Many of us see squirrels in our gardens, scurrying around in search of food every day. So, what do squirrels eat?
These cute little creatures are the ultimate foodies and can eat a variety of foods. If you want to feed the squirrels in your yard or are just curious to know what squirrels eat, we’ve included a comprehensive guide on what do squirrels eat.
**Remember, you should always check with your veterinarian before adding to or changing your pet’s diet. Getting professional input is the most important component to giving animals a long, happy, and healthy life.**
What Do Squirrels Eat?
In general, the best squirrel food consists of a balanced diet of nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. But the reality is that squirrels like to eat whatever they can find.
They are opportunistic feeders, which means they will eat whatever they are provided. However, they also show predatory behavior and prey upon small insects when they are hungry.
So, what do squirrels eat? Let’s check out the following topics before you go feed squirrels in your backyard.
Are Squirrels Herbivores, Carnivores, Or Omnivores?
Squirrels are mainly herbivores. It means you’ll mainly find squirrels eating plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, plant materials, conifer cones, and fungi.
They have been observed to eat animal-based foods too when they are starving and have no plant sources around them.
Because of this, they are also categorized as omnivores. They can eat bird eggs, insects, small rodents, lizards, and even young snakes.
Do All Species of Squirrels Eat the Same Food?
There are more than 200 types of squirrels. The common types include ground squirrels, tree squirrels, red squirrels, grey squirrels, wild squirrels, fox squirrels, striped squirrels, and spotted squirrels.
Since they are opportunistic feeders, they will eat anything they find on the ground, no matter which type of food it is.
For example, grey squirrels, found throughout North America, eat pretty much the same diet that a red squirrel would. So, we can say that they have the same nutrient requirement and feed on the foods that they find in their natural environment.
In general, most squirrels love fruits and veggies!
Does the Squirrel Diet Vary by Season?
Squirrel’s diet varies with the season. Nuts and seeds are the favorite foods of squirrels. They feed on them whenever they find them.
When they are available in abundance, squirrels eat them and store the rest in winters when seeds or nuts are scarce.
Grey squirrels are clever enough to break the small twigs that have nuts or seeds in abundance, and then they collect the seeds or nuts from the ground. In the winter months, tree bark and buds are the typical foods of squirrels.
While in the summer months, fruits and fungi are the common foods. Ground squirrels eat grass and leafy greens in spring, but they go for seeds when the grasses wilt. They collect the extra seeds and nuts in their burrows.
Some species of squirrels hide seeds in the ground but forget the location. As a result, plants sprout from those seeds, which help in spreading the forest.
Flying squirrels also have nuts and seeds, but they often steal bird eggs from the nests when nuts are short.
Do Squirrels Eat Meat?
Squirrels are omnivores, so, yes, they do eat meat. Many people may find it surprising, but squirrels do not hesitate to eat meat to fulfill nutritional requirements when the primary food is scarce. However, seed, nuts, and fruits are always their first priority.
Squirrels living in urban areas are typically more meat-eaters. They explore garbage and eat whatever seems to be edible, including pieces of meat.
If a squirrel finds a bird’s nest having eggs unprotected, it will eat them as eggs are highly nutritious and easy to eat.
They also hunt insects and bugs. Larger squirrels can even eat small mice and eat a snake after killing it in self-defense.
You can find several videos of squirrels hunting mice on the internet. Under some rare circumstances, squirrels can eat squirrels for the sake of survival.
Do Squirrels Eat Bird Eggs?
As mentioned earlier, squirrels do steal and eat bird eggs. They enjoy the healthy protein and fats that the eggs provide.
Squirrels, especially pregnant squirrels, like eating eggshells that are full of calcium. Some chicken owners also complain about squirrels stealing eggs from their chicken coop.
Not only the eggs, but they can also eat baby birds when their parents are gone to collect food.
Baby birds or small birds are weak and defenseless. So, squirrels can eat them, too, if they are hungry.
They are adapted to climb on trees and walk on the land, making hunting eggs easier. This makes it difficult to protect eggs from squirrels.
However, if you place a squirrel feeder with enough food, they may first snack on them and lose the appetite to eat eggs.
Do Squirrels Eat Apples?
Apples are one of the favorite fruits of squirrels. They have great nutritional value.
If there is an apple tree in your garden, then squirrels may often steal apples from it. They will take the apple when it is small and easy to carry. Then take a few bites and leave the rest when their hunger has satisfied.
Apple is safe food, but feeding it in excess to a squirrel can be harmful. It is high in sugar and starch, which are not healthy when fed in a large amount. So, give it in moderation, like 2 to 3 slices per day.
Apple seeds are also toxic because they contain a lethal compound called cyanide. As squirrels are scavengers, they will eat the hard apple core easily.
If you are feeding them apples, then try to remove seeds because they can have ill effects.
Do Squirrels Eat Tomatoes?
Yes, squirrels do eat tomatoes. Tomatoes have 95% water by weight.
Most squirrels feed on them when they are thirsty. They are also soft and easy to consume, which makes them even more favorite food for squirrels.
Many gardeners, who love keeping their vegetables and fruits safe, struggle to find ways of protecting tomatoes from squirrels.
They do not mind it if squirrels steal one or two tomatoes. The problem is squirrels damage multiple tomatoes in a row.
A squirrel will feed on one tomato, take two bites, throw it away and then move to the next tomato.
They also attack the ripest tomato first. But they like unripe tomatoes equally.
The best way to prevent this damage is by enclosing your plants in a cage or keeping water nearby, so squirrels drink it when they are thirsty instead of eating tomatoes to quench their thirst.
Can Squirrels Eat Carrots?
Squirrels are not picky eaters, so they eat a variety of foods, including juicy carrots.
Carrots have vitamin K1, carotenoids, minerals, fibers, and antioxidants, making them highly nutritious. They are well-known for improving eyesight and reducing blood cholesterol levels.
Squirrels love munching on carrots whenever they get a chance. Chewing this crunchy vegetable helps them improve their teeth as it acts as an exercise for the teeth, particularly the front teeth.
You can serve it to your squirrel in raw as well as cooked form. The raw carrot is preferred over-cooked carrot. Clean it to remove all chemicals and dirt. Cut it into small pieces and serve 2 to 3 pieces to your pretty little pet.
Can Squirrels Eat Chocolate?
Yes, squirrels can eat chocolates. In fact, they love eating it and would try to steal it from your bag or maybe hand when you are not paying attention.
It gives them the energy to keep going throughout the day. Even though the consumption of chocolate has some benefits, the main question still is whether it is safe for squirrels or not.
Chocolate is safe only if it is given in a very small quantity. There is compound theobromine in chocolate, tea, and coffee. It is very toxic to several animal species if it is consumed in a large quantity.
Therefore, avoid giving chocolate to squirrels even if they love it a lot.
There are many delicious alternatives to chocolate like pine nuts, pine cones, sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, hickory nuts, pumpkin seeds, and seasonal fruits. So, choose something that is delicious as well as healthy for your backyard squirrels.
Can Squirrels Eat Bread?
Since squirrels are opportunistic feeders, they would love bread even if it is stale.
Even though squirrels enjoy bread, keep in mind it does not have any nutritional value, so you should only feed it to them occasionally.
Bread is also high in sugar. Consuming too much bread means the squirrel will have more sugar in its circulatory system, which can further cause diseases or make squirrels hyperactive.
Bread also has salt, another ingredient that squirrels should take only in a small quantity. Besides that, bread also contains cellulose.
Some animals, including squirrels, cannot digest this compound properly. Taking it in a larger amount can lead to digestive issues.
Stale bread is safe to consume unless it does not have fungus growing on the surface. Also, brown bread is more nutritious than white bread. If you want to give bread, then choose brown bread over white bread.
Can Squirrels Eat Almonds?
We all know that squirrels eat nuts by nature. And it could be any sort of nut. Give one nut like almond to a squirrel, and you will be their best buddy.
Almonds are highly nutritious and healthy for you as well as your squirrel pet. It contains healthy fats, natural laxatives, zinc, calcium, and many other essential nutrients.
It is very good for brain health, and even an almond shell can help a squirrel sharpen their teeth.
Squirrels enjoy shelled and unshelled almonds equally. Giving them the shelled almonds will help them learn how to open nuts, and it will also make their front teeth sharper.
Be Careful of Cyanide Poisoning
Be cautious; almonds have a compound called cyanide. A squirrel can get cyanide poisoning if they eat many almonds at a time.
The common symptoms of cyanide poisoning are trouble breathing, muscle twitching, and sudden death. Therefore, give this healthy nut to your pet only in moderation.
You should also know that almonds can be bitter or sweet. Bitter almonds have more cyanide, and consuming only a few of them can cause the sudden death of a squirrel.
Can Squirrels Eat Grapes?
Squirrels can certainly eat grapes. In fact, they love this sweet and juicy treat a lot. Grapes are healthy for them since they contain several different nutrients.
They can boost the immune system and overall energy of squirrels. If you have a grapevine in the garden, you will often see squirrels around it. It will make protecting grapes hard for you.
As squirrels have sharp teeth, they will easily consume grape seeds, too.
Before feeding grapes to your squirrel pet, know that it is a high-sugar fruit. It means consuming only a few of them can increase the blood sugar level many times.
Giving more grapes to your squirrel will certainly make you their favorite, but it will also put their lives in danger. You can feed them less sugary fruits along with a few grapes to fill their appetite.
Can Squirrels Eat Pumpkins?
Yes, squirrels can eat pumpkins. Like most fruits and vegetables, pumpkins have several essential nutrients that can help animals and humans develop a healthy body.
They contain many carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These components collectively improve bone health, eyesight, and the immune system.
One good thing about pumpkins is squirrels can eat different parts of this plant. Pumpkin vines, stem, leaves, rib, skin, flesh, and seeds are all safe and nutritious.
Instead of putting any of these parts in the dustbin, put them in the squirrel or bird feeder. They will be more than happy to have this nutritious food.
You can feed raw and cooked pumpkin as you like. While giving the raw pumpkin, cut it into small pieces and put the fleshy part outward to attract squirrels.
Make sure you wash the pumpkin skin thoroughly. It does have pesticides and similar chemicals, which can be harmful to the squirrel.
Can Squirrels Eat Raisins?
Yes! Grapes turn into raisins when they are sun-dried. Squirrels like raisins as much as they like grapes.
They are equally nutritious and can help a squirrel meet their nutrition requirements. They are high in calories and sugar, which is why they are often referred to as “nature’s candy.”
Due to the high sugar levels, squirrels should not have many raisins. Taking high sugar can cause diseases in squirrels, just like it can cause diseases in humans.
So, give only a few raisins to your furry pet to make sure their sugar levels stay normal. There are different types of raisins. Squirrels enjoy all types equally.
Can Squirrels Eat Bananas?
Yes, but only in moderation. Squirrels love bananas because they love almost every fruit. Bananas are highly nutritious and are very convenient snack food for humans.
But when it comes to feeding it to the squirrels, you should know that it can raise the blood sugar level in squirrels and negatively influence their health due to its high sugar content.
So, give only a small portion of banana, that too, occasionally.
Squirrels do not eat the banana peel as it does not appeal to them. Therefore, you will have to peel off the banana yourself before offering them only a piece of it.
Can Squirrels Eat Peanuts?
Yes, you can feed them a few, but make sure they’re not salted.
Peanuts are one of the favorite snacks of squirrels. They contain numerous healthy nutrients such as protein, healthy fats, flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals.
Even though there are many nutrients in peanuts that help the human body in several ways, these nutrients are of no value to squirrels. It means a squirrel’s body does not need the nutrients that peanuts provide.
We all know that squirrels like nuts, but peanuts are actually not nuts. They are legumes. You can give your squirrel pet healthy nuts like almonds, walnuts, etc., that are healthy as well as tasty.
Even though peanuts hold no nutritional value, there is nothing wrong with feeding one or two peanuts to your pet once in a while.
You can give shelled and unshelled peanuts as you like. But make sure they are not salted. Squirrel kidneys are very tiny compared to ours.
They cannot filter a huge amount of salts which can result in poor health. So, avoid salted peanuts at all costs.
Can Squirrels Eat Dog Food?
Do not feed squirrels dog food! Squirrels do not hesitate to try various foods, even if it means eating dog food (or cat food).
They get attracted to it due to its nutritional value. Dog food contains all the nutrients that a squirrel needs to survive. So, if you have left a dog food tray in the backyard, you may find its content missing after a while.
If you have a pet squirrel and are planning to feed it dog food, then it is definitely a bad idea.
Dog food is particularly designed for dogs according to their nutritional needs and digestive system. You cannot feed it to squirrels every day as it can harm them if given on a daily basis.
Instead, give squirrels something they love to eat, such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
Squirrels will not stop exploring your pet dog’s food tray. So, either stop placing it in the backyard or buy a squirrel feeder to give them something particularly made for them.
Squirrels tend to get into the food you’ve set out for other animals. For example, squirrels will often try to get their way into bird feeders to eat the bird food.
You can even buy a squirrel-proof bird feeder if you need to deter squirrels from eating the bird feed.
Can Squirrels Eat Insects?
Squirrels are omnivores, so they can eat insects. Bugs and insects are very rich in protein and also have healthy fats. Squirrels need both nutrients to survive and live a healthy life.
Therefore, whenever there is a shortage of fruits and nuts, squirrels will start hunting insects to meet their nutritional needs.
Common examples of insects that squirrels eat include grasshoppers, bees, caterpillars, butterflies, larva, and ants.
Some people believe that the decline in the insect population is due to the squirrels. It is a misconception.
There is proof that squirrels feed on insects only occasionally; fruits and nuts are their primary food. Also, deforestation and climate change are the actual and research-based reasons for the decline in the insect population.
Can Squirrels Eat Mushrooms?
The simple answer to this question is yes. Squirrels that live in forests and away from the human population are very fond of mushrooms.
Mushrooms are a kind of fungus, and today, there are thousands of types of mushrooms. They have vitamin B, niacin, and other important nutrients that support the human and animal body in several ways.
Not all mushrooms are edible. Some are poisonous, and eating them can cause instant death.
Surprisingly, squirrels have adapted themselves according to their surroundings. Due to this, they can eat mushrooms that are poisonous to humans without getting harmed in any way.
If you plan to grow mushrooms in your garden, start looking for ways to protect them from squirrels. They will not leave a chance to feed on foods that contain healthy nutrients.
Can Squirrels Eat Junk Food?
No, it’s not good for them! Because of their foodie nature, squirrels can eat almost all sorts of junk foods. You may have seen them eating a piece of pizza while sitting in a dustbin. But still, that does not mean you can feed them as much of this junk as you like.
Junk food has no nutritional value, and it contains unhealthy fats. They are as unhealthy for squirrels as they are for us.
Our bodies can still digest a high amount of fats, but a squirrel’s tiny body may fail to do so. So, avoid feeding any sort of junk food to squirrels to protect them from getting in harm’s way.
What Do Baby Squirrels Eat?
Female squirrels have a gestation period ranging from 29 days to 65 days (depending on the size of the baby squirrel). Squirrel babies are called kittens or kits. Since they are mammals, squirrel babies depend on their mother’s milk.
They are born with their eyes closed, and they do not go out of their nest for at least 40 days. Female squirrels start weaning their babies after two months.
After that, kits go out of the nest and feed on the things they find around them. They start eating all sorts of solid foods after getting matured and developing teeth.
How Much Do Squirrels Eat Per Week?
Squirrels have a curious nature. They spend most of their day in search of food sources. They would raid bird feeders, nests, chicken coops, dustbins, or anything that can have something edible.
Their eating habits vary tremendously since it depends on several factors like its species, age, natural habitat, size, health, etc. But, still, we can say that, on average, an adult squirrel usually eats one pound per week.
Squirrels will store the extra food in either different locations or only one place to eat in winters when the food is scarce. Many times, squirrels will forget the place where they had buried the food.
Foods to Avoid When Feeding Squirrels
Even though squirrels are ultimate foodies and eat various foods, there are still certain foods that you should never give them.
We have already talked about not giving salted peanuts and some healthy foods in abundance to squirrels. Besides that, you should not give them candies and highly processed foods because they have no nutritional value.
Squirrels do not like raw onions and garlic. So, do not force these vegetables on them. Do not give them dairy products and food items high in cellulose. Their digestive system cannot digest them, which can result in poor health.
Summary: What Do Squirrels Eat?
So, what do squirrels eat? Squirrels can eat pretty much anything. They are active and need to eat several times a day to meet their nutritional needs.
If you’re looking to give those cute squirrels in your backyard a snack, then bring on the fruits and nuts.
You can feed them the above-mentioned healthy foods but know that moderation is the key. But remember, at the end of the day, squirrels are still wild animals and will need to learn to hunt their own food.