Squirrels are animals that are very lively and they are not very picky when it comes to food. Squirrels can eat everything they find during their daily hunts. They mostly binge eat on various nuts, seeds, and various tree buds too. It is said that both wild and captive squirrels can eat oats or cooked oatmeal.
Squirrels can eat whatever they wish to. They can even delve into sugary snacks which have especially been made for children. In this article, we are going to evaluate the eating habits and the eatables which are suitable for a squirrel and what can be hazardous to its health. Stay hooked!
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Should You Give Cooked Oatmeal or Uncooked Oats?
A squirrel will be more than happy if it is fed with cooked oatmeal. Both wild and captive squirrels gladly eat cooked oatmeal. Nevertheless, it is speculated that a wild squirrel always prefers to have what is available in its surroundings. This is the opposite in the case of a captive squirrel.
A captive squirrel is convinced more easily to eat cooked oatmeals whereas the wild squirrel might cause a ruckus.
If you wish to feed a wild squirrel with some cooked oatmeal then you should put it in a bowl outside their feeder in a small amount. This way they’ll eat it.
As far as the question of feeding the squirrel with uncooked oats is concerned, it is believed that it is perfectly fine to provide a squirrel with uncooked oats.
You can, however, apply some amount of moisture to the grains so that they soften up and the squirrel can munch on them easily. This applies to all types of grains you feed them with. You must ensure that the grains are soft enough for a squirrel to munch on.
Are Quaker Oats Safe for Squirrels?
Quaker Oats is one of the most famous oatmeal brands which is owned by PepsiCo. It is an American food company based in Chicago.
Quaker Oats is believed to be one of the best and the healthiest snacks for a squirrel. It is currently available in the market very conveniently. This snack has high amounts of nutrients and minerals that are beneficial for the health of a squirrel. They contain a lot of vitamins which make them strong.
However, you should be cautious while buying a Quaker Oatmeal for your squirrel as a flavored type of Quaker Oats might disrupt their immune system. Quaker Oats contain Sodium, Dietary Fiber, Iron, Calcium, Protein, and Sugar in good amounts which make it a healthy snack for the squirrel.
So to answer the question, yes Quaker Oats is certainly very safe for the squirrels and they can also boost their immunity and their health.
Can Squirrels Eat Porridge?
Porridge is a dish that is full of essential nutrients and it assists to lower cholesterol levels too. It is full of iron, zinc, Vitamin B, and magnesium. Moreover, it incorporates a lot of carbohydrates too which gives a boost to the consumer’s immunity.
As far as the question of feeding porridge to a squirrel is concerned, it is believed that yes, squirrels can be fed with porridge.
Squirrels love to eat porridge because of its amazing taste and they help to boost their strength and nurture their body. Moreover, the rich nutrients are a bonus if you’re feeding porridge to your squirrel!
What Can You Feed Wild Squirrels?
On a general note, both types of squirrels, be it wild or be it captive, can intake any kind of seeds, nuts, leaves, bark, fungi, and fruits. Setting a balance between the intake of these food materials can help the squirrels to eat a proper diet that is full of nutrients that are crucial for their growth.
Squirrel owners or rearers are strongly advised to feed their squirrels with some hazelnuts as well. Hazelnuts are full of high amounts of nutrition and are very profitable for their health.
Here is a small list of foods that you can feed your wild squirrel that it would love to eat and would benefit its health too.
1. Chopped Apple
Chopped apples are considered to be a good and healthy source of nutrition for squirrels. However, some parts of an apple can cause trouble for a squirrel sometimes.
You should abstain from feeding the seed of the apple to the wild squirrel as it contains a tiny amount of cyanide which is harmful.
But to answer your question, yes, squirrels can easily eat apples and they love their pure taste hence they munch on them quickly.
2. Celery
Celery is believed to be a healthy and rich source of fiber that is low in calories and makes it a great snack for animals and humans alike.
Even tiny creatures like the squirrels can eat celery as it helps to maintain a balanced diet which ensures the proper evolution of the little creature.
3. Carrots
Carrots are considered to be an excellent source of potassium, beta carotene, Vitamin K, soluble fiber, and many antioxidants too.
A carrot is even low in fat which makes it a perfect vegetable to feed the squirrels with. Also, the vets have claimed that chewing on carrots can be very beneficial.
Just by chewing on a crunchy carrot, it is believed that a squirrel’s dental health also improves.
4. Green beans
Green beans contain a lot of calcium and this helps in strengthening the bones. Green beans are a good source of Vitamin K too.
Fresh Green beans are a useful source of many other vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
They contain a lot of folic acid and fiber too. Their nutritional value matches that of a pea or okra.
5. Spinach
Spinach is considered to be a very healthy food for animals and humans alike. It is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K.
It is a good source of iron, roughage, beta carotene, and many antioxidants too. Spinach helps in stimulating the digestive tract.
7. Bean sprouts
Bean sprouts have a mild vegetable-like taste. They are obtained from the germination of beans.
They are soft roots that protrude due to the process of germination. They are rich in many antioxidants hence they protect a squirrel against cell damage.
Bean sprouts are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and calcium to be specific.
What Seeds Can Squirrels Eat?
These tiny creatures love to munch on nuts and bird seeds. Hence, naturally, they also love to eat plant seeds.
Seeds that come from the sunflower or seeds from various other sources like poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, safflower seeds, and many more.
They can munch on any kind of seed that is easily available in their habitat. However, the researchers claim that sunflower seeds shouldn’t be fed in excess.
The sunflower seeds are one of the many plant seeds that a squirrel loves to have but ensure that they are served in fewer amounts only.
Sunflower seeds are believed to be one of the most important sources of nutrition. Squirrels also need to be given water regularly.
Since plant-based materials make up most of a squirrel’s diet, hence it is absolutely normal to feed your squirrel with some plant seeds.
What Food Can You Give to Wild Squirrels?
There is a huge variety of food that can be fed to a wild squirrel. Although it is a known fact that a wild squirrel does not always comply with what you offer it. It is used to the food that is easily available in its environment and does not wish to be fed forcefully. The captive squirrels give in to the process more easily.
The list of food that a wild squirrel can eat can vary a lot. It can eat all kinds of plant seeds that are easily available in its habitat.
A wild squirrel can eat hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, fungi, bark, all kinds of leaves, and even fungi. They love to eat nuts.
They love to chew on many kinds of plant seeds like pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, and safflower seeds too. They especially love to eat chopped apples and crunchy carrots. These foods provide them with the basic energy and the strength they need.
They also love to munch on spinach which is a rich source of iron and many other vital nutrients as well as green beans which are rich in high amounts of calcium.
They love to eat celery and bean sprouts which respectively provide them with the balanced diet they require and many antioxidants.
This was a summary of the foods that can be fed to a wild squirrel. Since they love to eat apples, feeding an apple to a wild squirrel can strengthen your bond with it. This will result in a better environment for the wild squirrel to develop and grow as they will then trust you and eat all the healthy food you feed them.
Final Thoughts
Squirrels are tiny creatures that can munch on everything you provide them with. Ranging from seeds to proper wheat food, they intake everything.
However, you must take care of the proportion of all the food items that they are served. They should ensure that they don’t feed them in abundance.
Squirrels can eat oats and oatmeal, they are full of a variety of nutrients that are necessary for the adequate development of their body.
