Wild squirrel food

[Librariaylady]

So many conflicting opinions. I want to create a winter food source for the wild squirrels. Please, what can I mix together? I have heard that raw peanuts are a no no, but what if I bake them first, can they be included with the others options? Seeds? Unshelled nuts? Corn?
Thank you.

[CritterMom]

My backyard backs on a woods and I have many, many wild squirrels (and a host of other creatures, too). I built a little Squirrel Cafe on my side porch and many squirrels from I would bet miles around visit it daily. I wanted to feed lots of squirrels a good food that wouldn't break the bank.

Mazuri Rodent food is used by many people who rehab squirrels. Mazuri is owned by Purina, one of the biggest feed manufacturers in the world, and not too terribly far from me I have a hardware/farm supply store that carries Purina feed, and they get the Mazuri Rodent blocks in 50 pound bags. I pay $16 per bag, and usually pick up 200 pounds at a time because I have to store them in metal garbage cans or will have every mouse in New England... I dump a bunch into a big old glass pyrex bowl, drizzle enough vegetable oil to just coat the blocks and then put a big glob of peanut butter on top and nuke the whole thing until the peanut butter melts - in my micro it is 9 minutes. Then I stir and fold the peanut butter until it mixes with the oil on the blocks and thoroughly coats them. I nuke a couple more moments and set aside to cool. They dry out nicely and taste like peanut butter and I have many generations of squirrels that eat this as likely their principal diet and they are all sleek and healthy! If course they get peanut butter paw prints on my kitchen windows...

The down side is that this is something you need to feed under cover of some sort, not scatter on the ground, as rain ruins them.

See if you have a place that you can buy these in bulk. The same blocks are like $12 for a 3 or 5 pound bag at the pet shop!

[RockyPops]

Using Crittermom's recipe...

I used about (estimating) 1 1/2 cups Kaytee rodent blocks.

Sprayed with vegetable oil, tossed in bowl (like a salad), sprayed again. Til shiny with oil.

Dalop of peanut butter, about 1/4 cup on top.

Microwave in 30 second intervals until peanut butter is melted.

Stir blocks in melted peanut butter, add more if necessary to coat blocks and microwave as needed.


312024


I shall try them on my wild babies and report back on how they like them.

Thanks Crittermom!

[redwuff]

My version of Crittermom’s recipe is I mix the oil in with peanut butter until a bit runny than stir on Mazuri block and nuke for 2 min.

Thanks Crittermom

[RockyPops]

I tried them this pm. Mixed results.

Some sniffed and ignored.

One or two ate them readily.

To be fair thou, some were also taking peanuts and burying them instead of eating them. They are apparently getting enough to eat naturally and just not hungry.

I'm mainly wanting something for feeding later in the winter when food starts getting scarce.

More later!