Nutrition-Related Squirrel Public Health Question (Non-Urgent )

[Rocky1]

Is there a website or organization that tracks outbreaks of contagious disease in the squirrel population? Can nut orchards keep squirrels out?

Here's why I ask/My concern: It occurred to me that it might be possible to buy nuts or squirrel food from the grocery store that came from a commercial nut orchard near a disease outbreak. If that were to happen, and if an infected squirrel found his way into the orchard, the disease might be spread via food supply to other region (when the nuts from that orchard are shipped to grocery stores).

Has anyone else ever been concerned about this?

(I know it's probably unlikely to be a problem but I like to keep my "buddies" safe, and prevent problems before they happen.)

[Rocky1]

My preferred solution would be to simply buy brands that have their orchards and processing plants far away from any current outbreaks (if and when there are any). I would check before placing an order just to be safe.

(If this post seems a little far out, the reason I would come up with this is because I work in a related field designed to protect human health.)

[CritterMom]

Well, I would tend to worry less about actual bacteria from an illness of some kind than I would about moisture related mold/aflatoxins. Pretty much all of the nuts that we get for squirrels come off the tree encased in big, thick skins that are removed during processing for market, which means that the nut you get has had anything that might have touched an animal during it's growth removed before you buy it.

I worry more what happens AFTER all that happens - how are they stored?

[Rocky1]

Well, I would tend to worry less about actual bacteria from an illness of some kind than I would about moisture related mold/aflatoxins. Pretty much all of the nuts that we get for squirrels come off the tree encased in big, thick skins that are removed during processing for market, which means that the nut you get has had anything that might have touched an animal during it's growth removed before you buy it.

I worry more what happens AFTER all that happens - how are they stored?

What about nuts in the shell? I am assuming that nuts in the shell would store better, even if being stored in the "scatter hoarder" method of cute little gray squirrels.

(I admit this may seem overly cautious, but I just adore them.... and am happy to do a little extra research to keep them safe.)

[SammysMom]

Most nuts in the shell start out with a husk that is removed before we buy them.

[Rocky1]

Most nuts in the shell start out with a husk that is removed before we buy them.

This sounds like it makes ALL the difference! I just youtubed walnut husks and almond husks and it looks like they definitely have husks.

Seems like this problem is SOLVED!!! Thank you VERY much!