active squirrel is now very sleepy and independent

[nbabe]

Hi Im new to this site.

I saved 3 years ago a brown baby abandoned squirrel. He has been living in my house since then. he always had a tendancy to wake me up to play with me and to greet me at night. He would always always come see me when I call him.In past month that change.

I had a month ago a 2 weeks period where I was out the house before he awoke for a temp job. My shcedule is back to normal but he now is never awake in the morning. I go see him he peeks out and goes back into his nest. If he comes out he comes to see me but a few minutes only. then he wants food.

he never hibernated...unless at 3 years old they become adult? I read and I dont think he is sick ...see no signs as described of it.

He just seems more independent and less energetic.


I feed him nuts and some veggies everyday. fruits a few times a week. sometimes some alfafa cubes(that I started this week as I read they like them and timothy hay(mostly). He also gets a peanut suet supplement made of corn, roasted peanuts oats, and rendered crude suet and soy oil.

Am I worrying for nothing....is it normal this change or due to my absence or he is now an adult and his behavior changed?

[Chirps]

Hello!

Something that is jumping out at me is your description of your squirrel's diet. Please read this post.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...-Pet-Squirrels


As you can see, nuts should be very limited for a captive squirrel. Please try to locate one of the commercial rodent blocks such as Harlan Teklad (I think this must be ordered online). Another that may be easier to get is Mazuri Rat and Mouse Diet. The blocks should be the main part of their diet, along with appropriate veggies, less fruit, and even less nuts.

Your squirrel may be in the beginning stages of Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), which WILL kill him if left untreated. For now, to help offset any probable calcium deficiency, you can add powdered calcium to his food. Even human antacid tablets like Tums or whatever equivalent brand you may have there will provide calcium. Just don't get the kind with Vitamin D added, as the Vitamin D is toxic to squirrels.

There is a company, Henry's Healthy Pets, that sells nutritional supplement blocks for squirrels, to make sure they're getting the needed calcium. You might check out their site and see if you can order from them. Hopefully others who use their products will see this thread and offer their experience of what blocks their pet squirrels like best. You will have a tough road getting him to convert to a healthy diet, but it is essential for his health. Not to be dramatic, but literally a matter of life and death.

Please keep us posted.

[nbabe]

What about the pellets I give him called peanut suet (DESCRIPTION & INGREDIENTS: Corn, Roasted Peanuts, Rendered Beef Suet, Oats, Soy Oil.) thats what an animal store told me to give as he wouldnt eat rodent food.


Also Look at recipe for making them but henrys mix vitamins is 18$of shipping (with exchange rate that is around 25$) Im in canada...anyone here in canada has a recipe we can make wit hingredients in canada or pet sore?

[Chirps]

The pellets you give him are mostly composed of all the things pet squirrels should have almost none of in their diets. Unfortunately pet stores usually know nothing about the dietary needs of pet squirrels. You say he wouldn't eat rodent food. Was it one of the ones I mentioned or one of the seed combinations a lot of pet stores sell as "squirrel food" or "rodent food"? Actually if it was a seed mix he probably WOULD eat it, so it must have been some sort of block/large pellet?

Look at the healthy food pyramid. If you have access to one of the healthy rodent blocks, like maybe the one he wouldn't eat, tough love will be needed. He may go on a hunger strike for a couple of days but he won't starve. If all he has access to is the healthy food he will eat it. He may try to wait you out as he wonders what happened to all his yummy junk food.

Check around the board for recipes for homemade boo balls. Absolutely you should be able to find the ingredients there to make healthy foods for him at a much cheaper cost to you. Also one of the Henry's items you may have seen is a supplemental block, so even at fairly substantial cost it should last you for a couple of months? Others here can speak to that. I think it's two blocks a day to make sure they're getting their vitamins and calcium.

I'm hoping others will see your thread and chime in.


EDIT: There is a thread right now in the Nutrition forum about making homemade blocks. Check it out.

[nbabe]

ouf! thought these pellets were good to him... I also based his nutrition on animal platnet website (nuts to give, veggies to give etc.) didnt thought they would need supplement as I was following that list

Just found the only distributor of Envigo-Harlan Global Lab Blocks 18% Protein Rodent Diet in Canada. Shipping was a killer since they are in a different part of canada but at least I hear on this site and on refuge squirrel that they are good and complete for squirrels.
I will try to make the goo balls you mention....but I want to try to find the nutrients and vitamins addon he needs....

[applecrisped]

The Henry's Blocks are supplemental; a bag will last for a month when feeding one squirrel 2 blocks a day. They will keep in the freezer so buying a few bags at a time may save you some money on shipping.

The tricky part about making your own blocks is the vitamins. I think I've seen a recipe/instructions but I can't find it now (it was on another site, with a green background? Maybe someone else can help there.)
I know the shipping is expensive, but the 200g bag of Vita-mins from Henry's will last 6 months. The label says '1g per pound of body weight, per day', but I spoke to someone at Henry's they said 1g a day for an adult squirrel was sufficient. The recipe that I used called for 33g for a 30 day batch.

I have fed the Envigo-Harlan Global Lab Blocks 18% Protein... I had to soak them in a little water and mix in a little peanut butter at first to get mine to eat them. These are good, but they need to be the majority of the diet to provide complete nutrition. I don't know how long a bag of these will last.

Henry's blocks on the other hand are like a vitamin gummy - everything your squirrel needs is in 2 blocks. Also, the Henry's blocks are tastier - it'll be easier to get your guy to eat them. I started with the Picky blocks and Mixed blocks - mine are not picky and liked all of them, but did start refusing the Wild Bites after a while.

If you haven't already seen it I posted about my homemade blocks, including the recipes I used, over here, if you find that getting the vita-mins from henry's and making your own blocks is the best option.


With the lethargy and the diet, I am also concerned about MBD, but I don't have any experience with it. I would add some calcium to his food, as Chirps said.

[Chirps]

So glad you found the Envigo-Harlan blocks.

Be prepared for the upcoming likely battle of wills over the change in diet, but stick it out. As all parents say, "This is for your own good!"

Meanwhile, how is your squirrel? Is he still lethargic?

[nbabe]

HE is normally loose in the house....but he does have a huge cage...so for past few days I put him in the cage....gave him rodent blcocks for hamster (all I could have until the others come) and more veggies... I would say he is not sleepy in his cage ... I hear him a bit from now and then in his roller....but not as he was a month ago.

I hope I will get next week the blocks and we can start the battle of who is the boss in the house!(he was....but it will change

[Scooterzmom]

HE is normally loose in the house....but he does have a huge cage...so for past few days I put him in the cage....gave him rodent blcocks for hamster (all I could have until the others come) and more veggies... I would say he is not sleepy in his cage ... I hear him a bit from now and then in his roller....but not as he was a month ago.

I hope I will get next week the blocks and we can start the battle of who is the boss in the house!(he was....but it will change

I sent you a private message with my phone number. I could help in the meanwhile. He needs some nutritional change real quick and I can help you with that.

[nbabe]

I ordered vitamins...but might not have for a while with shipping delays. As I read a bit more seems lots of people give 2-3 times a week yogurt as a calcium supplement... if that s still good (old comments) I would buy some tomorrow and start him with that
also some add esbilac....is that the one for puppies?