Food Data Chart Update: Calcium to Phosphorus Ratios

[Al's mom]

I'm not a vegetable expert by any means, but even though a pumpkin is in the "squash" category, there is such a thing called a "pumpkin squash" which is different than what I, at least, call a "pumpkin." I'll have to let someone else who is better versed answer.

yes, there is a pumpkin squash, which is different from a pumpkin, they look like cute lil mini pumpkins, but they are not just small punkins, they are tiny, fit in the palm of your hand

[Mrs. Jack]

I know there's a difference between the pumpkins you carve and the ones called sugar or cooking pumpkins? they've less seeds and stuff I think...

[Legomom]

Any ideas about chayotes? DH picked one up the other day....thought it might be ok for the babies.

[4skwerlz]

Any ideas about chayotes? DH picked one up the other day....thought it might be ok for the babies.

Looks like a good one! Good calc/phos ratio and lots of other vitamins. I might add it to the "Healthy Diet" list.

[Legomom]

I'll let you know what Teddy & Christine think. (My personal food critics! )

[Legomom]

OOPS! I meant to tell you that they both like the chayotes!

[island rehabber]

OOPS! I meant to tell you that they both like the chayotes!

So do I -- with butter, garlic & salt....yummmmmmmm

[geocat52]

A chayote is a really ugly green, wrinkled, pear-shaped member of the squash/gourd family. They are known by several different names, including vegetable pear. You have to wonder who first decided it was something edible!

[ChipmunkLuver]

Great info!!!

Thank you for taking the time to put this together in such a neat, orderly fashion! Your hard work is very much appreciated.

I'm happy with most of the information I found out, most of the things I feed my Chipmunks are on the plus side - but ohh I am restricting those pumpkin seeds now! The only other thing I feed them that wasn't on here is Rosehips, I wondered how they would score so I checked the second website you listed - for any Curious Critters they're pro-calcium (about 2.7:1 I think? Not sure I did it right..).

[Jacy]

A chayote is a really ugly green, wrinkled, pear-shaped member of the squash/gourd family. They are known by several different names, including vegetable pear. You have to wonder who first decided it was something edible!

They look similar to bitter melon and coming from an Asian family it's hard to tell some of the Asian variety Veggies and western grown ones apart. There are certain ones that have only Asian names. I wonder how the Chayote taste? Bitter Melon, or Fu Gua is used in stir fry and bitter!

[Squire]

Hi everybody!

We found an orphan grey three weeks ago, he walked with a hunched back, and so weak that he could not climb a tree. He was literally skin and bones, he was around 8 weeks old...

The temperature here was close to freezing that evening, so we were doubtful he would have survived the night. Anyhow we took him home, and gave him the best care we could, and he has flourished since, though still not having the "padding" all the other squirrels nearby have - I have been a keen, daily, "squirrel stalker" for a couple of years now - so I do know the squirrels in the neighborhood well, and there were/are no nursing mom, or baby his age. How he appeared that day in the condition he was in remains a complete mystery. We bought him a sizeable cage like the one they sell at Henry's, and plan to keep him at least until late spring.

I would be very interested in any considered opinion on the earlier questions asked by others in this thread and attached below, because I have noticed the same contradictions - baby cakes is a wonderful little boy, and particularly loves black kale, mushroom and zucchini, and thankfully he is also happy with rodent food (which I have picked carefully based on the advice here and elsewhere). Naturally I am concerned about so many vegs being both "good" and "bad", entirely depending on whether they are in this sticky, or the other sticky at https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-Pet-Squirrels

Thanks in advance!

This confuses me now...are you saying mushrooms are not good for squirrels???? as they are on the healthy food for squirrels chart & i give my squirrel button mushrooms as in the wild they would eat wild fungi/mushrooms.

some of the stuff on here says its ok to give to the squirrels but on the healthy diet chart the things on this chat are not ok... and visa virsa can some one explane to me about this ... is confusing me

I was wondering the same thing Foamy. Like collard greens and spinach are good on the nutrition chart but on the diet chart it says to avoid. Can someone please explain. I dont want to feed my Squirt something that he should not eat. thanks

[Spanky]

I think the key is "everything in moderation".

Well, there are exceptions... like "commercial" squirrel / rodent block (give tons of that). But that does not apply to Henry's Healthy Block since that is a "supplement" and 2 - 3 per day is the right balance.

See?!?!? EVERYTHING can be confusing!

I don't think mushrooms are on the "bad list", but WILD mushrooms are on the bad list... and I think it is simply because there are so many poisonous wild varieties that the idea is to encourage feeding store bought mushrooms as a precaution to anyone mistakenly feeding a poisonous wild variety. Same with acorns... fresh, healthy acorns are obviously not poisonous but they can be too easily contaminated with a fungus that IS deadly. We have seen this happen with frozen acorns or ones picked up off the ground... but we'll never know if they were bad before they were frozen or if somehow freezing them had an ill affect? So we tell people not to feed acorns out of an abundance of caution... these little captive ones tend to eat what we provide them, so we have to be diligent in what we give them!

Ditto things like bell peppers, which are a part of the nightshade family. Some highly respected squirrel experts include bell peppers in their squirrel diets, but in moderation! Spinach is the same way... in moderation, it's fine but too much can become harmful .

Keep in mind that there are very few "year round" food supplies available to wild squirrels. Their diets constantly change as mother nature changes what is available with each new season, which seems to be a big key to wilds staying healthy and not suffering from things like MBD. So we should do our best to provide a wide variety and change things up regularly and avoid falling into a routine where we provide the same food every day... except for the block!

Your little one is adorable!