Preserving Acorns

[Jenny H]

Hi,

Can anyone advise me please?
We have a 4 year old squirrel, Nutkin, who lives with us and was originally brought into our sanctuary as an orphaned baby. This year has been great for acorns and we have a huge supply of them from our oak tree.
However, I have yet to find a way to preserve these to last him through the seasons. I recently tried freezing some of them but without success as Nutkin won't eat them. If I offered him 3 acorns, one of them having been previously frozen, he rejects the frozen one and won't eat it.
A friend recommended burying them in sand and someone else suggested drying them out in an oven at low temperature.
I have all these beautiful acorns and don't know how to preserve them.
Any ideas, please?

Also the formula of the powdered vitamin/mineral supplements that I give to Nutkin has been changed. He now doesn't like the taste and I want to ensure he gets everything he needs. Is there a particular nutrient block that is available in the UK, where I live?
Many thanks.
Jenny

[Mavrycs Mommy]

i do believe i read some where that the low heat thing you mentioned was the best way... i'd assume that if you put them in the oven on 250 for about an hour they should be good to go!!! its kind of like roasting them id suppose :D im not a squirrel or acorn expert by anymeans i just noticed you had no replies :dono but that is what id do if i were you!!!

[Jenny H]

Thank you so much for your reply. I will certainly try your method and hopefully Nutkin will be happy with the result. I have so many acorns that I can afford to experiment with them, so if Nutkin won't eat them, then I haven't lost too much.
With very best wishes and thanks. Jenny
PS Just saw the pictures of little Mavie - absolutely gorgeous!

[stepnstone]

After Irene my wife and I collected HUNDREDS of acorns, some right off the (fallen) trees. We tried dried, freezing, roasting at different temps, room temp, nothing worked for the palette of even the wilds. They would crack them, peel them and throw them down. They just wouldn't eat them! Although there were a few that they did eat, it was only a handful out of the hundreds we had. The times that I have collected fresh acorns from the ground I have used the "water float" method. If they float they are bad, if they sink they are good. This method seems to have proven itself as the squirrels I feed will eat the sinkers. I have frozen some and will do the float method in warm water to take the chill off and be sure they are (still) good before sitting out and they do eat them.

I have come to the conclusion that they have to be "aged" on the tree and "roasted in the sun" to just the right perfection for their taste. This also gives me an explanation as to why I come across loads of acorns on the ground in the forest left rotting in the dirt and no squirrels around, the wilds know what and how to eat.

[Jenny H]

Many thanks for your help. I have noticed from the wild squirrels that they are fussy feeders too. As you say, they pick only certain acorns or nuts. They must know something we don't!
I think even if I find a way of preserving some of the acorns, they will have to be eaten very quickly, particularly if thawed from frozen, as they will no doubt go rotten quickly. They are pretty wet after they've been frozen so I will try to dry some out thoroughly and see if this helps.
Your 'water test' is of great help. I will certainly use this.
If I get any success with preserving acorns, I will post it, but I'm not holding my breath.

[kaydeedid]

The posts here are a couple of years old, and I'm wondering if anyone has any more current information on preserving acorns. I have collected 3 pails full, hoping to supply my flyers for all year. I'm very discouraged after reading these comments.

[SammysMom]

We cannot recommend acorns due to the loss of several squirrels. Here is some info for you to read:
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44354-frozen-acorns-kill-squirrels&highlight=acorns

[Shewhosweptforest]

The posts here are a couple of years old, and I'm wondering if anyone has any more current information on preserving acorns. I have collected 3 pails full, hoping to supply my flyers for all year. I'm very discouraged after reading these comments.

I feel your pain :dono I've collected and frozen acorns for years ....even mailed frozen ones to friends :dono never had a problem :shakehead but last year we had some squirrels die from what we assume were moldy acorns :dono they were not horribly moldy...just some black under the shell (at least that was my understanding) this year I have been giving my babies acorns....even tho I'm frightened....it's just too good of a natural food in my opinion ....what I'm doing is only giving acorns as I pick them up daily...no cracks or holes....blemish free. When my trees stop dropping them I'll stop feeding them. What I don't understand is the fact that wilds bury their acorns in the damp soil...and leave for weeks, maybe months and they still eat them :dono I do know that when I give Baby, she's my oldest squirrel, she will open some and eat, others she will open and then leave them :dono I'm hoping she knows they're not right....maybe younger squirrels can't tell the difference :dono this will be a topic for discussion for a long time :help

[Chickenlegs]

I have been roasting acorns all week --Burr acorns. Fresh, the nut meat is creamy white. Roasted they are golden. I give my babies acorns when it's acorn season. By December, I shell what's left and freeze the perfect nut meat for treats. Squirrels gorge on acorns in the fall. After a month or two they don't touch em--worms have eaten the inside or they've sprouted or moulded. They might eat the sprouts but the meat is suspect. I think acorns are fabulous fall food but I just don't think they're safe for captive squirrels who haven't learned the signs of a bad acorn. Just my opinion.

[kaydeedid]

Thank you folks for your advice. I guess I won't try to keep them. Such a shame; my flyers really like them. I won't take a chance of feeding them something bad.