(09/30/2008). Squirrels are a huge problem in my yard. 3 4 5. (A Look at the Laws). Weather folklore warning of a harsh winter are based on La Niñas. And no apples taken from an adjacent macoun apple tree which was not quite as ready as the macs. Keeping Squirrels Away (Deterring Squirrels), Keeping Squirrels Out of Your Bird Feeder. What Do Squirrels Eat? A human would have to eat a large number of seeds to become affected. "They eat the persimmons now, while the fruit is green and quite small. They don't know that the apples "belong" to someone. If you love feeding the wildlife in your backyard, you’ve probably wondered “can squirrels eat apples?” These critters eat pretty much anything, but it doesn’t mean that you should feed them everything. 61% of apples in the United States are eaten as fresh fruit! Wild squirrels will take several small bits of the fruit before they drop it and move on to something else. (09/19/2008), I use the cheap rubber snakes available in the toy section of your dollar store or other. (Legal or Illegal). I guess that I did not make myself clear in my first post. I saw it with my eyes, squirrels climbing up my pear trees, taking pears in their mouth and off they went. : ) (06/18/2007), Jerry Baker, garden "expert" claimed the squirrels are just thirsty and that if you keep a bird bath full of water nearby, they will not eat the apples. Most squirrels are vegetarians. (06/22/2007), Feed them some peanuts and give them water. This makes it easy for them to hold the apple or run away with it when you feed them. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with feeding your squirrels small pieces of fruit, however, you shouldn’t make it a point to overfeed them. But when I used an electric cord they could not chew through so easily it stayed on the tree limb. I did this and was catching two a day then one a day now it's been a few days and no squirrels . Squirrels Eating My Apples. Be sure to take pre… If you enjoy feeding squirrels in your backyard, you should consider feeding them food that is designated for squirrels. One of their favorites is definitely corn on the cob that is dried and hung up for them. This allows them to bite through hard exteriors like apples and nuts. So, if they eat fruit, do squirrels eat tomatoes, too? (06/21/2008) By Ken. (07/06/2009). These scavengers will eat anything they can get their hands on, which means that they will eat the entire apple, including the core. 2. (5/26/08) (05/26/2008), I've always had a dog who chased the squirrels when given the chance. Squirrels get trashtastic from ingesting fermented crab apples, squash, magnolia petals, and cherries. Now I love animals. (10/23/2008), To find out if you are deporting the same squirrel from your block. I've always had a dog who chased the squirrels when given the chance. Squirrels eat a lot of nuts and will eat any type but their favourite nuts include: Acorns; Walnuts; Pecans; Hazelnuts; Almonds; Beech nuts; Pine nuts; Macadamia; Squirrels are quite happy to eat nuts with or without the shell, indeed it’s the process of extracting a nut from its shell gives the squirrel exercise and a way of sharpening its teeth. Let them eat, squirrels are not a pest, they are an essential part of nature. If you can get a dog that would work good, if not definitely do not befriend the squirrels. They've destroyed a bird feeder I paid over $150 for that was supposed to be squirrel-proof (metal is only a minor deterrent to them). When people first start nature watching and feeding squirrels, theyre not quite sure what to feed these cute little creatures. I was going to hang windchimes from the limbs to alert me when they were "stealing" but I would probably be asleep. I read that hanging 1-foot long nylons filled with mothballs at various places in the tree will deter the squirrels. I almost have a full crop this year. I am very frustrated. It takes two pounds of apples to make a 9-inch pie. There are several fruits like apples, cherries, oranges, plums and etc that contain small amounts of amygdalin or hydrogen cyanide. This year, we are over-run with squirrels. Hang them in your trees, changing their location everyday or so. A.drachmann is right- go to the store and buy apples. (06/17/2007). The short answer is “yes” squirrels love eating apples and will gladly eat them if you feed them this fruit. I never feed animals routinely because I don’t want them to become dependent, but under extreme conditions when they ask for help, I am delighted to give it. They go into my German shepherd's pen when he is asleep, to eat his food and squeeze into my cat's pen when he is in the house to eat his cat food. Squirrels are omnivores (meaning they eat both plants and meat). (06/21/2008), Relax people, let these critters live. I have only 3-4 squirrels (I think) but they stripped lots of my pears. Mrs Grumpy, above, top squirrel of the band of squirrels I know,will eat apples, providing they are ones from my friend’s garden, and not from a supermarket. From very old age carrots are being used and it is popular among all people from young to old. If you happen to live near a fruit tree, or fruit bushes and vines, you’ve most likely noticed squirrels happily munching and hoarding these delicious goodies for themselves. The stuff isn't cheap but if you are clever you can find ways to stretch it. One medium-sized, raw, and unpeeled apple (100 grams): Apples are rich in simple sugars such as sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Squirrels love the sweet taste of apples and will eat the skin, white fleshy part, and even the seeds. Specifically, they enjoy fruits and vegetables like oranges, apricots, corn and avocados. Squirrels can climb fruit trees with ease to snatch their fruits. When I used string like rope, they got them down in 1 min. Squirrels consume the harvest from a variety of fruiting trees, including but not limited to pears, grapes, apples, kiwi, avocados, peaches, nectarines, figs, plums, mangoes, and citrus. Do squirels eat apples? They hate it! Talking about their favorite berries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, mulberries, and elderberries top the list. They chew on the apple and pear until they get to the seed, they eat the seeds and through the rest. (Maclura pomifera) I saw a squirrel chewing on a hedge apple. Squirrels eat fruit with enthusiasm. In fact, many homeowners tend to get upset that the squirrels steal the apples from their trees and leave them on the ground for deer to eat. I have found out that if you put peppermint oil on cotton balls not only will it keep squirrels away also any rodent. : ) (06/19/2007), Coyote urine works for me, don't try and just use it around 1 tree, put it around your entire property, maybe even your neighbors. But when it comes to animals or pets, we think twice before feeding them anything. It won’t be hard to get them to eat apples. If you can get a dog that would work good, if not definitely do not befriend the squirrels. 2012-02-11 01:50:19. We also have an oak tree. ... roots, pine cones, leaves, twigs, bark, black walnuts, oranges, avocados, apples, apricots. Squirrels love eating fruits and love eating oranges because they are attracted to the sugary taste. A late freeze killed most fruits, so I'd like to keep the few apples I have left. (07/06/2009). The neighbor feeds them peanuts, filberts, walnuts, corn plus there are several bird feeders. They also enjoy apples, oranges, apricots and avocados. Do birds eat apples. Works for me. They love peanuts much more than apples. However, even consuming a small amount is enough to kill small mammals. If you feed your backyard wildlife, it’s important to understand that some foods are good for them and some not so much. Nothing is off limits when it comes to their diet. So the next logical question is why do squirrels eat meat. I guess that I did not make myself clear in my first post. I also had more fun watching squirrels I was trying to detract from my bird feeder by tying peanuts in the foot section of a pair of tights. Yes, squirrels can eat bread. It works. In the wild, they dine primarily on mushrooms, truffles, berries, seeds, nuts, and tree products like saps. The flying squirrel will eat almost anything. After catching them I would take them to a nice park and release them so far it is working before I did this they would clean my trees off fruit. It seemed to work around the apple as it ripped large pieces of stringy fruit off the apple. Squirrels Eating My Apples. The problem is not whether or not I get apples, but with the sheer number of squirrels we are bombarded with this summer. They have destroyed my garden (this summer I've planted it 4 times), have raided my berry patches (strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry, and blueberry), dug up and killed several plants in my flower beds, made their way through my flower boxes, and dug up most of my potted plants on my porch --who knew squirrels liked avacado pits that had already grown into trees? In spite of their non-threatening demeanor, squirrels eating fruit tree buds limit production and stunt new growth. You can also get your backyard squirrels used to eating veggies, by feeding them small amounts of raw vegetables and … However, apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide, which can be harmful and may even cause death. As tempting as it is to rescue that seemingly abandoned baby squirrel, it might not be a... My name is Suzan and I absolutely love feeding squirrels. Tips for Keeping Squirrels from Eating Your Apple Trees Spray apples with a hot pepper sauce mixture once the fruit begins to come in. SquirrelEnthusiast.com  is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 4:10. Guess what? Squirrels do not naturally eat other animals , but they may be driven into killing them when they are hungry or just for sports. Posted By: Fossilridge - Member Since: 10/27/2015 Location: Salvo / Mount Joy, PA Total Posts: 312 Experience: Date Posted: 6/27/2019 7:06 AM I have spent many hours in a tree stand at our NY property over looking an old apple orchard. Though squirrels have been found to attach young mice and rats that occasionally stray outside of their nests, but such attacks are not as common as attacks on small birds. Squirrels Eating My Apples. Unfortunately, more squirrels are likely to move in to occupy the vacated territory, so a garden is unlikely to be squirrel-free for long. Given that squirrels are less than 1/10th the size of people, if you could do this, you would be a superhero who could literally jump onto five story buildings and clear buses and trucks in a single bound. Apples are not toxic to squirrels and should only be fed in small amounts. However, I did read a research paper that offered a number of theories that suggest why squirrels eat meat. No more at all! (06/17/2007), My friend used pepper spray. Add your voice! Favorites of the squirrel diet include corn, mushrooms, squash and broccoli. Yes, they will steal the apples from your trees. This site is owned and operated by Suzan and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I had tried years ago to trap them in Have a Hart traps but after trapping approximately 40 and moving them to a location 2 miles away on the other side of a lake I noticed I trapped the same one a week later. This is actually thanks to … Because of … We are in a residential area. Squirrels will also eat any berries they can get their hands on such as strawberries, blackberries, blue berries, raspberries, mulberries, and more. Now I too am cursed with squirrels but in my experience, they are not very neat and would have left some half eaten apples near the tree as they have with my elberta peaches. Neighbors might be upset because the move elsewhere but they can buy spray too! Living in town, these animals are able to jump from tree to tree to fence to house to garage, to get around. You're able to feed wild birds visiting the garden ripe, juicy apples; options are cutting it in half well sitting them on top of the bird feeder, or impale a whole apple onto a branch to secure it in place. 2) Squirrels can jump vertically five feet, and can leap between objects that are over ten feet apart. Birds will also eat other types of fruit that are not typical human foods, such as toxic types of berries, as well as damaged or overripe fruit that would not be tasty to humans. They are merely trying to survive. Squirrels (Scuiridae) can eat or damage all kinds of fruits, including citrus. Out of 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the United States, only 100 varieties are grown commercially. You may notice some of your garden crops have bite marks and ask, “do squirrels eat apples?” They do. If you have a pet squirrel, you should only feed them 2-3 slices of fruit per day. Spray it as close to the nests as possible. In particular, appropriate examples within each category include: Fruits Apples, bananas, berries, cherries, figs, grapes, kiwi, mangos, peaches, tomatoes, and watermelon are all appropriate fruits to feed squirrels, among others. Suggestions would be appreciated. If anyone has ideas on what to do to deter these pests, I'd appreciate all the help I can get. link to Can You Have A Pet Squirrel In New York? Apple skins are tough; Berries and nuts are plentiful (That might be why the squirrels are so busy!) Do squirrels eat bread? If you love feeding squirrels, you should understand the basics of keeping both them and you safe. In the summer, squirrels will feast on berries, fruits and succulents. While this is generally a safe fruit for small mammals, it’s important to know that not all parts should be consumed by small mammals. If you are planning on feeding your backyard squirrels, you should consider buying some wild squirrel food that is safe and nutritious for them. What Do Squirrels Eat? Squirrels look so cute doing the things they naturally do, holding their nuts with their claws, gnawing at them with their sharp teeth, sniffing around for food, and climbing up and down giant trees.... Can You Have a Pet Squirrel in Texas? The hardest part will be trying to get them to stop eating apples or coming back looking for more. Click below to comment. Do Squirrels Eat Tomatoes? Do Squirrels Eat Apples? They have traps for catching mice that work very well. I've lived here for 12 years and to date have only been able to harvest five persimmons, as they are all eaten by the squirrels. Other foods they love to eat are cat food, raisins, oranges, watermelon and etc. Top Answer. How to Stop Squirrels From Eating Suet Feeders. Are There Any Benefits Of Squirrels Eating Apples. Catch the squirrel, hung a jingle bell to it's neck, paint the tell with a florescent paint, red, yellow, orange and release it. I thought it was after a large seed in the middle like a peach. They may eat the entire apple, including the seeds, and will throw any of the unfinished fruit on the ground which can attract deer and other animals. If youre like us, then you absolutely love feeding squirrels. We also have 3 birdbaths and a pond where they can get water. Spray them if you can. Most of them will take the apples while they are small and green. We have a pecan tree that was planted when our house was built in 1902 that is huge. This fruit comes in several different shades from green, yellow, and red.