Squirrel Question

Tova · Apr 19, 2003

There's this squirrel who lives right outside my window in my roof. I've been putting out walnuts and sunflower seeds to feed her and she's been sneaking back to eat them up but my question is (because I'm clueless about squirrels) is this even healthy for them? I would assume that it is but you never know and I just wanted to make sure. 
Just so you know this is a eastern gray squirrel. What kinds of 'people' foods can these squirrels eat? Do you think that almonds or pecans would be good for her? 
I know this is probably a silly question, but I just don't want to poisin my new little friend.

Ocean · Apr 19, 2003

I found this : 
"Gray squirrels feed on a variety of foods, chiefly plant in origin. Goodrum lists buds and mast of oak and pecan trees, grapes, fungi, red haw buds, sedges, grasses, mulberry, larval and adult insects, and amphibians. Their mainstay, however, is mast (acorns, etc.). They begin eating acorns in the Spring and continue throughout the year if they are available." 
from : <a href="http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/sciucaro.htm" target="_blank">http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/sciucaro.htm</a> 
So I'm guessing it's probably not bad give the squirrel those nuts and seeds. I learned in my animal science class that you shouldn't feed wild animals food, because they will start to depend on you. But I am sure you won't be doing much harm.

Tova · Apr 19, 2003

Ocean, 
Thanks for your reply! 
That actually crossed my mind (that the squirrel might start to depend on me) but I won't feed her too much, just a little snack here and there. My daughter loves to watch her out the window munching on the walnuts. 
Anyway, thanks for the help!

punkmommy · Apr 25, 2003

We currently have a squirrel loose in our apartment, and I can tell you it ate: A red onion, a BULB of garlic, tried taking 5 plum tomatoes, a pear, an apple and 2 avocados. Who knew?!

LadyFaile · Apr 26, 2003

onion??? garlic???? 
strange squirrel! 
the ones around my house get fed a lot. i have this big bag of bird feed that has nuts, fruit and sunflower seeds in it. i toss a handful out on the lawn every now and then for the birds but the squirrels come by and pick out all the good stuff. sooner or later we'll get a pole to set up my birdfeeder which is squirrel-proof (supposedly) but i'm sure the squirrels won't starve. a neighbour must be giving them peanuts in the shell, i keep finding the peanut shells on my front doorstep but we don't have any in the house! buggers <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/wink3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> 
we also get wild bunnies in our yard so i'm going to start tossing vegetable scraps out on the lawn for them, like the ends off carrots. 
i think any nuts are ok for squirrels as long as they're not salted. i also find it's best to give them the ones in the shell so they have to do some work for it <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/wink3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> though those end up getting buried in my garden and dug up again later. on the plus side we don't need to airate the soil

GhostUser · Apr 26, 2003

We put a tiny bit of chunky bird seed on the ground near the bird feeder for our squrrilly friends and they seem to be doing OK 
(usually the squrells would rather hang upside down on the bird feeder to get their seeds <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/wink3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> )

soilman · May 3, 2003

I don't think you should not give squirrels nuts that have been roasted in oil, only raw or lightly toasted nuts, without flavorings or condiments. An occaisonal bit of food from human agricultural sources won't harm them, but I agree it is best to avoid making them dependent upon you. If something were to happen to you, then the squirrel might not have learned how to fend for itself, during that time in its life when such learning takes place, and may therefore never be able to fend for itself, and therefore die if something happend to you. Most areas where squirrels exist have abundant natural foods -- otherwise the squirrels wouldn't go there, or remain there, or remain alive there. There is no need to feed them. The only reason for feeding them is for selfish reasons of wanting to see them around more often and more closely, or whatever. 
Where I live the squirrels are lean and limber. I saw a Manhatten squirrel once, and it was morbidly obese, made no attempt to get its own food, and tried to take from me, what I was eating. It was very obsequious and annoying.

mrmike · Dec 13, 2003

Ok, I have a squirrel question, did a google search and found this place. 
I live in an area where there are lots of pecan trees and I'm sure many generations of squirrels have lived behind my house and now in my attic. They have never bothered me in the past but recently Ive heard noises so I crawled up there to see what was going on. I knew it was a baby because Im familiar with their cry so after a few hours of searching I found at least 2 babies in a very remote and secluded area in my attic. I occasionally hear an adult squirrel visit that area and then leave. I can see the baby squirrels but I cant get to them without tearing large portions of my house down. The babies will occasionally move around and I think one has fallen inside the wall. I really don't want to kill these animals. 
So my questions for anyone who knows are, did the mother deliberately hide her babies in this area for security and how long will it be before the babies will leave on their own? 
Another question is, will the mother find and rescue the baby in the wall or will I need to get my tools out for some major drywall work?

GhostUser · Dec 14, 2003

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by punkmommy <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
We currently have a squirrel loose in our apartment, and I can tell you it ate: A red onion, a BULB of garlic, tried taking 5 plum tomatoes, a pear, an apple and 2 avocados. Who knew?!</div>
</div>
 <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/laugh.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":lol:">

Michael · Dec 27, 2003

I have a little squirrel that's been up on my patio eating. He dug all of the seed out of the bird feeder just so he could get the sunflower seeds. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> But he's so cute it's hard to be mad. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> 
My mom gave me a couple bags of walnuts to put out for him and I also put out peanuts. He's been eating some bread I put out for the birds but by far his favorite is those sunflower seeds. 
So I'm going to buy a seperate bag to put out and hope he doesn't keep making a mess of the bird seed! 
If he's still around this summer I'm going to see if I can feed him from my hand. He comes right up to the glass on the patio and thinks nothing of me being there. The blue jays scare him though. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

">

Kamila · Dec 27, 2003

Blue Jays would scare me if I were a squirrel! Or maybe not. We have stellar jays here (electric blue feathers covering most of their body, charcoal feathers on head, neck and forming their crest) We have a young red squirrel who eats whatever they slop out of the one feeder that we make easy for them to use. 
Mr. Mike I am sure the babies are fine. Mom has put them where they will be both safe and snug. I have seen momma red squirrels running along our fence caring their babies just as a cat would carry kittens. She probably knows what she is doing. However, when the babies are older and have moved out you may want to look into keeping her out. She and some of her babies will use the same nesting area again and again. They can be like rats with cute tails when it comes to infestation. During a recent earthquake I had an outbuilding that suffered structural damage because of what the family of squirrels had done to the building. I really did not care because it was a tool shed and did not mind that they were there but I would not want to have them in my house. 
On the original subject, walnuts are high fat. Some dry and fresh fruit, alfalfa bundles, and apparently onions and garlic might also be good to share. If possible, let her do the peeling and shelling, it really is good for her.

Wiccanveg · Jan 2, 2004

Be careful about hand feeding squirrels, if its young enough that the mother still comes back she won't after finding human scent on her child.

StvSpl · Jan 5, 2004

i'm getting mad at the squirrels in my area... 
they try to eat everything 
i think they'll get plenty of food <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":up:">

mrmike · Jan 6, 2004

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Kamila <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
Mr. Mike I am sure the babies are fine. Mom has put them where they will be both safe and snug. I have seen momma red squirrels running along our fence caring their babies just as a cat would carry kittens. She probably knows what she is doing. However, when the babies are older and have moved out you may want to look into keeping her out. She and some of her babies will use the same nesting area again and again. They can be like rats with cute tails when it comes to infestation. During a recent earthquake I had an outbuilding that suffered structural damage because of what the family of squirrels had done to the building. I really did not care because it was a tool shed and did not mind that they were there but I would not want to have them in my house. </div>
</div>
 
Yep youre right. Momma aint stupid. As soon as they were old enough, about 2 weeks after my post, the momma apparently took them out to forage for their own food. I see them occasionally. I dont hear any noises now so its probably a good time to patch some entry holes. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/yes.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":yes:">

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