How to store pine cones? And other wild food questions.

[rottilvr79]

Is there a good way to store pine cones? My babies (9 month old grays, so I guess not really "baby" anymore) love green pine cones. I try give them one a week or so. I usually pick them fresh from the trees at a park near my house (and scrape the sharp points off before giving them). But, a lot of those are starting to open up and dry out now. Also, my brother works for a tree service (which is how I got the babies in the first place) and will sometimes bring me bags full from trees they've cut. I've tried to keep them in storage, but they either dry out and lose their seeds if in open air, or mold if in bags. Is there a good way to preserve them for later? Can they be frozen?
I freely admit to being a paranoid mommy, and wild foods in general make me nervous, but I know that's a good source of nutrients for them. I have pin and water oak trees in my yard, and will sometimes give them leaves and branches from those, which they love. My neighbor says I can get branches from her trees too. She has magnolia, pecan, maple, and black walnut. Are those ok for them to eat? And, can they have the needles and branches from the pine trees, or just the cones? What about peach trees? My brother is always trying to bring me peach limbs and green peaches, but I'm afraid to give them those.
Thanks for any advice

[Shewhosweptforest]

I freeze my pinecones...I give them straight from the freezer I don't even scrape the sharp points off All the trees you mentioned are fine I would not give green peaches...really no whole peaches (the pits are toxic) also, giving them pine limbs and needles, if they chewed them, could make a huge mess....the sap is very messy, sticky

You're very lucky to have a source for your cones

[rottilvr79]

Thanks for your reply. Freezing was my first choice, just wanted to make sure it wouldn't make the cones inedible. I can imagine how messy the limbs would be. They make a huge mess with the cones, their entire cage has to be cleaned after they're done. With black walnuts, does the outer green shell need to be peeled off? Thanks for the advice, I get a little paranoid about the babies. Funny, I have never been like that with the cats and dogs, only since becoming a squirrel mommy.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Thanks for your reply. Freezing was my first choice, just wanted to make sure it wouldn't make the cones inedible. I can imagine how messy the limbs would be. They make a huge mess with the cones, their entire cage has to be cleaned after they're done. With black walnuts, does the outer green shell need to be peeled off? Thanks for the advice, I get a little paranoid about the babies. Funny, I have never been like that with the cats and dogs, only since becoming a squirrel mommy.

No worries...I'm the same way about my squees...I too, like to feed them as many natural foods as I can....but I am careful...and yes to your question about the green outer husk of the walnut I let mine tear into them...it's just more stimulation for them, they get to be squirrels they act like they have a treasure Anyway, no question is too paranoid to ask...ask away...that's how we all learn new things

[Mommaluvy]

Thanks for your reply. Freezing was my first choice, just wanted to make sure it wouldn't make the cones inedible. I can imagine how messy the limbs would be. They make a huge mess with the cones, their entire cage has to be cleaned after they're done. With black walnuts, does the outer green shell need to be peeled off? Thanks for the advice, I get a little paranoid about the babies. Funny, I have never been like that with the cats and dogs, only since becoming a squirrel mommy.

No. They will take the outer shell off ..
But for storage :duno storing them might require the shell to come off.