Are bean sprouts ok to give my Eastern Grays? I didn’t see them listed on the food pyramid and I don’t want to give them anything I’m unsure of.
Are bean sprouts ok to give my Eastern Grays? I didn’t see them listed on the food pyramid and I don’t want to give them anything I’m unsure of.
After reading about them they are part of the legume family, the same as peanuts. Peanuts are not healthy for squirrels because of the high phosphorous to calcium ratio. I am going to assume that bean sprouts are the same. They actually provide no calcium but some phosphorous so they would not be a worthwhile nutrition source.
For people they seem to provide a lot of anti oxidants, but I’m not sure squirrels need that.
Diggie's Friend (01-03-2021), Mfnusz (01-03-2021)
Thanks so much for the reply! Guess I’ll have to eat them haha.
Mel1959 (01-03-2021)
With the exception of sweet green peas, green snap beans, snow peas, and sugar snap peas moreover, that are best boiled prior to feeding, most legumes should not be fed to rodents. Raw beans are also toxic; yet even when boiled or baked, upon their digestion these legumes are know promote the overgrowth of bad bacteria that produces gas causing GI distress in rodents because they can't burp!
Mfnusz (01-05-2021)