Do you enjoy feeding wildlife? You may want to know if squirrels will take a bite of an apple you hand to them. What are your thoughts? Do you think squirrels will eat apples?
Did you come across a fallen apple that had a bite on it, which got you thinking if squirrels were responsible? Most people know squirrels as ‘nutty’ animals. You would, therefore, not be certain if squirrels eat apples or not.
Once you are aware of a squirrel’s diet, you will know how to deal with your current situation. As a squirrel lover, you will know if squirrels are going to enjoy your apples. Continue reading to learn more.
This article has been reviewed by Dr. Linda. Read more about our knowledge control process here.
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Do Squirrels Eat Apples?
Did you know that apart from nuts such as acorns, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and almonds, squirrels also enjoy fruits? Squirrels love a variety of fruits since they get plenty of vitamins and minerals from them.
Then, do squirrels eat apples? Squirrels do eat apples. You can feed wild squirrels or your squirrel pets apples and they will likely eat apples with no concern.
You become a squirrel’s friend once you offer an apple to them. If you would like to bond with a squirrel, the best way to go about it is through feeding it.
It would, therefore, be wise to say that an apple a day keeps the friendship on its way. It is important to note that apples are not in any way toxic to squirrels. However, apple seeds may not be ideal for squirrels.
Apple seeds have been proven to have cyanide. Cyanide is dangerous for these small mammals, and it can even result in death. You should always avoid the core when feeding apples to squirrels.
Apart from the apple core, squirrels can eat the rest of the apple.
Read the full list of what do squirrels eat to learn more.
Do Squirrels Like Apples?
Squirrels do indeed eat apples. Does that mean that they enjoy eating them? What are your thoughts? Do squirrels love eating apples or not?
Squirrels do love eating apples. Apples have lots of sugar, making them sweet. A squirrel would not leave any apple they come across while looking for food.
However, it would be important to remember that squirrels are opportunistic in their feeding. That implies squirrels tend to eat whatever they come across. A squirrel is always ready to eat what is available.
That would also explain why you must be careful when feeding apples to squirrels. If you gave the apple core to a squirrel, it would eat it without thinking of its harm.
When feeding squirrels, you should remember that they are opportunistic feeders, making them less picky with what you provide. That being said, squirrels love apples, and that is not going to change anytime soon.
How Often Do Squirrels Eat Apples?
After learning that squirrels do eat apples, you may come to wonder if they are frequent feeders of apples. Several factors determine the frequency of eating.
One factor that will determine how frequent squirrels eat apples is that of availability. Are the apples easily available in the surroundings? If squirrels live in a region full of apples, they will, without a doubt, feed on them often.
Squirrels love to keep their stomachs full. That means ensuring they eat what is available to avoid hunger. A squirrel’s primary concern is to stay alive. It will, therefore, eat any apple that is available in its surroundings.
Another factor that will determine how frequently squirrels eat apples is that of scarcity. If apples are the only food squirrels can find, then that will make them eat apples more frequently.
A squirrel loves eating nuts, and that is not up for debate. However, if the only thing available in the surroundings is apples, the squirrels will choose to survive rather than starve.
Being an opportunistic feeder means the squirrel will not choose what to eat when other options are available. This also explains why some apple farmers may set up squirrel feeders within their compound to deter squirrels from invading their farms.
What Are People Saying About Squirrels Eating Apples?
A lot of apple farmers have raised concerns over squirrels eating their produce. Squirrels can be very stressful, especially if you are keen on collecting good apple produce.
Squirrels have caused a lot of irritation to farmers because they only take small bits of an apple before dropping it to the ground. That means the squirrels will leave you with all your apples only that they have bites on them.
One solution that proved useful to many apple farmers was spraying cayenne pepper along the squirrel’s steady path. Squirrels dislike pepper sprays and will avoid them at all costs.
Another solution involved setting up a birdbath which should be full of water. It was found out that squirrels eat apples more frequently when they are thirsty. By providing squirrels with a source of water, they tend to avoid your apples.
Another good solution is that to use an animal repeller. You can choose a good animal repeller that uses sunlight to run. It will protect you and your family from electric shock.
The bird birth should also be accompanied by a bird feeder from where the squirrels will have access to peanuts. Once squirrels have an alternative source of food, they are sure to keep off your apple farm.
What Are the Health Benefits of Apples to Squirrels?
It is well known that apples are very beneficial to the human body. No wonder it was said that an apple a day keeps you off the waiting bay. That being said, will apples also offer nutritional benefits to squirrels?
It may come as a significant surprise to you once you learn the truth about it. Apples do not have any health benefits to squirrels. Did that come as a surprise to you?
Apples have lots of sugar and starch in them. That may benefit human beings but not squirrels. That will, however, not prevent squirrels from eating apples. Squirrels love eating apples regardless of whether they have any nutritional benefits or not.
The sweet taste of apples makes them very appealing for squirrels. Also, squirrels rarely pick what to eat. So long as it is edible, squirrels will not mind. It becomes necessary to feed apples to squirrels in moderation.
Two or three slices a day will be enough when you have pet squirrels to feed. The same would also apply to any wild squirrel you regularly feed.
Wrapping up
Squirrels will eat any apples. They are not known to be choosy when it comes to their diet. Apart from that, apples are indeed sweet, making them lovable even to squirrels.
If you have to give apples to squirrels, keep in mind that the apple core may not be ideal. Always remove the apple core and the seeds to avoid causing any harm to squirrels.
Cyanide present in the apple core may not affect humans as it is relatively small in quantity. However, for small creatures such as squirrels, that may be enough to cause death.