As a passionate nature lover and someone with several years’ experience observing and interacting with squirrels around the world, I’m here to answer one of life’s most intriguing questions: What animals do squirrels eat? You may be surprised at the variety of clever solutions that squirrels come up with to find food when faced with scarcity! So, let’s dive in and explore the fascinating diet of these beloved creatures.

Squirrels are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They mainly eat nuts, berries, fungi, flowers, fruits, insects, bird eggs and even small vertebrates like mice, lizards, baby birds and rabbits. Squirrels can eat several animals, including:

What Animals Do Squirrels Eat?

Squirrels are foragers, which means that they collect and eat a variety of items, including vegetation, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, birdseed, fungi, insects and a number of other animals. Their diet varies depending on season and availability because they are opportunistic feeders.

Vegetables And Fruits

Squirrels will eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruits when available. They like to munch on apples, peaches, strawberries, corn cobs and other seasonal fruits and vegetables. When in season, acorns are also a favorite snack of these bushy-tailed rodents.

Cereals

When cereals such as oats or wheat become available due to human intervention (e.g., birdfeeders), squirrels can become very fond of them. Even though cereals are not part of the natural squirrel diet, these cute creatures have quickly adapted to happily munch any grain-based snacks that are provided for them.

Cheese And Dairy

Squirrels don’t usually eat cheese or dairy products but can be attracted to them if there is no other food around – particularly in urban environments where most wildlife food sources have been eliminated by human interference.

Nuts And Seeds

Nuts and seeds should be present in every squirrel’s diet because they provide important energy sources while also supplying essential vitamins and minerals that help these animals stay healthy throughout the year. Hazelnuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds and peanuts are just some examples of nuts that can be part of a squirrel’s daily diet.

Birdseed

Bird seed is an excellent source of protein for squirrels in urban areas where wild birds congregate at feeders. Not only do the birds provide nutritional bonuses for their mammalian neighbors, but the ground beneath feeders often contains bits of seed that fallen birds drop which squirrels can search for to supplement their diets further.

Insects

Though frogs may occasionally show up on the menu for some squirrel species–particularly in Southern States where bullfrogs abound–insects make up the bulk of any insectivorous (insect-eating) squirrel’s daily menu plan. Most commonly eaten bugs consist of crickets grasshoppers, beetles, beeswax worms, caterpillars, larva, spiders, millipedes, centipedes and ants.

Fungi

Squirrels love mushrooms! These small rodents have been known to be faithful fungus seekers that select particular types based on availability according to location or season. Additionally, fungi sometimes serve as important sources of vitamin D during times when there is limited sunlight availability–which is why some call them ‘sunshine proteins’!

Eggs

Squirrels are opportunistic omnivores that feed on a variety of different foods. Eggs are one such food, but squirrels do not typically consume them as part of their regular diet. Squirrels will eat eggs if they come across them in the wild, usually opting for eggs that have recently hatched or are near hatching.

However, it is important to note that while some squirrels may eat eggs occasionally, eating eggs can be dangerous for these animals and can lead to health problems. For this reason, it is best to avoid feeding squirrels eggs as part of their diet.

Plant Material

Squirrels obtain most of their nutrition from plant material, such as fruits and nuts. These small mammals will often bury nuts for future meals, helping to disperse plants around the landscape. They also feed on roots, buds, twigs, bark and leaves from trees and shrubs.

In addition to their natural food sources in the wild, humans sometimes supplement the diets of urban or suburban squirrels with birdseed and other items from backyard garden centers. However, it is important to remember that even though a squirrel may appreciate an occasional treat like birdseed or fruits, an all-plant diet does not provide them with enough nutrients for optimal health.

Dog And Cat Food

Because dogs and cats are both carnivorous animals, the food they eat consists mostly of meat products and animal byproducts. While some pet food companies offer vegetarian options for dogs and cats, most pet foods available today still consist mainly of animal products. In other words: dog food isn’t a good choice for your friendly neighborhood squirrel!

Not only is it unhealthy for squirrels to consume large amounts of animal-based proteins found in kibble-style dog food; it can also be potentially hazardous due to contaminants present in many pet foods. Some contaminants are naturally occurring in the meats themselves while others can be present due to storage or manufacturing processes.

Scraps And Waste

Food scraps from human leftovers can provide a quick snack for hungry squirrels looking for something easy to eat. Many people make the mistake of assuming any leftovers will be safe for wildlife to consume–but this really isn’t true! In fact, far from being nutritious treats providing essential vitamins and minerals needed by wildlife species like squirrels; most “human waste” actually contains ingredients that are extremely harmful.

For example, salty snacks like chips are filled with flavorings and preservatives that can cause toxicity issues when consumed by wild creatures; while uneaten French fries sitting out too long could contain bacteria that could give an unfortunate creature food poisoning.

What Don’t Squirrel Eat?

Common Squirrel Deterrents

Certain scents have been proven effective at keeping rodents away including cayenne pepper, black pepper and garlic powder. These odors must be applied regularly since they dissipate quickly in outdoor conditions. Commercial powdered sulfur has also been used with success as a squirrel deterrent, but its strong smell may discourage other wildlife from visiting the area.

Foods To Avoid Feeding Squirrels

Squirrels are omnivorous creatures, but some foods should be avoided as they can either be toxic or make them sick. Foods that you should never feed to squirrels include chocolate, salt, caffeine, and avocado pits. Additionally, processed foods like chips, crackers, and candy contain unhealthy amounts of sodium and fat, so you should avoid feeding these to squirrels. Finally, peanuts in the shell may represent a choking hazard for some of these little critters.

Raw Meat: Raw meat can contain parasites and bacteria which pose potential health risks when eaten by any mammal, including squirrels!
Citrus Fruit: Citrus fruit like oranges may seem like a yummy treat for humans, but they taste bitter to most mammals’ taste buds; so don’t tempt fate by offering pieces up as snacks for any wildlife visitors!
Moldy Foods: Moldy foods can contain endotoxins which can cause serious illness if consumed, so it’s best to avoid giving these types of items as treats or leaving them outside.

FAQ

What type of food can I give to a squirrel?

We can provide a squirrel with a variety of food. Their favored items are nuts, such as walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds, along with seeds and insects. They also enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables like apples, berries, carrots and tomatoes. During the winter months they rely on their stored caches of mast to sustain them. To ensure your squirrel is well-fed to provide it with a combination of these items year-round.

What type of food is beneficial for wild squirrels to eat?

Wild squirrels benefit from a variety of healthy foods, including nuts, seeds, fresh fruits and vegetables. Nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds provide essential fats and proteins for squirrels. Seeds like sunflower, pumpkin and sesame are also sources of essential nutrients. Fresh fruits like apples, raisins, bananas and strawberries are occasional treats that can be included in their diet. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and carrots provide important vitamins and minerals.

What type of food do squirrels consume?

Squirrels have a varied diet consisting mainly of nuts, seeds and sometimes insects. Their favorite types of nuts are walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts and pine nuts. They also eat other foods such as fruits and vegetables, which they enjoy more in the spring and summer months. In winter, they store away masts to get them through the colder months.

What type of food do gray squirrels consume?

Grey squirrels primarily eat nuts, seeds, and insects. They tend to favor some types of nuts over others, including acorns, hazelnuts, chestnuts, and walnuts. In addition to these items, they sometimes eat fresh fruits and vegetables as well. To prepare for winter, gray squirrels collect and store a variety of mast items such as nuts and acorns.

What type of food can be given to wild squirrels?

Wild squirrels are omnivores, so you can feed them a variety of items. Nuts and seeds are their favorites, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. You can also provide insects as an occasional treat. Here’s a list of foods that wild squirrels enjoy:

Nuts like almonds, walnuts, and peanuts
Seeds like sunflower and pumpkin
Fresh fruits such as apples and bananas
Fresh vegetables such as carrots and sweet peppers
Insects like meal worms and crickets

Conclusion

So, there you have it! Squirrels are omnivores and will eat a range of foods from nuts, berries, fungi, flowers, fruits, insects and even small vertebrates like mice. This means that if you ever come across a squirrel in your backyard or local park, chances are it has dined on something from this list of foods before.

So the answer to what animals do squirrels eat is that they predominantly feed on a variety of plants and small animals alike. That being said, this article should provide you with everything you need to know about what kind of food sources squirrels turn to when they are looking for a meal.