Scalded Milk Formula
1 Cup whole milk (They need the fat)
Vitamin E 200 I.U. -- (3 or 4 drops)
Stupid List (Stupid things
to NOT feed squirrels and why)
A List of NO-NO's
Nothing-- for 24 hours; he died.
Egg yolk -- they all die. This is literally "unborn chicken", not intended for our vegetarian squirrels -- only for carnivores.
KMR (kitten formula) they die in 3-5 days. One lasted 8 days. The extremely high concentration of egg yolk (unborn chicken) will quickly do them in, especially fox squirrel babies whose little systems are much more delicate than the grays.
Esbilac (puppy formula) -- literally thousands of squirrels have died needlessly in the hands of humans because of being fed commercial formulas recommended on those politically-motivated wildlife-group web pages whose members don't want the public to succeed. This particular formula takes longer than KMR for the harmful effects to set in. Has egg yolk (unborn chicken) in it, no magnesium, too many alien chemical additives and preservatives, and the ferrous sulfate blocks calcium, leading to broken bones, rickets, nervousness, convulsions, seizures, and sudden, unexpected death.
All other commercial formulas supposedly intended for baby animals, no matter WHAT the brand name, cause the same unfortunate symptoms since compositions of all those formulas are basically the same.
Ground-up dog food mixed with Pet Milk -- he died ( Instructions for this awful concoction came from a Wildlife Rehabilitation handbook.). Squirrels are vegetarians and cannot tolerate meat. When squirrels are confused with dogs, the next "step up" can be Puppy Weaning Formula, a sure-fire instant killer, because of the extemely high content of meat.
Pizza-- convulsions, seizure. He died.
Enfamil, Similac, etc. (human baby formulas) -- these are all some of the worst things to feed since they are not intended for wildlife -- they all die -- nor are they necessarily good for human infants either. Soy products and formulas all block calcium and should never be fed to infant squirrels.
Green acorns -- he died.
Sunflower seeds --2 quarts of these were the daily diet of the nastiest-tempered squirrel I ever saw.
Tea - for 2 days to a pinkie squirrel. He died.
All Junk Food (For example)
Candy coated chocolate candy
All Chocolate foods
Jelly beans
Chocolate sandwich cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cake
Peppermint Candy
Walnuts (to the exclusion of anything else -- that was all he was ever fed) caused severe muscular weakness in all four limbs. He never sufficiently recovered in his short life span to be released.
Carrots -- caution! Two have died after gorging on these. (What is this gorging business? squirrels should not be allowed to "gorge" on anything!)
Lamb -- squirrels are vegetarians. They do not store leg of lamb for the winter.
Gatorade is awful! Do NOT feed it! It is not intended for wildlife and isn't good for people either because of the alien chemicals and preservatives in it.
Cereal in baby formula blocks calcium. Does Mama squirrel mix cereal with her milk? (The only exception to this "no-no" rule is when rice cereal must be added to the milk formula for a short time to control severe diarrhea which you really should not have unless you've added something sugary to their diet.)
Skimmed or Low-Fat milk. Eating fat does NOT make you fat. Babies need fat to activate their growth hormones. Calcium will not assimilate in the body without fat.
What Improper Nutrition Can Cause in Squirrels: (These symptoms are NEVER seen in squirrels who have been raised on Scalded Milk and have been given Nutballs as a part of their daily diet when they are older and have started eating solid foods.)
Unexplained sudden death.
Rickets -- hobbling gait of back legs, can only move them ¼" hobbles at a time, can hardly climb. (These were raised on Esbilac and did manage to survive, though permanently crippled.)
Crabbiness, hyperactivity, biting, nastiness, attacking -- caused by a lack of calcium or too much phosphorus (an imbalance), too many acorns (contain tannic acid, the stimulant also found in tea) or sunflower seeds, no variety in diet. These symptoms should be a warning flag because the next step is sudden death.
Severe malnutrition, drunken gait (muscles totally uncoordinated and jerky), stunted growth (weight and size of a 10-week-old. yet she's 5 ½ months old), tail fur arrested at the 6-week-old stage -- caused by giving only 4 foods (acorns, rancid pecans, undetermined type of milk. And only 1 or 2 pieces of apple in her whole life).
Broken bones and malocclusions (teeth missing or thrown out of alignment) -- caused by a lack of the total balanced spectrum of calcium, Vitamin D, magnesium, phosphorus, and fat.
Suddenly going down in back legs.
Seizures -- Squirrels do NOT get epilepsy! --(Some of these who have seizured have survived without dying immediately, but I don't know what the long-term effects of this is on the brain). Out of the approximately 2,500 squirrels I have taken in, only a few adult injured come in in this condition because of a head injury, poisoning or having been hit by a car. None of my hand-raised babies has ever had a seizure. Cause: Severe lack of calcium or "phosphorus overload" (both are the same thing.)
THE NUTBALLS ARE CRITICAL TO THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF SQUIRRELS WHEN THEY ARE OLDER, HAVE STARTED CUTTING BACK ON THEIR SCALDED MILK AND ARE STARTED EATING SOLID FOODS!
More NO-NO'S.
Squirrels are vegetarians. Do NOT feed dog or cat food because these contain meat.
Do not feed Monkey Biscuit: It contains egg yolk (unborn chicken) and will only keep experimental laboratory animals alive for a short amount of time. Squirrels are NOT monkeys!
Do not feed any egg-containing product to squirrels.
Do not feed any kinds of human cereals such as Cheerios. They all block calcium and are non-nutritive fillers.
Do not feed acorns. Tannic acid in acorns causes hyperactivity in squirrels since it is the same stimulant that is in team, as is caffeine in coffee. Green acorns and old moldy acorns can kill.
Limit sunflower seeds. They are not necessary to a healthy diet and are only considered a snack. They also block calcium, are considered hyper-addictive, and can cause liver disease since they are susceptible to aflatoxin, a sometimes invisible mold deadly to all wildlife.
Peanuts are not food for squirrels; They are a legume and are not a true nut. They also have the potential for deadly aflatoxin. Since they are an incomplete protein (lack 2 essential amino acids), they can cause severe hair loss. Do not feed field corn (dried corn) for the same reasons.
Sunflower seeds, peanuts, and field corn are not natural foods for squirrels. All are grown in fields where squirrels do not live or forage, and should squirrels happen to live in the trees surrounding such fields, farmers would not tolerate their presence any more than they would deer tromping through their crops!
Birdseed is for the birds, not for squirrels. Do not feed it.
Iceberg lettuce is yukky, has no food value. Don't feed this either.
Do not feed jalapeno peppers or root vegetables such as radishes, onions, or garlic, except for an occasional piece of carrot or jicama. Squirrels eat mostly "hanging" fruits and vegetables (those things that grow on vines, shrubs, or trees -- not under ground.)
Do not feed Rodent Blocks because they block calcium. They were developed for short-term use in laboratory rats and are not intended for sole long-term feeding of any animal.
Never feed moldy or bruised fruit, slimy corn (aflatoxin), brown or crummy-looking grapes, or anything that is the least bit degraded in freshness. Taste what you feed before passing it out. I have thrown out many a funny-looking or odd-tasting avocado, mealy apple or tainted pear. etc., rather than risk food-poisoning my squirrels. All food should be the ultimate in freshness.
Poisonous Plants and Woods (This is not Intended to be a comprehensive list. Add to it as you hear of others)
All pecan wood, leaves, bark and shells are poisonous. (The pecan nut meat is the only non -toxic part of the pecan-tree)
Nuts from the sago palm are toxic to squirrels from what my email people tell me. Do not give them. In fact, it's wise not to gather in any "foods" from the yard, even if you feel they are safe and/or see "wild" squirrels eating them. Body chemistries are different and what some can tolerate, others cannot.
All fruit trees except apple wood are poisonous. This includes peach trees and the peach pit, nectarine trees and the pit. Box elder wood (seeds only are fine). Cherry pits are also toxic as are apple seeds.
Avocado pit and skin are all toxic/poisonous. Feed only the avocado "meat" part.
Many shrubs such as Japanese Yew, Cherry Laurel, and Waxed Leaf Ligustrum are toxic.
Oil in cedar wood is toxic. The wood is very splintery and can cause abcesses.
Hamster chews are not for squirrels. Ingested splinters have been known to cause intestinal bleeding in baby squirrels.
No pet shop "toys" are recommended at this time for these little wild ones.
Desirable or Non-toxic woods (For squirrels to chew on)
Apple twigs
Hackberry branches
Oak branches (Remove all leaves, even new spring sprouts which can be toxic.
Sycamore
Maple
Arizona Ash
The Positive, YES-YES List
Safe formulas for baby squirrels:
Scalded Milk Formula (made from full fat, whole, milk)
Pet Milk (canned mixed half and half with water) This is only intended for an emergency or on a temporary basis, not recommended for long-term use because of the alien chemical additives in canned milk.
When baby squirrels begin learning how to eat solid foods, I start them out on pecan halves or quarters. (No one ever strangled or choked on a pecan.) They still need their 4 milk meals a day at this time. It usually takes them about a week of crumbling pecans and making a big mess before they learn how to eat sufficiently to sustain life. Add banana, peeled apple, peeled pear, zucchini, etc., to the diet as they become more able to handle solids and as their taste buds develop.
Hold off on soft or slimy foods, such as grapes, peaches, plums or lettuce until they are much older, to prevent the possibility of strangulation or food's becoming stuck on the roof of their mouths. Broccoli is one of those stronger-tasting foods that they may not care for until they are a little bit older and taste buds have developed more.
Peel all fruits before offering to the very young.
Strive for variety, variety. variety!
Always remember that squirrels are vegetarians.
NUTBALLS/SQUARES ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO SQUIRRELS' HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ONCE THEY'VE STARTED CUTTING BACK ON THEIR SCALDED MILK! THEY ARE WHAT KEEPS THEM ALIVE, HEALTHY, AND UNCRIPPLED, BOTH ON A SHORT-TERM AND A LONG-TERM BASIS!
Nuts: (Protein needs come primarily from nuts and are the most important factor in the diet because of the amino acids supplied for growth and development. Make sure all nuts are fresh. Rancid nuts are toxic.)
Pecans
Walnuts
Hazelnuts (Filberts)
Cashew nuts (salted or unsalted, doesn't matter)
Pine nuts
Macadamia nuts (from the jar, not in the shell)
Almonds ---- Give sparingly because these contain salicylates which are stored in and not easily thrown off by the body.
Chestnuts are fine as long as they're sliced open with a knife, cut in half so inside can be inspected and tasted, if necessary. Withered, yellowed, or moldy chestnuts should never be given. Nor should those that have started to sprout since they can be terribly bitter and leave a horrible aftertaste in the mouth. Their life span is very short -- shells are so porous and air can get in to spoil the pure white nutmeat inside, so do be cautious about feeding these.
Brazil Nuts -- Give rarely because these are too high in phosphorus and make squirrels nervous. Since shells are so hard, it's best to cut them in half and only give the half at once. Whether these have withered or spoiled inside can only be detected by cracking them open. It goes without saying that any rancid or dried up, withered nut should never be given.
Nuts from the sago palm are toxic to squirrels, from what my email people tell me. Do not give them. In fact, it's wise not to gather in any "foods" from the yard, even if you feel they are safe and/or see "wild" squirrels eating them. Body chemistries are different and what some can tolerate, others cannot.
Fruits and Vegetables: (Supply essential vitamin and mineral requirements) Give 4 or 5 daily -- small amounts, no larger than the size of your thumb end including thumbnail, chunks about an inch high and an inch wide.
Leafy green vegetables (more desirable because of their high Vitamin A and C content):
Red-tipped or green-leafed lettuces (Romaine is preferred)
Endive
Spinach (go easy on spinach because it contains nitrates which are carcinogens)
Small tender leaves of:
Beet greens
Swiss Chard
Turnip greens
Kale
Hackberry leaves (if you know what a Hackberry tree is)
Broccoli -- (its cousin, cauliflower, has little food value)
Celery, leaves and ½" very short piece of stalk -- please don't put the whole plant in the cage! Celery has zero nutrition in it so give only sparingly.
Other vegetables:
Squash (Yellow, Zucchini, and Butternut)
Cucumber (Peel rind if waxed)
Tomato
Sweet potato
Green Bell pepper
Okra
Sugar Snap peas
Snow peas
Corn --- A 1" slice cut in 4 pieces. (Give only 1 or 2 of these pieces.) Do NOT put in a whole ear of corn for them to gorge on: Corn sours and molds quickly.
Green beans (1 ½ " sections)
Fruits (all, except where noted, should be a small piece about the size of the end of your thumb including thumbnail)
Avocado
Blueberries (3 or 4)
Blackberries (1)
Strawberries (1/4)
Raspberries (these mold awfully fast so feed only those that are of the ultimate freshness)
Banana (small slice)
Kiwi (supposedly the most "nearly perfect" fruit)
Watermelon (I consider this nutritionally poor because it is mostly water)
Cantaloupe
Grapes (1 - 2 occasionally)
Raisins (same nutritional value as grapes)
Plum
Pineapple
Mulberries
Fig (1/4 to 1/6th)
Dates (1/3rd is a sufficient serving)
Apple -- (seeds in the core are toxic -- do NOT feed)
Peach or Nectarine
Pear
Orange(small piece)
Mango(small piece -- skin is toxic, so peel it off)
Other:
Mushrooms (store-bought only). Do NOT feed white button or Portabello mushrooms because they contain three carcinogens.
Seeds: (All sun-dried by you)
Pumpkin
Squash
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Cereals:
Please don't give commercial cereals -- they are NOT part of a squirrel's natura1 diet. All of them block calcium,and often contain chemical additives and honey which has the potential for deadly botulism. The daily Nut Ball they get is sufficient in terms of any so-called cereal need.
Return toThe Beginning...
Suggested Daily Schedule for Self-Feeding Squirrels
Rather than allow free-choice feeding (all the food they can eat, whenever they want), I control what I give to avoid finicky eaters.
Breakfast: First thing in the morning I give each squirrel:
Scalded mild formula (as long as they'll take it, either from the syringe or from a small water bottle. Do not leave milk in water bottle longer than 15 minutes.
A few pieces of pecans or walnuts, all they will clean up in about 10 minutes. (Increase amounts as they get older.
1 leaf of something green, such as lettuce, spinach. mustard greens, Hackberry stem with new leaves, etc. -
or one broccoli flowerette with stem
or one or two 1 ½ pieces of green bean
or ½-1 sugar pea (Snow Pea)
or any other type of fruit or vegetable from the preceding list.
Lunch: (Babies under 3 months old get lunch. I quit giving lunch when their supper appetites get poor.)
Few pieces of nuts
Small piece of pear or other fruit or vegetable
Supper:
Scalded Milk (Same as for Breakfast above. This is usually when babies have cut back to 2 milk feedings a day).
Nut Ball (goes in cage first. Then I go away to prepare their other food and in 15-20 minutes when I return, the Nut Ball has been eaten.) NUTBALLS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF SQUIRRELS ONCE THEY'VE STARTED CUTTING BACK ON THEIR SCALDED MILK! THEY NEVER OUTGROW THEIR NEED FOR THEM, NO MATTER HOW OLD THEY ARE!
3 - 4 selections of fruit or vegetables, making sure that none of the vegetables block calcium in the Nut Ball.
Pecans (I go back around a few minutes later with a few pieces of these, enough that they will clean up in about 5-10 minutes.) If you find they are not finishing up on their fruits and vegetables at this evening meal, cut out the nuts to prevent a imbalanced diet.
This is sufficient food for fat, healthy squirrels. They do well on a "controlled" diet such as this, rather than to have food eternally available to them. -- The most common cause of squirrels not eating their daily Nutball is too much food in the cage. All stash should be removed so they'll have nothing to draw on to spoil their suppers. Once a squirrel starts to bury food, he's no longer hungry, so don't put any more food in there.
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