Advice really needed from some experienced squirrel owners please!

[ilovemyroscoe91]

Hi everyone!
I have a squirrel named Roscoe, who turned 2 in August. I love him oh so very much and I really need some information or advice on how to keep a squirrel healthy, diet wise. You see, I live in GA and I found out I'm not able to take Roscoe to the vet. They said they can't see him unless I had some sort of paper saying I legally have him, or something, so you can imagine the worry I go through everyday knowing that if anything happens to him, there would be nothing I can do!
Just recently he gained a ton of weight, and his appetite has increased alot. I'm not sure if it's a normal healthy weight like for the winter time.. or if its a tumor or fluid buildup in his stomach...which its probably not but I'm ALWAYS thinking the WORST things possible because I love him and worry constantly.

But anyways, I would really appreciate it if some of you guys' could list your squirrels daily diet, like what is on the menu for your baby daily and how much.. I just need to know I'm doing it the RIGHT way.

Please let me know if you need any info. I'm also going to post a few quick pics I just took which it doesn't look real big in the pic, but he's Def heavy and round lol, but like a fat full tummy round, not an abnormal lumpy round..

Thanks so very much!
Love,
Raychel & Roscoe

[SammysMom]

Roscoe is adorable! Why don't you tell us what he eats every day to begin things.

[SammysMom]

This is the healthy diet for healthy squirrels. How close to this is Roscoe's diet now?

[ilovemyroscoe91]

Close to what? Im sorry, don't see anything else..

But an average day is:
morning
1 HHB or a squirrel man Nut Square, depending on which I have that month.. along with a couple pieces of fresh fruit/vege, (such as sweet potato(raw), grapes, honeydew, avacado, blueberries, strawberries, papaya, spinich..ect).

Then maybe a couple hrs later I'll give him a handful of nuts (such as acorns, walnuts, almonds and pecans)

Then a few hrs later I'll give him a couple more pieces of fruit/veges.

Maybe some more nuts an hr later

Then for dinner between 7-9, a HHB or Nut Square along with a Zoopreem Primate Chow Monkey Biscuit.
It's pretty much alittle here and there throughout the day. Is there a set schedule of times I should be feeding him? And is the amounts I'm giving him OK?

[SammysMom]

Good grief! I forgot the link!
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-Pet-Squirrels

[Rhapsody]

Based on the diet you have shared I can tell you that your squirrel is eating way to many nuts and fruits.
The diet needs to be balanced with hhb, approved vegetables, wild plants, yogurt, limited fruits and only
1-2 nuts per day....... followed with fresh water.

[SophieSquirrel]

Good grief! I forgot the link!
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-Pet-Squirrels

Yes GA is illegal, don't even bother asking for a permit - there is none. In an emergency you can at least drive to Florida where they are 100% legal to keep and great vets abound. There is a vet on Wilmington Island that may treat.

Avoid "Bill's Nut Squares" like the plague. HHB's are the best. If he will not eat rodent blocks there are Boo Ball recipes on here that use rodent block as a base

Here is the diet I use

Teklad 2016 Blocks as a base diet (always available): http://weecompanions.org/healthy-food

Mazuri Rodent Blocks are good too.

2 of these per day as a supplement (keep refrigerated or freeze): https://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-...adult-formula/

Follow this diet plan to the letter: https://www.henryspets.com/healthy-d...pet-squirrels/

Hazlenuts and Pecans in the shell for incisor wear several time a week (do not overfeed)

All fruits and veggies should be washed

[ilovemyroscoe91]

Based on the diet you have shared I can tell you that your squirrel is eating way to many nuts and fruits.
The diet needs to be balanced with hhb, approved vegetables, wild plants, yogurt, limited fruits and only
1-2 nuts per day....... followed with fresh water.

Oh no! He just loves nuts so much he growls when he is eating them lol! So I just give them to him!

I will Def start cutting way back. So like 2 pecans or almonds a day???

And as for wild plants, I do let him have outdoor time in a large aviary I got for him and he loves to dig and eat the grass and roots.. what other plants are good for him that I can dig up or find and put in there for him???

The yogurt thing I tried and he wasn't interested at all.. maybe I tried the wrong kind. It was plain yogurt I can't remember the brand.

And about how much fruit/vege per day would you say is acceptable?

Thanks!!!!!

[dextersmom]

He is Adorable! I agree he is eating too many nuts. I actually threw out the nuts yesterday. Does he get "out of cage time" where he can run,and climb,jump,and play for at least an hour or more a day?

[ilovemyroscoe91]

Yes GA is illegal, don't even bother asking for a permit - there is none. In an emergency you can at least drive to Florida where they are 100% legal to keep and great vets abound. There is a vet on Wilmington Island that may treat.

Avoid "Bill's Nut Squares" like the plague. HHB's are the best. If he will not eat rodent blocks there are Boo Ball recipes on here that use rodent block as a base

Here is the diet I use

Teklad 2016 Blocks as a base diet (always available): http://weecompanions.org/healthy-food

Mazuri Rodent Blocks are good too.

2 of these per day as a supplement (keep refrigerated or freeze): https://www.henryspets.com/squirrel-...adult-formula/

Follow this diet plan to the letter: https://www.henryspets.com/healthy-d...pet-squirrels/

Hazlenuts and Pecans in the shell for incisor wear several time a week (do not overfeed)

All fruits and veggies should be washed

Where is Wilmington island? I am Def more closer to Fl. So that should be okay. Any vets you would recommend in or around Tallahassee or close to GA?

What's wrong with Bills Nut Squares? I talked with him a bit and he seemed to really care about squirrels. I Def use HHB more but there are some months I could only afford the Squares.. But if I need to I will ONLY buy HHB.

And thank you so much for your meal plan!!!!

[ilovemyroscoe91]

He is Adorable! I agree he is eating too many nuts. I actually threw out the nuts yesterday. Does he get "out of cage time" where he can run,and climb,jump,and play for at least an hour or more a day?

Oh yeah he has a large Aviary outdoors. He stays out there for like 4 hrs or more. Lots of sun, and shade ofcourse! He digs in the dirt and eats the grass roots and bugs!

[SophieSquirrel]

Where is Wilmington island? I am Def more closer to Fl. So that should be okay. Any vets you would recommend in or around Tallahassee or close to GA?

What's wrong with Bills Nut Squares? I talked with him a bit and he seemed to really care about squirrels. I Def use HHB more but there are some months I could only afford the Squares.. But if I need to I will ONLY buy HHB.

And thank you so much for your meal plan!!!!

I will PM you on the nutsquares. Wilmington Island is next to Tybee (Savannah). I lived there a while ago and had a good vet. I will look into a Tallahassee vet for you. You can also make your own and there are recipes on here for "Boo Balls" - great PPL on here with great info! Search Boo Balls in the search box and posts will pop up.

[ilovemyroscoe91]

I also wanted to know, what temperature is too cold to let Roscoe outside to play. It's winter time but he HATES staying in that ferret nation cage all day while I'm at work or in class so I let him out in his secure outdoor play cage. But sometimes I feel it's too cold, although I'm cold no matter the temp, lol. He is out jumping and playing though, do he doesn't seem to mind.

[SophieSquirrel]

I also wanted to know, what temperature is too cold to let Roscoe outside to play. It's winter time but he HATES staying in that ferret nation cage all day while I'm at work or in class so I let him out in his secure outdoor play cage. But sometimes I feel it's too cold, although I'm cold no matter the temp, lol. He is out jumping and playing though, do he doesn't seem to mind.

It's not so much the cold as it is the huge temperature change coming from inside to outside. If you need a jacket to go outside and it's 70 degrees inside it may be too drastic for him. Since he is an indoor squirrel putting outside if it's in the 50's it is probably not ideal.

[ilovemyroscoe91]

It's not so much the cold as it is the huge temperature change coming from inside to outside. If you need a jacket to go outside and it's 70 degrees inside it may be too drastic for him. Since he is an indoor squirrel putting outside if it's in the 50's it is probably not ideal.

Yeah I thought about that, my dad actually keeps it cool in the house even in the winter, so I put his cage in a cool part of the house so it's not too drastic of shock with the temp change.

[ilovemyroscoe91]

Good grief! I forgot the link!
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-Pet-Squirrels

On this chart it says Acorns are toxic!!!! But I don't understand that. All the squirrels love and feast on the acorns out in my yard. And Roscoe has been eating them for 2 yrs. Iv read that acorns are good for squirrels..... so I'm confused, are they good or bad??

How accurate is this chart exactly? It also says avoid spinach but everywhere else Iv read, says spinach leaves are very healthy for squirrels :-(

[CritterMom]

On this chart it says Acorns are toxic!!!! But I don't understand that. All the squirrels love and feast on the acorns out in my yard. And Roscoe has been eating them for 2 yrs. Iv read that acorns are good for squirrels..... so I'm confused, are they good or bad??

How accurate is this chart exactly? It also says avoid spinach but everywhere else Iv read, says spinach leaves are very healthy for squirrels :-(

That is not worded properly. Acorns aren't toxic themselves, but they FREQUENTLY grow a toxic mold (aflatoxins). If you have ever chopped one open, they are "wet" like a chestnut inside (another nut very prone to aflatoxin) and so they really encourage the growth of this mold. Outdoor squirrels usually have a HUGE number of acorns to choose from, and often prefer to yank them right from the tree (they usually begin to mold once they land on the ground). If they hit a bad one they just toss it - after all, they have ten million OTHER acorns to choose from. Caged squirrel may only have one or two acorns to pick from and so they are precious. They will tend to try to eat something they would reject in the wild. And the aflatoxin can kill them.

Spinach is extremely high in oxylates - google "oxylates and calcium" and you will see why - it is one of those vegetables that has good and bad attributes. Foods high in oxylates are linked with urinary issues, too. Substitute kale for spinach - lots of calcium but relatively low in oxylates.

[ilovemyroscoe91]

That is not worded properly. Acorns aren't toxic themselves, but they FREQUENTLY grow a toxic mold (aflatoxins). If you have ever chopped one open, they are "wet" like a chestnut inside (another nut very prone to aflatoxin) and so they really encourage the growth of this mold. Outdoor squirrels usually have a HUGE number of acorns to choose from, and often prefer to yank them right from the tree (they usually begin to mold once they land on the ground). If they hit a bad one they just toss it - after all, they have ten million OTHER acorns to choose from. Caged squirrel may only have one or two acorns to pick from and so they are precious. They will tend to try to eat something they would reject in the wild. And the aflatoxin can kill them.

Spinach is extremely high in oxylates - google "oxylates and calcium" and you will see why - it is one of those vegetables that has good and bad attributes. Foods high in oxylates are linked with urinary issues, too. Substitute kale for spinach - lots of calcium but relatively low in oxylates.

OH!! Thank you so much for clearing that up!
When i give him acorns I usually take them straight from the tree and make sure there are no holes or cracks in them, but there have been times where I have picked them off the ground.
Ill be much more limited on the acorns, well nuts in general, from now on.

[Chickenlegs]

Here’s the deal on acorns. They are seasonal foods for many animals including squirrels. A squirrel may binge on acorns fresh from the tree for a month in the fall then no more acorns till the tiny green ones show up next year. Thing is, when we collect acorns they are generally acorns we find on the ground. Many have been infested with acorn worms’s (actually squirrels kinda like em)—some are cracked. That’s contamination. Even when they are floated to remove the bad ones, you have acorns that have been on the ground—contaminated. Frozen acorns can mold. The mold is an aflatoxin. BAAAAAAAAD! It kills. I have harvested acorns. I float them then slow roast them. Then freeze. Before I give my guys an acorn, I crack it to make sure there is no mold. EVEN if I have a perfect batch of acorns, they are all tossed right after Christmas because acorns are a seasonal thing. There are a lot of tannens in acorns and I don’t think that’s good long term. Long story short, you have to be VERY careful with acorns and they are a treat. The nutrition is minimal for our inside guys. They don’t eat a ton to get what they need nutrition wise. Why take a chance—unless you can take uber precaution against mold. I will say, if I find a branch with baby acorns on it—it’s coming home with me!

[ilovemyroscoe91]

Here’s the deal on acorns. They are seasonal foods for many animals including squirrels. A squirrel may binge on acorns fresh from the tree for a month in the fall then no more acorns till the tiny green ones show up next year. Thing is, when we collect acorns they are generally acorns we find on the ground. Many have been infested with acorn worms’s (actually squirrels kinda like em)—some are cracked. That’s contamination. Even when they are floated to remove the bad ones, you have acorns that have been on the ground—contaminated. Frozen acorns can mold. The mold is an aflatoxin. BAAAAAAAAD! It kills. I have harvested acorns. I float them then slow roast them. Then freeze. Before I give my guys an acorn, I crack it to make sure there is no mold. EVEN if I have a perfect batch of acorns, they are all tossed right after Christmas because acorns are a seasonal thing. There are a lot of tannens in acorns and I don’t think that’s good long term. Long story short, you have to be VERY careful with acorns and they are a treat. The nutrition is minimal for our inside guys. They don’t eat a ton to get what they need nutrition wise. Why take a chance—unless you can take uber precaution against mold. I will say, if I find a branch with baby acorns on it—it’s coming home with me!

I usually pick them straight off the branch then put them in a bowl in the fridge, after a couple days the little acorn weevel larva come out of some and go dormant in the bowl.
At first I would throw them away but then I read they are actually nuitrishous for the squirrel so I just gave them to him in the bowl(the larvas) and he loved them.
So are the baby green ones, like right when they pop up for the yr, OK for them to eat?
Also what is floating them? Lol