Supplies for Squirrels

Squirrels in the Garden

If you have a garden with plenty of trees, chances are you’ve spotted a squirrel from time to time. Squirrels are particularly drawn to trees such as beech, hazel, chestnut, and walnut, as these are seed-bearing trees they can feed from. They also enjoy wilder gardens, as squirrels eat insects too, which are more common in less manicured outdoor spaces.

What Does a Squirrel Eat?

If you want to support the squirrels in your garden during the winter months, you can choose to hang a squirrel feeder. This will also help keep them away from bird food. There are special feeders with lids, squirrels are clever creatures and understand they need to lift the lid to access the food. This also keeps the food dry. You can fill the feeder with a variety of nuts and seeds, such as unshelled peanuts, beech nuts, sunflower seeds, and whole roasted pumpkin seeds. To make things easier, you can also buy a pre-mixed feed, such as Vitakraft Premium Menu Vital Squirrel.

Important

In addition to food, make sure there is drinking water available for the squirrels. You can place a small dish of water on the ground near a tree frequently visited by squirrels, though ideally the water source should be elevated so predators can’t reach it easily. Also, be aware that you should normally not be able to touch a squirrel. If you can, something is likely wrong and the squirrel may need help. In that case, you can take it to a wildlife rescue center. For young squirrels, be sure to provide extra warmth during transport, such as with a hot water bottle.