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Squirrel

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Health

If you're wondering what food you should & should not give to squirrels (& why), I have put this list together and organised it into categories. I will start with the bad, so you know what to avoid, as this could save a squirrels' life. Please familiarize yourself with and share this list to all other squirrel lovers out there, so we can keep these glorious creatures healthy. Although my squirrels are Eurasian Reds, this will be true for pretty much all tree squirrels around the world. If you see any inaccuracies here, please let me know. 

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AVOID !!!

  • Raw Peanuts (can contain a mould or will easily mould if buried. Peanuts are not a nut, not something they naturally eat, and thus they may not detect that it is bad for them. See "Mouldy" section below) (aflatoxin free peanuts are also not good, so it is best to avoid them entirely - see below)

  • Mouldy Foods (Any old, mouldy seeds or nuts are toxic to rodents, causing severe illness)

  • Processed, Fatty & Sugary Foods: Candy, cookies, chips/crisps, bread, donuts, etc. (High in salt, sugar, unhealthy fats, and potentially toxic additives [like xylitol}, leading to obesity, metabolic bone disease, and dental issues)

  • Salty, Seasoned, or Spiced Foods: Salted nuts, pretzels, chips/crisps, cooked foods etc. (Can cause dehydration and salt toxicity, especially if fresh water isn't available)

  • Bitter Almonds (high in fat and phosphorus. Even one bitter almond contains too much cyanide for a squirrel)

  • Brazil Nuts (makes squirrels impaired, like alcohol - easily leading to predation)

  • Seafoods: Fish / shellfish (high salt content and generally harmful due to not being a part of their normal diet)

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BAD !!

  • Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, etc. (Squirrels are lactose intolerant and cannot digest dairy, causing stomach upset)

  • Dried Fruits: Raisins (high sugar content and concentrated form can lead to calcium deficiency, making them unhealthy)

  • Citrus Fruits (can be hard on their digestive system)

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EXTREME MODERATION !

  • Avocados * (the Skin and pit contain are toxic to rodents, squirrels from non-avocado regions may not know to not eat these parts, which would put them firmly into the bad category above)

  • Aflatoxin Free Peanuts & Cashew nuts *

  • Sweet Almonds * (cyanide content is problematic in more than 2 per day)

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* Note: All of the above foods (in yellow) are low in calcium, and high in phosphorus (causing a calcium imbalance), High phosphorus content blocks calcium absorption, which causes their bodies to leach calcium from their bones. This nutritional deficiency leads to metabolic bone disease (weak bones, jaw problems). An inability to climb quickly kills squirrels.

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All the food types listed in green here are safe to give to squirrels...​​

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BEST (NATURAL)​

  • Hazelnuts

  • Walnuts

  • Pecans

 

WARNING: Never give squirrels salted foods!

ADDITIONALLY: Nuts in the shell are better for squirrels because their teeth never stop growing. Gnawing on the shells will keep their teeth in check, but also they will be able to safely bury these for later use. Eurasian Red squirrels cannot store body fat, so cannot keep eating loose food. ​Here are some additional things that you might find squirrels eating in nature...​

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  • Fruits (see restrictions above)

  • Vegetables

  • Tree Sap

  • Buds

  • Mushrooms

  • Insects

  • Bird's Eggs *

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Note: * That last one is rare, but can happen if they're very hungry. This is also true for woodpeckers and other animals that you might not expect. Remember that squirrels are omnivores and not herbivores. 

HEALTH​

  • Deer Antlers & Dead Animal Bones​

  • Cuttlebones

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Note: If you see them eating animals bones, there is no need to be concerned that they've developed a taste for animal flesh. It will be because their body is telling them that they need extra calcium. You can buy deer antlers for this purpose (this does not kill deer, they fall off naturally), but also Cuttlebones. However, they can also get calcium boosts from kale, dandelion greens, or broccoli.

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MODERATION

  • Sunflower Seeds

  • Pumpkin Seeds

  • Apple pieces (seeds are poisonous)

  • Grapes (seeds are poisonous)

  • Carrots

  • Spinach

  • Broccoli

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Note: Seedless grapes are probably safer to give them, but most of the above foods are naturally found in the regions that squirrels live, so they will naturally know how much to eat and what parts to avoid. You will most likely try to offer one of these things to a squirrel and have them flat out reject it, like a teenager being made to eat their greens.​

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Photo Tip

Giving squirrels nuts in the shell is better for their teeth, but most often they will be triggered into running away to bury them. This is not so fruitful for photography. You can try to give them multiple hazelnuts at once, which often results in them hilariously trying to figure out how to hold two in their mouth at the same time. Ultimately, you're better off giving them crushed nuts when you want them to pose for photos. This makes a mess of the surroundings, so it helps to find a recess to hide the food in, away from the camera.

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