Can I Give My Girl Staghorn Sumac Berries/Branches

[j gardiner]

Hello everyone! On my morning trek for fresh branches for little Agile, I came upon a stag sumac bush & snapped a couple of branches with berries to bring back to her. I've eaten them myself (great source of vit c) & made sumac tea in the past, but I wanted to make sure it's ok to give them to her. This is a little earlier than I'd harvest for myself--I ate some & they taste a bit green & not quite as juicy as they would if harvested in the fall.

I've found links online that say stag sumac is a source of food for squirrels and birds, but in the interests of being very cautious I just wanted to check before I give them to her. Anyone given sumac berries to their little ones? (she's 14 wks old).

Here's a link with info & a photo of a gray eating sumac berries in winter: https://neighborhoodnature.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/more-color-in-the-winter-woods/

"Part of the cashew family, Staghorn Sumac is an important winter food source (high in vitamin C) for foxes, squirrels, cottontail rabbits, white-tailed deer and a number of bird species while being an emergency winter food for about 300 species of songbirds." from https://www.evergreen.ca/blog/entry/staghorn-sumac-a-sentinel-of-winter/

Photos online of red squirrels eating sumac berries:303357303358

[SophieSquirrel]

I have never fed it but apparently it's a natural laxative for birds(?). "Diggie's Friend" is a TSB member who knows natural foods and she may have some input. Some foods that would not be preferred or normally eaten may be consumed in the winter to avoid starvation. Some fruits are toxic when not ripe. Put a small clump in and see if she is interested. Like any new food introduce slowly and in small quantities especially those with medicinal value.

https://monarchbfly.com/2008/03/30/staghorn_sumac_birds/

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[Diggie's Friend]

Identification: Staghorn vs. Poison Sumac

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.528078453899841.1073741827.148821091825581&type=3

Photo of Staghorn Sumac on this page: https://oaklandnaturalareas.com/tag/squirrel-nest/

Apparently this red squirrel has taken a like to the fruit.

https://brtthome.com/2018/06/06/20180529-squirrel-flycatcher-otter-dragonflies-and-spring-flora/

Staghorn Sumac is used to make a berry jam from.

[j gardiner]

Ok, so I think that unless I get an all clear from someone who's fed them, I'll err on the side of caution with this wild food--give her a few berries to try & leave it at that. Knock on wood, so far I've been able to avoid stomach upset with her, so I don't want to risk any possibility of loose stool/diarrhea.

Thanks for your prompt feedback!

[j gardiner]

I just wanted to do a quick update: AGILE LOVES SUMAC BERRIES!!:thumbsup

I let her have 10 or 15 berries the first couple of days but now she's up to 1 or 2 little stems, which is probably 30 or so berries. She would devour the whole big cluster if I let her, she really seems to like them. So far no stomach issues or negative effects, & I'm happy to let her have them because the hit of vitamin c (& other antioxidants like gallic acid) is good for her.

It's very cute to watch, she loves them so she sorta buries her face in the big cluster, but then pulls the berries off one by one & chews away on them. I think the velvet texture & crunchiness are part of the appeal too. I'm surprised she likes them so much because she's a very picky eater. Also, it's early in the season so the berries aren't as tasty as they'll be in Sept & Oct.

So if anyone wants to try staghorn sumac as a treat for their squirrel, I got good advice here: start small, with just a few berries, & see how it goes. I've been storing the big cluster in the fridge & just bringing it out whole to her cage each time to let her go at it--supervised--for a few minutes. Photos, of course!:303449303451303450