Train Squirrel to Chew?

[serious]

Successfully rehab squirrel lives in a nest box in my backyard for three months now. However, he has malocclusion and needs help keeping his teeth worn down. Two weeks ago I had his teeth trimmed and now I'm trying to entice him to wear them down, but I am having trouble...

When he was in a cage, he kept his teeth worn down with nuts in a shell, hardwood, chew toys and pumice rocks. However, now that's he's free in the backyard he doesn't chew on the items I placed outside. Furthermore - he won't chew on nuts either. Instead, he buries every walnut, hazelnut, almond, etc...

Does anyone know how to 1) break him of the habit of burying 100% of nuts & 2) get him to be interested in chew toys again. I even tried giving him peanuts in a shell and he won't eat them, but digs a hole and sticks them in.

I did try sticking him back in a cage with a selection of nuts. But he spent the day jumping around with the nuts in his mouth and stashing them.

His teeth are growing back and I need to get him chewing again! Any tips welcome.

Note: I do feed him once a day with "boo balls," because I want to make sure he's getting all the nutrients he needs.

[supersquirrelgirl]

Hi, your post makes me laugh! Had same problem here with a wild foxer girl (Suzie). She would take a whole walnut and bury it and then come back in 5 mins for another. After many nuts buried, I found a way to get her to eat them instead of burying.

Most squirrels do the nut spin to inspect it. Well, I put a partial hole in the walnut shell so it would fail inspection. As a result, that nut was cracked open to eat instead of being buried. Over time, I think she was on to my trick. Once, she did the spin inspection which failed due to the hole, she dropped the walnut in front of me and walked away. (but within 5 seconds, another squirrel grab it to eat!)

Mr.SSG

[Chirps]

That is fascinating!

[serious]

Thanks, that was the trick. Though now he only chews on it for a couple of seconds, before abandoning the walnut. But, it's progress

[supersquirrelgirl]

Go a step further and cut walnut in half then squirrel will not even do the spin inspection......hopefully just eat it. You can always add a touch of peanut butter to make more enticing. Sometimes these guys get so picky with what they eat. Try pecans with same hole trick.

Just to make sure, does your squirrel eat anything solid ?? If not, maybe check the teeth for any issues.

God luck!