My mom bought this for my 6 month squirrels, is this okay to feed them regularly?
Also can you guys share what you feed your squirrels everyday? 😁
My mom bought this for my 6 month squirrels, is this okay to feed them regularly?
Also can you guys share what you feed your squirrels everyday? 😁
NO. I would not feed mine that. The ingredients are always listed in reverse volume order , with the largest ingredient first. Those first ingredients are very high in phosphorus. You want foods high in calcium.
It is not easy having a pet squirrel. Currently I am getting very little sleep due to a bunch of hurricane babies. Hopefully others here will chime in on positive diet.
They love the bad foods, so good stuff IS hard.
You should try to get them to eat a quality rodent nugget, like Harlan Teklad 2018.
May experiment with soaking them in coconut oil.
Sometime they will prefer one treatment over the other.
Also many make a special mix of a nut, rodent nugget powder, and a milk formula.
That is all ground up and mixed thoroughly and then liquid like apple juice mixed with coconut oil, all hot.
I say like apple juice, because I think that is what many here use.
I think Butternut squash juice is far more nutritious and healthy for them.
That is what I do. I can provide my recipe..
For veggies, I find that Lettuce, Dandelions, and Chickory, are my mainstays.
Butternut squash, ( choose ones with large bulb area, and narrow short stems ) are great.
So they LOVE the seeds, and pulp, then eat much of the body, what is left, I use a juicer to extract the juice for above.
Clare (10-13-2020)
Here is the link for the pet squirrel Healthy Diet. https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...5&d=1391033425
A rodent block is imperative. Many on here feed Henrys Healthy Blocks ordered from Henrys Pets online. The picky eater and hazelnut blocks are favorites. You feed two per squirrel per day along with healthy veggies from the above diet link.
The other mentioned block Harlan Teklad 2018 is a hard extruded block. Some squirrels like it others not. It’s more difficult to get a squirrel to accept if given when they’re older. If your squirrel will eat it it is a free-feeding block. They can have as much as they want along with healthy veggies. It also must be ordered online. Do a google search.
Limit the amount of nuts and seeds your squirrels get or they will end up with Metabolic Bone Disease because of the unbalance calcium to phosphorous ratio. Too much phosphorous in the diet causes the squirrels system to pull calcium from their bones to maintain the proper ratio within their bodies. This is what MBD is.
Beautydust (08-09-2020), bre (08-31-2020)
Hi, everybody. Thank you so much for your reply!
Sadly, I do not live in the US and we don't have rodent blocks here.. That's why I'm so worried and have been searching for more popular alternatives that are available where I live.
I managed to find these two brands: Mazuri and ExoDiet. Which one should I get? Are these good enough?
Mazuri
ExoDiet (couldn't find this brand on google..)
Thanks a bunch!!!
Mazuri is a very popular brand and many rehabbers in the US use it. If the ingredients for the Exo diet are similar, then it’s probably ok. Both are extruded hard blocks which is what is recommended. No seed mixtures.
All things considered, I’d go with the Mazuri since it’s “tried and true”.
Beautydust (08-09-2020)
For what it’s worth, I think Envigo Harlan Teklad 2018 is the best hard extruded block. I’m not sure if you can find it online and have it shipped to you or not? I purchase it on Amazon or ebay.