WHAT CAN I USE TO FEED SQUIRRELS IN MY BACKYARD
Observation squirrels may develop into a soothing and enjoyable pastime that is quite affordable compared to other forms of wildlife watching. In order to get started, all you need is a squirrel feeder and some squirrel food.
Despite the fact that squirrels will eat just about everything you put in front of them, you may not be aware of what to feed squirrels in your backyard if you are like most people.
The best and worst things to feed squirrels will be discussed in this post so that you can get started right away with your feeding program.
In Your Backyard, Why Should You Feed Squirrels?
Feeding squirrels is strongly opposed by certain individuals, who believe it is a poor idea in general. A squirrel feeder in your backyard is a wonderful thing you can do to help wild squirrels. Hand-feeding wild squirrels may encourage them to become reliant on people. Some excellent reasons to feed backyard squirrels will be discussed in detail in the following sections.
1. Prevents them from getting near bird feeders.
In the event that you already have a bird feeder, you are probably aware that squirrels like sneaking up and stealing all of the bird seed. Because squirrels consume a large portion of bird food, certain bird diets do not provide the highest nutritional content for them, and as a result, the birds do not get any of it.
Squirrels may also do damage to the bird feeder, which can impair the experience for everyone who is watching it. Provide them with an alternative source of food to keep them away from your bird feeder.
It is understandable that squirrels would eat from whatever feeder is nearest to them; this is why there are squirrel-specific feeders available. A healthier food source will be available to your squirrel, while your backyard birds will be able to enjoy a snack once again.
2. Makes it simple for them to get water.
Despite the fact that water is not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about what to offer squirrels, they need water in order to live a healthy lifestyle. Similarly to people, squirrels need access to clean water, which they may not always have easy access to in their natural environment.
When selecting a squirrel feeder, bear in mind that some models contain a water reservoir that can be filled with clean water. In the winter, you could even provide squirrels with water in a heated birdbath.
3. Assists Squirrels in Adapting to Winter Conditions.
In order to survive the next winter, squirrels must make sure that they have a sufficient supply of food put up for the coming season. Access to food makes this a bit easier for them, and it also provides them with a cozy spot to return when they need more food supplies.
You Can Use This To Feed Squirrels In Your Backyard
The majority of people will provide squirrels with bird seed, maize, or leftover table scraps. These foods aren’t terrible, but they aren’t the healthiest choices when it comes to nutrients. The good news is that squirrels enjoy a wide variety of meals that are both nutritious and delicious. Included among them are…
A squirrel’s favorite food is nuts, which is no surprise given its omnivorous nature. Already have a tree that produces nuts in your yard? Congratulations, you’ve provided a fantastic food source for the squirrels in your yard!. In order to attract additional squirrels to your yard if you do not already have any, planting a few nut-producing trees is one method of doing this.
Squirrels thrive on nuts in their shells, whether they are plucked directly from a tree or purchased from a grocery store. Providing them with a variety of nuts, so that they may receive the advantages of each kind, is extremely beneficial for them.
All nuts, on the other hand, are not created equal. Choosing what to feed the squirrels should be done with caution, as certain types might be harmful to them. Our list of the best and worst nuts to feed squirrels can be found further down on this page.
Squirrels’ favorite nuts are:
- Hazelnuts
- Butternuts
- The Nuts of Hickory
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Acorns from White Oak (Low Tannin)
squirrels don’t like these nuts:
- Peanuts in their raw form
- Acorns from the Red Oak (High Tannin)
Nuts such as roasted peanuts, peanut butter, and pistachios may also be fed to squirrels in moderation, although they are not the ideal nuts to feed them.
A Variety of Fruits Squirrels enjoy a wide range of fruit in their diet. Squirrels greatly like climbing around fruit trees and snatching some of the sweet, delectable fruit, much as they do with nut trees.
The fruit from your fruit tree is likely to be for personal use rather than being shared with the hungry tiny squirrels in your yard if you already have a fruit tree.
Small bits of fruits such as apples, cantaloupes, grapes, strawberries, and melons should be left out of the smoothie. Most of the time, they choose fruits that are not citrus-based.
Vegetables
The fact that squirrels will consume almost any vegetable they can get their hands on should come as no surprise to those who grow vegetables. Squirrels like eating fresh vegetables since they are a good source of nutrients for them. Plant lush greens, broccoli, carrots, peas, zucchini, or yellow squash in front of them to eat.
Seeds
It is reasonable to assume that squirrels like seeds since they are always sneaking around and stealing from your bird feeder. While they will consume seeds and they are not harmful to them, they are not the ideal choice for them.
In moderation, though, squirrels may be fed seeds, and this is OK. After pumpkin carving, feel free to toss any remaining pumpkin seeds on the porch. Pumpkin seeds, as well as a portion of the pumpkin shell, will be devoured by them.
Keep Squirrels Out of Your Backyard By Not Feeding Them
Human Junk Food or Processed Food is a term used to describe processed foods.
When it comes to nutrition, we are all well aware that junk food is not very beneficial to us.
Things like sweets, chips, and other processed meals have a poor nutritional value and are not suited for squirrels to eat in large quantities. The cellulose in bread and other things that squirrels eat is difficult for them to digest, thus giving them these items might make them ill.
Keep in mind that if something doesn’t grow or exist in nature, it’s unlikely to be the ideal choice for animal survival.
Although squirrels are quite happy eating most nuts, they are not so happy eating peanuts. This is because peanuts are toxic to them. A fungus that may harm squirrels has been found in peanuts, especially uncooked peanuts.
Occasionally feeding them some Peanut Butter or roasted peanuts is OK; nevertheless it is still far from being their preferred food source for long term health.
Seeds from Niger
Put out niger seeds and nothing bad will happen, but squirrels will not eat them since they are bitter.
Niger seeds, on the other hand, are very popular with birds. In order to keep squirrels from eating all of the bird food from your bird feeder, put some niger seeds into the mix..
Corn
Squirrels like corn on the cob as a snack, although it is not a very nutritious food for them. Squirrels eat corn because it is essentially junk food. In moderation, you should be able to feed squirrels maize, particularly if you’re also providing them with a variety of nutritional foods on a consistent basis.
Supplemental Nutritional
Supplements Squirrels are known to consume bones.
Squirrels live mostly vegetarian lives, although bones are an excellent source of calcium for them since they have a vegetarian diet. Bones and antlers from deer or other animals are a favorite food of many squirrel species.
You’ll need to examine whether or not squirrels would be interested in animal bones in your backyard, even if they would. If you have dogs that are prone to choking on them, it is better to adhere to the other suggestions in this section.
Insects If a squirrel is unable to get any nuts, fruits, or vegetables, he or she will meet their protein requirements by consuming tiny insects such as beetles and ants. Caterpillars, flying beetles, butterflies, and crickets are among the insects that squirrels love eating if they can catch them.
In addition to foraging in trees, fungi squirrels like foraging in general. Fungi, which squirrels like eating, vary in abundance depending on the environment. For an added treat for the squirrels, if you’re up for it, you may plant some mushrooms near where you’ll be providing food for them.
Lastly, a word about
Foraging squirrels are opportunistic eaters that would happily eat pie or cake all day if they were given the opportunity. Whatever you lay out for them, they’ll consume it without hesitation. In order to ensure that they are properly cared for, it is necessary to choose the appropriate foods to feed squirrels in your garden.
Invest in a squirrel feeder and stock it with a plentiful supply of nuts, fruits, and veggies for them to graze on or store for later use. If at all possible, use a feeder that has a water container, since this will be very beneficial to the squirrels in your neighborhood.
