Squirrels, charismatic and agile creatures, are known for their boundless energy and love for munching on various foods. As responsible squirrel owners, it is crucial to understand what constitutes a healthy and balanced diet for these delightful critters. In this blog post, we will explore the world of toxic, unhealthy, and healthy foods for squirrels, highlighting the importance of a well-rounded meal plan. Additionally, we will recommend these excellent products from Exotic Nutrition: Squirrel Complete, Deluxe Squirrel Diet, Squirrel-Cal (Calcium Supplement) and Squirrel Booster (Multivitamin), to ensure your squirrel receives the optimal nutrition it needs.
Toxic Foods for Squirrels:
Just like with any other animal, certain foods can be toxic or harmful to squirrels. It's crucial to be aware of these foods to prevent any health issues or complications. Here are some common foods that should be avoided:
1. Chocolate: While it may be a delightful treat for us, chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to squirrels and can lead to severe health problems.
2. Avocado skin and seed are toxic. Consumption can lead to breathing difficulties and heart-related issues.
3. Onions and Garlic: Onions and garlic, in any form, can be harmful to squirrels as they can cause damage to their red blood cells, leading to anemia.
Unhealthy Foods for Squirrels:
Certain foods, although not toxic, should be limited or avoided due to their negative impact on squirrels' health. These foods often lack essential nutrients or contain excessive amounts of sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats. Here are some examples:
1. Processed Foods: Foods like chips, cookies, and other processed snacks are high in unhealthy fats, sugar, and salt. These can lead to weight gain, dental issues, and other health problems in squirrels.
2. High-Sugar Fruits: While fruits are generally considered healthy, feeding fruits in excess will result in a high sugar content that can be detrimental to squirrels.
3. Nuts High in Salt: Salted nuts, such as salted peanuts or cashews, should be avoided as excessive salt consumption can lead to dehydration and kidney problems in squirrels.
Healthy Foods for Squirrels:
Now that we are aware of the potential dangers, let's focus on the positive aspects of a squirrel's diet. These foods are rich in essential nutrients and should form the core of your squirrel's meal plan:
1. Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, leafy greens, and berries. These provide essential vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber for a healthy digestive system. ZooPro Garden Fresh Re-Hydrate makes it easy to add a variety of healthy fruits & vegetables to your pet’s diet! This nutritious blend vegetables, apple and carrots provides a low-fat, calcium-rich supplement food for squirrels. Serve dry as a crunchy treat or add water to make a fresh, juicy snack.
2. Nuts and Seeds: Squirrels love nuts! Offer a mix of unsalted nuts like almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts. Seeds like sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are also excellent choices. Try our Premium Nut Mix or Fruit & Nut Mix for a convenient variety of pre-mixed nuts that are ready to feed!
3. Squirrel-Specific Diets: To ensure a balanced diet, consider incorporating specially formulated squirrel diets like Exotic Nutrition's Squirrel Complete and Deluxe Squirrel Diet. These products are designed to meet the nutritional needs of squirrels, providing essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
Supplements and Multi-Vitamins:
To further enhance your squirrel's well-being, Exotic Nutrition's Squirrel-Cal (Calcium Supplement) and Squirrel Booster (Multivitamin) are excellent additions. These supplements are specifically designed to support overall health, immunity, and vitality in squirrels.
A well-balanced diet is essential for the health and happiness of your squirrel companion. By avoiding toxic and unhealthy foods and incorporating a mix of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and specially formulated diets like Exotic Nutrition's Squirrel Complete and Deluxe Squirrel Diet, you can ensure your squirrel receives the optimal nutrition it needs. Don't forget to complement their diet with the Squirrel Booster multi-vitamin to promote overall wellness. Remember, a healthy squirrel is a happy squirrel!
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Comments (9)
Tamra, a baby squirrel drinks milk formula, not solid food. Please go to www.squirrel.info to see the feeding schedule and how to make the formula. ASAP. It’s life depends on your actions now. :)
I have 13 squirrels that look for me every morning had one actually come and knock on my screen door .
In our building everyone feeds them and the birds but find that the squirrels are eating bread as ti what my other neighbor puts out and me and my other neighbor puts peanuts and pumpkins out .
My question is why are the squirrels eating bread when they get good food from other neighbors ? I also had two get hit by a car and found about 3 just standing over it why is that
I raised a squirrel for a long time, and it died yesterday. we always fed him a good diet, and I didn’t even know some of the good things fed to himwere unhealthy. thank you!
Get the squirrel milk replacement on Amazon called fox valley and a syringe feeder with a nipple attachment. I have an 8week old squirrel I’ve taken care of since it was 3 weeks and it’ll start to eat nuts at 5/6 weeks but it never hurts to offer them
My dog brought me 3 newborn squirrels, still pink with no hair. Only one has survived. It’s now about 5 weeks old. He opened his eyes 2 days ago. I’ve been offering nuts and fruit but so far he won’t take it. And I believe he has a cold. He’s sneezing quite often with mucus coming from his nose when he sneezes. Please help me to know what to do. I’ve grown rather attached to him and he has me as well. Infact, he wants to be under my neck or arm at all times. He is spoiled rotten. His name is Bucket and he has even been sleeping in bed with me under my neck? He’s absolutely the most adorable baby ever and I want to make sure I give him the best care possible. Can you send me some advice please? Thank you
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