Salt licks??

[Timberbeast]

What are you guys using for salt supplements?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Squirrels don’t use salt licks. You can give them calcium chews. Let me find one.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Timber, there used to be a calcium chew that was shaped like an ice cream cone. I don’t think they make them any longer. That’s ashamed because squirrels really liked chewing them and they literally lasted forever. Maybe that was the problem.. no return customers.

I suppose you could use any of the calcium products for parrots.
You can also use a cuttlebone and antlers.

[Timberbeast]

I have cuttlefish bone available and they chew on antlers I find. I was asking about salt because I have often seen squirrels in the middle of winter eating what I would guess was salt from the salt trucks off of paved roads in my area. I noticed one of my flyer boys kinda mouthing the cage...generally in most animals it means they are lacking something...a source of salt is all I can add up. ��*♀️

[Mel1959]

Are these wild squirrels or caged squirrels? Wild squirrels do lick salt off things, for whatever reason. I have watched them lick the salt spray off my screen enclosure. I live along the coast of Florida. Wild squirrels know how to regulate everything they need in their bodies by eating roots, dirt, leaves, bark, etc. indoor squirrels rely upon what we give them. I don’t think they need any salt additives and wouldn’t advise putting a salt lick in their cage.

However, I did notice that my dwarf squirrel seemed to really like items that contained salt like bacon, butter, cheese etc. I would allow him a tiny taste every once in awhile. He would choose something salty over something sweet (like fruit) every time.

[Timberbeast]

Good point!! I was t considering squirrels in the wild actually being able to manage their salt intake...or counterbalance it.

[HRT4SQRLS]

I know that some large animals like cows need salt for the minerals but I recently saw a warning about the pink salt lamps and pets. Apparently dogs and cats have died from too much salt intake. I liked the analogy about licking the salt lamp to eating potato chips. A little is OK but they keep going back for more and more.

https://www.westernmassnews.com/news...b5573c66f.html

[Diggie's Friend]

This should further help clarify this issue. Of foods squirrels consume in the wild, and their cultivated counterparts in captivity, there is enough (Sodium Chloride) to support their health without adding more. Sodium Chloride: aka table salt and salt blocks predominantly contain Sodium Chloride. Sodium Chloride has been found in rats to cause significant increase in calcium loss into the urine from the diet, which in turn promotes urinary calcium stones to form as a result.

Research Studies have continually been done on our soils in N.A. over the last century and continue to be done to tract the continued decline of key minerals in our soils. (see file below) For this reason, both Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and other key minerals having dropped to highly deficient levels present a problem when it comes to getting enough minerals from our cultivated food sources. As a result, it is a common thing to see tree squirrels gnawing on phone lines and the connecting wires for chain-link fencing, both of which are coated with Zinc Oxide.

What is the most likely cause for the tree squirrels we see licking metal screens, gnawing on the metal electric wire that is exposed, and on the connective wire on chain-link fence is zinc, as all these sources are coated with Zinc oxide to keep them from corroding. Most recently, our electric company changed to copper coated wire to keep it from corroding due to extensive gnawing by tree squirrels of the zinc coated wire previously used.

This form of zinc is also a concern, for with zinc oxide and some other forms zinc also, toxicity can occur from zinc building up in the body. To limit zinc it is best paired in a high ratio to copper in supplements. Opti-zinc or ‘Balanced’ Zinc (Zinc Mono-methionine) by Jarrow (15 mg.) capsule, can be reduced by dividing the total powder in a capsule by (16) to add to the diet daily into a soft wet food like yogurt, or baked squash.

https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formul...875719&sr=8-17

When adding a mineral block, it is a good idea to include a source in a release cage. "Manu" mineral block is notably highest in Calcium, and low in Sodium chloride. By introducing this source to juveniles prior to their release, especially while in a release cage, it is more likely that they may continue to choose to consume this source after their release when made available.
Considering the depletion of key minerals in N.A. soils and that of Europe also, this source can lend significant support to preventing key mineral deficiencies due to the depletion of minerals in our soils. (see chart on minerals reduction in our native soils) “Manu” clay mineral block supplement can be easily bolted to the inside of a cage, be it near a platform, or just above the floor, the latter of which it seems is more appealing, as this mimics that of the ground where tree squirrels consume minerals by ingesting soil aka: (geophagy).

https://www.amazon.com/Pollys-Pet-Pr.../dp/B0006ZE6XQ

[Diggie's Friend]

Here is the file I was referring to from studies that were done from 1900 to 1992 which shows the decline over a century in key macro,

and micro minerals in our soils.

[Timberbeast]

Awesome info!! Thank you’s to everyone on this topic!!