Conkers, the seeds of the horse chestnut tree are not uncommon for squirrels, in fact, they are found in the squirrel habitat a lot. In reality, they always like to collect and bury the conker somewhere or carry it to their safe nest. However, It’s not popular for squirrels to eat conkers.

Most times where there is the presence of squirrels, conkers tend to be very scarce because they are desired by squirrels a lot. But can squirrels eat conkers? NO. The aesculin present in conkers affects their digestive systems, and they usually avoid eating them.

Do squirrels eat conkers

These horse chestnuts contain high concentrations of a toxin called aesculin in the saponin class, which is very harmful to many animals, including humans because it can lead to hemolysis (which is the red blood cell destruction). Some animals are resistant to toxins, especially deer and squirrels, and can directly eat the nuts easily.

Read :- What To Feed Squirrels

From nuts, horse chestnuts, seeds, fruits to insects, mushrooms, bird food, and cones, ground squirrels can eat everything you can ever think of. Pines are also one of the major components of the diet of squirrels. So, at the start of the fall, pine cones and horse chestnuts will always be stored on the ground.

Instead, in the overabundance of fruit at a point in time of the year, they get carried away by squirrels and birds, buried for the rainy day, and forgotten.

The primary animals that eat and store  are squirrels in Britain. Like buried horse chestnuts, this is handy we all know that squirrels like to store their food by burying it over the winter, right? Have a fair chance to make fresh horse chestnut trees.

The opinion on whether conkers of the horse chestnut tree are edible for people is divided. It’s best not to try them. They are, at least, too bitter, and potentially slightly toxic.

They steal bird eggs too.

Must Read: How Long Do Squirrels Live

List of Foods avoided by Squirrels

There are not many kinds of squirrels that will not eat food, although there are still exceptions. Below is a shortlist of the food types that are avoided by food squirrels:

  • Some poisonous flowers e.g,  daffodil, snowdrops, and hyacinth are always avoided by squirrels.
  • Onion or garlic: the taste and smell of these fruits make it a no go area for squirrels and they will definitely not go for it
  • Spicy food: squirrels dislike hot food a lot because it affects their stomach. So, in the feeding stations, some gardeners scatter chili flakes that will keep squirrels away. Notice that with these chili flakes, squirrels are fine and won’t give them any trouble.

Conclusion

On a final note, it is already known that squirrels such as grey squirrel are not picky eaters and can consume almost all from horse chestnuts, seeds to meat in some cases. So if you wish to bring them close to your yard or wondering what might have caused them to be in your backyard, they might have been preying on all your garbage or have a bird feeder snack which might have been inviting them.

You might however keep them away from your birds feeding station from these squirrels so they don’t get attracted to your backyard. In case the squirrel’s invasion persists, employing the service of a licensed exterminator to handle the squirrel’s attack will be the best.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Squirrel’s Favorite Food?

There is no consensus on what the squirrel’s favorite food is. Some say that they enjoy eating nuts and berries, while others believe that they prefer insects and small animals.

What Animals Can Eat Conkers?

Conkers are poisonous to most animals, including dogs, cats, and horses. However, squirrels seem to be immune to the toxins in conkers and often eat them

 

Can You Feed Squirrels Chestnuts?

Squirrels enthusiastically collect and eat pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, acorns, cashews, chestnuts, hickory nuts, pine nuts out of pine cones, and macadamia nuts

Are Conkers Poisonous For Squirrels?

Conkers are actually poisonous. because they contain aesculin, a poisonous chemical that can cause nausea and stomach upset, and possibly death.

What Food Is Poisonous To Squirrels?

Foods that are unhealthy to squirrels are;
High-sugar foods (candy, cookies, granola, sweetened breakfast cereals)
High-starch foods (pasta, bread, rice, potatoes)
Salty foods.
Human junk food.
Cashews.
Sunflower seeds.
Dried corn.
Pine nuts.

What are conkers?

Conkers are the seeds of the horse chestnut tree.

Do squirrels eat conkers?

No squirrels avoid eating conkers.

What other things do squirrels eat?

In addition to conkers squirrels eat nuts berries fungi and shoots.

Where do horse chestnut trees grow?

Horse chestnut trees are native to the Balkans but can now be found in temperate regions across Europe Asia and North America.

Are horse chestnuts poisonous to humans?

No horse chestnuts are not poisonous to humans.

However the seeds can be poisonous to horses if eaten in large quantities.

How do you make a conker last longer?

You can make a conker last longer by drying it out or by coating it in varnish.

What is the world’s largest conker?

The world’s largest conker was found in 2005 and weighed in at 0.

42 kg (0.

93 lb).

How long do horse chestnut trees live?

Horse chestnut trees can live for up to 400 years.

What is the national conker champion?

The current national conker champion is James Buckton who has won the title four times.

What is the record for the most conkers eaten in one minute?

The record for the most conkers eaten in one minute is 12 held by Michael Gove.

What is the record for the most conkers chewed in one minute?

The record for the most conkers chewed in one minute is 25 held by Janice Davies.

What is the record for the most conkers shelled in one minute?

The record for the most conkers shelled in one minute is 30 held by Robert Blair.

What is the record for the most conkers smashed in one minute?

The record for the most conkers smashed in one minute is 100 held by Bradley Anderson.

What is the record for the most conkers crushed in one minute?

The record for the most conkers crushed in one minute is 200 held by Sarah Davies.

What is the record for the most conkers pulped in one minute?

The record for the most conkers pulped in one minute is 1 litre (2.

1 pints) held by James Graham.

Do Squirrels Eat Conkers

Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.

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