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Thread: Nature's Bounty

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    Default Nature's Bounty

    I am up visiting Michigan and the maple seeds have already begun falling. In the wild squirrels eat these and they are part of the natural diet. This is the stage when they are best and you will see wilds reaching for them at the end of a maple tree. These are not potentially dangerous like acorns which may contain aflatoxins. I look for maple seeds on the tree when yellowing just before they are ready to fall, and only use the large ones for my NR's <photos attached>.

    Edible for people too! https://northernwoodlands.org/outsid...other-delicacy

    I do feed acorns to my NR's and only buy the premium ones from "Acorno" when in season taking care to open and inspect for mold before feeding: http://www.acorno.com/premium-acorns-squirrel-food

    Maple tree samaras and their seeds - packed with protein and carbs!


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  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Nature's Bounty

    This is a major favorite for all my wilds and rehabs. I have this tree in my back yard and it's where the nest boxes hang. I even brought a bunch in for Sylvia and she devoured them.

    It makes me nervous when they climb to the top and hang off the end of a branch but nobody has fallen so far and thanks to these pigs we have far fewer helicopters landing in the yard, yellow and dry.

  3. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to cava:

    Diggie's Friend (05-19-2018), SophieSquirrel (05-19-2018)

  4. #3
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Nature's Bounty

    Nice find!

    Though true that seeds aren't generally contaminated with alfatoxins while still on the trees, green acorns aren't either. Fungal spores are actually most everywhere, not just in the soil; they may even be found in your home. Acorns actually become infested with acorn worms while still green on the trees; yet this isn't an issue of alfatoxin contamination, but another. When the grub worms emerge from the acorn shell by boring their way out, the hole they leave allows moisture and fungal spores to enter the shell capsule, which promotes fungal growth.

    Any nut or seed can be potentially contaminated with fungal spores during processing (shelling), or storing. Boiling acorns in the shell for 5 minutes destroys fungal growth on the outside of the shells, and makes shelling the acorns easier. Shelling nuts, drying them, and then storing them offers the best support towards inhibiting fungal-alfatoxin contamination and growth. Keeping dried seeds and nuts in a cool dry place, and not storing them for too long, is what does most to inhibit fungal growth from occurring.

  5. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Diggie's Friend from:

    SophieSquirrel (05-19-2018)

  6. #4
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Nature's Bounty

    The Effects of tannins on digestion and detoxification activity in gray squirrels

    Acorn tannins may affect food preferences and foraging strategies of squirrels through effects on acorn palatability and digestibility and squirrel physiology. Captive eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) were fed 100% red oak (Quercus rubra) or white oak (Quercus alba) acorn diets to determine effects on intake, digestion, and detoxification activity. Red oak acorns had higher phenol and tannin levels, which may explain the lower dry matter intakes and apparent protein digestibilities and the higher glucuronidation activities observed in squirrels. Although the white oak acorn diet had lower apparent protein digestibilities than the reference diet, it did not suppress dry matter intake for a prolonged period or stimulate glucuronidation. Negative physiological effects of a 100% red oak acorn diet suggest gray squirrels may require other foods to dilute tannin intake and provide additional nutrients
    http://www.academia.edu/5083444/The_...grey_squirrels

  7. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Diggie's Friend from:

    SophieSquirrel (05-19-2018)

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