Squirrel Food-What Do Squirrels Eat?
Squirrel food can be surprisingly varied, as squirrels are not fussy eaters, and also eat slightly different food at different times of year. For example, in the autumn, our squirrels eat (and bury) nuts almost exclusively. However, in the spring, they’ve also been known to chew on bay leaves, spring bulbs, and yes, a variety of fresh green shoots!
This information is especially true for grey/gray squirrels. Other species of squirrel may differ slightly. For instance, red squirrels are fond of pine cones, and especially, the nuts inside those cones. And baby squirrels need special care (which is part of the reason why it’s important to take them to a rescue shelter or rehabilitator if you find them).
More about what adult squirrels like to eat
Also, just like humans, individual squirrels seem to have their own food preferences (eg some like banana pieces whilst others don’t).
What’s more, too much even of food most squirrels enjoy can be bad for them. For example, many wildlife rehabilitators agree that over-indulging on peanuts or walnuts can cause some squirrels to have elevated levels of phosphorus, and therefore to become over-excitable.
Having said all this, there is a short list of foods that are almost always enjoyed by most squirrels, in something like an order of preference:
-Hazelnuts or filberts
-Other seeds or nuts
-Corn or maize kernels.
And remember, your squirrels are unique and individual, so may have their own food preferences too.
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Comments on Squirrel Food-What Do Squirrels Eat? »
avirath @ 4:26 am
how and what to feed baby squirrels. I guess they are of grey type. we are in bangalore.
thanks
Avi
JustSquirrels @ 8:03 pm
Hi Avi, and thanks so much for your your question.
Do the squirrels you’re observing seem to have stripes down their back? If so, they could be Indian Palm Squirrels.
Not being familiar with them as a garden visitor, I’ve had to do some research about this. And it seems thta, like other squirrels, they are mainly herbivores (eating fruit, seeds, nuts, etc) but can also be tempted on occasion into eating insects and even birds’ eggs.
If it helps, I can remember some of my father’s squirrel visitors running off with half coconuts on occasion too (though these were grey squirrels, so probably not the same species). But it does suggest that at least some squirrels may do just fine with all kinds of fruit and nuts.
I’m not a trained biologist, so this is all info based on observation and looking things up-do check elsewhere if in doubt.
But from my observation, all squirrels (who have an astonishing sense of smell)will tend simply to leave any food which does not appeal to them, and go to town in eating that which does.
So, if you have the time and inclination, you might like to experiment to see what sort of food your particular squirrels prefer.
Please do keep us posted, and thanks again for your question.
kathy @ 11:34 pm
i have a squirrel that like to come to my front door .looking for food.i have gave it peanuts.but i am also wondering what else they like to eat.and what other foods ican buy for them.and if they like fruit.
JustSquirrels @ 4:11 pm
Hi Kathy
Many thanks for your question. To answer it simply, I’ve never met a squirrel yet that didn’t enjoy hazelnuts/filberts. They seem to like them whether shelled or not, and in huge quantities. So, any hazelnut/filberts which are “just the nut” (ie no added sugar or salt)from any grocery store, should be fine.
As for fruit, some squirrels seem more partial to this than others, so experimentation is the key. But small pieces of banana seem to please many squirrels.
Hope this helps!
Ted @ 10:22 pm
Are almonds OK as food for squirrels?
JustSquirrels @ 6:30 pm
Many thanks for your question Ted.
As almonds are more expensive than hazelnuts here, this is not something I’ve ever tried out for our squirrels.
However, my research on this for you suggests that, like many foods, in small quantities, sweet almonds are fine. (Remember also that squirrels have a great sense of smell, and are likely simply to leave or reject *any* food which is not good for them).
Finally, you don’t mention which kind of squirrel you’re wanting to feed…I’ve been assuming you’re feeding grey (gray!) squirrels.
It’s worth noting though, that the almond orchard owners in California actually regard ground squirrels as a pest…suggesting that almonds are a big-time favourite with that species of squirrel.
I hope this helps, and thanks again.
Patsy A @ 7:05 pm
Why would a squirrel eat through my kitchen screen? I caught on in the act - but today I gound a hole in another window screen — how do I know if it is in the house? What do I do now - whill it attack my kids at night — Help
JustSquirrels @ 5:24 pm
Patsy
As ever, if you are in any doubt about a particular animal and its behaviour, please check with your local vet or wildlife sanctuary, as your own particular circumstances are unique to you.
Having said that, as a general rule, though squirrels will occasionally eat unappetising things such as wire, their main motivation for chomping through such things is to get to more readily-edible food.
This is normally the only reason they’ll choose to go into someone’s house at this time of year too (the other being shelter, eg. in a roof, but that’s generally a winter thing).
As you mention your kitchen in your comment, I’m guessing that this squirrel’s (very sensitive) nose smelled something delicious and inspired him to gnaw.
As an example of what I mean with all this, the only time a wild squirrel has come into our house was when we accidentally left a large box of hazelnuts too near an open window. He squeezed and gnawed his way into opening it enough to get in, and claimed his prize.
Which leaves two suggestions from us for helping to avoid this happening.
1) Store any food that squirrels might like (eg. nuts, seeds, biscuits , crackers, etc) in as airtight a way as you can, and as far away as you can from any external windows, screens or doors. Think like a squirrel-if you were one foot high but hungry, agile, and had tiny chisels for teeth, could you get to the food?
2) Consider “distraction feeding” the squirrels as far away as you can from the kitchen. If they have their own inexpensive source of food, they’ll probably leave you, and yours, alone.
Hope this helps, and please let us know how you get on.