Help! Squirrel 3 years started to active weird

[Mel1959]

If you follow the treatment plan and the MBD was caught early enough there is an excellent chance at recovery. He won’t get better if you don’t get the calcium in him. He may never willingly take it. Have you tried calling Leigh, the owner of Henrys Healthy Pets. The phone number is on their website. She might be able to give you some advice. It’s worth a try.

[Diggie's Friend]

See if he will eat it on his own by adding a few drops of softened Organic virgin coconut oil.

I know this source covers some less than appetizing taste sources;

and though I can't say that it will do this for all sources, it should for calcium carbonate.

Extra virgin Coconut oil has also been found to support the uptake of calcium in humans and rats.

High content sugar sources like Nutella, cause calcium loss from the meal.

A small measure of soft organic low fat yogurt may work also. Adding to this just a small amount of organic applesauce naturally sweetened

(no sugars or artificial sweeteners added), may also help to peek his interest.

Applesauce contains pectin, that was found to support the absorption of calcium into the bloodstream of rats.

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[Valentina]

Thank you, I ll try. For now I tried honey, almond and peanut butter, coconut "butter", nutella, bread, smashed nuts, apple, plum, sweet potato and mixes.. He refuses them all
With injections it would be easier

[Valentina]

He already started to defecate some light poo. Shall I decrease the dose?

[CritterMom]

Are you doing 500mg per day? Do you have any idea what he weighs?

You can decrease but I wouldn't decrease by much - maybe to 400mg. He hasn't been on the treatment very long. Bad cases can take many weeks or months to correct - but yes, they absolutely CAN be turned around if the condition hasn't gotten too bad.

[Valentina]

Are you doing 500mg per day? Do you have any idea what he weighs?

You can decrease but I wouldn't decrease by much - maybe to 400mg. He hasn't been on the treatment very long. Bad cases can take many weeks or months to correct - but yes, they absolutely CAN be turned around if the condition hasn't gotten too bad.

Yes, 500mg. Yesterday he took 200mg, but since today I'm forcing him as he refuse everything with calcium inside. I have seen one white poo yesterday, today they are almost all lighter. He is around half a kg, was 0.53kg 2 weeks ago. I'm struggling to make him eat the healthy diet (I'm waiting for the blocks -I ordered the picky eaters ones and the MBD treatment from Henry's), but I can tell he is searching for the nuts. He is not terribly active, but tried to give me little play-bites, and sleeps on his hammock outside now, instead of hiding in his nest all time.

[Diggie's Friend]

Never had a problem with Calcium citrate being accepted by the adults. Calcium citrate is calcium bonded with an organic acidic, and is more absorbable than Calcium carbonate, and stays in the bloodstream longer. It also has a protective effect on the kidneys, and doesn't lend to calcium deposition in the kidneys, liver, bladder joints, blood vessels, or the aorta when a slightly acid urine pH (6 range) for tree squirrels is supported by the diet.

https://www.nowfoods.com/supplements...te-pure-powder

Elemental calcium measures from this source: (1 1/2 Tsp. = 600 mg); (1/2 Tsp. = 200 mg.) ; (3/8 Tsp. = 150 mg.) ; (1/4 Tsp. = 100 mg

[Valentina]

He is on calcium carbonate and I am forcing him with a syringe. He is better but He refuses everything that is not nuts. At the moment I give him veggies, 2 pieces of fruit and 2 small pieces of nuts a day as treats after torturing him with the treatment. He feels much better in himself, still a bit lethargic but tries to jump (I m studying how to make everything soft in his cage) and wants to be outside more. I m still waiting for Henry s blocks and Henry s mbd treatment kit.

[Mel1959]

I know it’s hard to see them not eat. It’s tough love. When the Henrys get there and you put them in with him hopefully he will be hungry enough to chow down on them. He won’t starve himself. You have to be strong and resist the urge to give him nuts.

[Diggie's Friend]

Have you tried adding the calcium to plain organic low-fat yogurt?

Unlike adding calcium to concentrated sugars both natural and processed (honey and syrups, which cause calcium loss from meals, yogurt supports the absorption of calcium. You can even dilute it with purified water to deliver it by syringe.

Low fat plain yogurt is lower than rodent block diets in all three of the key forms of nutrients (protein, fats, carbs), unlike nuts and seeds (high in fats and protein), and fruits (high in carbs), that can compete with a block diet.

Moreover, what low fat plain organic yogurt can provide beyond a base to put calcium in, is some nutrition while you are waiting for the block to arrive.

https://greenvalleylactosefree.com/p...e-plain-yogurt

This product is naturally low in sugar (lactose free) no sugars added, which doesn't promote high calcium loss as concentrated sugars (both natural and processed) when calcium is added to it. It is also a good source of probiotics, and the prebiotic (pectin) that has been added, which was found in lab research to increase calcium absorption into the bloodstream of rats.

In a study which appeared in BMC Microbiology, rats that ate a diet high in apple pectin had reduced levels of pathogenic bacteria but higher amounts of friendly bacteria than rodents who fed on whole apples, apple juice, puree or pomace.

Pre/probiotics (synbiotics) are needful to include in the diet to prevent, 'dysbiosis', an imbalance of the good to bad bacteria in the gut that lowers calcium bioavailability of the nutrients in foods during digestion, while increasing the absorption of anti-nutrients into the bloodstream, which lowers calcium availability to the body. A lack of pre/probiotics in the diet can promote illnesses.

Calcium citrate is 2 ½ times more absorbable than C. carbonate is in equal elemental measure, and stays in the bloodstream longer than calcium carbonate, resulting in less loss of calcium into the urine, and more calcium going into the bones. It is also not susceptible to bonding with oxalic acid a C. carbonate is into an insoluble form that the body can no longer utilize for the bones or tissues.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...KLH0R8YS8&th=1

This source of NOW Calcium citrate powder is noted on the label to provide 630 mg. elemental calcium from a (1 ½) level teaspoon measure. (1/2 Tsp.) = 210 mg. elemental calcium. Add 1/4 Tsp. to the AM and PM meals into organic plan low fat yogurt.

Study notes:

https://www.scirp.org/Journal/PaperI...?PaperID=89400

https://mykaruna.com/health-nutritio...and-gut-flora/

[Valentina]

Thanks I’ll try! I am a bit worried because the blocks haven’t arrived yet (it has been 14days&#128557 and my boy struggles to eat the healthy diet.. I can see he feels better but he is loosing weight. Is there any recepy for a healthy block do do at home? Without of course the need of crushed Henry’s.

[Valentina]

in the meanwhile I’ve been syringe him the calcium. I’ll buy the ca citrate on monday.

[CritterMom]

Go to a pet store that sells "pocket pets" like rats and mice and see if they have any sort of "manufactured" rat food. By that I mean NOT the bag of mixed seeds and corn and stuff - you are looking for something that is either rod shaped like a pencil or even in smaller shapes like dry cat food. If it is for RATS and is not the seed mix we can help you work with it.