feeding a wild squirrel

[bdk]

Hi, I've recently begun feeding a wild squirrel that comes onto our back patio and just wanted some advice on what is best. I looked here (http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32218) and I notice it said avoid salted nuts but does it make a difference that this isn't a pet squirrel? I've been feeding her (I think it's a her. She had a really full belly when I first saw her and recently it's shrunk leading me to believe that she had babies! :)) roasted almonds but they are salted. However, I do have unsalted raw sliced almonds... which is better to give her? What about salted cashews? I've been giving her a few of these everyday as well.

Also, I've been feeding her a little bit of my muffin every day as well... I know the chart says avoid sweets but is a little morsel everyday okay?

Also, it seems most fruits are ok and I have been giving her various fruits but I have a ton of dried cranberries I'd like to give her and was wondering if those were ok. I know they have lots of sugar in them so wanted to be sure it's safe to give her a lot of them or if it's better to give her only a little.

Thanks. It's nice to find a place dedicated to these wonderful creatures. :)

[SammysMom]

Try to avoid too much sugar and definitely avoid the salted nuts. Sodium is no better for them than it is for us :D
:Welcome :Welcome :Welcome

[bdk]

Thanks for replying! What about the cranberries? Would they be ok?

[Scooterzmom]

Dried fruit is never a good idea for squirrels, wild or home ones. Much more sugar in those plus the stickiness can make some of them choke on a piece of the sticky fruit.

I would offer fresh berries - they have sugar, yes, but at this time of year it's the kind of thing they'd find in the wild anyway. I have a few wilds who LOVE aocados; you could try that but only the flesh - no skin & no pit, those are toxic. Unsalted nuts. Roasted almonds are OK, some pecans too and some walnuts - all those are better than peanuts (peanuts are not nutritious, and if you must then offer only the roasted ones, not the raw because raw can have toxins in them).

[bdk]

Scooterzmom, thank you. Just one more question... You said raw peanuts are bad but what about the raw almonds?

[CritterMom]

Raw almonds are excellent. Peanuts are not actually nuts - they are closer to beans (legumes) really.

I feed my wilds rodent block but they also get occasional things like cut up apples and blueberries, since I never can use them all up. They like the fruit...but not NEARLY as much as nuts!

[bdk]

Great! Thanks everyone for their suggestions! :)

[mdyoung216]

I too feed the squirrels that come into my yard in the morning. I buy 5 pound bags of unsalted roasted peanuts from Sam's Club, and 3 pound bags of unsalted almonds from Costco. Most seem to prefer the almonds. I have a question that I wonder if anyone here knows. Do squirrels have a large stomach for their size or just gluttons? I have some squirrels that will sit on my porch and eat 10 to 12 almonds before taking off with a couple in their mouth. To me that seems the same as a human eating a dozen apples.