Growing up questions

[Twiggy]

I have a beautiful baby grey squirel. Her eyes opened on March 27th, she came to me about a week before that. She eats and everything like a champ but I'm confused about when she should start doing things on her own.
She is starting to refuse formula and eating mostly on her own. I still offer her formula 4 times a day.
Should I be offering it to her less?
When will she go potty on her own? I'm scared not to do it for her.
How do I setup a litter box?
Oh she weighs in at 220g
There is lots of information on the web about babies but not at this transitional stage.

[stepnstone]

I have a beautiful baby grey squirel. Her eyes opened on March 27th, she came to me about a week before that. She eats and everything like a champ but I'm confused about when she should start doing things on her own.
She is starting to refuse formula and eating mostly on her own. I still offer her formula 4 times a day.
Should I be offering it to her less?
When will she go potty on her own? I'm scared not to do it for her.
How do I setup a litter box?
Oh she weighs in at 220g
There is lots of information on the web about babies but not at this transitional stage.

Eyes open pretty much at 5 weeks, your baby is about 9 weeks now.
Referencing the feeding, how much and how often do you feed her?
What is she eating besides taking her formula?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Hi Twiggy

to TheSquirrelBoard

Based on those dates, she should be almost 9 weeks old. I have a boy a week older than that. He takes formula 3 times a day. I expect that soon he will start refusing one of those feedings. That is how they usually wean themselves. They will skip formula but then will be anxious for it the next feeding. They trail off in their desire for formula but we offer it as long as they will take it.

You can stop pottying now. I'm surprised she will let you do it.
My boy would have a fit if I tried to potty him.

I have used 2 types of litter boxes. I bought a plastic corner bin and put CareFresh in it. My flyer took to it but the greys didn't. The one that worked the best was a metal rectangle baking dish bought at the grocery store. I cut a piece of hardware cloth slightly larger than the metal pan. I folded about an inch down all around the edges (inside the pan). I filled it with CareFresh, placed the hardware cloth over it and screwed in a couple screws that I had predrilled (to hold the hardware cloth down). That one has been used frequently.

[stepnstone]

Based on those dates, she should be almost 9 weeks old.

I can't believe I did that... I forgot all about THIS month.
Thanks HRT.

[Twiggy]

Eyes open pretty much at 5 weeks, your baby is about 9 weeks now.
Referencing the feeding, how much and how often do you feed her?
What is she eating besides taking her formula?

She was eating 10-14ccs every feeding but started rejecting her formula slowly about a weekish ago. Now she will eat maybe 1 whole feeding, reject at least 1 all together, and eat 5ccs if I'm lucky when she doesn't reject it all together. She has never had a problem eating lol she's on fox valley 20/50.
I started her with envigo-Harlan texlad rodent blocks 2014 I guess a weekish after her eyes opened. I quickly realized that was the wrong formula and got the 2018. But she prefers the Henry's high-protein blocks. I'm thinking about switching the 2018 blocks for exotic nutrition's squirrel diet. They have a bundle that has calcium and multi vit powders for one price. Thoughts?
Since then I have been slowly adding things until now she gets
Brussel sprouts, green beans, blueberries, grapes, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, so far
Always roasted, unsalted, mostly organic.
There is such conflicting info on the web about what to give her. Like, they need seeds- they dont need seeds etc

It's good to know I don't have to worry about her potty time lol I think I'm being tricked! She has no problem with the attention Lol

Please let me know where I should improve! I give her more veggies than fruits nuts and seeds but I'm not sure the ratio either. I dont want her to be over weight or miss something.

Thank you guys so much!!!

[stepnstone]

She was eating 10-14ccs every feeding but started rejecting her formula slowly about a weekish ago. Now she will eat maybe 1 whole feeding, reject at least 1 all together, and eat 5ccs if I'm lucky when she doesn't reject it all together. She has never had a problem eating lol she's on fox valley 20/50.
I started her with envigo-Harlan texlad rodent blocks 2014 I guess a weekish after her eyes opened. I quickly realized that was the wrong formula and got the 2018. But she prefers the Henry's high-protein blocks. I'm thinking about switching the 2018 blocks for exotic nutrition's squirrel diet. They have a bundle that has calcium and multi vit powders for one price. Thoughts?
Since then I have been slowly adding things until now she gets
Brussel sprouts, green beans, blueberries, grapes, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, so far
Always roasted, unsalted, mostly organic.
There is such conflicting info on the web about what to give her. Like, they need seeds- they dont need seeds etc

It's good to know I don't have to worry about her potty time lol I think I'm being tricked! She has no problem with the attention Lol

Please let me know where I should improve! I give her more veggies than fruits nuts and seeds but I'm not sure the ratio either. I dont want her to be over weight or miss something.
Thank you guys so much!!!

As HRT indicated (post 3) you can cut back on formula.
It sounds as if your feeding nuts as part of the diet, nuts for captives have to be limited to treats and even then 1 maybe 2 but only after they have eaten their healthy food. Nuts rob the body of calcium, when that happens it leaches it from the bones and causes Metabolic bone disease. In the wild squirrels eat a verity of things that balances their nutritional requirements, in captivity we have to balance those requirements with what we know with how we feed.
Both block your feeding are very good, I'd stick with them.
Exotic Nutrition Squirrel Diet is a joke in IMO, it' sounds more like Metabolic bone disease in a bag! I wouldn't even consider it!
"Exotic Nutrition's Deluxe Squirrel Diet is a top of the line Squirrel diet manufactured with the freshest high-quality nuts...NO peanuts.
Includes walnuts, pecans, pistachios, almonds, Pumpkin seeds, dried fruits and high-protein pellets. Squirrels go NUTS
over this blend. High quality diet with fresh ingredients"

[Twiggy]

As HRT indicated (post 3) you can cut back on formula.
It sounds as if your feeding nuts as part of the diet, nuts for captives have to be limited to treats and even then 1 maybe 2 but only after they have eaten their healthy food. Nuts rob the body of calcium, when that happens it leaches it from the bones and causes Metabolic bone disease. In the wild squirrels eat a verity of things that balances their nutritional requirements, in captivity we have to balance those requirements with what we know with how we feed.
Both block your feeding are very good, I'd stick with them.
Exotic Nutrition Squirrel Diet is a joke in IMO, it' sounds more like Metabolic bone disease in a bag! I wouldn't even consider it!
"Exotic Nutrition's Deluxe Squirrel Diet is a top of the line Squirrel diet manufactured with the freshest high-quality nuts...NO peanuts.
Includes walnuts, pecans, pistachios, almonds, Pumpkin seeds, dried fruits and high-protein pellets. Squirrels go NUTS
over this blend. High quality diet with fresh ingredients"

Omg thank you so much!
I know I should limit fruit too but what about seeds and dried insects?
Do you add the calcium and multi vit to food?

You guys are awesome! Thank you so much!! Sorry so many questions, I'm new to this

[Mel1959]

Seeds are not good either, for the same reason as nuts. The calcium to phosphorous ratio is way off and can lead to Metabolic bone disease. In the Squirrel Nutrition section is a healthy food pyramid for captive squirrels. https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-Pet-Squirrels This lists the foods that are recommended to feed as well as safe trees/plants.

If you’re feeding Harlan Teklad or Henry’s you don’t need any extra vitamins. Both blocks are nutritionally balanced. The difference is that you only should feed 2-3 Henry’s blocks a day along with healthy veggies. Harlan block is a free-feeding block, they can eat as much as they want.