What Squirrels Eat, Their Diet, and What Not to Feed Them

[@speedrazer2000]

I get 8 - 12 grey squirrels in my backyard 7 days a week. I spend about $100 a month on my wild critters. Shelled pecans and walnuts and bird seed. But their favorite by far is peanuts in the shell. They will not touch fruit or veggies. Please don’t forget a BIG bowl of water. I have seen them drink a lot of water. Watching them eat and play is my payment … 🌞 🌻 🐿

[@ranger-planet]

Wow! So many!

[@speedrazer2000]

Don’t get me started on the birds. Over 100 + a day. Blue jays- Doves - blackbirds - A cardinal family - And 3 Spoiled Woodpeckers who CALL me for their Pecans. You think the squirrels are bad ? lol… 🌞 🌻 🐿

[@sharrongray1837]

Aww bless you thank you for feeding these lovely little fur babies 😁 I love squirels

[@SBMPLYMA]

:) same here friend; love your post.

[@KoolT]

Me too baby mine love plain peanuts

[@amandlathree]

What I have discovered, if they are not starving, is they are picky when they have consistent choice. When I feed them daily, or every other day, they will leave certain items behind, like fruit. Fresh or dried. It's always left behind. They love in-shell nuts, especially the hard shell nuts. They always have the urge to gnaw, so in-shell nuts provide them that relief. Along with a mixed nut variety, I always leave 4 hard shell nuts in the front part of each of the 3 little feeding pavilions. It's where they run to first. More valuable than gold for them.

[@yesitsdenise7525]

oh is that the issue? mine are SUPER picky, snort at me if i give them anything but peanuts, red grapes and walnuts. how dare i offer melon, oats, strawberries, or anything else, i get a very dirty looks lol

[@susan7553]

Just come across your lovely video. I love watching squirrels, my indoor cat likes to sit in the window watching them and the pigeons that come into my garden. But the grey squirrels that come in my garden won't eat fruit or vegetables when i put it out. Their favourites are hazelnuts and walnuts. 🐿️🐿️🕊️🕊️

[@s.m.fveritas4931]

I have a rescued squirrel I saved when she was a wee baby. She was severely dehydrated and full of parasites when I found her. Took her home. Got some puppy milk and a bottle. I gave her a bath first to get rid of the parasites, she loved that! Lol then I got her back to health with the milk. I used to be able to play with her when she was a little bigger and started eating solid foods within their diet range, but now that she's older and an adult, she hates me. Lol

[@ranger-planet]

That is a wonderful story. Well done you and thank you for sharing.

[@garethleitner9547]

I've got 3 or 4 local foxies that love to visit the rock that I regularly put a handful of almonds, shelled walnuts and fresh fruit on. They almost always clean their plate! Sometimes they're there waiting for me!

[@bcbudd7158]

Grey squirrels visit my hi-rise apartment balcony - cute little critters, amazing climbers. I feed them nuts (shelled walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazelnuts) - they love these but seem less interested in vegetables and fruits. I put out blueberries for them last year, they sniffed around, not interested. Otherwise, squirrels rock !! Thanks for the informative video.

[@ranger-planet]

Thank you for the message bc budd. Climbing up a hi-rise for food, that's clever!

[@stonedoliveees]

Our garden wild squirrels are munching on ripe hawthorn berries and rosehips...walnut and hazelnut tree saplings and sunflower 🌻 popping up all over our gardens too 😊. Natures natural woodland regenerators for free...how small but mighty value they have in more ways than one and are!

[@machumak4915]

I get about 15 per day and over 30 birds. I love mention of water and what you consider payment. Sam’s club has me spending just as much per month or just a little more as I have 2 properties. Unsalted nuts: mostly cashews, mixed nuts and peanuts in shells, bird seed that serves both the birds and squirrels, sunflower seeds, water (fresh every day) and now grapes. ❤. I put extra bird seed out coz I know the squirrels will get into them.

[@Lisa-cg9vv]

I have four now, so been giving them water, peanuts from a critter mix. I put peanut butter in a cup for one, and he played with it so cutely. I love them! 🐿️

[@apollonia6656]

In other words: they are not fussy! Love squirrels.

[@ranger-planet]

That's probably a really good way of putting it.

[@sharrongray1837]

Thank u for sharing with us all xx

[@ranger-planet]

You are so welcome, thank you.

[@chiefinspectorclue-so7433]

In the 70's I had a fox squirrel. When a hornet or a wasp or any kind of bee would fly into her cage, she would grab it and bite it's head off. She would then eat it. She got stung several times doing this, but it never stopped her from eating them.

[@eclark3849]

The Gray ones where i live in the uk dont seem to like veg or fruil a bit of organic carrot sometimes thats it they lov nuts seeds and peanuts the most

[@ranger-planet]

Interesting, but you’re right, it seems different regions of squirrels favor different foods.

[@yesitsdenise7525]

mine only eat peanuts, red grapes and walnuts. nearly impossible to get them to eat anything else.

[@billcummins5801]

I can't think of anything that you've listed that you didn't hit on the nose that I even some that I didn't even know about that was very entertaining and educational

[@DailyMyChildhood]

This is very useful video .

[@ranger-planet]

Glad you think so! Thank you.

[@brunab8867]

the absolutely love Avvocadoes!

[@ranger-planet]

Can't say I blame them either! Thanks for the input Bruna.

[@patriciabecker3536]

Mangos and peaches and apples..beside nuts.

[@nissynicynicy7345]

1to 5 age squirrel have what to eat please video

[@Daxi007]

Спасибо. Очень полезный фильм. Белки удивительно всеядные зверушки. Во многом они сами определяют, что им есть. У меня в квартире белка живет уже лет. Я наблюдаю и изучаю ее повадки. Вам удачи.

[@ef5842]

I have read that squirrels also love acorns and especially walnuts. Squirrels must never have salted nuts because salt will cause them to lose their hair.

[@SummerofKittyLove]

I feed and water squirrels on my balcony all year round, but I’m worried about the harsh winters. I’m attempting to make an insulated warm box made out of wood and I don’t know what to do about water in winter

[@ranger-planet]

Great idea, let's hope they use the winter box. They are generally able to source water over winter.

[@robertfindley921]

They eat the budding leaves of my oak sapling in spring. I had to put a baffle on the trunk.

[@ninaelsbethgustavsen2131]

My thumb rule for feeding birds and squirrels is ; Feed them nuts, fruits, berries and seeds you yourself can eat.... Buy bird peanut butter. It contains no sugar or salt. (You can also make your own).

[@watchingover3592]

I’ve read that pine nuts and cashews are not good for squirrels and a few sites add sunflower seeds as not good for them. How can you say cornflake cereal is good when you also say to avoid corn based products? The rest of the list is very informative thank you!

[@ranger-planet]

Really appreciate the input here. Some may be subjective, but I can certainly say that squirrels adore sunflower seeds, they will sit atop sunflowers devouring the whole sunflower head. They are so naughty, but cute!

[@LGF79]

Year later comment, but natural corn types may be contaminated with a fungus that's bad for them. Processed corn, fresh corn (washed thoroughly) is fairly safe.

[@edie4321]

Raw cashews on the tree are poison. There's a process and even the cashews that say raw cannot be.

[@noahpriest7049]

My squirrels only eat nuts,won’t touch fruit or vegetables

[@mkp3824]

I've left avocado and strawberries out. They don't touch it. In fact, they haven't been around to get the walnuts and peanuts, either. Someone must be feeding them some pure junk food nearby, because most squirrels would be all over my porch for that.

[@edie4321]

Or you have predators watching your porch.

[@christyrosshuish7051]

I have tried so many fruits and vegetables and they are also organic ones. My gray squirrels I feed in my yard only want NUTS!

[@ranger-planet]

Thanks Christy&Ross, good input. Fair to ssay vegetables do tend to be a last resort.

[@speedrazer2000]

You know what they say, you are what you eat.. lol.. 🌞🥜🐿🌻

[@lizhays1325]

Watermelon? Rehabbing a baby squirrel and he seems to love watermelon.

[@bonzo713]

Hmm hmm..."Flying squirrel"

[@craffte]

I stopped giving them peanuts on the regular basis since I found out peanuts have almost no nutrition for them. Broke my heart. But I want them to be healthy more than I want me to be happy when they eat peanuts. So only randomly and much less. The time they take finding hiding spots for those peanuts is time they could be spending hiding or eating healthy foods. I will never short them on their precious time again. I know that they will hide any food they find, so I have to be responsible. A few peanuts now, and only as treats.

[@mikeheasman2594]

Our local squirrels really seem to like the bones left over from KFC.

[@edie4321]

If we fed them those in Albuquerque the coyotes would get both first.

[@Shaharalyn1977]

They pretty much eat what I eat. It will be simple to feed them.

[@americaisacontinent.]

lol this guy gave a huge list of what squirrels eat..😅

[@nellomichi6416]

one part says feed corn and corn cereal, then another part say do not feed corn based products ?????

[@edie4321]

Corn ceral is likely loaded with sugar that can't be good for them.

[@VirtLands]

I believe they're omnivores. I've seen them eat cantelope, berries, wheat, pasta, peanuts, fried chicken, steak, eggs, yoghurt, cheese, .. But, they don't like onions, nor shrimp, and don't really like beans.

[@HYDROCARBON_XD]

Yeah they’re omnivores

[@katherinemalster5596]

I heard somewhere that avocado is poisonous for squirrels

[@WadeRaney-vv5oi]

My Squirrels eat from my supplier from Amazon,+ Strawberries,they just don't eat together,they will get angry? with their own kind,apart,they are fine👋

[@cindyd.01]

You just said cheese is a great source of fat for them. Then you said don’t feed them dairy products. Guess what cheese is.

[@iamthegreatcornholio7836]

is bologna good?

[@Auggies1956]

Unless I missed it they will eat pine cones.

[@ranger-planet]

Thank you for the input Auggies1956, yes you're absolutely right they do eat those too during winter.

[@LTon07]

Why do you repeat one the food they eat everytime ?

[@craffte]

Brooosel sprouts.

[@XavierAway]

So in other words they’ll eat pretty much everything 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ranger-planet]

Indded it seems that way, although other commenters have some thoughts on what they might prefer.

[@willymags123]

I would like to know what kind of spices squirrels eat? How about turmeric? Does it supply the same anti properties in a squirrel as it does a human?

[@ranger-planet]

That's a good question. It's not something I've investigated. I can only imagine they gain sufficient nutrients from their usual diet :)

[@g.m.5395]

Just pay attention to what was stated in the video only please

[@bobporch]

Unless a squirrel's habitat is Walmart, just where are they supposed to find all the fancy fruits and vegetables you show in this video. I live on 2 acres with very old walnut, oak and pine trees. Walnuts, acorns and seeds from pine cones are their staple diet. The only useful part of this video is don't feed them chocolate. I can kill many animals.

[@Bethoflife]

If you put a couple of dabs of Vick's on your garbage bag o spritz with cider vinegar, no animals or insects will touch it.

[@davidyancey4225]

Do squirls eat bread

[@jameswilsoncomedy444]

Squirrels love macdonalds food