Squirrels are common, adaptable creatures found in diverse environments, from forests to urban parks. Understanding their natural diet, seasonal changes, and harmful foods promotes their well-being.
Natural Diet: A Diverse Menu
Squirrels are omnivores, meaning their natural diet includes both plant and animal matter. A large portion of their diet consists of plant-based foods, such as a variety of nuts like acorns, walnuts, pecans, and hickory nuts, which provide essential fats and energy. They also consume seeds from various trees and plants, including sunflower seeds. Fruits, such as berries, apples, and wild fruits, are also part of their diet, offering carbohydrates and sugars. Beyond these, squirrels forage for fungi like mushrooms and truffles, buds, flowers, and even tree bark, which provides nutrients and aids in dental health.
Squirrels also opportunistically consume animal-based items. Their diet can include insects like grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars, which provide protein. They may also eat bird eggs, nestlings, small invertebrates, and, less commonly, carrion.
Seasonal Eating Habits
A squirrel’s diet changes throughout the year, adapting to the availability of food sources in different seasons. In spring and summer, when fresh vegetation is abundant, squirrels focus on new buds, flowers, and a variety of berries and other fruits. Insects also become a more accessible food source during these warmer months, supplementing their plant-based diet with protein.
As fall approaches, nuts and seeds become plentiful, marking a critical period for squirrels. They actively collect and cache these high-energy foods, burying them or storing them in hidden locations to prepare for colder months. This caching behavior is vital, as squirrels do not hibernate fully and rely on these stored provisions to survive. During winter, when fresh food is scarce, squirrels primarily depend on their cached nuts and seeds. They also forage for tree bark, dormant buds, and any remaining seeds.
Foods to Avoid
While squirrels are opportunistic eaters, many human foods are unsuitable and potentially harmful for them. Processed foods, sugary items like candy and chocolate, and salty snacks such as chips and pretzels should be avoided. These items lack the necessary nutritional value and can lead to health issues like weight gain, dental problems, and metabolic bone disease. Chocolate, in particular, contains theobromine, a compound toxic to squirrels that can cause severe illness, heart problems, seizures, or even death.
Additionally, baked goods like bread and crackers offer little nutrition and can expand in a squirrel’s stomach, leading to discomfort or malnutrition. Peanuts, though often associated with squirrels, are legumes, not true nuts, and can harbor mold that is toxic to them. They also offer poor nutritional value and can lead to calcium deficiency if consumed in large quantities.