Why would a squirrel gag?

[<3MeSomeSquirrels]

I know, the question is dumb. I'm a little nervous because I read that squirrels vomiting is like a death sentence. My squirrel child (who is in good health and is on a good TSB approved diet) gagged while eating a Regal Rat Young Mouse Block today. She is a year and a half and i have graduated her to the Adult Mouse/Rat Block as a supplement to HHB. But she found an old one.

Anyway, as she was eating it, it looked like she was about to choke. I have seen her almost choke three times in her life, and it's always terrifying. This was different. She seemed to be gagging. Then after gagging a few times and acting abnormal, she got right back to eating. Panicked, I tried to remove the block from her lil paws. I failed, but as I failed, I realized the block was wet and had sticky "stringiness". So. She puked while eating it, then continued to eat it.

I couldn't take it away from her and eventually gave up. After that, she had no unusual activity. She did eat a lot in rapid succession. Maybe that was the issue? I know squirrels aren't supposed to vomit and I got nervous. Please enlighten me. Does this sound like a one-off sorta thing or what?

[SammysMom]

She probably just had a piece "go down the wrong pipe", like we sometimes do. I have seen it with my crew also and it is scary, but to them it seems like it is nothing...

[<3MeSomeSquirrels]

Thank goodness. She's a little clumsy on basic skills from time to time. Seeing her almost choke is way scarier than this was, but the vomit thing scared the heck out of me because of how serious that is for squirrels in most instances. I just love her so much.

She's my first. So everything makes me feel jumpy and nervous about her health and wellbeing.

Thanks for the response. I hope that's all it is. That is very reassuring.

[Nancy in New York]

I know, the question is dumb. I'm a little nervous because I read that squirrels vomiting is like a death sentence. My squirrel child (who is in good health and is on a good TSB approved diet) gagged while eating a Regal Rat Young Mouse Block today. She is a year and a half and i have graduated her to the Adult Mouse/Rat Block as a supplement to HHB. But she found an old one.

Do you mean she found an old HHB?
It's very important to clean out their stashes periodically
as blocks can get moldy.
The HHB's have no preservatives in them.

[<3MeSomeSquirrels]

No, she never has leftover HHB. Haha. It was an old, dry Regal Rat Young Mouse block. Very dry with preservatives.

I've definitely seen the HHBs get moldy. I've had to throw out half a bag before because the moisture it had during transportation with humidity. I always hate that! Thanks for the heads up though.