I'm moving--will the squirrels I feed be able to survive?

[Knight of Squee]

Hi guys, so I have a small yard and for about 1 year, I have a squirrel feeder that has attracted some urban squirrels to my yard. I see squirrels digging around in the garbage and figured it would be healthier if they could have access to nuts and such and now I'm trying out Henry's Healthy Blocks for adults.

Unfortunately, I have to move in a month and I'm deeply worried that certain squirrels will not survive the winter when I cut off this source of food. One in particular who comes by regularly looks smallish compared to other squirrels her age (she is at lease 1+ years old) so I wonder if she has become dependent to the feeder. She seems very fearful of other squirrels and they always chase her off. However, there has been instances where she does not come by for several days, but that could just be her running off to mate with some boy squirrel.

So my first question for the experts out there is--are squirrels--especially those who grew up rehabilitated by humans--able to pick up on how to forage? This squirrel wasn't rehabilitated by humans, but I feel like maybe rehabilitated squirrels have the closest contact with humans.

Secondly, is there any way to start training her now to look for food elsewhere? For instance, only leave a couple nuts out and slowly wind down? No food at all? I don't want the next tenants living here to get freaked out by her coming by and possibly peering through the windows. I think a lot of people overreact way too much when they see a squirrel, fearing that they carry rabies (which is not even true : ). If I stop leaving food out, will she quickly learn to stop coming by?

As a note, I started leaving nuts out by the squirrel feeder when she was already an adult (but maybe a young adult? hard to tell because she's always really small, except when she's pregnant..).

I appreciate any advice.

[cava]

So my first question for the experts out there is--are squirrels--especially those who grew up rehabilitated by humans--able to pick up on how to forage?

Secondly, is there any way to start training her now to look for food elsewhere?

Yes, even if they act like lazy cows on your door step waiting for a handout, they can absolutely forage for themselves and are doing this the rest of the day outside of looting your stuff.

And yes, winding down is what many do when they will be stopping or moving. My squirrels (releases and wilds) stopped coming in two days when I ran out of nuts and hadn't made it to the store yet. Now when I throw them out they get ignored until late afternoon. It goes to show they have many other natural foods.

One suggestion, if you are worried about the little one, is to ask a neighbor if they'd be willing to carry on the daily treats. Either way, rest assured that squirrels have been getting along for a very long time without our handouts. Thanks for caring and best wishes for your move!

[Knight of Squee]

Yes, even if they act like lazy cows on your door step waiting for a handout, they can absolutely forage for themselves and are doing this the rest of the day outside of looting your stuff.

Thank you so much for responding so quickly! Your message is really reassuring and I'm grateful to learn that they are so capable. I will try the winding down method and hopefully that will be an incentive for her to look elsewhere. It breaks my heart to wonder where she will be (I live in a very urban area so it's always worrisome to know that there are so many human-caused threats out here, like cars, cats, etc.), but I just want make this transition as simple as possible for her!