Squirrel Food - A Guide To Feeding Squirrels

What fruit can squirrels eat?

Squirrels enthusiastically consume fruit. If you chance to live near a fruit tree, fruit bushes, or fruit vines, you've probably observed squirrels devouring and hoarding these delectable treats.

Squirrels may easily climb fruit trees to steal their fruit. Pears, grapes, apples, kiwi, avocados, peaches, nectarines, figs, plums, mangoes, and citrus are among the fruiting plants that squirrels devour.

Squirrels will also consume a variety of fruit, including strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and mulberries. Bananas, watermelons, cantaloupe, and cherries are also favourites of squirrels.

The benefit of consuming fruit for squirrels is that it provides them with a sugar rush and a great deal of energy to continue foraging for other food.

What Foods Do Squirrels eat?

People commonly believe that squirrels only consume nuts and seeds. However, this is not the truth. While most of their diet consists of plants, they also consume animal-based stuff.

The Eastern Grey Squirrel, for instance, is known to consume insects, amphibians, small animals, bird eggs, young bird nestlings, and even bones.

Still, plant-based matter constitutes the majority of their diet. Squirrels consume nuts, seeds, tree blooms, and tree buds from a variety of trees, including butternut, cedar, dogwood, elm, hackberry, hemlock, hickory, and maple, mulberry, pine, and spruce, in an environment devoid of human interaction. They also occasionally consume mushrooms and fungus.

When humans and squirrels interact, they consume different food, some of which is highly nutritious and sourced from natural sources.

Other favourites are not entirely natural, but squirrels enjoy them anyhow. These include peanuts, peanut butter, pecans, pistachios, grapes, corn, squash, zucchini, pumpkin, strawberries, carrots, apples, sunflower seeds, and even snacks.

Why do squirrels consume nuts?

Nuts appear to provide the ideal combination of proteins and lipids to sustain them throughout the winter. Despite their predominantly plant-based diet, they cannot digest certain plant products (such as cellulose) and rely on nuts for food.

What foods do squirrels enjoy eating?

As opportunistic omnivores, squirrels prefer nuts and seeds but will consume practically everything they can find. Some of their favourite nuts are walnuts, almonds, acorns, pine nuts, and hickory nuts.

What do squirrels eat during winter?

Due to the relative scarcity of food sources throughout the winter, both squirrels rely primarily on their buried food stockpiles. Contrary to popular belief, squirrels do not hibernate during the winter, although they limit their activity level to preserve energy, moving only to gather buried food.

What do garden squirrels eat?

Sometimes squirrels will consume a few extra fruits or vegetables in the garden, which can be very frustrating. There are numerous approaches to managing them. You can erect a barrier, cover the ground with mulch or gravel, install a motion-activated gadget to scare them away, or erect a squirrel feeder to divert their attention.

You might further deter them by cultivating plants they dislike, such as mint or mustard. However, squirrels are intelligent and resourceful creatures. Occasionally, despite your best efforts, they will still get access to the garden.

What can I feed the squirrel in my garden?

People should endeavour to provide backyard squirrels with their natural diet, which consists of walnuts, hickory nuts, acorns, and beech nuts. Human foods (even seemingly fine meals like bread) should never be provided to a squirrel, as they frequently lack sufficient nutritional content and can sometimes be detrimental.

Small amounts of corn, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and pumpkin seeds are OK, but they should not comprise the squirrel's primary diet. A simple feeder in the backyard should be sufficient to attract hungry squirrels.

Tips & Tricks on Feeding Squirrels

How you feed your squirrels will depend on the species and behaviour of your squirrels? Are they terrestrial (like chipmunks) or arboreal (like fox squirrels and greys)?

Do you like takeout squirrels who grab and run or customers who linger while awaiting dessert? Do you fill your bird feeders year-round or only during the holidays? Let's check out some tips for feeding squirrels:

• Get designated squirrel feeders. This will prevent squirrels from accessing bird feeders.
• Yes, squirrels can consume birdseed, but it's not ideal; therefore, they should be fed separately.
• Water is not a concern; therefore, sure, squirrels can drink from your birdbath.
• However, birdbaths are used for washing, providing plenty of clean water as well.
• The water should be changed daily, as it is exposed to the elements and will gather contaminants.
• Instead of fresh fruits, provide squirrels with seeds they may bury if you enjoy watching them dig.
• Squirrels have been observed eating eggs; therefore, if you have chickens, you should squirrel-proof the pen.
• Keep your feeders raised to mimic the feeding behaviour of your squirrels in the wild.
• To preserve the squirrels' standard eating patterns, increase the food supply while decreasing the water level.
• Each week, disinfect your squirrel feeders and water dishes to prevent the growth of bacteria.
• You may use hot water and dish soap because they are safe and food-grade.
• Red squirrels frequently forget where they hid their food, so provide them with additional treats.
• Greys have better memories, so try putting seeds close to where they store their food.
• These reds and greys will fight over food (greys can even steal reds' forgotten caches)!
• Therefore, determine whatever species of squirrel you have and plan correctly for their diet.

Ultimate Deluxe Squirrel Food Seed & Nut Feed Mix

If you're looking for a high-quality, all-inclusive feed mix for your squirrels, look no further! The Ultimate Deluxe Squirrel Food Seed & Nut Feed Mix provides everything your furry friends need to thrive, including various nuts and seeds. Plus, it's made with organic ingredients, so you can be sure that your little critters are getting the best possible nutrition.

Conclusion

Squirrels are amazing creatures, and they deserve to be treated well. If you want to provide your squirrel with the best possible food, Deluxe Squirrel Food Seed & Nut Feed Mix will make his life a lot easier.