Squirrels are frequent and engaging backyard visitors, often sparking a desire to offer them food. Understanding their natural dietary needs is important for proper feeding. This guide details healthy foods for squirrels, those to offer occasionally, and those to avoid entirely, along with practical advice for responsible feeding.
Squirrels’ Natural Diet
Squirrels are primarily omnivores, consuming diverse foods that vary with seasons and local environment. Their diet largely consists of plant-based materials like nuts, seeds, fruits, and fungi. Common foods include acorns, walnuts, hickory nuts, and pine seeds, providing essential fats and proteins.
Beyond nuts and seeds, squirrels forage for tree buds, flowers, and wild berries and fruits like mulberries and apples. They also consume fungi and tree barks, offering additional minerals and roughage. While plant matter forms the bulk of their diet, squirrels are opportunistic, occasionally eating insects, bird eggs, or small amphibians, especially when other food sources are scarce.
Foods to Offer Occasionally
Certain foods can be provided in moderation to backyard squirrels. Unsalted nuts in their shells, like pecans, almonds, and walnuts, encourage natural gnawing behavior, which helps keep teeth healthy. These nuts also provide fats and protein, mirroring their wild diet.
Fresh fruits like apples, berries, and melon can be offered in small quantities, providing vitamins and sugars. Vegetables such as carrots, corn, and squash are acceptable additions, though corn should be limited due to its lower nutritional value. Small amounts of these items supplement natural foraging, supporting overall health.
Foods to Avoid Entirely
Many common human foods are harmful or toxic to squirrels and should never be offered. Processed foods, including candy, chocolate, and salty snacks like chips or pretzels, contain high sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats that can lead to obesity, dental issues, dehydration, and metabolic problems. Chocolate contains theobromine, a stimulant squirrels cannot metabolize effectively, which can cause tremors, elevated heart rate, or seizures.
Dairy products are problematic because squirrels have difficulty digesting lactose, potentially causing stomach upset. Avocado pits and skins are toxic to squirrels, containing harmful substances. Moldy foods, including peanuts, can carry aflatoxins that severely damage a squirrel’s liver and immune system.
Responsible Feeding Practices
Responsible squirrel feeding involves more than just selecting the right foods; it also includes mindful practices. Portion control is important, meaning offering only small amounts of supplemental food to prevent over-reliance on human provisions. Occasional feeding, rather than daily, encourages squirrels to continue natural foraging behaviors, essential for their survival.
Maintaining hygiene at feeding sites is important to prevent disease spread among wildlife. Clean feeding areas regularly and ensure fresh, unfrozen water is always available, particularly during dry periods. Over-feeding can lead to unnatural concentrations of animals, potentially attracting predators or fostering dependency. It is important to provide food in a way that supports, rather than replaces, their natural diet.