Homemade Mongolian Squirrel Feed

This animal’s diet must be rich in protein and, above all, very varied. However, certain foods that other animals can eat are prohibited as they can be toxic.

The Mongolian squirrel is very agile and is known as a pyramid rodent, as it comes from a desert habitat.  

In nature, it usually lives in Africa and Asia, places where it lives in burrows, which it builds to protect itself from the heat.

Because they live in a dry habitat, Mongolian squirrels get almost all the water their bodies need from their food.

They get along very well with humans and, being very independent, do not require great care.

Physical characteristics

Mongolian squirrels have a long tail that measures almost the same as their body: about 12 centimeters.

In addition, they have more developed hind legs than other rodents, thanks to which they make huge leaps.

These small animals are characterized by having very large eyes, which allow them to be aware of their environment if they encounter a predator at night (they are nocturnal). They live very little time compared to humans: from two to three years.

Advice on Mongolian Squirrel Feeding

The Mongolian squirrel diet is based primarily on three types of food:

1. Grains  (cereals and seeds). Mongolian squirrels are picky about food. It is difficult to find specialized foods for this type of animal in common stores. Therefore, it is recommended that the owner make a special mixture of cereals and seeds. All necessary ingredients are in common use and can be found separately.

To start this mixture, the hamster food is used as a base and is simply adapted.

Like? First, most sunflower seeds must be removed, as they are high in fat and calories, and other seeds are added, such as canary seed, amaranth, flaxseed, and sesame.

Cereals such as oats, barley, rye, corn, wheat, etc. can also be added to this preparation. Ideally, the seeds and cereals used should be varied and easy to handle, so that they fit in their hands.

Seeds and grain should be the nutritional basis for any Mongolian house squirrel ; they can also consume cooked rice, peas and soy.

1. Fruit:  It is recommended to give them fruit once a week. They love apples and should avoid fruits such as strawberries, grapes and raisins.
2. Vegetables:  They are recommended twice a week, especially cooked. Their favorite vegetables are lettuce and carrots. However, they eat almost any vegetable or vegetable.

Other foods for your diet

In addition to their ration, they can also feed on other things from time to time:

• Bread. It is important that it be hard so they can gnaw with their teeth.
• Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds. They are your favorites, but because of their high fat content, it’s recommended to combine them with exercise.
• Dried fruits. No salt such as almonds, walnuts, peanuts or quinoa.

The more varied your diet, the better. The most important thing about this is that the diet is high in protein.

An adult Mongolian squirrel with normal activity requires 12% protein and 7% fat in its diet; when it is more than two years old, it increases to 17% and 4%, respectively.

prohibited food

Below, we’ll look at a  list of common foods that can harm the Mongolian squirrel’s health :

• Sweets, chocolates and honey. They are toxic because they contain too many sugars.
• Milk. These animals do not digest lactose as it is not natural in their diet.
• Garlic and onion. They can cause anemia and irritate mucous membranes.
• Green tomatoes  (not ripe). May cause intoxication.
• Apple  or pear seeds. They contain cyanide and are therefore toxic.
• Eggplant. May cause intoxication.
• Rabbit food. Does not meet the nutritional needs of a Mongolian squirrel. Also, they contain antibiotics that can make them sick.
• Raw fish. May contain parasites.
• Raw beans. Toxic.
• Citrus. Because of the acidity, they can cause diarrhea.

food and behavior

There are some behavior patterns that can tell us how we should act when it comes to feeding the Mongolian squirrel.

• Mongolian squirrels  often bury the food and feeder. When they dig up the trough and put it back in the cage, it means they’ve just eaten and want more.
• It is not recommended to add new foods if there is still some in the pan, as they tend to eat the seeds they like best first and leave the rest. If there is no more food, they will choose to eat what is there.
• The daily serving of food is equivalent to one tablespoon.