What Do Squirrels Normally Eat?

Squirrels are animals that are found almost everywhere. Most people see them so often that they barely pay them any mind anymore. They seem like they come with the purchase of any new home.

As they are so common, you may have been wondering about these little critters. We all hear stories about how squirrels store food for the winter. That may make you wonder what squirrels normally eat?

A Special Diet for the Squirrel
A squirrel is a rodent, which includes it in the same family as the rat, mouse, and chipmunk. As such, most probably think that a squirrel eats just like one of these other rodents, but that is not the case at all. In fact, squirrels can be quite picky when it comes to what they will eat.

The diet of a squirrel is centered primarily around the things you would find around trees. This means they will eat such things as nuts, seeds, and fruit. Of those three, acorns are their most popular choice. The primary reason why squirrels like acorn so much is that they are easily stored and survived through the long winter without spoiling. That long duration of time where they are edible makes this the perfect food for a squirrel as they are toughing out the long winter.

In addition, squirrels will eat fruit. They love such things as apricots, apples, and oranges. This is considered a great snack for a squirrel. However, they don’t store particularly well, so you will not see a squirrel eating apples or oranges during the dead of winter.

They Love a Garden
Squirrels are big fans of the garden. They love to eat vegetables, including things like lettuce, carrots, and other forms of roughage. Because squirrels are primarily herbivores, what is found in a garden makes for the perfect meal for a squirrel. Many report having problems with squirrels getting into the garden, and during the late summer and fall is when this problem will become especially bad. Squirrels are looking to store as much food as winter is approaching, so the things that will not last are what they will eat right away. This includes your corn, cabbage, and other vegetables.

They Will Eat It in a Pinch
Despite the fact that most varieties of squirrels are herbivores, there are instances where they will eat insects, small birds, and even small mammals. Some squirrel species, especially flying squirrels, need higher dosages of protein. This is what is provided by eating these critters.

In addition, squirrels will eat eggs. Because of how quick they are, it is quite common for squirrels to swoop into a bird’s nest, steel their eggs, and then run away.

What you are likely to find is that squirrels are primarily going to eat such things as nuts and seeds, but they will eat almost anything when needed. It really just depends upon the circumstance. In this way, they really are more like every other rodent out there.

Go back to the squirrelhelpers.com home page.