry's Blocks must be given and for a relatively long time! I do not ordinarily use Henry's Blocks for Squirrels in my care because they are relatively expensive and I would need to chose between feeding the Squirrels or flying my airplane (just kidding but not about the cost!) BUT with the three Squirrels that have been placed in my care with definitive MBD, I welcomed the availability of the Henry's Blocks because of the fact that two full Blocks will provide a full daily complement of nutrition as one of the common problems associated with MBD is decreased appetite and feeding two relatively tasty (all my Squirrels attest to this!) Henry's Blocks (this is an average of only 10 grams) is much easier than trying to feed 50 or so grams of other Blocks to a Squirrel who doesn't have an appetite!

So, giving two or a maximum of three Henry's Blocks daily is great but it is not all that Freddie needs. For one thing, as Freddie's appetite improves during recovery or if his appetite was not affected by the MBD, 10 Grams of food will NOT satisfy hunger and he will need other foods! That is the basis for Henry's Food Pyramid ( https://henryspets.com/healthy-diet-for-pet-squirrels/ ). Foods toward the wide bottom base of the pyramid are the most healthy with Blocks being at the lowest (healthiest) level and the treats toward the tip. Hence, you will need to provide additional food sources along with EXTRA Calcium for months! It is essential that minimal phosphorus be given as well as an excess of phosphorus in Freddie's diet will potentially negate the extra Calcium and prolong recovery or make recovery from MBD impossible! I would suggest that you try again (in addition to the Henry's Blocks) the use of Quality blocks such as Teklad 2018, Mazuri Rat and Mouse Diet or Oxbow Regal Rat would be worth trying. My preference for a young Squirrel would be Teklad 2018 as the manufacturer provides a very detailed itemization of the nutritional constituents used in formulation of their products.

In the general care of Freddie while recovering from MBD, I would suggest minimizing heights as neuromuscular weakness and brittle bones may have developed and a fall could result in fractures or other injuries!

Now for rounding out the plan for recovery; two Henry's Blocks contain around 250mg of Elemental Calcium. For the "average Squirrel utilizing Henry's MBD Treatment Protocol, Freddie will need about 250mg of additional ELEMENTAL Calcium as a means to replenish the integrity of his bones and this will require months (oftentimes around a year for a maximum possible recovery). Please do not monitor Freddie's recovery by getting blood specimens and checking the Calcium level! Remember, at least 99% of the total Calcium is contained in the bones and less than 1% in the blood! A serum or even ionized Calcium can be normal, low or even high during the recover process and this value is totally meaningless for monitoring recovery! Please avoid the fear and pain associated with blood draws!

It will be necessary to determine how to fairly accurately deliver the necessary additional Calcium to Freddie. Formula will help and I would recommend using a recognized healthy formula such as Fox Valley 20/50 until Freddie weans himself if he didn't already wean himself but the actual amount of the supplemental Calcium should be utilized and with many products including formulas, the actual amount of elemental Calcium is not printed on the label. Also, it Elemental calcium that needs to be assessed and provided. For instance, Calcium Carbonate is a widely used Calcium source and it provides the greatest percentage of Elemental Calcium per unit weight but this is only 40%. In other words, giving 100mg of Calcium Carbonate will provide on 40mg of Elemental Calcium. I would suggest obtaining a reputable source of Calcium Carbonate and use this according to Henry's Protocol. Henry's sell Calcium Carbonate but it is readily available elsewhere. It is essential that you do NOT use any Calcium source that contains Vitamin D! Freddie will be getting plenty of Vitamin D from his Henry's Blocks and most of the Calcium supplements on the market are made for humans and contain a huge and potentially harmful quantity of Vitamin D for a Squirrel!

The only deviation from Henry's Protocol I have made in the past is when Henry's say that every two weeks to reduce the Elemental Calcium by 50mg until the Squirrel is getting only 50mg of supplemental Calcium and then after 2 months, stop the supplemental Calcium altogether and observe for "recurrence" of problems. With the 3 Squirrels I have treated for MBD I have used 3 weeks for each decrease of 50mg of Elemental Calcium and 3 months continuing with the 50mg supplement before stopping the supplements altogether. I am very concerned about ensuring that a Squirrel with MBD has truly recovered and if you think about what it really means to observe for a recurrence is that if signs of MBD develop again while the treatment protocol is being weaned toward discontinuation; it means that there was never an adequate amount of Calcium being provided during the entire treatment program and this obviously must not be the case!

Please answer the questions and get Freddie started on a Calcium Supplement such as Calcium Carbonate WITHOUT Vitamin D! Initially, assuming that Freddie is still consuming two Henry's Blocks, he should have 250mg of additional (supplemental) Elemental Calcium daily. When using the Calcium carbonate, it will require 625mg of the Calcium Carbonate to provide 250mg of Elemental Clalcium (250 is 40% of 625). This can be divided into 4 or 5 portions given throughout the day. The Calcium carbonate can be mixed with water, baby food, nut butter (my favorite to use is pecan butter but peanut butter is ok) or whatever to make into a thick paste and this relatively small amount of Calcium paste will be acceptable to Freddie.

A couple of additional notes; Freddie should also have clean, pure water (don't put calcium or anything in the water) available 24 hours a day as he must ingest at least a normal amount of fluids daily if not somewhat more fluids during the period of time where Calcium supplementation is occurring. Also, formula such as Fox Valley 20/50 will also supplement fluids as well nutrition and further calcium supplementation. Also, I would suggest if at all possible to try to limit Freddie's foods to the Henry's Blocks, other quality blocks, and possibly formula for at least three months and certainly NO nuts (yes, nuts for a captive Squirrel are treats and if given at all, it must be only as a rare treat!) or other treats during this same time-frame! Quality Blocks should comprise at least 80% of a Squirrels diet and there is truly nothing wrong with making 100% although most Squirrels (as would most humans) would probably prefer some variation in their diets! Regardless, please stick to the lower levels of the Henry's Food Pyramid for the first 3 months (at least)!

Sorry for the book!

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Sorry TomahawkFlyers! While I was composing my book, you had posted a response to Freddie'sMom.
Regards,
StS

[Freddie's mom]

Thank you for the book. I appreciate it.
1. I believe Freddie is a fox squirrel. He currently weighs 432 grams. This is down 20 grams from 12/18/23 which was taken the day before he showed symptoms.
2. Sadly, Freddie was not on a proper diet prior to his symptoms (further details below)**
3. Freddie’s symptoms came on suddenly and included unexpected prolonged out of character inactivity such as sleeping all day. He resisted any contact, showed signs of pain, appeared to have difficulty with a hind leg, as if it was injured. He could not support his weight to sit to eat. He would fall over. As the days progressed, his symptoms appeared neurological in some way. We thought he might have a pinched nerve or injured his back. When he tried to walk, one leg would stretch way back and eventually both rear legs would lift over his head putting him into a hand stand onto his front legs. All he could do at this point was roll onto his side. He seemed to have no control over the hind legs.
4. Freddie was put onto Esbilac goats milk puppy milk replacer and Hartz kitten milk replacer. We alternated between the two. I have put him back on them and added the Fox Valley as well. He prefers the kitten replacer and so I am using this to get additional calcium into him. I have purchased pure 650mg calcium carbonate for supplemental calcium and have been giving that the last several days.
5. I stopped offering the formula as we were down to one feeding per day and I was concerned he was getting too chunky. He was eating well and seemed doing well. The formula was stopped about 3 weeks before onset of symptoms.
6. The blocks I was trying to use were KayTee Forti Diet Pro Health Mouse Rat and Hamster food.
I am not sure of the feeding guidelines for squirrels on this food. Would it be the same as the instructions for rats? He has only nibbled at it anyway but the proper feeding amount would be good to know. Freddie loves the picky blocks and has been taking 2 per day for the last 3 days.
7. We followed Henry’s guide on emergency treatment and began giving tums. I was trying to administer 500 mg/daily until I could get expert guidance.

Heights already have been eliminated, clean water is always available. No worries about blood draws, I can’t find a vet around here willing treat wildlife. I have added antlers for him to chew as well.

** Background
Freddie was retrieved by my neighbors dogs at about 2 weeks of age. When I took on the responsibility of caring for him, I reached out to a person in my local area involved in the wildlife rescue industry who I felt should have been able to provide guidance and accurate information. I was aware that my knowledge on caring for him was minimal and I wanted him to survive. That individual guided me through the infancy, coached on formula and how to feed them. I was told that I should start offering food early. Solid food was made available shortly after his eyes opened. I was told he would only play with it at this point but should introduce fruits and vegetables. He was still fully supported with formula at this stage. At 6 weeks of age, he was progressing well and starting to slow on taking formula. I contacted my wildlife advisor to inquire about what blocks I should use as I did not know how to be sure I was providing proper nutrition. I was told they do not use any blocks and it was not necessary. We added nuts in and out of shell plus lots and lots of local acorns.
My gut told me blocks should be in the diet so we tried but had no luck in getting him to accept them.
Diet consisted mostly of - carrots, apples, pears. Kale, acorns, walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazel nuts, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower, mango & banana and many other fruits and veggies were offered.


So….
How much damage have we caused?
Do you think Freddie will be able to recover fully for a successful release?
Since he is eating the picky blocks, how should I go about putting him back on formula and how much?
You are recommending only blocks and formula for 3 months starting now, so how do I determine the amount of formula and are those I am using acceptable? Your advise and suggestions are greatly appreciated.


Thank you so much!!
Freddie’s mom

[TomahawkFlyers]

I like your book. In fact, it has been printed and placed in "The Folder."

Jamie


Sorry TomahawkFlyers! While I was composing my book, you had posted a response to Freddie'sMom.
Regards,
StS

[Mel1959]

Yes, if you are consistent with calcium treatment other squirrels have been released after having MBD. Follow the MBD protocol exactly. You will know when Freddie has reached his daily calcium intake because his poop will have a slight white residue in it. That’s the excess calcium that hasn’t been absorbed. You can then just back off slightly.

Although he may like the kitten formula it does not provide the best nutrients for a squirrel. They do better on puppy or squirrel formulas like FV or Esbilac. You can purchase some Fox Valley Ultraboost from Henrys and add it to the FV 20/50 formula at a ratio of 50% FV and 50% Ultraboost. The Ultraboost has a higher fat content, provides nutrients as well and may make the FV more liked. It will also help him gain weight. His weight seems low for a Fox squirrel.

I didn’t read through the entire thread so disregard if I’m telling you to do something that an admin person or Henry’s site advises otherwise. I don't think it is necessary to withhold all other fruits and vegetables…..just nuts. Kale is a good source of calcium as are some other greens. Papaya is a good source of calcium for a fruit. Please go to the Squirrel Nutrition section of this forum. There are some valuable “Sticky’s” that will help you with a healthy diet as well as the calcium to phosphorous ratio of foods. You want to choose foods that have a calcium to phosphorous ratio of as close to 2:1 as possible. I’m sorry the search engine I used won’t allow me to copy the TSB link for you. :tap

Provide Freddie a heating pad under blankets where he sleeps, set on low. Check to be sure that you can feel the heat of it through the bedding. Some heating pads don’t emit much heat on low. Please be sure he can’t access the cord to chew on it. Because MBD is painful many squirrels find the warmth helps.

You have to continue the calcium regimen for many months. It takes a long time to replenish the calcium that has been lost. Formula and blocks won’t do it alone. I’d offer as much formula as he will take. When we have young squirrels the minimum amount that is to be given at each feeding is 5-7% of their weight. If Freddie weighs 432gr. that amount would be 22-30 ml per feeding. Feedings are based on age and consumption of other foods, but 1-3 times a day for an older squirrel wouldn’t hurt.

Please, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask. And please keep us updated.

[Freddie's mom]

He may be a tree squirrel. I am not sure. Freddie is showing as my profile pic now. Maybe someone can advise the species. He is not small in comparison to the wild squirrels in the neighborhood. Perhaps fox squirrel is not correct.

[Spanky]

Small pic, but looks like a foxer. Grays typically have white bellies and foxers will typically have an orange-ish belly.

[Freddie's mom]

Yes. He has a beautiful orange-ish belly!
Thanks.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Hello again Freddie's Mom:
I have been busy at work the past couple of days and I apologize for not being able to respond immediately to your very detailed post. Thanks Mel for doing so, however!!
1) As far as the amount of daily Elemental Calcium that would would ordinarily be adequate for Freddie for maintenance only would be in the neighborhood of 250mg. Two Henry's Blocks contain 275mg of elemental Calcium per Henry's but just to be conservative; let's say 250mg. Maintenance nutrition refers to the practice of providing optimal amounts those nutrients that are necessary or recommended and provided ordinarily on a daily basis for ensuring that your Squirrel gets the necessary dietary components to ensure a stable base-line states continues as well as ensure that no conditions associated with any insufficient nutritional support develop. Maintenance alone is usually best considered when the Squirrel is an adult and not appreciably growing and is not pregnant or lactating. For a maturing, pregnant, or lactating Squirrel; additional nutritional support is also essential! For a Squirrel who has developed a condition stemming at least in part to an insufficiency of a required nutrient or an imbalance of nutritional components (such as a Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio that favors phosphorus. In that regard, I am in complete concurrence with Mel and I try to provide a 2:1 ratio of Calcium to phosphorus in my dietary preparations and I NEVER let this ratio go below 1.75:1)!

Just as an added note; it certainly seems that Freddie has MBD but this may not be all that is going on! Some additional time may make this more evident one way or the other!

Two Henry's Blocks will provide about 250mg (275mg per Henry's) of Elemental Calcium so maintenance Calcium is ensured with Freddie eating 2 Henry's Blocks and if you give Freddie 3 Blocks daily which is what is ordinarily considered the maximum number of Henry's blocks for daily consumption, Freddie will receive an additional slightly more than 125mg of Elemental Calcium for a total of around 375mg! Since for the "average" Squirrel, 250mg of Elemental Calcium per day along with an optimal Calcium to phosphorus ratio will not only prevent MBD but provide adequate Calcium for the many other metabolic arenas in which calcium participates!

According to Henry's protocol for treatment of MBD, the object, at least initially is to provide the Maintenance Calcium of around 250mg and supplement the the daily Calcium with an additional 250mg. This will need to be provided by considering giving a third Henry's block along with another source of dietary Calcium such as Calcium carbonate, other quality Blocks, formula (which is great as long as it is appropriate for Squirrels such as FV 20/50), items from low levels of the Pyramid or some combination of these.

2) I am not familiar with the Kaytee diets and never have and never will use them. I am not saying that they are definitively inadequate or lacking essential nutrition BUT I have no experiential database for this food and I am not aware of anyone else on TSB who has accumulated an adequate use history of this to support utilizing it. As I mentioned, I use Teklad 2018 for young growing Squirrels but using Mazuri Rat and Mouse Diet or Oxbow Regal Rat Diet will provide for the necessary extra calcium (and other nutrients for growth) and they can be free-fed (give the Freddie as much as he wants! You should keep in mind however, a general assessment of the amount of Calcium (as maintenance and supplement) and NEVER let this go below what you have calculated although some "going over" is just fine!

3) Although hind limb weakness or paralysis are among the classic signs of MBD, Freddie may have a coexisting condition that may actually be responsible for the dysfunction you are observing in his hind limbs. A not uncommon problem that actually is a result of MBD is an increased likelihood of bone injury and fractures because and if Freddie does not at least seem to be making some noticeable improvement in his weakness/paralysis, he may have a fracture or fractures that have caused nerve injury and/or result in pain or direct skeletal dysfunction that may appear as paralysis simply because Freddie may be avoiding use of his hind limbs.

4) If Freddie is not making significant improvement I would recommend an assessment with a Squirrel Friendly Vet where a thorough exam can be facilitated under sedation as well as the obtaining of a quality radiographic study (x-ray films of the caudal spine, the hips, and the hind limbs).

Please post an update on Freddie and thank you for you love, care and concern for this little Squirrel!

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[Mel1959]

If you need a vet in Texas you can send me a private message with your general location in Texas and I can share some vet resources with you.

If the Kaytee rodent food you were feeding was some kind of seed mixture with colorful doodads in it it’s a definite NO as a food source. The rodent food that squirrels need is a hard, nugget type of rodent block.

[Freddie's mom]

Hi again,

Freddie is doing well. He does not even know anything happened. He weighs 449 grams. I have converted him to Teklad 2018 blocks and he loves them. I am giving him an additional 250mg calcium per day and we are in week 3 of treatment. I do not know how much calcium is in the Teklad blocks or the formula but I am adding 250 mg/day of additional calcium. We will drop by 50mg next week and continue on that schedule.
I have no problem limiting Freddie's diet to Teklad blocks, Henry's blocks, and formula. Just to confirm, he can have as much of the Teklad as he wants? He will easily consume 50+ grams/day. I do not want him getting too plump and catching the eye of a hungry hawk once he is released. He does still accept formula but only about 10-20ml/day. I use this to administer the additional calcium.

I have noticed a patch of hair loss on his nose. He may have scraped it on his cage but I am not sure. Any suggestions on treating it? I would also like to give the little guy a bath. I noticed some scratching. Any tips on accomplishing this?

Advise is always appreciated.


Thank you
Freddie's mom

[Mel1959]

You can offer Freddie some vegetables from the Healthy Diet, if you want. I’m surprised he’s been so accepting of the Teklad block. I don’t think they taste nearly as yummy as the Henry’s blocks. Yes, he can have as much of the Teklad block as he wants.

The patch of hair loss on his nose might be from sticking his nose through the bars. If you can post a picture that might help determine if that might be the reason.

Some squirrels will tolerate a bath when they’re younger, I’m not sure how Freddie will handle it. I hope others will speak up if they’ve bathed an adult squirrel and share some tips. If you decide to try it I’d fill the sink before you take him in there so the sound of the running water doesn’t freak him out. Use a mild soap like baby shampoo.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Hi again,

Freddie is doing well. He does not even know anything happened. He weighs 449 grams. I have converted him to Teklad 2018 blocks and he loves them. I am giving him an additional 250mg calcium per day and we are in week 3 of treatment. I do not know how much calcium is in the Teklad blocks or the formula but I am adding 250 mg/day of additional calcium. We will drop by 50mg next week and continue on that schedule.
I have no problem limiting Freddie's diet to Teklad blocks, Henry's blocks, and formula. Just to confirm, he can have as much of the Teklad as he wants? He will easily consume 50+ grams/day. I do not want him getting too plump and catching the eye of a hungry hawk once he is released. He does still accept formula but only about 10-20ml/day. I use this to administer the additional calcium.

I have noticed a patch of hair loss on his nose. He may have scraped it on his cage but I am not sure. Any suggestions on treating it? I would also like to give the little guy a bath. I noticed some scratching. Any tips on accomplishing this?

Advise is always appreciated.


Thank you
Freddie's mom

Hi Freddie's Mom:
It's so nice to hear about Freddie and that he is doing well overall and in particular with his MBD therapy! I agree with Mel in that it would probably be beneficial to have photos of the patch of hair loss. I'll just give my opinion about bathing a Squirrel and that is that unless you know he has had some definitive skin exposure to something unclean or potentially unhealthy; there really is no need to bathe a Squirrel. They are naturally very clean and usually spend the time to clean themselves! If Freddie has no suspect skin exposures, my concern with his scratching is that he may have some skin parasites such as fleas, lice or mites. Mites are not usually seen with the "naked" eye but fleas and lice are often easily identified. I would suggest a diligent look-over of Freddie skin and his immediate environment. There are safe treatments and we can help with some suggestions if you find anything suspicious or if you just want to use something presumptively.

With MBD, a commonly associated problem is decreased appetite and that is one of the benefits of using Henry's Blocks as the source of Maintenance Calcium because if a Squirrel would eat 2 Henry's Blocks he will get his full Maintenance Requirement of around 250mg of Elemental Calcium per day and then all that is further need is to provide (at the start of the treatment protocol) an additional source of around 250mg of Elemental Calcium as a Supplement to make up for the Calcium he has lost while developing his MBD! Obviously, Freddie is not suffering from decreased appetite and it certainly appears that he will be able to get his full calcium needs (both Maintenance AND Supplemental/Treatment Calcium) met with the Teklad Blocks alone! A Squirrel in captivity or prior to release should ideally get at least 80% of his nutritional need met through the consumption of Quality Blocks such as Henry's, Teklad, Mazuri or Oxbow but there is nothing wrong with Blocks providing 100%. Especially with MBD, if you want to something to vary thje diet, please ensure that it is from the lower levels of Henry's Pyramid and NOT too tasty either as you do NOT want to have Freddie lose his enthusiasm for the Teklad Blocks!

As Mel has stated; it's surprising that Freddie has taken to the "raw" Teklad 2018 Blocks but this is really grand news! As you requested, Teklad 2018 contains 1% Elemental Calcium by weight so that if Freddie is actually consuming (not shredding and spreading his Blocks!) 50+ Grams of Teklad 2018, he is getting a wonderful 500mg+ of Elemental Calcium just from his Blocks! This is tremendous and in fact if he is consistent with this degree of Teklad Block consumption AND he does not get other foods that will interfere with his getting the maximum benefit of his Calcium such as those foods containing excessive phosphorus; he really doesn't need any further supplementation of Calcium! That being said, some additional Calcium is still ok but you can easily and safely cut down on the 250mg of supplemental calcium you are giving. If you wanted to just observe Freddie for a while before decreasing the supplemental Calcium to ensure that he is definitively consuming his blocks and that he is eating 50+ Grams daily, that would be an acceptable option. by the way, is the 250mg of supplemental Calcium that you are providing Elemental Calcium or is that a weighed amount of a calcium salt such as Calcium carbonate. The reason I ask that is that 250mg of Calcium carbonate contains only 100mg of ELEMENTAL Calcium and continuing this relatively small amount of Calcium would most likely be fine if you felt better providing some extra Calcium as well! If you are giving 250mg of Elemental Calcium AND Freddie is consuming 50+ grams of Teklad 2018, you should probably start significantly decreasing the supplemental calcium and you can do that stepwise if desired. There is obviously a point where a Squirrel is not getting the Calcium he needs but there is also a point where additional calcium may be considered excessive!

There is a common misconception that may lead to excessive Calcium consumption and that is that some folks believe that you can give an animal as much Calcium as he will eat as any extra will be passed in his feces. Well, if you do see white feces, it probably means that you have been giving excessive Calcium but as long a Vitamin D is also being given (and it should be given and is being given in the Teklad Blocks), it is truly possible for an animal to get excessive Calcium so Freddie's total Calcium intake should be duly recognized and controlled. That being said, however, I would simply ignore any extra Calcium form the relatively small amount of formula that Freddie is consuming.

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel