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Thread: Hi!

  1. #1
    Katz Guest

    Default Hi!

    Hello! I have been lurking on this site since March, as it was then I received, what I believed to be, a 4wk old foxer. Who had been blown out of a nest in a nasty storm. Mama never came back for the little guy. And the woman who found him couldn't see any nests anywhere around where he was found.
    So I became First time squirrel mama. (Lovin every second of it! Such funny, loving animals!) With all of the information on this site, he has grown quite splendidly. So thank you all!
    Leonidas (Leo) is now a little over 3 months (if I was accurate on his age) and at tonight's weigh in, he was 1 lb 1.2 oz!
    He is completely healthy, and very active. He's in a 5'Wx7'Tx4'D cage I built him, and climbs all over his cat tree and branches that are in there. Plus has free time in the house with me for at least 3 hrs a day.
    He eats the henrys high protein blocks. 4 a day. And still takes his "bottle" 3 times a day, which he takes 18 to 24 ccs a time. Also he eats dandelions, lettuce, broccoli, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, violets, pinecones, LOTS of tree buds, and as much bark and sticks as he pleases(apple, oak, and maple) and once a day he gets a tiny bit of apple and he has had a bit of banana. I haven't given him any nuts, or any other fruit, but will start him on strawberries soon, as I have some growing and I'm trying to stick with foods he will have access to once he's released. (I plan on a soft release)
    Ok, now that his basic info is out there...my question is... at 1 lb 1.2 oz, is he at a good weight? We're in Iowa, and I know fox squirrel vary in size? He looks great to me, but I guess being I've never done this, I just want to be sure?
    Thanks in advance for any and all replies! And again, wow, what a great site this is!!

  2. 3 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Katz:

    cava (05-05-2017), ClemC5 (05-05-2017), UDoWhat (05-06-2017)

  3. #2
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Hi!

    Hi Katz,

    to TheSquirrelBoard

    His weight sounds perfect to me. Fox squirrels are larger than grey squirrels and the farther north you go the squirrels get bigger. At that weight, he is the size of an adult grey squirrel where I live in FL.

    Everything you're doing sounds great. I can see that you have done your homework. That makes me SO happy. The diet sounds perfect.

    I do have one suggestion that will help Leo and also save you a little money. I wouldn't feed Leo 4 Henry's blocks per day. That's too many because the Henry's blocks are a supplement block. They are packed full of vitamins and minerals. You don't want to over supplement. With Leo still sucking down all that formula and the healthy diet he's consuming, 4 Henry's blocks is too many. I would cut that in half. (2 per day) If you want to buy a 'normal' rodent block like Mazuri or Harland Teklad he can have more of those along with his 2 Henry's blocks.

    You are doing a awesome job with Leo. Feeding him perfectly, a huge cage, out of cage time and preparing him for release... it just doesn't get any better than this.

    We would love to see a pic of Leo.

  4. 4 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to HRT4SQRLS:

    ClemC5 (05-05-2017), gunpackingrandma (05-05-2017), island rehabber (05-04-2017), Mel1959 (05-04-2017)

  5. #3
    Katz Guest

    Default Re: Hi!

    Oh I am so relieved! I wasn't completely worried, but one never knows, and this guy has sure become a HUGE part of my life! Thank you for The feed back! On the "normal" block, is one brand better than the other? And I only had time to Google the Mazori (I can't even remember the name haha) but that would be the one for squirrels? I know on some type I've heard DON'T get squirrel, get mouse/ rat? Getting another food will help, as the Henry's tho he LOVES them, it seems he goes through them pretty quickly, and would for sure eat more if I were to let him! (I've been holding back as I just built a nesting box, and I'm worried his little fat butt is going to get stuck in it, once he decides to go in there! Hahaha)
    I will work on posting pictures. Doing this all on my phone, and not quite sure what I'm doing yet. Which kinda seems like a theme in my life. Live and learn, I guess.

  6. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Katz from:

    cava (05-05-2017)

  7. #4
    Katz Guest

    Default Re: Hi!

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  8. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Katz from:

    ClemC5 (05-05-2017)

  9. #5
    Katz Guest

    Default Re: Hi!

    Oops. They came out side ways. Oh well. I could barely see what pictures I was grabbing as the thumbnails were so small in my documents.

  10. #6
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Hi!

    Leo is a beauty. I just love those pumpkin orange bellies.
    Don't worry about the sideways pics. It happens to a lot of people. I think it might be related to posting on a phone, but I'm not sure.

    Actually, there aren't any other blocks out there that are marketed as a 'squirrel' block. Henry's makes the only squirrel block. The other blocks are rodent or rat blocks. Squirrels are rodents. IMO, the Harlan Teklad block is the best rodent block but unfortunately it can't be bought locally. It's online only. The next best would be Mazuri or Oxbow. Last on the list one is Kaytee Forti Diet rodent block. Mazuri, Oxbow and Kaytee can be bought locally at any pet retailer.

    The only problem might be that Leo won't eat the rodent blocks. If they are introduced to them as babies they will eat them but when given later (after Henry's) he might turn his nose up at them. If you decide to get a rat block make sure it's an extruded pellet for rats and NOT the seed mixes that are sold for small rodents like hamsters.

  11. Serious fuzzy thank you's to HRT4SQRLS from:

    Mel1959 (05-04-2017)

  12. #7
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Hi!

    Welcome, Katz! I'm just here to say "ditto" to everything HRT4SQRLS has said above.
    I might add that the Zupreem "primate chow" or "monkey biscuits" as they're sometimes called are not bad for squirrels, either. I always have a bowl full in each cage, but I give the Henry's blocks only one in the morning and one at night (we have grey squirrels here in NYC, so they are smaller and should only have 2 HHB's per day). You can sometimes get the Zupreems at certain Petco, Petsmart and Petland Discount stores, or you can order from squirrelsandmore.com.
    Island Rehabber
    NY State Licensed
    Wildlife Rehabilitator


    "Ancora Imparo" (I am still learning)
    Michelangelo


    *
    If you can't afford the vet,
    You can't afford a pet.
    NEGLECT IS ABUSE.

    "Better one day in the trees, than a lifetime in a cage."

    '...and the greatest of these, is Love. '

  13. Serious fuzzy thank you's to island rehabber from:

    Mel1959 (05-04-2017)

  14. #8
    Katz Guest

    Default Re: Hi!

    Completely forgot that when he was little I gave him Kaytee Forti diet to start, as that's all they had where I went. He would play with them and shred more than eat them, but it's all he was given at that point, as far as food. Then, he quit doing so, and started acting strange. Not wanting to chew on anything, not even his sticks. I checked his mouth, and yep, his top left tooth was broken and his bottom were growing very long, and going into the roof of his mouth. Of course, I was terrified. That's when I discovered this site... I got info from here, and took the dive and trimmed them ...all went well. But I got worried the Forti diet did it, so only gave them one at a time, and he only stashed them. And then I bought the Henry's block, and forgot all about them.
    Anyhow, long story short, this morning I filled his bowl with them, along with 1 Henry block, and all his other foods. He ate all his other stuff, and is happily eating the Kaytee block also! I will order another kind, as the Kaytee is last on the list, and I noticed I must not have sealed the bag the last time I gave him one. (Although I did store it in the fridge).
    Also, his teeth are great now. Only had to do three tooth trimmings to get them on track.

  15. #9
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    Default Re: Hi!

    Great job on the teeth trimming! I have never had to do that. It sounds intimidating. . As for the block, I would definitely try the Harlan Teklad. It is suppose to be very good and since you purchase it online you can buy it in various quantities.

  16. #10
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Hi!

    He looks great, you have certainly done your homework and you're a brave one for doing teeth trimming. Good for you and thanks for being such a great mommy.

    I can't wait for your release story. I feel like it will go off without a hitch!

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