What do squirrels eat

When it comes to squirrels, there are a lot of things that these little critters will eat that make gardeners hate them.  Not only are squirrels one of the most hated creatures in the rodent family because of their diet but they are also one of the cutest looking rodents!  Squirrels have been an annoyance to many gardeners for centuries and if you are interested in exactly what do squirrels eat, that is what we are going to explore in this article!  Most squirrels are vegetarians.  There are a few exceptions like the flying squirrel.  The flying squirrel will eat small birds, insects and definitely steal eggs from birds nest in order to make a meal.  Generally speaking though, squirrels will mainly stick to things that are vegetarian related.    The main diet of squirrels is: nuts, seeds, fruits, lichens, buds, mushrooms, roots, pine cones, leaves, twigs, bark, black walnuts, oranges, avocados, apples, apricots.  One of their favorites is definitely corn on the cob that is dried and hung up for them.  Squirrels are not picky eaters at all and they will pretty much consume anything that is in front of them as long as it tastes good, this is especially true when it comes to flower bulbs!  Now that we have explored exactly what a squirrel eats, let’s go ahead and explore why exactly gardeners hate these adorable creatures so much.  Well, as you might know, squirrels love to dig and hide their extra food all over the place.  This is not just done just before the winter time; it is actually done all year round.  So while the squirrels are digging, they are usually not only trying to hide their extra nuts the garden soil, but they are also digging up fresh bulbs that gardeners plant in the spring time.  One of the favorite things on a squirrel’s menu is flower bulbs.    Something about the taste of a bulb is absolutely something that a squirrel can not resist and if they happen to dig one up while they are hiding their nuts in the soil, and then they will swap it out!  This is one of the reasons why gardeners and squirrels simply do not get along at all.  Gardeners will spend all of that time planting a whole lot of bulbs only to get half of the flowers that they planted due to squirrels digging up the rest! 

talented squirrels

What are squirrels most talented at doing?

Tree squirrels run fast and jump long distances on tiny branches high up in trees. Ground squirrels dig long tunnels very fast. Many squirrels chatter and use their tails to communicate a complex language. All squirrels have very sharp teeth and flexible front paws -- and are very smart about opening containers and solving other food-related challenges. Squirrels have sensitive hearing. Squirrels have big eyes that see very well -- but they are on the sides of their heads, so they don't see what's at the tip of their nose. That's one reason it can be dangerous to feed a squirrel -- it can't see your fingers and might accidentally bit you if you get too close.

The endangerd red squirrels

yeah, a little bit of good news for the decreaseing red squirrel population in the U. K:  thanks to increasing immunity against a deadly squirrel pox virus. for a while this endangered species was rapidly declineing because of the squirrel pox virus now the population is coming back thanks to a growing immunity and less hunting

Defense mechanisms

Defense mechanisms

Squirrels have a variety of defense mechanisms and behaviors to ward off threats.

Visibility

The coloring of the squirrel serves as a camouflage, especially when on the trunk of a tree. The squirrel will also quickly move to the opposite side of the trunk, so the predator does not knew it has moved up to a different location.
Southern flying squirrels can be found in southeastern Canada, the eastern United States, and Mexico. The flying squirrels were most active on nights of poor visibility, as an anti-predator defense mechanism.

Feet

Squirrels have the ability to turn their feet one hundred and eighty degrees, which allows it to quickly scurry up the nearest tree to escape.

Tail

A squirrel will flick its tail from side to side to distract a predator. When caught by a predator, the tail will actually break off, allowing the squirrel a chance to escape. This defense mechanism is also seen in lizards.

Sounds

A California ground squirrel will utilize sounds from its major predator, the rattlesnake, as a defense mechanism. In other words, they are capable of discriminating rattling sounds from other other sounds.
In fact, the squirrel is able to assess the level of danger the rattlesnake represents from its sounds. Sometimes the squirrel will engage in sand-kicking to provoke the snake into rattling to get more information about the size and danger of the predator. This behavior is quite low in risk for the squirrel, while providing it with necessary information about the snake.

Taming a wild Squirrel

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  Create an area where you can leave food for them. A yard filled with trees makes the best place to find squirrels and feed them. Section off an area specifically for them to feed. You can leave food in bird feeders, create a platform area or purchase feeders designed specifically for squirrels. You want to let them know that your yard is a safe place for them to forage, eat and even build their nests.
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  Buy food such as peanuts, squirrel food blend or sunflower seeds for them to eat. You might not see them when you first start leaving food at the feeder, but they'll see you. If you feed them every day, they will become used to food being left for them by you. The more they see you leaving food at the feeder, the more they will associate you with good things and will become less frightened of your approach. Within no time, you should start seeing an abundance of squirrels at your feeder and in your yard. Don't be surprised if they show up at the back door, letting you know it's time for more supplies.
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  Talk to the squirrels and make squirrel noises when you are by the feeder. You'll probably feel like an idiot and the squirrels won't have a clue what you're saying, but you'll become less threatening. Doing this while holding a peanut in your hand, makes you seem even more appealing. There's always at least one who will lose its fear and be curious about you.
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  Notice which squirrels are brave and seem unafraid to get closer to you. This may take weeks and sometimes even months for the squirrel to build up courage. As long as you are non-threatening and patient, eventually the squirrel should be able to get within a few feet of you without scampering away. Having a peanut in your hand while this is happening, always helps encourage the squirrel to move closer.
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  Stoop down and offer a peanut to the squirrel. Once again, this may take several days or weeks to get the squirrel to finally accept the nut from your hand. The main thing you want to enforce is you are not dangerous and the squirrel will get a nice treat if they allow themselves to get close to you. Their buddies will be watching the brave one and even a few of them might try to take the nut out of your hand eventually.
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  Accepting the nut from hand, can now lead to more adventurous moves with the squirrel. You can start by simply sitting down and offering the peanut to the squirrel, but making them climb up on your lap to accept it. You can also put the nut on your shoulder and have them crawl up you arm to retrieve it.