Diet Again

[Snicker Bar]

I guess I’ve posted this question to death…
But I’m hoping some here with years of wisdom will chime in when time allows, and help me finally make a plan and stick to it

And? Maybe it will help others with picky eaters, and toothless wonders/survivors

This will be long; so get a cup of coffee ; but please read and help me think this through!

I’m still struggling with feeding multiple NR’s with different needs and apparently metabolisms. Most are fat… Victoria and Hopper the deformed (?) are thin and shriveled.

We have a huge, life changing event happening - coming home in June. Up until now, I have let my life revolve around my animals for many months now. Prepping their food and probably way overdoing; it has been a pleasant distraction for me. But come June, I will need to balance life better. And my other (fur) babies probably need a healthy change (some are too FAT! )

Just want to clarify; for my kids who have teeth; that are also spoiled (my fault) and picky (my fault)..

I understand if we feed according to “the pyramid”, the Henry’s are a must. The veggies and fruit (in proportion) are a must. And care should be given to pick healthy calcium phosphorus ratios.
This is correct, yes??

But the issue is mine let any version of Henry’s turn into concrete. And, if they WON’T eat the two daily blocks, along with the salad bar, they will NOT be getting their daily needs,
This is also correct , yes??

Some say starve them into submission…. My mom tried that with me.

It didn’t work.

But maybe I should have tried harder with them; idk. But it’s too late now because, years ago BEFORE I read more here, I found a site that had a write up about “if your squirrels won’t eat any form or fashion of block, do this ! ”
Hence my Boo Ball solution. I followed the recipe from the Squirrel Refuge site; their recipe is similar to the ones here (except it has a double portion of baby food). I figured, at least they were getting some block (I buy Harlan mostly, recently switched to Mazuri- better price) into their bodies… and any veggies they would eat were a bonus.

I also tried making the boo balls with the Henry’s only… but then worried they would be too “hot” with vitamins, since they are supplements.

Either case, I now find myself in mass production here; most weekends making these things (and they prefer the baked version) Where most say , just feed one or two boo balls as a treat, I offer about 4….as a main substitution for plain block. In hopes they will get enough daily, diluted down rodent block in them . I still offer the plain blocks? Just to make me feel better , I guess? But they get yucky. Get tossed . Just there for looks.

The problem is, I’m also tossing so many veggies. And here lately, some are even going on strike about the boo balls. Even if I mix up the flavors. Only two are regularly good eaters… and they’ve gotten too FAT!

So here’s my question… and i have to consider some are 5,6 (7?) years old…

Is it too late to try the starve method? And , let ALL they get in their dishes be some
Harlan/Mazuri mix… rather than do the pyramid?

Instead of prepping a daily Olive Garden to go along with the boo balls, just ONLY offer the yucky, bland blocks, say, every AM? And maybe just offer one little random
piece of fruit/veggie in the evenings? If even??And not even daily? Since the Harlan and Mazuri are “complete” in themselves??

Some squirrel resource groups still insist they NEED the daily veggies and fruit.. PLUS the rodent block. Is this really true though?? How do they know?? What is their reference???

I could have sworn a trusted member or two here corrected once me saying, “the Harlan and Mazuri are 100% nutritionally COMPLETE… nothing else is needed!”

In other words, all the bags of mixed veggies, premade salad varieties, daily chopping and carving… that mostly winds up in the trash anyways… is not even necessary… It’s more for ME! To make me feel like , by doing this big daily ritual… I’m taking good care of my babies .. or at least attempting to (but they waste most of it!!) It’s my OCD+/- ?? , right?? No???

Just asking for opinions here; NOT because I want to be cheap, or make life easier….Sure; that would be helpful too, but NOT at their expense, if the daily Olive Garden ceremony plus Mazuri/Harlan plus boo balls… is truly necessary??

And one last nagging worry… My beloved, toothless wonder, “Doodles”. For the last year or so, she’s basically been SOLELY on baked boo balls only. And , she’s still alive! I have to hand feed her twice daily to be sure she gets enough . And, she’s fat too!!

But will her life be shortened because she’s ONLY getting boo balls?? She cannot (WILL NOT) eat even the tiniest pieces of veggie.. she acts like she’s scared she will choke. Tosses them aside (it’s very cute how she does this btw !) She may eat an occasional pea, or baked piece of sweet potato…But only the Boo.

But again, what if I only fed her a semi soft Harlan/Mazuri… maybe chilled in a way I could make little balls… Others have said elsewhere she needs puréed veggies and fruits PLUS the Harlan…
But once again, if they are nutritionally complete, is all that extra work really needed??

Thanks for reading this essay, if you were willing to.

I just really, REALLY need to make some changes in schedules and routines. I can’t undo taking these babies in… years back when life was simpler and “good”. Things got pretty rough here at home, over past 18 months. And, we’ve had a pause /peace of sorts for the last several months.

But in June, that’s all going to change… Prayerfully with new beginnings and good times to come. My “hard release girl” (our youngest daughter) is coming home after nearly a year of hell. This is truly an unexpected miracle and answer to many prayers.

So, I need to make a way; to balance life with my loyal companions I love so dearly.
The ones who have never abandoned me, always loved me unconditionally when I was hurting so. But now I have to make preparations for time with her… And this time it will be better; I know it will. It has to be. So any thoughts, advice, corrections in my thinking here would be most appreciated

[Charley Chuckles]

Here's my deal my Conker had one odatoma removed the other incisors are short in other words he can't eat a lot of hard foods. He doesn't like HHB so I use Harland crush the block add some baby food, coconut oil, almond butter crush small amount of nuts just a little. Roll in small balls and freeze them. It only take a few minutes to defrost.
Personally I would not try the starve method. When I'm throwing food away they didn't eat, and I also make a garden salad for them daily, I just cut back the next day. I read where island rehabber said squirrels in the wild would be eating various foods at different seasons of the year. Indoor squirrels tend to get a fuller figure 🙄 my Conker was steadily losing weight and it frightened me, he's leveled off and I'm happy.
For picky eaters and toothless I mix FV, FV Boost, a little baby rice warm water my boy loves it👍

[Snicker Bar]

The starve method is not an option I agree with either. Maybe I’m just really overdoing the veggies, idk. Cutting back is definitely needed.
So much waste.

I was just hoping to verify if, by chance I could get them (at least some) to eat these the Mazuri or HT block, can it stand alone ? As in nothing else is required (all the wasted veggies?)

This is why the pyramid just won’t work for mine… if they all were good kids, and ate their 2 blocks…. And ate the portions of this and that to balance the daily chemistry plan in the dish… It would be easy! But , no matter how beautiful the dish may look… The Henry’s blocks most days would turn to stone , and only a few favs would be nibbled from the dish. In other words, who knows what the daily resulting Ca/P ratio would be, on Mon , vs Tues? They don’t go by the plan

So the “100% nutritionally complete” version of feeding looks so much more , reliable? IF they would comply and eat it??

But like the nights mom made anything but spaghetti for supper…. I’d be sitting at the table until wayyyy after Walter signed off on the news

Thanks for your version for Conker

[Charley Chuckles]

If they just won't eat block possibly sprinkle calcium, I get it from Henry's I do sprinkle it on Conkers food at times not all the time.
I also give him live meal worms sprinkle with calcium yum yum 😋🤣 I tell him no kisses after worms😂
Conker also eats eggs, hard boiled or scrambled ( no butter) and boiled chicken breast, small pieces. In the wild squirrels are not complete vegetarians 👍

[Snicker Bar]

That’s a thought; got plenty of worms for Tater Chip the flyer

Just trying to think of how to make a routine ; I was just giving them everything once a day. But guess that’s working against them. Leaving the block; eating the goodies.

Maybe just dry stuff in the am, veggies midday? If I can run home at lunch?

At night, my hope was they would eat the yummies, and then just be stuck with block in am ; and all day until the next evening. I have more time in evenings , for now.

But in June, I want evenings to be for family time ; family supper, playing cards, getting to know my girl again.

Just stressing a little ;
Want to figure how to balance it all.

[Charley Chuckles]

Maybe your too worried about feeding, I feed in the morning only then that's it

[Mel1959]

Yes, Harlan Teklad and Mazuri can be fed with no other veggies or fruit. They are 100% complete nutrition. I know of people that feed nothing but Harlan block with the very occasional treat of some kind. The difference between their squirrels and yours is that when their squirrels were little they started them on Harlan block after weaning and never gave them boo balls, veggies or fruits. I’m not sure how you are going to get yours to talk a hard extruded block that I don’t think tastes too spectacular?

I understand you wanting to do away with the veggies if they’re not being eaten. What I don’t understand is why you don’t just make the blocks that you say they will eat and stop offering veggies. If you use Mazuri or Harlan block as a base for the squares and add in some veggie or fruit baby food then they will get veggies without knowing it.

[Snicker Bar]

Yes,
Probably overthinking/worrying here

And I guess I had read somewhere, that the Boo Balls were too fattening but maybe if I switch to veggie mixes instead of fruit… and reduce the amount of nuts, we can slim up a few . They don’t get junk food or too many nuts. And get plenty of exercise. In fact , the fattest two get hours outside in playroom /porch daily….
But look at Sweet Pea??! :


And her dish looks the same as Victoria’s… and she’s half the size of her (literally)

You’re right,
They weren’t started right, and we will all stress trying to change.

I’m think I’m just going to try and eliminate the Olive Garden program every night. That’s what takes so long… Chopping and carving and peeling and trying to remember good vs evil veggies and fruits, and balance this and that… Drives me nuts and the waste is ridiculous. I try to recycle what’s not soggy for wild animals… but even they’re picky it seems!! They will pick out sugar snap peas and sweet potatoes… leave the rest. Might eat a blueberry,

[Mel1959]

I think that’s a good plan. When you make your initial change to the boo ball recipe start by adding a fruit and veggie baby food combination. Most don’t have too much in the way of veggies in them to begin with, so the veggie taste is obscure. Gradually add in more veggies and less fruit.

I also believe some squirrels are just fatter and others leaner. My last three releases are plump, round squirrels. They’ve been released since November. Other yard squirrels are large but not quite as round. Then there are the yard squirrels that seem so lean and small, in spite of being privy to the same smorgasbord as all the others. . I think if you’re not feeding them junk then I wouldn’t worry about their weight or roundness. Victorias unique medical condition could be contributing to her lack of weight gain.

I have definitely noticed that there are times of the year when my flyer looks very porky and then all of a sudden I’ll notice that he’s lean again. I’m sure hormones are contributing to this change as his diet is consistent.

[Snicker Bar]

I will let Sweet Pea know an official expert from TSB said it’s ok to be round !

[Charley Chuckles]

[Snicker Bar]

Oh my gosh
Too funny!!!