Possessive with nuts!!

[GGnWallie]

Hello!

My girl is about 8/9 weeks now and I've had her since 3/4 weeks.
She's still on formula. At 6pm tonight she was just fine with her formula and now at 10:30p I went to feed her a few cc's and some solids before bed. She started squeezing at me and pulling her blanket back. I was nervous. I got her out and set her on the cat tree with her blanket and a pecan. She went under the blanket, I cleaned her cage and put new sticks and treats in there too. She squeezed at me when I tried to give her formula and was searching for her but. She ate that so fast, took another nut and gobbled that up. She refused the spinach, strawberry, carrot, and green bean I offered. All things she liked before. Oh and sweet potato. Only wanted the nut. SORRY THIS IS LONG. So anyway she jumped on me and ran up and down searching. She ended up taking the formula and I just decided to call it a night and put her to bed with her new things and a clean cage. Should I be worried??

[Daisey007]

Nuts are not good for them either physically... or psychologically! :gig

Some attack your hand whenever offered something they really like... seeming not to understand
that you're giving it to them, NOT taking it away. They just get so excited! The best thing to do
is not linger in her presence if/when you give her those special treats... and don't worry, you'll learn
exactly what her special treats are by this behavior!

[Gardentoes11]

There's a reason for the phrase "going nuts!" My Jasper Hans is like Jekyll & Hyde when he has a nut: He's a sweet, affectionate, playful boy without one, but when he has one, he's aggressive, suspicious, & all-business, hyper-focused on either eating it before anyone else gets it or on finding the perfect hiding place for it. NO WAY am I about to approach him when he's got a nut! Good incentive not to give them too often, since they're bad for him anyway. Earlier this week I'd given him a hazelnut, then fell asleep. When I awoke 2 hrs later, he was still carrying it around in his mouth searching every nook & cranny of the house in search of the ideal cache! Crazy man! He's worse than my dog trying to find a place to poop! But seriously, squirrels will sacrifice everything for nuts, so I'd advise waiting until after your baby has eaten the healthy stuff to give a nut. At my house, Jazzy gets his "night nut," after a whole day of Henry's blocks, veggies, cereal he's stolen from my bowl, crackers he's confiscated from my plate, etc.....

[Daisey007]

There's a reason for the phrase "going nuts!" My Jasper Hans is like Jekyll & Hyde when he has a nut: He's a sweet, affectionate, playful boy without one, but when he has one, he's aggressive, suspicious, & all-business, hyper-focused on either eating it before anyone else gets it or on finding the perfect hiding place for it. NO WAY am I about to approach him when he's got a nut! Good incentive not to give them too often, since they're bad for him anyway. Earlier this week I'd given him a hazelnut, then fell asleep. When I awoke 2 hrs later, he was still carrying it around in his mouth searching every nook & cranny of the house in search of the ideal cache! Crazy man! He's worse than my dog trying to find a place to poop! But seriously, squirrels will sacrifice everything for nuts, so I'd advise waiting until after your baby has eaten the healthy stuff to give a nut. At my house, Jazzy gets his "night nut," after a whole day of Henry's blocks, veggies, cereal he's stolen from my bowl, crackers he's confiscated from my plate, etc.....

I used to do everything I was going to do while in Chewy's enclosure, including visiting and playing with him, BEFORE LEAVING the NUTS 'over there somewhere away from the door' and then running out once he discovered them!

[GGnWallie]

Thank you so so very much!! I knew she didn't hate me now! And again, I think it was because I bombarded her space to clean it and she may have buried a nut in her blanket! I suppose it's like when I give my dog one of his favorite bones and he wine while searching for the perfect hiding place! I've been doing well for a first timer and she's growing up so fast! I just want her to stay my little chubby Walnut/Wallie!!

[GGnWallie]

[Lighten-Up]

Oh my gosh, adorable!

[Lighten-Up]

As a first timer last year, I got a crash course in nuttiness with nuts. I had two girls who would fight over their nut caches.

I learned that if I put my hand anywhere they had a nut stash, I would be instantly attacked, by a girl who did love me, but all bets were off if nuts were involved. I learned it best not to let them have nut stashes, if possible.

One girl would love to bury her nut in my lap when I was reading. I thought this was adorable, until I had to turn the page of the book, my hand coming close to the nut that was stashed, and my gray squirrel became a flying squirrel, flying across the room, to protect her nut stash that was in my lap! Ouch and surprise! I learned to discourage this behavior.

I did not give nuts to them for a long time, wanting them to eat their veggies and block, so they were quite a bit older until they had their first nut, they became very grabby, and I learned not to hand feed a nut, or I would get all scratched up. I learned to toss and run.

But later, I did learn that they can learn to take a nut politely, and so yes, the craziness did pass in time, and they would respectfully take nuts from me. They are released now.

That was my experience.

I will relay my most precious moment with a nut:
The first time I gave a whole English Walnut to my one girl, it might have been her first nut ever, silly me, I did not realize they can't crack them right away, I learned to give already shelled nuts.... anyway, she had never seen a nut before, she looked at it, placed her hands on it, a look of utter and complete awe and wonder filling her face, she took it in her hands and instantly fell prostrate, holding it out in front of her head in her outstretched arms, and just stared at it for 30 seconds to a minute, before taking off running with sheer delight at this object of wonder that she now held. I will always remember that moment of utter delight I was able to witness with her. That moment spoke to me in ways that words could never express

[cava]

MY GREENBEAN!!! I want a poster of this pic.

[GGnWallie]

As a first timer last year, I got a crash course in nuttiness with nuts. I had two girls who would fight over their nut caches.

I learned that if I put my hand anywhere they had a nut stash, I would be instantly attacked, by a girl who did love me, but all bets were off if nuts were involved. I learned it best not to let them have nut stashes, if possible.

One girl would love to bury her nut in my lap when I was reading. I thought this was adorable, until I had to turn the page of the book, my hand coming close to the nut that was stashed, and my gray squirrel became a flying squirrel, flying across the room, to protect her nut stash that was in my lap! Ouch and surprise! I learned to discourage this behavior.

I did not give nuts to them for a long time, wanting them to eat their veggies and block, so they were quite a bit older until they had their first nut, they became very grabby, and I learned not to hand feed a nut, or I would get all scratched up. I learned to toss and run.

But later, I did learn that they can learn to take a nut politely, and so yes, the craziness did pass in time, and they would respectfully take nuts from me. They are released now.

That was my experience.

I will relay my most precious moment with a nut:
The first time I gave a whole English Walnut to my one girl, it might have been her first nut ever, silly me, I did not realize they can't crack them right away, I learned to give already shelled nuts.... anyway, she had never seen a nut before, she looked at it, placed her hands on it, a look of utter and complete awe and wonder filling her face, she took it in her hands and instantly fell prostrate, holding it out in front of her head in her outstretched arms, and just stared at it for 30 seconds to a minute, before taking off running with sheer delight at this object of wonder that she now held. I will always remember that moment of utter delight I was able to witness with her. That moment spoke to me in ways that words could never express

Omg that is such a cute story with the walnut. I will have to hold off on the nuts for a while. She's a grabby squeaky stinker right now!!

[GGnWallie]

MY GREENBEAN!!! I want a poster of this pic.

I KNOW, me too!! It's my most favorite pic of her!!

[Gardentoes11]

Oh, she is TOO CUTE! Cuddling her green bean like that....

I was in the bathroom with the Jazz-man today, & I learned that he'd stashed a nut in some rolled up towels in a basket when he started buzzing & attacking my hands. We had to have a little talk about how I am the Giver of nuts, not the Taker of nuts. I don't think he was interested!

[Lighten-Up]

Oh, We had to have a little talk about how I am the Giver of nuts, not the Taker of nuts. I don't think he was interested!

Exactly... I'd love for them to understand, IF I was the one who gave the nut, I am not going to take it away!!

[Mel1959]

MY GREENBEAN!!! I want a poster of this pic.

What an adorable little girl! Very special!

[GGnWallie]

Oh, she is TOO CUTE! Cuddling her green bean like that....

I was in the bathroom with the Jazz-man today, & I learned that he'd stashed a nut in some rolled up towels in a basket when he started buzzing & attacking my hands. We had to have a little talk about how I am the Giver of nuts, not the Taker of nuts. I don't think he was interested!

Haha I do have little talks with her! I hold her and she moves her head side to side so I know she's paying attention. So cute. And such a little turd.

[GGnWallie]

Ok, so you have another question. She's being stubborn now with NOT eating her fruit and veg. She is still taking formula, but I want her to eat more of what will eventually be her diet. She's refusing now that I've not given her nuts. Does that make sense? i really need to order her some blocks!

[Mel1959]

Yes, it absolutely makes sense that she's not eating the veggies and fruit now. They're no different than a child....if they get ice cream instead of a meal, then why would they want to eat the meal? I followed the great advice here on TSB and only gave block (Henrys blocks) before I offered ANYTHING else. A good rodent block like Harlan Teklad or Oxbow would be wise to offer in addition to the Henrys. I didn't do this and wish I had. This period lasted a couple of weeks. When they were eating the block REALLY well, I then offered a variety of veggies, no fruits. After they were eating the veggies well, I introduced a few fruits. My boys were close to 4 mths old before they ever had a nut. This worked well for me and I didn't have to deal with nut caches or aggression. You have to have tough love at this point. Don't offer any more nuts till the block is eaten. You need to get some block for proper nutrition.

[Lighten-Up]

Ok, so you have another question. She's being stubborn now with NOT eating her fruit and veg. She is still taking formula, but I want her to eat more of what will eventually be her diet. She's refusing now that I've not given her nuts. Does that make sense? i really need to order her some blocks!

Many squirrels can be really picky about eating their veggies, lots of us experience this. And if you've given nuts, and then stopped, they'll be even more so, for a while, but it should pass. Hang in there, the veggies aren't completely critical while they are still on a majority of formula as the formula is where they are getting their vitamins and minerals. So if you hang in there, they should start eating the veggies again, once they realize the nuts aren't coming back for a while yet.

Always give the block first thing in the morning and don't give anything else until they eat it, (like veggies, fruit, or nuts) or else they'll learn to hold out on you for the other fun stuff. Doing this will assure you that they'll be getting their vitamins etc, after they are mostly off the formula.

This is my opinion, but most of the veggies that we give them, aren't really their real diet long term, if they are going to be released. Their real diet is wild green foods, bark and other wild stuff. We give the best we can with good veggies, because that is what we have access to, and they do help, but they are not really as good for them or appealing as the wild foods that they will get in the wild. That may be why some are so picky. Thus, I took the veggie eating thing with a grain of salt, as long as they were on formula or block, and eating some veggies, I was okay. Again, this is my opinion only.

[GGnWallie]

Yes, it absolutely makes sense that she's not eating the veggies and fruit now. They're no different than a child....if they get ice cream instead of a meal, then why would they want to eat the meal? I followed the great advice here on TSB and only gave block (Henrys blocks) before I offered ANYTHING else. A good rodent block like Harlan Teklad or Oxbow would be wise to offer in addition to the Henrys. I didn't do this and wish I had. This period lasted a couple of weeks. When they were eating the block REALLY well, I then offered a variety of veggies, no fruits. After they were eating the veggies well, I introduced a few fruits. My boys were close to 4 mths old before they ever had a nut. This worked well for me and I didn't have to deal with nut caches or aggression. You have to have tough love at this point. Don't offer any more nuts till the block is eaten. You need to get some block for proper nutrition.

Thank you!! Ordering blocks!! Haven't given a nut since she started acting like one!! Formula is still the face and she enjoys sweet potato and and a little endive!

[GGnWallie]

Many squirrels can be really picky about eating their veggies, lots of us experience this. And if you've given nuts, and then stopped, they'll be even more so, for a while, but it should pass. Hang in there, the veggies aren't completely critical while they are still on a majority of formula as the formula is where they are getting their vitamins and minerals. So if you hang in there, they should start eating the veggies again, once they realize the nuts aren't coming back for a while yet.

Always give the block first thing in the morning and don't give anything else until they eat it, (like veggies, fruit, or nuts) or else they'll learn to hold out on you for the other fun stuff. Doing this will assure you that they'll be getting their vitamins etc, after they are mostly off the formula.

This is my opinion, but most of the veggies that we give them, aren't really their real diet long term, if they are going to be released. Their real diet is wild green foods, bark and other wild stuff. We give the best we can with good veggies, because that is what we have access to, and they do help, but they are not really as good for them or appealing as the wild foods that they will get in the wild. That may be why some are so picky. Thus, I took the veggie eating thing with a grain of salt, as long as they were on formula or block, and eating some veggies, I was okay. Again, this is my opinion only.

That is so helpful!! Thank you for your encouragement and advice, it's very much appreciated!!