How can I feed wild Grey squirrels? It's so cold outside & there are 5+ squirrels...

[Miss L]

I've noticed 5+ squirrels close to my house since it's gotten cold this winter. They are too cute. I have seen them the rest of the year, but they stayed back in the woods.

Now they are coming closer and closer to my house...

They don't seem familiar or comfy with humans (they run away if I go outside) but I live in a pretty rural area, so they likely never interacted with humans much anyway.

I saw one squirrel looking around my garbage can for food I assume -- and then a crow started dive-bombing it, trying to wing slap it, and the sweet little squirrel stood frozen in place and looked scared for it's life! They must be very hungry to be coming this close to my house out in the open.

What is the best thing I can give them, and how can I feed them in a way that keeps them safe from the crows?

[frankc]

I've noticed 5+ squirrels close to my house since it's gotten cold this winter. They are too cute. I have seen them the rest of the year, but they stayed back in the woods.

Now they are coming closer and closer to my house...

They don't seem familiar or comfy with humans (they run away if I go outside) but I live in a pretty rural area, so they likely never interacted with humans much anyway.

I saw one squirrel looking around my garbage can for food I assume -- and then a crow started dive-bombing it, trying to wing slap it, and the sweet little squirrel stood frozen in place and looked scared for it's life! They must be very hungry to be coming this close to my house out in the open.

What is the best thing I can give them, and how can I feed them in a way that keeps them safe from the crows?

Hi. Yes it is cold, I am in Massachusetts and the feels like temps here are or have been as much as -15 degrees. I feed 5 squirrels in my back yard. By now they are so hungry they will eat almost anything. The best things to feed them is Veggies, such as cut up carrots, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, most any veggie, the best if they will eat it is Kale, also this time of year squirrels need fat on there bodys to make it thru the winter, so Avocado is good just make sure you remove all the skin and remove the pit do not feed these (the skin and pit to them) it is toxic and could kill them. The Avocado itself is great. For the most part squirrels in captivity nuts such as peanut ect are not good for them but in the wild squirrels know what they need, and nuts do have fat so things like walnuts, pecans and of course a natural nuts like acorns are good as long as they are not real old, or rotten ect;

Squirrels can be very picky so it's trial and error but if they are real hungry they will eat most anything. Try to feed them in kind of a sheltered area like under a deck or a place a crow can't really dive into. Feeding them in the complet open is also bad because they become easy targets for predators like hawks. If you have to feed them in a wide open area without some cover feed them close to a tree where they can escape if attacked, also remember the water they need water to stay hydrated and water depending were they are can be hard to get if it is frozen. :squirrel2

Note: If you have a problem with birds like Blue Jays like did stealing some of the food then I took a coffee can hot glued it to a piece of flat wood and I put the food in the can. No more bird stealing problems :) I even have on squirrel that is a trip. He goes in the can turns around so he is facing out and sits in there and eats.

[Diggie's Friend]

The best source for wilds, not the same as for squirrels in captive care, is organic chopped English walnuts, that are high in both the fats and protein they need to support their survival in the cold months when their caloric need increases. We use a mist sprayer to moisten them so that the Calcium citrate we add to the nuts sticks. Calcium citrate because isn't lost to bonding to the higher levels of oxalic acid in nuts, as Calcium carbonate is. Sprinkling on a pinch for a handful of nuts works well. (Link to source below)

https://www.amazon.com/Frontier-Calcium-Citrate-Powder/dp/B000UYA1T6