Cooked or raw?

[scurry'smama]

Me again... wondering if I should be cooking Scurry's veggies for her? I have tried raw and cooked of some varieties and mostly she seems to enjoy them cooked, but I was wondering what was right to give? She also LOVES blueberries!

[foxsquirrels]

However she prefers her veggies is just fine. My squirrels love blueberries too!

[scurry'smama]

Oh thanks FS. I love to feed her our food as I am cooking and I cook lotsa fresh veggies. I also was wondering about persimmons on the no list. Outside my office, the pet hospital where I work, all of the squirrels eat them this time of year. In fact one of the Vets has to compete with them and the birds to try to get them first. I was wondering if they can eat them safely out there why they are on the no list? I am posting a pic of us napping... hope it comes up... just learning how to do pics! Sometimes I get them way too big!

[foxsquirrels]

I don't know why persimmons is on the No list. I do know that we have several persimmon trees where we released our squirrels this fall and they do not touch them. Our trees are loaded with persimmons and they are ripe . . . the squirrels run all over the trees but don't bother the fruit. I'm sure someone will have the answer to that question. I know they are not good for horses digestive systems and they just love them. We see some of our deer standing on their hind legs just to reach a persimmon. I will ask another rehabber and see what she says about them.

Scurry is so cute and I'm so glad she loves her veggies. They are so good for them. Please share your pictures of Scurry, we love pictures.

[skye]

What a cute little snuggle furry butt you have there Hope to see more pics of your sweet baby.

[scurry'smama]

Oh thanks!!!

[4skwerlz]

The fruits listed in the Healthy Diet have the lowest glycemic load, which is how high and fast a food will raise your blood sugar. The fruits to avoid have the highest glycemic loads. These fruits are not toxic or "bad" per se, but are like giving your squirrel a candy bar..... It's one thing for a troop of wild squirrels to strip a fruit tree then move on. It's another thing for our less-active pampered pets to be fed sweet fruits every day.

Actually there are two kinds of persimmons that are commonly eaten in the U.S. The Japanese persimmon is actually fairly low GL, whereas the "native persimmon" is high. Too confusing to try to figure it out, so I nixed them all. The foods on the Healthy Diet list are the "best"; however, it doesn't mean other foods aren't okay in moderation. There is nothing wrong with a persimmon as an occasional treat.

[4skwerlz]

Also, about the cooked or raw thing. There's nothing wrong with some cooked veggies, but I'm not sure if a 100% cooked diet would be okay. Squirrels need a lot of fiber, and their natural diet would be totally raw obviously. Have you tried raw frozen veggies? Henry loves those. I would try to get her to eat a combination of raw, frozen, and cooked veggies.

[scurry'smama]

Thank you 4S. I want to do what is the best for our Baby. My Husband is a type 1 diabetic-juvenile onset- who is fragile at best, with many horrible complications, so I understand very well the way you have described the foods and glycemic load. I would never want Scurry to deal with the things he does so... no persimmons!!

Thank you. She does get raw veggies and will eat them, but really likes the cooked pieces she gets. This baby has me wrapped and knows how to work me! I will make sure she gets mostly raw. Cold things she hasn't liked so far, but I will keep trying.

[Sciurus1]

Great Advice! And don't forget to ONLY FEED ORGANIC FRUITS and VEGGIES!

[scurry'smama]

Thank you everyone for all of the helpful advice. I am working on ..slowly.. purchasing all of the items to make the blocks too. She eats the other type, but I really want her to have the best stuff for her. Lil bratty girl refuses raw until I leave, then will munch some... my Husband has filled me in on what a sucker I am for her! She knows I am going to give in to her. She also stretches her lil uplifted hand to me to be picked up. My heart melts and I have to take her out of her cage and cuddle her again!!! I have got it BAD!!!