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What to Feed Wild Squirrels: Nuts in Shell, Not Peanuts

Hazelnuts, walnuts and acorns in the shell suit them. Peanuts are legumes, nutritionally poor and risk aflatoxin, and bread does real harm.

By Zakaria 2 min read Save to Pinterest — opens Pinterest in a new tab
A red squirrel sitting on gravel holding a nut in both paws
Photo: terbe_rezso, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay
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Nuts in the shell — hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, acorns. Peanuts are legumes, low in calcium, high in phosphorus, and raw ones risk aflatoxin. Bread does real harm. And offer little and infrequently, not a daily pile.

What to offer

This table answers the question on its own
FoodVerdict
Hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, acorns — in shellBest
Apple, carrot, courgette, leafy greensFine, small amounts
Hard-boiled egg, occasionallyFine — they eat animal protein naturally
Sunflower seedsAcceptable, not a staple
Roasted unsalted peanutsSparingly only
Raw peanutsAvoid — aflatoxin
Bread, baked goodsNo
ChocolateToxic
DairyNo — lactose intolerant
Anything salted, sugared or processedNo

Why peanuts specifically

They are legumes, not nuts. Low in calcium, high in phosphorus — and a squirrel on a peanut-dominated diet pulls calcium out of its own skeleton to balance that ratio.

Metabolic bone disease is the result, and it is irreversible

It shows as weakness, tremors, fractures and hind-limb paralysis. It is routinely seen in rehabilitation centres in animals that were being fed generously by someone who meant well. Raw peanuts add aflatoxin — a mould toxin poisonous to small mammals — on top of that.

The case against feeding at all

Worth hearing before you start:

  • They lose wariness and get bolder around houses
  • They chew into roof spaces more readily once comfortable
  • Concentration spreads parasites and mange between animals
  • They cache less and lean on the supply — which is a problem the week you go away

Occasional small offerings do little harm. A daily feeding station changes their behaviour, and that usually ends badly for the squirrel.

What they actually eat

The nut-hoarding image is accurate for autumn and badly incomplete for the rest of the year. The real diet: tree buds, flowers, shoots, bark, fungi, berries, seeds — and a meaningful amount of animal protein: insects, birds’ eggs and nestlings, carrion.

Which is why a single-food feeder is worse than it looks

A pile of one thing, every day, is nutritionally narrower than anything a squirrel would assemble for itself. Variety and infrequency are both the point.

Common questions

What should you feed wild squirrels?

Nuts in the shell are the best thing you can offer — hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds and acorns. Cracking the shell is work the animal's teeth are built for, the kernel inside is nutritionally close to its natural diet, and shelled nuts go rancid far faster. Beyond nuts, small amounts of apple, carrot, courgette, leafy greens and the occasional hard-boiled egg are all reasonable. Offer little and infrequently rather than a reliable daily pile.

Are peanuts bad for squirrels?

They are a poor staple, though an occasional one does no harm. Peanuts are legumes rather than nuts, low in the calcium a squirrel needs and high in phosphorus, and a diet dominated by them contributes to metabolic bone disease — the animal pulls calcium from its own skeleton to balance the phosphorus. Raw peanuts also carry a real risk of aflatoxin, a mould toxin that is poisonous to small mammals. If you use them at all, use roasted unsalted ones sparingly.

What should you never feed squirrels?

Bread and baked goods, which fill them without feeding them; anything salted, sugared or processed; chocolate, which is toxic to them as it is to dogs; dairy, since they are lactose intolerant; and large quantities of corn, which is low in nutrients and moulds readily. Avoid raw peanuts specifically because of aflatoxin. The general rule is that if it came out of a packet intended for humans, it is the wrong thing.

Should you feed wild squirrels at all?

There is a genuine case against it. Fed squirrels lose wariness, become bolder around houses and gardens, chew their way into roof spaces more readily, and concentrate in numbers that spread parasites and mange. They also cache less and rely more on the supply, which is a problem the week you go on holiday. If you enjoy them, occasional small offerings do little harm; a daily feeding station changes their behaviour and usually ends badly for them.

Do squirrels need water put out?

Rarely, and food is a far stronger draw. They get moisture from fruit, buds and dew and will find puddles and bird baths without help. A shallow dish in a hot dry spell does no harm provided it is shallow enough, or has stones in it, so an animal that falls in can get out. Change it regularly rather than letting it stagnate.

What do squirrels eat naturally?

Far more than nuts. Their natural diet runs to tree buds, flowers, shoots, bark, fungi, berries, seeds, and a meaningful amount of animal protein — insects, birds' eggs and nestlings, and carrion. The nut-hoarding image is accurate for autumn and badly incomplete for the rest of the year, which is part of why a feeder offering only one food is nutritionally worse than it looks.

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