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Thread: Squash Seeds?

  1. #1
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    Default Squash Seeds?

    I love spaghetti squash and my eldest squirrel loves the seeds from them. I dry them out and store them and offer them as a treat...but I read somewhere that they should be roasted in the oven before giving them to them? In the wild they would not consume them roasted, but do I need to do this? and 'why' if any one knows...

    I guess I'll ask about peanuts as well...do they have to be roasted before offering?

    And are 'all' squash and pumpkin type seeds ok to offer as a treat, or are some not healthy for them?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    I am only here to follow.

    I give my out door squirrels unsalted unroasted peanuts for years now with no issues.

    They also love to dig into my pumpkins when I get them (it doesn't help that they are always put on the bench in the yard that they have taken over as their "feed bench"

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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    Quote Originally Posted by TamiKakes View Post
    I am only here to follow.

    I give my out door squirrels unsalted unroasted peanuts for years now with no issues.

    They also love to dig into my pumpkins when I get them (it doesn't help that they are always put on the bench in the yard that they have taken over as their "feed bench"


    I had a drunk tyke last year that got into my pumpkin after the date of Halloween, that had been cut for decoration. The little guy could hardly get back up the tree. We had to sit out and watch him to make sure no one would get him during his stupor. I learned to dispose of the pumpkin immediately, or you will have a yard full of drunkards!

  5. #4
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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    Pumpkin and squash seeds (and peanuts) have a high phosphorous to calcium ratio and should, like seeds and nuts in general, be used as a treat.

    You can give raw and unbaked (that's how they are in the wild) but make sure they are fresh. Peanuts are kind of junk food, but it's understandable to want to make use of the squash seeds if you're feeding squash. I would keep mine in the fridge and toss after a week or when they become slimier than regular squash sliminess.

    Wilds can have nuts, seeds and peanuts more freely because they have a balanced wild diet and aren't at the increased risk that captive squirrels are for getting Metabolic Bone Disease (fatal if left untreated.) In nature, they may binge on nuts in the fall, but they don't eat them year round. Inside, we give them year round.

    This is why diet is everything and people harp about it often

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  7. #5
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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    Hahaha, I remember a few years back a squirrel got into our pumpkin...
    Probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen. We brought all our cats inside and kept an eye on him through the kitchen window until he was a little bit more... stable XD

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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    Quote Originally Posted by cava View Post
    Pumpkin and squash seeds (and peanuts) have a high phosphorous to calcium ratio and should, like seeds and nuts in general, be used as a treat.

    You can give raw and unbaked (that's how they are in the wild) but make sure they are fresh. Peanuts are kind of junk food, but it's understandable to want to make use of the squash seeds if you're feeding squash. I would keep mine in the fridge and toss after a week or when they become slimier than regular squash sliminess.

    Wilds can have nuts, seeds and peanuts more freely because they have a balanced wild diet and aren't at the increased risk that captive squirrels are for getting Metabolic Bone Disease (fatal if left untreated.) In nature, they may binge on nuts in the fall, but they don't eat them year round. Inside, we give them year round.

    This is why diet is everything and people harp about it often

    I have to 'harp' on my husband quite a bit about giving nuts or treats....I stress over everything that goes into my Diesel's mouth and my husband has been caught slipping them to him on the sly. I have to literally hide the pecans from, not Diesel...but my husband.

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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    Consider feeding the flesh of the pumpkin (a squash), which by botanical definition is the fleshy portion of a plant that contains its seeds is a fruit, in this case a pod fruit. This pod fruit is a good source of protein, but also contains most of the carbs. Compared to in the level of carbs in tuberous vegetable roots, squash is lower. Some squash like Acorn squash, and Butternut squash, have good calcium to phosphorus ratios.

    The seeds of the pumpkin are both a good source of protein and healthy plant fats, and fiber. Pumpkin seeds are one of the highest sources of zinc, manganese, and have a level of magnesium that tops that contained in almonds.

    Limiting pumpkin seeds in the diet to no more than a couple of seeds on days nuts/seeds aren't fed, and including a small measure of calcium to offset the higher phosphorus content, is needful.

    Naturally hulless pumpkin seeds grown in the USA are more reasonable in price and fresher, but also more nutritious than Pumpkin seeds that have hulls even when the hulls are removed.

    Pumpkin seeds are also lower in oxalic acid than some tree nuts, that don't provide any bioavailable calcium, making their Ca:P ratio (0 : P) far greater in phosphorus to calcium than Pumpkin seeds.

    (see attached file)

    Data from this experiment suggest that some nuts (almonds, Brazil, candle, cashews and pine nuts) should be placed in Group 1 as defined by Noonan and Savage (1999)
    Attached Images Attached Images

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  13. #8
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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    Great info Diggie's Friend!!!

    I don't eat much pumpkin, but I do feel better knowing about the acorn and butternut squashes. Those are the 2 hard squashes I have been offering my 4 babies I am keeping right now, as well as Diesel. I have been offering the spaghetti squash seeds as a treat to Diesel (my older squirrel who lives here permanently)...but will make sure not to offer too many. I do sub them as a switch to a pecan or a peanut treat. I have not dried the seeds to the acorn or butternut squash because I wasn't sure if they would be ok to offer. I will say...the spaghetti squash seeds 'are' a loved treat!

    I know not to offer brazil nuts... and a few years ago I picked a lot of chestnuts for him, and then read that if they were the horse chestnut, that I could not offer those. I was not sure of the type so I ditched them all...just in case. The same with acorns...I have so many here in my yard and I am afraid to give him any of those due to mold. (I read a post in here about them being dangerous due to mold.) Sigh, I need to work on a list of what they 'can have' vs. 'absolute no no's'.

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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    Quote Originally Posted by dr3am View Post
    I have to 'harp' on my husband quite a bit about giving nuts or treats....I stress over everything that goes into my Diesel's mouth and my husband has been caught slipping them to him on the sly. I have to literally hide the pecans from, not Diesel...but my husband.
    I could so see this being Tony and myself in the near future 😂

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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    I thought to add that field pumpkins are not recommended as foods for rodents, as they are higher in fiber and oxalates, tougher on the digestive tract.

    Heirloom pumpkins, and those bred for flavor and texture are recommended. Cinderella pumpkins, Long Island Cheese pumpkins are amongst the many varieties available.

    Nutritional value of Hulless organic pumpkin seeds: http://www.seedoilcompany.com/styria...kin-seeds.html

    Organic hulled US grown Styrian pumpkin seeds from Seed Oil Company of OR. is one domestic source that is available.

    https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Pumpk...n+seed+organic

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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?


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  20. #12
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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    Been a few years since I had a nice producing garden....(another expensive pleasure!) Lots of fuzzy little mouths to feed around here right now, it would be nice.

    I was already thinking about maybe planting a few things in a raised bed for spring and some sunflowers and beans around the side. I have lots of extra sunshine in my yard now due to storms from the past few months blowing a lot of my trees down in the yard.

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    Default Re: Squash Seeds?

    Quote Originally Posted by Diggie's Friend View Post
    What a great catalog! I've been pouring through it...I have an awesome greenhouse and know a few things about starting some seeds ...it's been a while though. I look at catalogs like this and want to grow everything!!!

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