Best rodent block?

[Squirreleesi]

I know I have probably read this on here a dozen times because you are all amazing. But it has been awhile and I just have to ask.. what is the current best rodent block you guys suggest besides Henrys Healthy? I offer Henry's Healthy Block every day but I also offer other block as well, for those days when veggies and fruit just aren't enough.
I try to keep up on the food gossip and I feel like I am often hearing different opinions on Rodent Blocks and seeing as I recently ran out of ZuPreems (which was a huge hit) and my recent 5.5LB bag of Harlan Teklad was a complete and utter bust.. (not even worthy enough of being buried or acknowledged.. let alone eat ingest ) I figured that I'd ask around and hear what people are using now.

[gunpackingrandma]

I have also tried to keep up with the latest thoughts about Squirrel blocks. Up until recently I had only used Henry's.
Thought I would try a different one for a treat. Below is the story of what happened with the very first non Henry's block.

A few days ago I was reading a thread talking about different kinds of blocks to feed our fuzzy butts. I have only used Henry's as I feel they are a superior product and more importantly Leigh has been a lifesaver in answering questions ANYTIME. Well, after thinking about all the other approved blocks available I decided to purchase a bag of Mazuri Rodent blocks. Not as part of a staple diet but as an occasional treat. So, after dinner and two hours of evening play time I put Ben into his cage and gave him the smallest piece of Mazuri Rodent block I could find, about 1/2" long. He took the piece and started to eat it so I went about my business getting ready for bed. (Ben's cage is in our bedroom and my husband was already in bed half asleep) I went over to the cage to tell Ben good night and turn off the light. He was laying flat on his back with his eyes open and all four legs straight up in the air!!! I thought I was going to faint! I started yelling OH MY GOD I KILLED BEN!!! As my husband jumped out of bed, Ben rolled on to his side, stretched and yawned and wondered what all the excitement was about. I seriously was hyperventilating! To say the least I lost ten years if my life, felt several gray hairs pop in and didn't sleep at all that night! And no, I'm scared to try another Mazuri block! Think Ben was trying to tell me what his opinion was, I can take a hint. Ben deserves the Academy Award for "Best Played Dead Scene"! Super funny now but wasn't at the time!

[SophieSquirrel]

I feed (Harlan) Teklad 2016 on demand (always available) and also add 2 Henry's Adult Blocks every day per squirrel. The debate is still on about which block is best. I have 8 NR's and if I fed them all Henry's on demand at $18 / bag I would have to get a second job to pay for it. For me this is a good compromise. Oxbow Essentials Rat also seems to be good and unlike Teklad it has no corn and can be found in Petco or Petsmart. Mazuri is also good but again contains corn. Teklad, Mazuri & Oxbow all have Soy.

None of those block diets will kill your squirrel but they are not ideal either. Your squirrel needs a good formulated block for nutrition and cannot live healthy lives on just greens and nuts. Until someone comes up with a better formula it's what we have to work with.

We need a good non-perishable dry base diet block with complete nutrition less corn and soy that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

[Mel1959]

I know I have probably read this on here a dozen times because you are all amazing. But it has been awhile and I just have to ask.. what is the current best rodent block you guys suggest besides Henrys Healthy? I offer Henry's Healthy Block every day but I also offer other block as well, for those days when veggies and fruit just aren't enough.
I try to keep up on the food gossip and I feel like I am often hearing different opinions on Rodent Blocks and seeing as I recently ran out of ZuPreems (which was a huge hit) and my recent 5.5LB bag of Harlan Teklad was a complete and utter bust.. (not even worthy enough of being buried or acknowledged.. let alone eat ingest ) I figured that I'd ask around and hear what people are using now.

If you have had good luck with Zupreem then why change? I think the dry based blocks are very similar. Someone said that they tasted them once and the Harlan block actually tasted a little better, but your guys clearly didn’t think that was the case. . I recently bought a bag of the Oxbow Garden Select because it isn’t corn based and it didn’t go over very well, even when it was mixed 50/50 with Harlan and ground for boo balls. I was only feeding one squirrel, so not the best example.

[SophieSquirrel]

I recently bought a bag of the Oxbow Garden Select because it isn’t corn based and it didn’t go over very well, even when it was mixed 50/50 with Harlan and ground for boo balls.

One of the issues with Oxbow Garden Select is that it contains Orchard Grass and is probably the majority of the filler - not good for squirrels. Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat is a better product and does not contain corn. Adult Rat contains wheat / fish meal and I am not sure about that. The other issue is what are the percentages of these ingredients? Perhaps Diggie's Friend can weigh in on the ingredients of Oxbow Adult Rat? I'd like to know who formulated this stuff and why they think "Yucca Schidigera Extract" needs to be in a rat food?

Also which Zupreem are you feeding Squirreleesi? The only ones that I know of that have been used for squirrels are monkey biscuits and Nutblend (bird) neither of which are ideal.

Like I said lack of a quality non-perishable, affordable block formulated for adult squirrels. Another reason the Henry's diet in addition tot he blocks is so important: https://www.henryspets.com/healthy-d...pet-squirrels/

Oxbow Garden Select:

Oat Groats, Whole Barley, Soybean Meal, Cane Molasses, Oat Grass, Orchard Grass, White Rice, Whole Yellow Pea, Soybean Oil, Sodium Bentonite, Calcium Carbonate, Flaxseed, Monocalcium Phosphate, Lignin Sulfonate, DL–Methionine, Salt, Magnesium Oxide, Spinach Powder, Tomato Powder, Choline Chloride, Banana Powder, Carrot Powder, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (preservative), Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Mineral Oil, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate, Rosemary Extract.

Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat:

Whole Brown Rice, Oat Groats, Wheat Bran, Wheat, Soybean Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Soybean Hulls, Calcium Carbonate, Yeast Culture Dehydrated, Flax Seed Meal (Linseed), Inulin, Monocalcium Phosphate, Soy Oil, Methionine DL, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Wheat Germ Meal, Salt, Magnesium Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Natural Flavor, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Oxide, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate, Biotin, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Cobalt Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K Activity), Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement

[Diggie's Friend]

http://weecompanions.org/healthy-food

Teklad 2016 for older juveniles, and younger adults.

https://www.envigo.com/products-serv...016-diets.aspx

https://www.envigo.com/resources/dat...sheet-0915.pdf

This source notes no soymeal or fish meal. Sources with fishmeal can contain heavy metals and nitrosamines.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...17.EN-1192/pdf

Best ratio of Calcium to magnesium of any block. Magnesium supports bone mineralization, and lowers bone turnover.

2014 for adults 2 and over (also no soymeal or fishmeal)

[Diggie's Friend]

https://www.envigo.com/resources/bro...ic-support.pdf

Scroll down to see chart, and notes under Ingredient selection on Alfalfa meal, soymeal, nitrosamines (carcinogens).

Recommend adding plant protein to 2016 to make up for the 2 % lower level of protein.

Organic boiled peas is a very good low fat protein source. Organic LF or whole fat yogurt (Green Valley) are also.

[Squirreleesi]

If you have had good luck with Zupreem then why change? I think the dry based blocks are very similar. Someone said that they tasted them once and the Harlan block actually tasted a little better, but your guys clearly didn’t think that was the case. . I recently bought a bag of the Oxbow Garden Select because it isn’t corn based and it didn’t go over very well, even when it was mixed 50/50 with Harlan and ground for boo balls. I was only feeding one squirrel, so not the best example.

picked up a new bag because I heard people saying that Zupreem isn't great because Squirrels and Primates need different things and Zupreem didnt have the right amounts of vitamins for squirrels

[Squirreleesi]

[QUOTE=SophieSquirrel;1257772]One of the issues with Oxbow Garden Select is that it contains Orchard Grass and is probably the majority of the filler - not good for squirrels. Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat is a better product and does not contain corn. Adult Rat contains wheat / fish meal and I am not sure about that. The other issue is what are the percentages of these ingredients? Perhaps Diggie's Friend can weigh in on the ingredients of Oxbow Adult Rat? I'd like to know who formulated this stuff and why they think "Yucca Schidigera Extract" needs to be in a rat food?
Also which Zupreem are you feeding Squirreleesi? The only ones that I know of that have been used for squirrels are monkey biscuits and Nutblend (bird) neither of which are ideal.
Like I said lack of a quality non-perishable, affordable block formulated for adult squirrels. Another reason the Henry's diet in addition tot he blocks is so important: https://www.henryspets.com/healthy-d...pet-squirrels/


I was offering the Monkey Biscuits... i heard the same.. which is why I want to hear the better options :/

[SammysMom]

I use Mazuri along with HHBs. I can let you try some if you'd like. God knows I have a lot on hand all of the time because of how much I go through...

[Diggie's Friend]

Just for clarification:

Fishmeal commonly contain heavy metals, and nitrosamines, both of which are known carcinogens.

Soymeal contains high level anti-nutrients (goitrogens & oxalates) that reduce the absorption of minerals and other nutrients in the diet.

HHB diet doesn't contain either soymeal, or fishmeal, or corn.

"These ingredients of concern have been reduced or eliminated in the Teklad Global Rodent Diets."

https://www.envigo.com/products-serv...016-diets.aspx

[Diggie's Friend]

Whoops, I didn't mean to relate that 2016 HT Envigo Global Rat diet doesn't contain corn, as it does, just not these others.

[SophieSquirrel]

DF,

So is it worse to have the Fishmeal or the Corn? One has to be better than the others for squirrels until we develop something better as they all have different ingredients.

Based on the ingredients I Emailed which base block is the least harmful?

Teklad 2016 (or 14/18?)
Mazuri Rodent Block
Oxbow Essentials Rat
Zupreem Nutblend (bird)

I get it that Henry's is probably best but at $18 / small bag (squirrels eat continuously) I can't afford to throw unlimited amounts of HHB's at them. Broccoli Etc is good for them but not as a primary diet for proper nutrients.

[Squirreleesi]

I use Mazuri along with HHBs. I can let you try some if you'd like. God knows I have a lot on hand all of the time because of how much I go through...

That would be amazing if it's not too much trouble!
I can share my Harlan Teklad if you'd like some!

[Diggie's Friend]

Fishmeal is worse, and also isn't as key of a nutritional source, as nuts and seeds are, that provide the main share of proteins, fats, and complex carb in the diet. With the HHB being expensive to supply for more than a couple of squirrels, making the block from the homemade recipe which is considerably less costly, lest you count the time put in to do it, would be advisable.

There is a concern in regards to adult diets; for though with juvenile diets the Ca:P ratio at about (1.45:1), a somewhat higher Ca:P ratio having been found in rat research to better support calcium retention, bone density, and compression strength when over 2:1 for adults. Based on the present conclusions from the data I have reviewed to date, 18 months would be my estimate as to when to both lower the block intake for adults, and raise the ratio of Ca:P to (2.25:1 to 2.5:1) in the whole diet. To do this using block that have close ratios even for maintenance for adults, which is formulated for the rat, not tree squirrels, is needful to support the bones as a calcium reserve over the rest of the natural lifespan these squirrels when cared for in captivity.

[Diggie's Friend]

I didn't quite get the whole sentence in there did I; ended up as a run on sentence with two different thoughts.
I hope this is clearer.

Most diet block diets have a closer ratio than 2:1, as that is what the research supports for juvenile rats; HT 2016 at Ca:P ratio of (1.43:1).