What Do Baby Squirrels Eat?

Ever watch a squirrel climbing up a tree with a nut in its mouth? How cute isn’t it? Squirrels are the most adorable creatures to walk on the face of the earth. They are just full of joy, energy, and life. Baby Squirrels, on the other hand, are the cutest thing they are. Have a look around. You might have found a baby squirrel if you hear any high-pitched squeaking noise. If you find it without any adult squirrel to protect it or its mother around, it needs help. You are the only one who could save it, but make this the last priority because mostly their mothers are not far away from their babies. 

To check if its mother is near, leave it be and see if its mother comes to take care of it. If the mother doesn’t come, you should contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitator, who can take better care of the baby squirrel until it can take care of itself. 

You should only attempt to take care of the baby squirrel if the first two options are not available. I hope if you ever find yourself in any situation like this, you have the above two options available. 

Let’s suppose you don’t have the above two options available, and you are the only one, so how can you take care of a baby?

One of the questions that would commonly come to your mind is, what do baby squirrels eat? Or how would you take care of the little fellow? What would be the right thing to do in this situation? 

Lucky for you, you came to the right place, and we will discuss some factors of how you can take care of your little fellow while it’s with you. 

What Do Baby Squirrels Eat? 

We have always seen squirrels with nuts in the movies or real life. They love it. Nuts provide a rich source of protein and fat for squirrels. Peanuts are also a portion of excellent food, but newborn squirrels from 7-8 weeks require a more varied regimen. If there’s no professional near you to feed your little fellow, try following some of the tips given below to avoid any accidents. 

1. Formula: Baby squirrels require constant feeding when they are around 7-8 weeks old. During this period, they naturally depend on their mothers to feed and look after them. The puppy milk formula is the best option for babies that are established. Mix it with a ratio of 1 part formula to 2 parts lukewarm water. The formula made from animals, such as cow’s milk, soy, and goats’ milk, is harmful. Baby squirrels tend to consume 6-8 cubic centimeters of formula three times a day beginning when they are 7 to 9 weeks of age.
2. Fruits: Squirrels love to eat strawberries, which are a famous food. They also eat watermelon, seeds, apples, grapes, and berries. It’s a nice treat for the little guy if you can provide them with slices of pears, peaches, and apples to dangle from strings. Squirrels also love Osage oranges and wild blackberries.
3. Seeds: Seeds are another rich source of protein and contain few calories, as well as spruce, sesame, and pine seeds.
4. Nuts: squirrels love to eat peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pine cones, chestnuts, and hickory nuts. Macadamia nuts are one of the squirrel’s favorite nuts. These nuts are packed high in fat and protein for squirrels.
5. Vegetables: Squirrels are uncontrollable vegetable eaters. They like to consume leafy greens like spinach, arugula, lettuce, kale, and chard. Sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels, cauliflower, root vegetables, eggplant, squash, peas, baked beans, or roast beef on a slice of bread etc. 
6. Insects: Small insects, notably no nuts, are eaten by baby squirrels during the early weeks of their life. Squirrels, like any other animal, require protein to survive. Insects that they like to consume include crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars, larvae, and butterflies, among other things.
7. Fungi: Squirrels search for fungus in the woods, where they can find mushrooms. Truffles, acorn truffles, and oyster mushrooms are examples of fungi found in natural settings. 

Determining Age Of The Baby Squirrel

The first step in caring for the little guy is to know his age. Squirrel species mature at different speeds, but for the typical Eastern grey squirrel usually found across North America, you can determine their age quickly as they have straight indicators. 

Mostly you see squirrels with white hair with a pink tinge. But in the case of a baby squirrel, you’ll see no hairs and are, therefore, pink and bald. They start to develop hair when they are around 7 days old. 

If you see the baby squirrel with closed eyes and his ears flat against his head, it is less than 3 weeks old. Their ears open when they are around 3 weeks and fully lifted when they are around 4 weeks old. Its eyes begin to partially open as early as 3 weeks old but don’t wholly open until 5 weeks.

Around the 4th week, they will start to develop their upper teeth. And around 6 weeks, you’ll see that it can sit up straight and start looking like a mature adult. 

Look at the baby squirrel’s skin and see if it’s still tented or if it springs back to normal immediately. If you see that its skin quickly flattens out, it’s an indication that it is dehydrated and should be fed Pedialyte for 6 hours. If you see that it stays tented for some time before turning back to normal, hydrate with Pedialyte for approximately 8 hours.

Suppose you look and see its skin tented for a long time before turning normal. It means it is muchly dehydrated, needs immediate attention, and should require at least 12 hours of rehydration.

Remember to hold the baby upright in one hand while feeding him with the other. Fill the syringe or Pedialyte-eyedropper with water and offer it to the baby squirrel until he is full and rounded but not overly bloated. If you notice that the baby squirrel drinks healthily, he should drink this solution every 1 1/2 to 2 hours for the indicated amount of time. If he doesn’t want to take much liquid, offer it more every 30 minutes until it starts drinking correctly, and then begin typical therapy.

How To Feed Baby Squirrel | Tips 

There are different types of squirrels. Not all of them are the same, and to determine how to feed them is to know the habitat, habits, and squirrel species. This will help you quickly find ways to feed the little creature better. 

It is also essential to know how squirrels eat their food, whether they like to eat their food in one place or like to grab it and run away with it. 

I’m listing some tips to help you feed a baby squirrel better. 

1. Determine the kind of squirrel you have since different species have different food preferences. You can search the web to understand what kind of food they would like to eat. 
2. Make sure that the levels of the feeders are raised above the ground. This will ensure that the eating habits of the squirrel in the wild remain heightened.
3. Since squirrels can feed on the bird feeders, you have to buy a designated squirrel feeder. These feeders will help keep the squirrels away from the bird feeders.
4. Make sure to add some water in a clean place for them to drink. Make a routine to change the water, so it’s always clean for them to drink. 
5. Squirrels love to eat chicken eggs. If you are near a feeding place, consider surrounding it with a squirrel-proof pen.
6. Make it a habit to clean and groom the little guy with soap and hot water together with the containers weekly or as regularly as possible, so it avoids 
7. It would be helpful if you gave the little guy a space to play on, as squirrels are active creatures and love to run around. Place the feeders and containers where they are safe from spillage.

Food To Avoid To Feed Baby Squirrels 

Squirrels are sensitive little creatures when they’re at an early stage. However, they can eat several foods at the proper time and age. But some foods are harmful to them and should be avoided. 

I’m listing some points so you can better understand what kind of food to give the little guy. 

1. Cereals are harmful to squirrels, and you should avoid giving them to them. Especially the ones with high sugar. 
2. Crackers, hamburgers, cheese, and French fries are dangerous to a squirrel’s digestive system, even though they will also eat them. 
3. Processed foods that contain chemicals or any byproducts are not recommended. Therefore, you should not feed the squirrel dog or cat food.
4. Avoid food that has high carbs in them. Such as sunflower seeds and corn, since they have minimal nutritional value in them. 
5. Do not feed anything that is considered junk food for humans. Because they will eat anything that you give them. 
6. You may have read that you can give squirrels with baby, dog, or kitten formula. Do not give these formulas to the squirrels because they contain high preservatives and additives, which may result in nervousness, rickets, seizures, or even sudden death.
7. While squirrels love to eat peanuts, they shouldn’t eat them. Because peanuts are not nuts and are categorized as legumes. You can offer them in their diet but remember that it offers little value in terms of nutrition.
8. Other foods that should be avoided are 

• Fruit pits/Seeds
• Avocado pits/skins
• Salty foods
• Foods with a high starch content
• Pine Nuts

What are the natural Predators Of Baby Squirrels?

Squirrels are by natures prey and are targeted by a wide range of predators, including snakes, owls, chipmunks, cats (particularly barn cats), dogs (particularly herding breeds), raptors (such as hawks and falcons), foxes, coyotes, rats, opossums, skunks, raccoons, bears, bullfrogs, etc. The life expectancy of squirrels is more in captivity than in the wild. 

Baby squirrels are not mature enough to defend themself as the number of predators increases. 

Here are some predators that can cause a squirrel much threat. 

Birds That Eat Baby Squirrels

In the midwestern states, ground squirrels tend to build homes in agricultural regions. As a result, they are easy prey for larger predatory birds such as owls and hawks. They swoop down and consume squirrels eating acorns or corn in the open fields.

Hawks and eagles are the most common predators of squirrels. Birds have a great long-distance vision, but eagles have much greater eyesight than the average bird. They can see their prey around two miles away using their exceptional eyesight. 

This is why squirrels are unable to hide from these predators. These aerial hunters may also wait in the open fields for the rodents to come before swooping down and quickly capturing them. 

This is why squirrels avoid spending time in open areas. When they do, they’ll spend a lot of time supporting themselves on their hind legs in an upright posture to keep an eye on any predators that can harm them. However, many more predators would surprise you and eat a squirrel. 

Some of the famous predators of squirrels are listed below. 

• Bald Eagle
• Golden Eagle
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Northern Goshawk
• American Kestrel
• Northern Harrier
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Rough-legged Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Great Horned Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Snowy Owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Common Raven
• American Crow
• Gyrfalcon
• Peregrine Falcon

Water-Based Predators That Eat Baby Squirrels

Many people may not know, but squirrels have predators that may consume them if they come anywhere near their territory. Squirrels can go down a water stream to drink water. Some excellent swimmers need to win but avoid it as much as possible. 

They know if they go anywhere near river streams, lakes, or anywhere some animals eat meat, they can be one of them, so they avoid it as much as they can. Fish of various shapes and sizes will dine on squirrels when they get a chance . 

Squirrels require water to survive as any other animal does, yet they risk their lives to go and hydrate themself as there is no other option knowing well of the danger lurking just below the surface and on the beach.

Crocodiles are one famous predator that can consume almost any animal that comes near them if it’s hungry. 

How To Protect Baby Squirrels From Their Predators?

Now we discussed the potential predators of squirrels and how you can protect the baby squirrel from danger. If you find a baby squirrel left untreated, it can die of any infection. If it has any fly eggs or larvae, it will need expert care from a licensed wildlife rehabilitation professional to survive. It should be warmed before attempting to reunite it with its mother if it’s cold. If the baby squirrel is chilly and tired, the mother may reject it. 

One of the ways to warm the baby squirrel is to take a zipper bag and fill it with warm water around 105°F. Make sure that the water isn’t too hot that it will burn the squirrel. Place the squirrel in the bag and wrap it with a clean, ragged-free cloth. Place the squirrel on top of the cloth covered bag to keep it warm him up. Cover the newborn with a single layer of ravel-free fabric to hide it from predators and keep it warm.

As previously explained, place the squirrel in a shallow cardboard box on a warm water bag to reunite a cold, ill squirrel with its mother. Place the baby squirrel in a box beneath the tree where the nest was found.

All of these steps should be done only during the day. Because at night their mother won’t be able to seem it, but a roaming predator might. DO NOT leave it out overnight! 

Make sure not to put anything that other animals can smell and come to investigate. Keep an eye on the little fellow as it can not defend itself, but make sure you’re watching it from somewhere where the mother or squirrel member can’t see or find your presence threatening. 

FAQ’s

Summary

Squirrels are adorable little creatures. If you find a baby squirrel, first go to the proper authorities that know how to deal with them. If you don’t have an option, then the first thing that comes to your mind should be what baby squirrels eat?. Read the FAQs for a brief knowledge about what they like. I hope this will clear any doubts that you may have in what do baby squirrels eat? , and other things to consider.