frozen acorns kill squirrels

[stepnstone]

I just wonder how many in the wild die this very same way.

Unknowing I won't say not any, but I do question If any.
Like not seeing mbd among wilds.
I've seen wilds that eat avocado, skin and all with no adverse
reaction, yet feed it to a captive that way and your fighting for
it's life. I've seen wilds forging for food ignoring fallen acorns that
captives will eat if fed to them. Wilds sitting at a feeder full of
peanuts gorging itself day after day with no adverse reactions to
their health or coat yet our captives would look like rag-a-muffins
and get mbd if we allowed that.
Wilds seem to know what to eat and how to eat. I personally think
they also learn what to eat in the wild that counters things that
could potentially harm them.

[Bushkins]

Thank You for posting this Acorn concern and what to look for when collecting and/or purchasing Acorns ! Nut Mold is a Terrible Thing !! I did not know that moldy nuts could have such a devastating effect on squirrels !! Again ..Thank You and sorry for your loss !!
Just a little concern as to the nuts we give our squirrels? I feed wild squirrels up here in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and consistently read about members in here stating " not to give too many nuts and/or acorns to our squirrels" ! This really confuses me as to the wild guys I feed !! What do wild grey squirrels eat all winter ? The acorns/nuts they stash in the ground during the Fall Months... Correct ? And their lucky to get at these previously stashed nuts due to snow & frozen ground....Correct ? So how is it that we can give our wild squirrels too many acorns/nuts ? A wild squirrel is an opportunist eater and when desperate for nutrition, will eat tree bark or anything it can find !! I just do not understand how you can give a wild squirrel too many acorns/nuts during the winter !! What else do wild squirrels eat during winter and I will feed it to them !! Thanks for any input !

[Spanky]

Just a little concern as to the nuts we give our squirrels? I feed wild squirrels up here in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and consistently read about members in here stating " not to give too many nuts and/or acorns to our squirrels" ! This really confuses me as to the wild guys I feed !! What do wild grey squirrels eat all winter? The acorns/nuts they stash in the ground during the Fall Months... Correct ? And their lucky to get at these previously stashed nuts due to snow & frozen ground....Correct ? So how is it that we can give our wild squirrels too many acorns/nuts ? A wild squirrel is an opportunist eater and when desperate for nutrition, will eat tree bark or anything it can find !! I just do not understand how you can give a wild squirrel too many acorns/nuts during the winter !! What else do wild squirrels eat during winter and I will feed it to them !! Thanks for any input !

There is a huge difference between a wild squirrel and a captive squirrel. When you hear folks here saying no nuts (or seeds, or corn, etc.), they are for the most part talking about captive squirrels. Captive squirrels only have the option of eating what they are provided and if they get very many nuts at all (which they will always choose over anything else, just like a kid will choose candy over veggies) it WILL lead to MBD. It is not a "maybe" it is an absolute... and just a matter of time. This is partly why some people coming to TSB have a hard time accepting it was the nuts they fed for months that caused the current paralysis. With wilds my personal understanding is MBD is virtually non-existent, but I have also seen posts on TSB describing squirrels in a city park (as an example) developing MBD as a result of all the nuts and seeds they are fed by the park patrons. But like Step said, the wilds have a whole smorgasbord of options and "know" what to eat. I also believe that captive squirrels are also exponentially less active than those free in the trees... climbing dozens of trees every day, tens of feet tall, jumping treetop to treetop.. and the running... which also (IMO) plays an important role.

The wilds are much more active in addition to having options and variety we may not even think to provide our captive squirrels.

I personally believe it is okay to feed wild squirrels nuts and seeds, I do it myself. But it needs to be within limits... meaning the wilds still need to be wild and our feeding should be a nice supplement (or treat) to what they get in the wild... but not reach extent the wilds no longer forage... because they know where a nice pile of nuts can be found.

[UnknownUserr]

My understanding with acorns they only can be eaten at a particular time and for a very short time. Native Americans used to use acorns to tan hide they contain a natural tannin compound also contain a toxin once they reach a certain age. Me myself I would not feed them to any animal, Ive seen to many horse and cows become very ill after eating them. Living in a area were oak is the primary tree I notice red squirrels with large caches of acorns and grey and black squirrels are only eating them at a certain time.