Consistently, squirrels are seen attacking bird nests in trees and even stealing chicken coop eggs. As infants, squirrels rely only on their mothers milk. Bird eggs and nestlings, along with carrion, become part of a squirrels diet due to the nutrients they provide. We all know that eggs can carry bacteria and other pathogens, which means its important to take every precaution in order to reduce the risks when trying to supplement calcium in a squirrel. Nesting birds under the attack of a squirrel often abandon their nests to flee, leaving their eggs and chicks at the mercy of the squirrel. link to Top 10 Fastest Animals on the Planet and Their Speeds, link to Do Coyotes Eat Foxes: No, Why and What Actually Happens, What do Squirrels Eat - What to Feed Squirrels - Squirrels Diet, Plant seeds, e.g. Why? The answer is they are a great addition to your bird-feeding program. crossorigin="anonymous"> Corn flakes, wheat-based cereal, Chex, grape nuts, and many more are all an acceptable part of their cereal diet but with some caution read on. Can Squirrels Eat Egg Shells? | Find Out Here - Answers To All Questions Whole eggs, including the shells are common ingredients found in pre-packaged, pet squirrel foods. Toxic peanuts, recalled formulas, rancid suet, moldy feed, etc.. "}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What can I feed the squirrels in my yard? Squirrels are predominantly herbivores. Bird eggs and nestlings, along with carrion, become part of a squirrel's diet due to the nutrients they provide. They do eat twigs, wood, tree bark, and animal horns (like deer antlers) for minerals and fiber. The best way to ensure that squirrels cant get into your birdhouse is to place it in the middle of your yard on a pole. The Importance of Squirrel Eyelids, What does Squirrel Urine Smell Like? Squirrels who live in parks or near towns have adapted to the human diet and will happily nibble at anything that they can find: leftover sandwiches, pastries, and the leftover scrambled eggs from somebodys breakfast. Therefore, you might like to set up one or more squirrel feeding stations around your yard to keep the squirrel population happy. Squirrels will eat fresh produce whole, leaving the seeds behind either in their leftovers or in their droppings. Youll often see squirrels digging in the ground so you may assume theyre eating dirt. Heres a roundup of the species that are more likely to snatch an egg from a birds nest. Make sure its still large enough for the birds to get in but too small to allow a squirrel easy access. But a pet squirrel can live up to 10 years. Squirrels have been known to eat eggs, so if you keep chicken, squirrel-proof the pen. Eggshells are especially important for squirrels and other rodents due to the calcium found within the shell. It might sound surprising, but squirrels do forage for mushrooms and fungi too. The answer is they are a great addition to your bird-feeding program. That includes nuts, fruits, fungi, insects, and eggs. Yes. Do Squirrels Eat Eggs? Benefits, Srambeled vs boiled eggs TOP 10 Natural Food Sources with Video, Can Squirrels Have Peanut Butter? When an animal eats out of your hand, your heart grows three sizes. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'rangerplanet_com-banner-1','ezslot_3',164,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-rangerplanet_com-banner-1-0');Much like foxes, squirrels tend to forage and scratch around for anything they feel is edible. Do you fill your feeders year-round or is this a holiday thing? Human junk food (cookies, cake, potato chips, popcorn) is a no-no. Bird eggs are found all year round in abundance, so they should be easy to find at any time of the year. Again, spreading the plant life and ensuring their food sources continue to grow and produce. As the empty shell dries out, the inner membrane contracts and 'rolls' the chipped edge inwards. So, the same goes for bird eggs, except thats not the only reason they eat them. If you have bird feeders, you can get hot. So do not put corn out for squirrels. I adore them. Do squirrels eat egg shells? For the many species that don't eat seed or suetlike robinsyou can give them leftover chicken eggshells instead. Do Squirrels Eat Meat? And The Reasons Why - Wandering Outdoors Do Squirrels Eat Baby Birds Or Bird Eggs? So dont give let them develop a habit! Squirrels, chipmunks, and ground squirrels WILL eat bird eggs. But most squirrels dont mind. If squirrels are visiting your bird feeders, they can scare away the birds and eat all the food themselves. Squirrels are irrepressibly cute but theyre still wild. Most commonly, ground squirrels consume meat in their natural habitat. They can safely fall 100 feet, using their tails to balance and as a parachute. They may also feed on wild tree fruits, nuts, and tree buds when food is scarce later in winter. But theyre more likely burying food, harvesting a hidden stash, or hunting insects, worms, and grubs. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'rangerplanet_com-leader-2','ezslot_12',170,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-rangerplanet_com-leader-2-0');The benefit of these cereals is that theyre loaded with sugar that gives them extra energy. For hanging birdhouses, you can get squirrel baffles that have a pointy spire on top. They wont hesitate to eat a baby bird, too, if they find it in the nest without protection. There are others, but this triple threat makes up most of the problems associated with chicken eggs. Hazelnuts, hickory, walnuts, and beechnuts are popular with squirrels. Squirrels | Wildlife Advice | RSPCA Some researchers from the British Trust for Ornithology and Natural England studied how gray squirrels affected 38 bird species in the country. Just be sure to check that the mint doesnt escape from the pots because it will likely take over your garden. Red squirrels have small bodies covered by reddish-grey coats. So even if they love it, dont give them food that will make it harder to forage or dodge their predators. Top 10 Fastest Animals on the Planet and Their Speeds. So they may also attempt to eat dog food and cat food that has been left out. This may, unfortunately, make them fond of food that they should not be eating, like your favorite candy bars! What Do Squirrels Eat In The Wild? Birds & Wild But the amount of food taken by squirrels is thankfully quite minimal. We know snakes and foxes eat bird eggs, and even some birds do it, like buzzards and hawks but do squirrels eat bird eggs? I was sitting outside the other day watching the birds and getting ready to fill up my squirrel feeder and I started wondering "can squirrels eat cheese?" All of that doesnt mean that bird eggs are a natural part of a squirrels diet, though. Their meat is mostly in the form of insects and snakes, but they might dip into Fido or Fluffys dish if you raw-feed your pets. (Safe & Effective Solutions), What Does Chipmunks Poop Look Like? However, if theres not enough food around, they do and will eat bird eggs as well as baby birds. Safety Tips for Offering Crushed Egg Shells to Squirrels, Feeding Squirrels Hard Boiled Eggs with the Shell, Safety Tips for Feeding Hard Boiled Egg With Shells to Squirrels, How Do Squirrels Get Calcium in the Wild? They dont need it. What Do Squirrels Eat? Install some motion-activated sprinklers. They enjoy wild berries in the fall (Osage oranges are a tasty seasonal treat). And train your pets to scare the squirrels off. Do Squirrels Eat Bird Eggs? Nature Guide - Own The Yard Like foxes, they will feed on scraps of waste if it seems edible and may have nutritional value. Some of them are omnivores, meaning they can eat both veggies and meat. Whats more, squirrels may also eat the birds, themselves. They often raid bird feeders and pet bowls for snacks. Like us, protein is essential for a squirrel diet to help build body tissue and cell regeneration, which is why you shouldnt be surprised for squirrels eating poultry eggs. Pretty much any tasty vegetables they can get to and take, or dig up. Squirrels also add vegetables to their diet. Below are the nutritional value of poultry eggs that squirrels may be tempted to steal. Squirrels love to eat raw chickens' eggs, which provides them with many nutrients that help their growth, including protein, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. If your birdhouse has a really large roof with a veranda overhanging the opening, the squirrels wont be able to reach into the opening to grab the eggs. However, cooked eggs (or any human food) isnt always healthy for a squirrel because of the high oil and salt content or any spices that may upset its stomach. Squirrels are opportunistic eaters which means they will often eat foods that are not good for them. In your mind, this cute animal is grey or reddish-brown with gray flecks. Eating eggs is one of the fastest ways to regain weight since they are high in protein and fat. So now, weve touched on the food groups, so were going to dive into each of these areas and give you a complete guide on what squirrels eat within each food group. Is Their Love of PB Good, Bad or Deadly? They have four front claws per hand, five back claws per foot, and can see behind them without turning. The Benefits and Risks of Eating Eggshells - Healthline Gray squirrels have silver-grey coats, and their faces lean on the brown side. What do grey squirrels eat? Clean your squirrel feeders and water dishes every week - bacteria build up. Squirrels have well-adapted claws that make it easy for them to climb trees, their perfect balance helps them to climb along long thin fruit branches to get nuts and berries. Shelled nuts they love gnawing through those hard shells. Theyre savvy foragers, and theyre known to eat anything they can find in their way. Squirrels, chipmunks, and ground squirrels WILL eat bird eggs. SquirrelEnthusiast.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Started off with 2 squirrels and now have 6 They love the monkey and they make good entertainment when they chasing each other . What to Feed Squirrels in Your Backyard: 10 Safe & Healthy Options However, being omnivores also means that they're opportunistic feeders. Thats if youre allowed to feed them its illegal in some places so check with the local authorities first. Here ten more common squirrel questions. Tree trunks can be wrapped in sheets of metal, these make it hard for squirrels to climb up the tree, but that may not prevent them from using nearby tree branches and other objects to traverse in order to reach your trees. Yes, squirrels such as gray squirrels, chipmunks and ground squirrels may feed on eggs laid by birds like robins. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'rangerplanet_com-leader-1','ezslot_4',166,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-rangerplanet_com-leader-1-0');Squirrels are pretty open-minded when it comes to food. In terms of adding egg shells to soil, this probably won't keep squirrels away but it will do wonders for your pots because egg shells add calcium to soil as they compost. Squirrels are omnivores, which means they can digest food of both plant and animal origin. Nuts that are in shells are rich in fatty acids and protein. However, these buddies can get vicious when it comes to their food especially the carnivorous of them. That being said, avoid feeding squirrels scrambled or boiled eggs. This is especially true in areas where they can find no other source of food. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Just like veggies, they take a few mouthfuls and leave the rest of the flower (or fruit or vegetable) untouched. If you really want to be sure, you might want to attach a baffle both to the top and below the birdhouse for those that are mounted on a pole. While humans don't generally eat egg shells, they're actually a good source of calcium and protein. This effectively stops the squirrels from being able to climb up the pole to access the birdhouse. Keep The Squirrels Fed So Theyre Not Tempted To Steal Bird Eggs. If youve ever spent time observing the eating patterns of squirrels, you might find quite a variety of food in their diet. Place some pots of mint in strategic spots around your garden. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is bad for small mammals. High-sugar foods (candy, cookies, granola, sweetened breakfast cereals) High-starch foods (pasta, bread, rice, potatoes) Salty foods. Lets go over tips for both types of egg shell waste. This reduces the likelihood of potentially toxic mold. Squirrels generally arent that fussy. A guide to what squirrels eat | Love The Garden Setting out a variety of these items can help them get a balanced source of nutrition. Water isnt an issue, so yes, the squirrels can safely drink out of your birdbath. Squirrels really hate these foods and their strong smell. They are an inspiration, and a living treasure of our planet. And they can jump ten times that high even the non-flying ones (Take that Superman!) Youre more like their favorite fast-food joint. They eat from a variety of fruiting trees that includes (but are not limited to). They will look for the nuts they buried in the summer. Change the water every day its outside and will accumulate dirt and toxins. Squirrels may seem like the vegetarian, fluffy, adorable fellows that constantly nibble on hazelnuts. In the same vein, remove any perches from the exterior of the birdhouse as these can allow easy access for the squirrels. Whole eggs, including the shells are common ingredients found in pre-packaged, pet squirrel foods. They are legumes, and unless a squirrel lives next to a field of peanuts where they might dig some up and eat them, then its best not to feed them. Other than the food they find in their habitats like vegetables, fruits, nuts, plant materials, bird's eggs, insects, and fungi, squirrels have also adapted to eat food they find in human habitats like birdseed, cereals, pet food, cheese, and trash. What is the best thing to feed squirrels? This is a real concern in areas where bird numbers are dwindling. There are humane measures you can take to prevent squirrels from eating and sometimes destroying your bird feeders. Yes, squirrels make a beeline for bird feeders. Use netting around your vegetable garden and fruit trees to limit access for the squirrels. How they Evade Predators (Video: Hiding from Hawk), Do Squirrels Sleep with their Eyes Open or Closed? ", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Nuts that are in shells are a rich source of nutrition for squirrels, in both fatty acids and protein, and are suitable for all types of squirrels. The ground underneath the trees is covered several inches deep with twigs and leaves attached. This makes their skin fan out into wings that let them glide through the air. Make It Difficult For Squirrels To Reach The Eggs In The Birdhouse, 2. They may also feed on wild tree fruits, nuts, and tree buds when food is scarce later in winter. Your email address will not be published. Subscribe to the Ranger Planet YouTube Channel.Or click the about Us button below to learn more about the guys behind Ranger Planet. Squirrels are foragers and will eat pretty much anything. Additionally, most plants that squirrels feed on lack rare minerals, such as calcium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The fat helps squirrels to build up fat reserves for the winter when food is scarce. But they like nuts and berries best. Squirrels will steal eggs from birds nests and even some eggs from your chicken coop if given the chance.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'rangerplanet_com-netboard-2','ezslot_20',178,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-rangerplanet_com-netboard-2-0'); Squirrels prey on blackbird eggs and robin eggs.