Squirrels are commonly observed in gardens and urban environments, prompting questions about their dietary habits, especially concerning vegetables like potatoes. While known for consuming nuts and seeds, their foraging extends to other available food sources. This raises questions about whether potatoes are a suitable or harmful addition to their diet.
The Squirrel’s Diet and Potato Consumption
Squirrels are omnivores with a diverse diet that changes with the seasons, primarily consisting of nuts, seeds, fruits, fungi, and tree buds. They are particularly fond of acorns, walnuts, and hickory nuts, crucial for building fat reserves during colder months. While potatoes are not a typical component of a squirrel’s natural foraging diet, squirrels will sometimes consume them if given the opportunity.
Their opportunistic feeding behavior drives potato consumption. Squirrels are adaptable scavengers, investigating various food items, especially when natural food sources are scarce. Potatoes, rich in starch, offer an immediate energy source, attracting their attention. This means potatoes can become a target for squirrels exploring gardens or human-influenced areas.
Potential Health Impacts for Squirrels
Potatoes can pose health concerns for squirrels, primarily due to solanine. This natural glycoalkaloid is concentrated in the skin, green parts, leaves, and sprouts. Solanine acts as a natural defense for the plant and can be toxic if consumed in large amounts. Ingesting too much solanine can lead to gastrointestinal distress in squirrels, with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
High concentrations of solanine can also cause severe effects, including neurological symptoms like weakness and confusion. Raw potatoes are particularly problematic, as cooking helps reduce these toxic compounds. Beyond toxicity, potatoes offer limited nutritional value for squirrels, lacking essential proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals that a balanced squirrel diet requires. Therefore, while squirrels might eat potatoes, these tubers should not be a regular part of their diet due to the risk of solanine poisoning and inadequate nutrition.
Protecting Your Potato Harvest
Gardeners seeking to protect potato crops from squirrels can employ several humane strategies. Physical barriers are generally the most effective, including chicken wire or hardware cloth to create cages around plants or garden beds. For raised beds, flexible plastic mesh fencing, buried several inches deep, can prevent squirrels from digging under and climbing over. Covering the soil with a deterrent like chicken wire also stops squirrels from digging up tubers.
Repellents can also deter squirrels, though their effectiveness may vary and require reapplication, especially after rain. Squirrels are often deterred by strong scents such as cayenne pepper, peppermint oil, coffee grounds, or garlic. These can be sprayed directly on plants or sprinkled around the garden. Additionally, planting companion plants that squirrels find distasteful, like mint, marigolds, or nasturtiums, around potato beds may help discourage their presence.