Some homeowners enjoy setting up feeders for squirrels in their yard so they can watch these fascinating critters run and play in the trees and garden. It may be best to let squirrels forage and eat foods from their natural habitat instead of offering them human foods. At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, our focus is on effective animal management techniques. If you need wildlife control in York, we can offer advice that protects both the homeowner and the animal. Here are the foods that can be dangerous for squirrels.

Peanuts

Squirrels are known to eat and store nuts in the wild, and many people who like to feed squirrels offer them peanuts. Unfortunately, peanuts are not a healthy or safe food for squirrels to eat. Peanuts aren’t technically part of the nut family. They are actually legumes, similar to a lentil. Most peanuts have added salt to them, which can be dangerous for a small critter’s kidneys. Additionally, raw peanuts may be contaminated with a toxin that could be dangerous.

Junk Food

Another bad food option for squirrels is any kind of junk food. Chips, candy, cookies, pretzels, hot dogs, pizza, fries or anything else that is considered junk food can be very bad for most types of wildlife, including squirrels. Some squirrels may raid the garbage and eat these items anyway, especially in busy cities or tourist areas. Junk food may be loaded with salt, which can be toxic to squirrels. Many of these items also have sugar, which can make a squirrel more hyper and excited.

Cereal

Next, avoid feeding breakfast cereals to squirrels or other wildlife in your backyard. Cereals may also have too much salt and sugar and cause some discomfort for squirrels, even the so-called healthy options with nuts and fibre. Additionally, these items have no nutritional value to a squirrel’s diet. A tiny squirrel may fill itself up with too much cereal and not be able to eat anything else. Regularly eating cereal instead of nutritionally appropriate foods may cause a squirrel to become malnourished and lethargic. It’s best to keep breakfast cereals out of your yard and away from any type of wild animal. 

Corn

The last item on the list, corn, may be safe for squirrels in small portions. Squirrels enjoy eating corn, but you have to be careful to not overfeed them. Instead of offering an entire corn cob, limit it to a few pieces of corn that a squirrel can nibble on. If there is too much corn available, squirrels may stuff themselves, which could be dangerous. Corn should also never be left out overnight or for several days as it can go bad and develop mould. Corn that has mould on it may be toxic to small critters and lead to severe discomfort or death.

Your Source for Wildlife Control in York

The safest scenario is to avoid feeding wild squirrels and admire them from a distance. For most wildlife, human foods can be unsafe or not healthy. If you enjoy watching squirrels play in your yard, focus on providing lots of cover with trees and bushes instead of putting out bird or squirrel feeders that may be dangerous to them. Never approach or handle a wild squirrel. Touching a wild animal like that can be dangerous for a human and terrifying for a squirrel. Leave the squirrel removal to the experts, like the team at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. 

Understanding the habits and behaviours of wild squirrels helps the experts at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control know what to do when there is a problem. Contact our team if you need help with problem squirrels taking over your yard.