What Should My Pet Squirrel Eat?
If you want to provide the best nutrition for your squirrel, here are some food suggestions. Squirrels love low-carb vegetables, including greens, okra, and sugar snap peas. Some vegetables are particularly high in calcium, like dandelion and romaine lettuce. Other sources of calcium include parsley and arugula. You can also add Calcium supplements to the diet of your pet.
Nuts
You might be asking: Why should my pet squirrel eat nuts? The truth is, squirrels are pretty easy to please. They’ll happily eat most foods you can throw at them. In fact, they’ll act like a kid at a birthday party if you let them. To make sure they stay healthy, you should feed them healthy foods from their natural habitat. Besides nuts, they’ll also like fruits, vegetables, seeds, grains, and even fruit. Just remember that squirrels are wild animals and they can survive on a variety of foods, but not high protein and high fat food.
A squirrel’s natural diet includes leaves, acorns, tree bark, and nuts. Unfortunately, many of these foods can cause harmful side effects for your pet. Instead of threatening your pet’s health, feed them acorns, or any other type of nut. Acorns, also known as oak nuts, are rich in protein and calcium. They are also packed with iron, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin niacin. However, be aware that some species of acorns contain tannins that make them bitter. If you want your pet to thrive, feed him acorns, but be sure not to overfeed him.
Vegetables
Among the different types of foods that your pet squirrel can eat, most of them are fruit and vegetables. Squirrels don’t like dairy products, chocolate, junk food, and sugary cereals. However, they are not picky eaters and will accept these foods when you provide them with a variety of healthy fruits and vegetables. However, some of these foods might be toxic to your pet squirrel and may even harm it in some ways. Listed below are the types of vegetables that are good for your pet squirrel.
Vegetables are excellent for squirrels as they are low in carbs. Some good options are broccoli and dandelion greens, and sugar snap peas. Other vegetables that are high in calcium are kale and radicchio. However, if your pet squirrel is prone to consuming hot peppers, you might want to consider providing squirrels with a separate feeder for these.
Fruit
Squirrels love a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and will happily eat berries and grapes. Fruit is also a good source of carbohydrates. Keep in mind that squirrels do not eat too much fruit, though they will often climb trees to reach them. The sugar and carbohydrates in fruits and vegetables provide the squirrels with plenty of energy, and they also enjoy snacking on these foods. Whether you feed them fresh fruits or dried fruit, they will love to eat it!
Most squirrels will eat fruit as a snack, but too much can cause problems, including not absorbing calcium from fruits. This is especially true during the summer months. Fruit contains more sugar than other foods, so it may be better to limit their intake during these months. If you do give them a few pieces of fruit a day, you’ll be able to see a dramatic difference in their behavior. Besides, they’ll be scrambling for more treats!
Calcium supplements
Your pet squirrel can benefit from calcium supplements if it is not getting enough from the food he eats. They can be given in the form of crushed pills or mixed in with fruit juice. A good rule of thumb is to provide 100 mg calcium per day. While other forms of calcium have also been used successfully, these are less concentrated. If you are unsure of which form to use, consult with a veterinarian. Calcium supplements for pet squirrels can also be offered in the form of cuttlebones, which are a good source of elemental calcium. However, you should make sure the source of calcium is clean and free of additives.
Remember that squirrels are not used to eating human food. Feeding your pet squirrel can result in illnesses and even loss of fear of humans. Plus, feeding it with human food may make it more comfortable and aggressive. Calcium is a mineral that squirrels get naturally from chewing antlers and other animal bones. Without enough calcium, it can develop problems in its body and bones. Calcium supplements for pet squirrels may help prevent such problems.
Adding insects to a squirrel’s diet
Adding insects to a squirrel’s daily diet is an effective way to increase its protein intake and improve his overall health. Although they’re not a complete protein source, insects are more nutritious than plant-based foods. Insects are an excellent source of protein, offering similar levels to meat. Crickets and grasshoppers have protein content of more than 65%. Both are high in fat, making them excellent sources of calories for squirrels.
Adding insects to a squirrel’s daily diet provides an excellent energy source when the food supply is low. Unlike plants, insects contain high levels of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals, and can even be higher in protein per gram than meat. In addition, many of these insects are readily available to squirrels. A few examples of insects that squirrels enjoy eating include mealworms, ants, caterpillars, and grubs.
Keeping a squirrel away from other pets
When bringing home a pet squirrel, you should introduce it to children as young as possible and continue to introduce it to the rest of the family over time. Keep in mind that squirrels have a natural fear of humans and will likely run away if they see one. Although they are playful, squirrels will require a lot of attention. If you have a dog or cat, this can be problematic.
First, make sure to keep your pet squirrel out of the reach of children and other pets. If you own a dog or cat, squirrels can chew on electrical cords or cell phones. Also, be sure to cover electrical cords so that they can’t chew them. A high-quality cat tree is an excellent place for a squirrel to live. A squirrel’s height is perfect for climbing, and it can be a good place for calcium.
What Should My Pet Squirrel Eat?
Answer: Your pet squirrel should eat a diet that consists mainly of fresh fruits and vegetables with a small amount of nuts seeds and insects.
What Fruits and Vegetables Can My Pet Squirrel Eat?
Answer: Your pet squirrel can eat a variety of fruits and vegetables including apples bananas blueberries carrots kale and strawberries.
What Nuts Can My Pet Squirrel Eat?
Answer: Your pet squirrel can eat a variety of nuts including almonds peanuts and walnuts.
What Seeds Can My Pet Squirrel Eat?
Answer: Your pet squirrel can eat a variety of seeds including sunflower seeds pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.
What Insects Can My Pet Squirrel Eat?
Answer: Your pet squirrel can eat a variety of insects including crickets mealworms and waxworms.
How Much Should I Feed My Pet Squirrel?
Answer: You should feed your pet squirrel 1-2 cups of fresh fruits and vegetables per day along with a small handful of nuts seeds and insects.
How Often Should I Feed My Pet Squirrel?
Answer: You should feed your pet squirrel once or twice a day.
Where Should I Feed My Pet Squirrel?
Answer: You should feed your pet squirrel in their cage or enclosure.
What If My Pet Squirrel Won’t Eat Fruits and Vegetables?
Answer: If your pet squirrel does not seem interested in eating fruits and vegetables you can try chopping them up into smaller pieces offering them a variety of different types or adding a little bit of honey or fruit juice to them.
What If My Pet Squirrel Eats Too Much Fruit?
Answer: If your pet squirrel eats too much fruit they may become obese or develop diabetes.
To avoid this offer them a variety of fruits and vegetables and limit their fruit intake to 1-2 cups per day.
What If My Pet Squirrel Eats Too Many Nuts or Seeds?
Answer: If your pet squirrel eats too many nuts or seeds they may develop obesity or diabetes.
To avoid this offer them a variety of fruits and vegetables and limit their nut and seed intake to a small handful per day.
What If My Pet Squirrel Eats Too Many Insects?
Answer: If your pet squirrel eats too many insects they may develop anemia or other health problems.
To avoid this offer them a variety of fruits and vegetables and limit their insect intake to a small handful per day.
Can I Feed My Pet Squirrel Store-Bought Food?
Answer: You should not feed your pet squirrel store-bought food as it is often unhealthy and not nutritionally complete.
Can I Feed My Pet Squirrel Human Food?
Answer: You can occasionally feed your pet squirrel small amounts of human food but it should not make up the majority of their diet.
What Should I Do If I Have Questions About My Pet Squirrel’s Diet?
Answer: If you have questions about your pet squirrel’s diet you should consult with a veterinarian or other qualified animal expert.
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.
