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Why Does My Squirrel Not Eat Its Nut Square / Nut Ball

7/29/2016

17 Comments

 
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Why a squirrel will not eat a Nut Square / Nut Ball is a question that I am sometimes asked. Since the answer can be multifaceted, I decided to address it here in my Blog.

I've often said that raising a squirrel is much like raising a child. The difference is that what takes place over 18 years with a child, takes place in a year or less with a squirrel. The main similarity is that squirrels, like children, have their own distinct likes and dislikes. They also have their own distinct personalities. One squirrel can be very sweet and compliant, while another can be a royal terror.

The idea of personal likes and dislikes can be seen when you raise multiple squirrels at one time over a long period of time. You observe that what one squirrel will eat, another one will not touch. It's very obvious that they have their own unique likes and dislikes, and that extends into what they will and will not eat. So, personal tastes can play a role in what foods a squirrel will eat.

One thing that is pretty universal among squirrels is the fact that they like nuts. At first thought, it doesn't seem to make sense that a squirrel would not like a Nut Square, after all, it is over 80% Pecan meal. But, in the process of making them, people put different types of fruit puree in the mix. Some use peaches, some applesauce, some strawberries and even avocado. If the fruit that is used, is not one of the favorites of the squirrel, it is possible that the scent of that fruit in that Nut Square turns them off to eating it.

Another aspect of this likes and dislikes idea is that sometimes a squirrel is overfed. When someone writes with a squirrel feeding problem, I always ask how they feed. Nine times out of ten, the people with a feeding problem provide a smorgasbord of different fruits, vegetables and nuts, and allow their squirrel to pick and choose what it wants to eat. I also ask if their squirrel is allowed to have stashes of food hidden in their cage or habitat. Scatter hoarding, ( hiding food,) is a survival instinct that has no place in a captive situation.

A squirrel that is allowed to pick and choose what it wants to eat, very often becomes a problem eater. This can be a real problem when they refuse to eat something as important as a Nut Square.

There's one more aspect of squirrel behavior that I have observed by having my blind squirrel, Lucky for over the past 8 years. And, that is, that she does not eat a Nut square everyday. There are days that she will not touch it, so, I leave in her cage. What I do notice is, that she will nibble on it, and gradually it will get eaten. I also noticed that if I withhold a Nut Square for several days, she will often accept and eat it. Being blind and inactive makes it difficult to keep her from gaining weight, so we try to keep her in a state of being hungry most of the time, and we limit the amount of food she is allowed to consume.

What this tells me is that squirrels instinctively know and will eat what their body needs. In the wild, if a squirrel is needing calcium it will raid a birds nest and eat an egg, shell and all, or chew on the bones of dead animals. They instinctively know what their body needs and will eat accordingly.

All this brings us back to the question of how to get a captive squirrel to eat healthy. The first step is to quit the smorgasbord, and do progressive feeding. Squirrels in the wild do not get 3 meals a day of unlimited quantity. They eat what they can find and take full advantage of abundant times to prepare for hard times. Survival is the name of the game for wild squirrels.

Hunger is a powerful motivator when it comes to getting a squirrel to eat what you want them to eat. This is how you do progressive feeding:

First, you clean out all food stashes in your squirrel's habitat. Starting the next morning, you serve your Nut Square. If the squirrel turns up its nose at it, that's fine, it stays in the squirrel's bowl until it gets eaten. No other food is given until the Nut Square gets eaten. When the Nut Square is eaten, you bring on the next course. If the squirrel eats it, then the next course is served. This continues until the squirrel doesn't want any more food. Nothing is left in the food bowl.

In the evening, you serve what the squirrel will eat, and nothing more. The next morning, you do the same thing. Squirrels are quick learners. It doesn't take long at all for them to make the connection that eating the Nut Square is the way to get more food.

This is an adaptation of a technique my mother used when I was growing up back in the 1950's. It was a rule for my sisters and I that we had to eat at least one bite of everything that was served for dinner, or we would have to sit at the table until we did. My mother always grew a large garden, so there was always different vegetables that were served at meal times that weren't always our favorites. But, the rule was the rule, and it seemed that I was always the one who was opposing the rule. I think my record was to hold out until 8 PM for a dinner that was served at 6PM. If I remember correctly it was over a bite of eggplant. The bottom line is, today there is no vegetable, ( except for slimy Okra,) that I don't thoroughly enjoy eating!

Apparently, squirrels are quicker learners than I was!


17 Comments
Krisztina staab
10/6/2016 10:27:47 pm

we have found a baby squirrel about 3 weeks ago. it was alone and hungry so we took him home. he had fleas so I was suggested to give him a bath in dawn liquid dishwasher fluid. we did that and the fleas are gone. a few days ago I noticed he was scratching like crazy and now he has fur loss and crust and bloody gashes in his skin all over. I ordered your treatment kit for mange which will be arriving on Saturday. I have two concerns: I don't know his age but he will not longer take formula so from what I gather he must be around 12 weeks. so is the treatment safe? I tried flea drops they don't work. my other concern is that I might have gotten the mites? he was all over me and my kids even sleeping on us before I noticed the skin problem! any input will help thank you!

Reply
William link
10/7/2016 07:01:45 am

Hi Krisztina!

If the flea drops, ( which is safest for baby squirrels,) did not work, you are not dealing with mange. I would not use the Ivermectin on a young squirrel, because it is too difficult to get the dosing right, because it is such a small amount.

I would feed some raw coconut for the lauric and capric acid it contains. These substances are anti bacterial, anti fungal and antiviral. I would also spray the lesions with colloidal silver,(10PPM,) and give a drop by mouth 3 times a day for a couple weeks, and see if that doesn't clear up the condition.

Also, get him out in the sunlight as much as possible, because squirrels synthesize Vitamin D the same as humans, from exposure to direct sunlight.

Bill

Reply
Debi swetnam
7/2/2020 07:50:00 pm

I have a squirrel that's a year old .he has a patch of hair missing around his eyebrow, i thought he scratched his head but the spot is getting larger .and the skin is dark .what can i use on his fur.

tina
10/10/2016 03:55:52 pm

Aside from Henrys blocks and nut/veggie squares that she sometimes eats, is there anything you would recommend feeding a mother who is days away from giving birth? She didn't look like she had much milk after her first set of babies so I'm concerned it could be why they didn't make it. This is her second pregnancy

Reply
William link
10/10/2016 08:49:10 pm

Hi Tina!

My pregnant and lactating squirrels, I make sure they have plenty of calcium, and I feed a high energy diet of Avocado.

Bill

Reply
tina
10/11/2016 04:37:30 pm

Can you list some ways of providing calcium?

Deon
10/26/2017 08:11:25 pm

I want to feed this friendly wild squirrel, but I also wanna give it healthy food. I'm giving it a veggie square everyday. Is that enough to offset the low nutrition of corn and sunflower seeds? I also try to mix in some natural nuts (it seems uninterested in veggies). I'm afraid it might overeat junk food. Or does the squares provide complete daily nutrition?

Reply
Gail
2/8/2018 12:21:27 pm

Deon,
Did William ever get back to you? I have sent him messages but he doesn't answer. I wonder if he is alright?

Reply
William link
2/8/2018 12:36:58 pm

Hi, Dion!

A Veggie Square everyday is a good start because it provides a good balance of Calcium and Magnesium. But, a more important consideration regarding a squirrel's diet is the Calcium/ Phosphorus ratio. Read:
http://squirrelrefuge.org/metabolic%20bone%20disease.html.

If you write to me at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com I can send you our food lists for squirrels.

Bill

Reply
Deon
2/8/2018 01:20:42 pm

That's what I was asking. Does the veggie square balance the ratio? It's not interested in veggies. But it's consuming a lot more corn since winter got cold. I also give it nuts in the shell.

William link
2/14/2018 07:26:32 pm

Hi, Dion!

They help, but not enough to overcome the imbalance caused by a diet of corn and hard nuts. The ratio of Calcium to Phosphorus for field corn is like 1 to 25. The ratio that is ideal for squirrels is 1 to 1 with an allowable ratio of up to 1 to 3.

At least you are getting some calcium into the squirrel, but with phosphorus blocking calcium absorption it makes it an uphill battle.

People that use our Nut Squares on a regular basis do write and tell me that they do notice a positive difference in their squirrels over time.

Bill

Craig Jennings
3/4/2018 11:57:51 am

Is it okay for a squirrel to chew on a pumice block

Reply
Cindy Scheuermann
6/2/2019 10:15:26 am

Bill, can't find your building/assembly instructions for a wire squirrel cage🙏. I've ordered the box but want to make a wire enclosement, 4'x4'x7' so i may start introducing my 3mon old male to the outside world during the day for a few hours.
Thanks...Cindy

Reply
ari mccrite
4/11/2020 09:20:57 am

I was also curious about the pumice / lava rock question from Craig Jennings as well as your avocado diet. this obviously does not include the pit of the avocado, or does it? what about the peel? thank you for your advice. I love my rock squirrel, her name is early.

Reply
Holli Hall
7/18/2020 06:46:07 am

Hi Ari,
I believe I read on one of his other blogs(in the comments)that they can infact eat the avocado pit. Bill said he does everyday on his smoothie.
The FDA likes to strike fear in people saying they will kill you but he has not found this to be true.
I hope that helps! I'm new to all of this and enjoying my squirrels so much more.

Reply
Teresa Waugh
10/17/2020 08:15:50 am

My neighbors cat got a baby around 8 to 9 weeks old and it not able to walk i don't see any outside blood but she can't move her back legs have her on a heating pad in a box should I try and give it the puppy milk or pedolite? I had a baby squirrel bout 10 yrs ago so I'm trying refresh my memory

Reply
Marie Arnott
9/22/2022 08:47:02 pm

Can't find nut ball recipe. Thank you

Reply



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    Author

    William Sells is a Registered Nurse turned Squirrel Rehabber and Nutritionist. His passion is raising healthy, disease free squirrels through feeding them the right way and the treatment of common squirrel diseases. He's always open to questions and comments regarding Squirrels and their care and feeding.

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