Originally Posted by
HRT4SQRLS
Of course squirrels eat acorns. No doubt about it. During some seasons it’s their primary food source.
I’m referring to wild squirrels surviving on nature’s bounty.
I suspect that you have seen the warning on TSB about feeding acorns. The warning are for a different reason. The things we feed rehab/pet/captive squirrels have different considerations. The problem with acorns is due to their tendency to grow mold inside the casing. Some molds produce aflatoxins. If an acorn is growing an aflatoxin producing mold the results can be deadly. A captive squirrel will eat the acorn without any hesitation. Squirrels have died from fungal toxins in acorns. The inside of an acorn is moist and is a perfect environment for growing mold. That is especially true in hot climates like FL. We have acorns on the ground in November and the temperatures can still be in the high 80’s. An acorn shell is a perfect incubator for fungi. Moisture and warmth are perfect conditions. Of course not all acorns grow fungi and not all fungi produce aflatoxins. It is out of an abundance of caution that the warnings are in place.
Another issue with acorns is the calcium to phosphorus ratio. The ratio is 1: 1.9 (Ca: P). If it had the opposite ratio it would be almost perfect. The desirable ratio of foods is 2:1 (Ca: P). The ratio for acorns is almost the same as almonds which are 1: 1.8. We limit high phosphate foods due to the potential of MBD. If you feed captive squirrels an abundance of acorns it could have the same effect as an abundance of nuts. Captive squirrels only eat what we give them and have no opportunity to balance their diet with native foods like the wilds.
With that said, do I feed acorns? Yes, I do. ....WITH GREAT CAUTION. I have 2 flyers. They would rather eat an acorn than a nut. During the peak of acorn season, I will pick a few fresh acorns. I don’t store them. I cut them in half with a sharp knife. I examine every acorn they get. You would be surprised how many I find that are bad inside. They do get a single, carefully inspected acorn during acorn season. It is a choice I have made. In a perfect world my boys would have lived their lives in the trees. They did not get the chance to do that and I can never replicate their native diet or their natural environment. Giving them a few acorns is the only thing I can give them from their world. I have chosen to do that but it is a personal decision that we each must make for ourselves. I am fully aware of the issues and do my best to minimize the risk.