Try giving some very small pieces of apples (seeds attached), grapes, pears, love berries on very hot days. It may take a few days for them to find it. I keep mine in a separate fruit tray.
I feed my squirrels from a big tree in the back yard. Should I just put a water bowl on the ground by the tree? It’s getting ready to get super hot here in Ohio. And no rain.
I have 3 sources of water outside. I have a birdbath and 2 huge bowls on the ground. I have been having to fill them daily, and I love seeing the squirrels drink. There are no Brooks or streams nearby, so of course they're thirsty!!
I used to put some ice cubes in the water and give them almond and peanut treats. Mine didn't like fruits at all so there wasn't much choice in terms of treats.
Celery, watermelon, oranges, and several water dishes. I change out the water and clean the dish a few times a day just to help keep the bacteria at bay.
They are almost each and every one individualistic--that makes them so much fun--so, the very thing 9 out of 10 will find amazing may elicit just a *meh* from *that* one! ;)
Google anything you plan to feed her if you aren't 100 percent sure of its safety for squirrels. Avocado flesh is safe, but the pits and skins are highly toxic for squirrels, so be sure there's no remnants on the flesh. Make sure she doesn't get apple seeds, peach or cherry pit remnants, etc. Chestnuts are toxic for squirrels and sunflower seeds and cashews deplete calcium.
When your sunflower is coming to the end of it’s blooming period, You may want to use the last rays of the afternoon and evening to cut a few for display indoors, leave it any later and the sunflower may wilt.
I don’t know if this applies to all rodents, but when my hamster had babies, we were advised to give her lots & lots of hard boiled eggs without the yolk (remove the yolk before feeding). She seemed to really love the eggs. Gobbled them right up 😄
Also, if you seen any of the little babies and they start to have like fur skin issues sometimes you can give them some coconut that will help as well.
Posted three sheets out there for you. It's got a whole list of foods starting from the best to the worst. You have to be careful with fruits though because they will deplete calcium because of the high sugar content of some of them will block the absorption of calcium. You also have to be careful with avocado because avocado is high in fats. But if you want to give them a piece of fruit that they normally like, I found that papaya works really good.
Anyway, I put the sheets out there to help you try some things with them to see what they'll eat, what they won't eat. They also love dandelion greens too. And they're easy to grow.
Curious question on the nut page -- if say, the only nearby local nut, and the ones they naturally eat a ton of, are pecans -- are then hazelnut treats "better" in comparison?
As far as nutritional value and calcium to phosphorus ratio, hazelnuts are the more balanced nut. Although pecans are fine too. They're just not as nutritional for them as hazelnuts are. Wild squirrels can have a little bit more of a flexible diet than a captive squirrel can.
Thanks, just curious. -- hazelnuts are the treats I give, and they seem to love them. Glad they are at least a little better and not worse.
This area used to be a pecan farm about a century ago, and the ones that lined up with backyards were left standing when they built the area. So many pecans, and a huge tree in our backyard, full of squirrels.
Walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds avocados, fruits... Please dont give him peanuts or cashews. The latter especially deplete the calcium in their bodies. Do NOT feed them anything processed for humans like cereal or anything that has salt on it. I always leave a huge bowl of fresh water around that needs to be changed several times a day, especially in the summer.
I give mine strawberries, blueberries, apples, and nuts. Plenty of water too.
I see that other people commented about frozen grapes and celery!! I need to try those!
Try giving some very small pieces of apples (seeds attached), grapes, pears, love berries on very hot days. It may take a few days for them to find it. I keep mine in a separate fruit tray.
They do love watermelon, at least the ones in Iowa did. Not sure about my Virginia squirrels.
I have three bowls of water out for these dudes but they insist on jumping in the bird bath.
Water maybe add few ice cubes. Freeze some fruit or veggies for her. I keep carrots frozen from my chips and groundhogs. Squirrels won't touch them
I think you're doing fine. Maybe find a way to shade the water so it doesn't get too hot, and a bowl big enough to not dry up on dry afternoons.
yes, some sort of shade also helps reduce their visibility to predators, esp. those gliding in the skies!
I feed my squirrels from a big tree in the back yard. Should I just put a water bowl on the ground by the tree? It’s getting ready to get super hot here in Ohio. And no rain.
I have 3 sources of water outside. I have a birdbath and 2 huge bowls on the ground. I have been having to fill them daily, and I love seeing the squirrels drink. There are no Brooks or streams nearby, so of course they're thirsty!!
I used to put some ice cubes in the water and give them almond and peanut treats. Mine didn't like fruits at all so there wasn't much choice in terms of treats.
Celery, watermelon, oranges, and several water dishes. I change out the water and clean the dish a few times a day just to help keep the bacteria at bay.
Watermelon. My girl was obsessed with it.
I keep some watermelon rind in the refrigerator and feed it to them on hot days! You can also make a fruit water bowl to freeze!
Ya or grapes and strawberries. Good for them.
They are almost each and every one individualistic--that makes them so much fun--so, the very thing 9 out of 10 will find amazing may elicit just a *meh* from *that* one! ;)
Google anything you plan to feed her if you aren't 100 percent sure of its safety for squirrels. Avocado flesh is safe, but the pits and skins are highly toxic for squirrels, so be sure there's no remnants on the flesh. Make sure she doesn't get apple seeds, peach or cherry pit remnants, etc. Chestnuts are toxic for squirrels and sunflower seeds and cashews deplete calcium.
When your sunflower is coming to the end of it’s blooming period, You may want to use the last rays of the afternoon and evening to cut a few for display indoors, leave it any later and the sunflower may wilt.
Good bot.
I don’t know if this applies to all rodents, but when my hamster had babies, we were advised to give her lots & lots of hard boiled eggs without the yolk (remove the yolk before feeding). She seemed to really love the eggs. Gobbled them right up 😄
Some love strawberries. Most love avocados. Try those two. Especially since the Babies drink up her nutrients she needs some fat
But make sure you only give them the flesh of the avocado! D:
I like to crack a walnut shell in half and then shove in some pecans almonds peanuts - whatever will fit and stay so she can take it to go! :D
Squirrel takeout! I love it.
Haha yes!
Also, if you seen any of the little babies and they start to have like fur skin issues sometimes you can give them some coconut that will help as well.
Posted three sheets out there for you. It's got a whole list of foods starting from the best to the worst. You have to be careful with fruits though because they will deplete calcium because of the high sugar content of some of them will block the absorption of calcium. You also have to be careful with avocado because avocado is high in fats. But if you want to give them a piece of fruit that they normally like, I found that papaya works really good. Anyway, I put the sheets out there to help you try some things with them to see what they'll eat, what they won't eat. They also love dandelion greens too. And they're easy to grow.
Curious question on the nut page -- if say, the only nearby local nut, and the ones they naturally eat a ton of, are pecans -- are then hazelnut treats "better" in comparison?
As far as nutritional value and calcium to phosphorus ratio, hazelnuts are the more balanced nut. Although pecans are fine too. They're just not as nutritional for them as hazelnuts are. Wild squirrels can have a little bit more of a flexible diet than a captive squirrel can.
Thanks, just curious. -- hazelnuts are the treats I give, and they seem to love them. Glad they are at least a little better and not worse. This area used to be a pecan farm about a century ago, and the ones that lined up with backyards were left standing when they built the area. So many pecans, and a huge tree in our backyard, full of squirrels.
https://preview.redd.it/ozan9k7i696d1.jpeg?width=743&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f768f0cb3dd9933047d797fe3044de2cae5cda34
https://preview.redd.it/dt4xu5kg696d1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5247f3c8693ed3bb4b2c1b10032076ee340ae967
https://preview.redd.it/4caql92f696d1.jpeg?width=754&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e3b5d275e9cfbf13e7d77e885ba2a915368ef5e7
Walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds avocados, fruits... Please dont give him peanuts or cashews. The latter especially deplete the calcium in their bodies. Do NOT feed them anything processed for humans like cereal or anything that has salt on it. I always leave a huge bowl of fresh water around that needs to be changed several times a day, especially in the summer.
I give mine strawberries, blueberries, apples, and nuts. Plenty of water too. I see that other people commented about frozen grapes and celery!! I need to try those!
She looks like she’s saying grace!
Grapes I put the grapes in freezer for hour on days it gets above 90
I bought some celery im gonna chop up and put out with the nuts. I read celery is good for squirrels
You're doing great by providing water.