Sunflower seeds are an essential part of squirrel food. Sunflower seeds are one of the natural food sources, which is why they should not be missing in any rodent food.

Squirrels love sunflower seeds and co.

You can offer the squirrel sunflower seeds, nuts and also seeds from various cones. We would like to show you here how varied the diet of a squirrel looks - even without peanuts and almonds.

The main components of food for the squirrel

Squirrels love not only sunflower seeds, but all other natural components from nature as well. These include

• Walnuts
• Hazelnuts
• Pine cone
• Seeds
• Beechnuts
• Rinds
• Shoots from young plants
• Dried corn kernels
• Pumpkin seeds

You should offer the nuts with shell. Only if there are young squirrels among the squirrels, it is advisable to remove the shell from a few of the nuts. The young squirrels can usually not yet crack the hard shell.

What about fruits and vegetables for the squirrel?

Squirrels love raisins as well as fresh grapes, pieces of cucumber or carrots. It is very important that you take care that fruits and vegetables do not start to mold. Also, you should not feed too much of it, because squirrels tend to overeat on it.

Why no almonds and peanuts?

Surely it is not forbidden if you occasionally feed the squirrel peanuts or almonds. However, you should not become the main food for the rodents. The reason is quickly explained. Neither peanuts nor almonds belong to the natural food components of the small rodents. As a rule, squirrels do not find these nut varieties in nature. In addition, almonds contain the dangerous prussic acid and peanuts can mold very easily.

At this point you will possibly counter that many ready-made food mixtures for squirrels contain a lot of peanuts. Unfortunately, this is true. However, this does not mean that it is healthy for the animals. When feeding rodents, it is better to follow the recommendations of experts. When buying such food mixtures you should boycott rigorously. If you do not find any appealing mixtures, then set the Food for the squirrel but simply together yourself. You know the most important components, which you can usually get separately even cheaper than mixtures.

Do squirrels bury sunflower seeds?

For winter depot squirrels bury sunflower seeds, various nuts, beechnuts, and also tree seeds. These components take the least damage. However, it is also clear that these types of food are available only conditionally and only at certain times of the year. So you can easily feed the squirrel in your garden or on your balcony.  

How deep does the squirrel bury the sunflower seeds?

You will be amazed when you realize how deep the rodents bury their food for the winter deposit. After all, enemies should not find it right away. Most food depots are also found again. Only very few remain untouched. Forgotten food depots are thus unconsciously used for planting new trees and bushes.

Thanks to their fine sense of smell, squirrels can find food depots up to 30 cm below deep snow. In the dark, squirrels use their fine tactile hairs (vibrissae) to orient themselves and unerringly dig out the various stores.

Are there fixed seasons for feeding the squirrels?

Experts advise supplementary feeding, especially in the winter months. The reason for this is the scarce food supply. In addition, the first young animals are born in February, so that the squirrel mother is happy when she is offered food in your garden.