How do you attract squirrels, especially backyard squirrels and befriend them? This article, “How To Attract Squirrels”, will show you how in 6 simple steps.
Squirrels are fascinating creatures, and they are entertaining to watch as they hover through hedges and dart on treetops.
They are also easy to come across in busy streets and parks, going about their daily undertakings of dashing in front of moving cars and foraging trash cans, often searching for food.
If you are fancy about squirrels, the odds are that you have tried luring them into your backyard with limited success. Well, if that is you, then you are in the right place.
This article rounds up some of the fail-safe ways to regularly get these cute rodents roaming into your backyard.
Contents
Why Are Squirrels Important?
So, why should we even bother about squirrels? Are they that important? Squirrels play a pivotal role in the ecosystem; they inhabit, particularly in forest regeneration and food chain role.
Consequently, squirrels tend to cache and hoard seeds by burying them in the ground.
This, in turn, helps change the composition of the forests in the environment they reside in since not all the seeds hoarded by the squirrels are usually retrieved. Some seeds grow and mature to trees facilitating forest regeneration.
Additionally, squirrels also act as a food source for other animals in land and air, which is essential in the natural food chain. Animals such as snakes, hawks, and red foxes prey on squirrels to satisfy their food concerns.
Essentially, the existence of squirrels is paramount to enabling a healthy forest and a natural food chain. I wager you now love squirrels owing to their contribution to the environment. If still, you don’t, then you probably have a phobia for beauty!
How to Attract Squirrels?
But how exactly do you attract these little critters to your backyard? How do you get them visiting your backyard quite often? It definitely sounds like a simple endeavor! Let’s find out if it is really that stress-free!
Step#1 Go Green
Naturally, squirrels are cautious creatures; hence, they would use a little bit of privacy in your backyard to feel safe and comfortable.
Open grounds are a turn-off for squirrels. You should therefore find means to provide natural cover in your backyard if there is none.
You can start by piling wood or logs into blocks in your backyard and later opt for dense vegetation in the form of grass and shrubs. These strategies will help make a suitable nesting ground for squirrels and conducive hiding places when they feel threatened.
Step#2 Offer Food
Squirrels are infamous as voracious rodents; hence having some food in your backyard will undoubtedly lure them. But what do squirrels eat?
Well, squirrels are lovers of foods, e.g., nuts, seeds, and fruits. Corn is also an excellent option to start with. You should begin by acquiring a decent squirrel feeder, which you should then place strategically in your backyard.
It is recommended that you hang it on a tree or just at an elevated point to avoid scaring the squirrels. The feeders should also be stacked with seeds such as sunflower seeds, nuts, and corn.
Moreover, you should always refill the feeders once the food is depleted to ensure that the squirrels will not go away in search of food.
Step#3 Provide Water
Unless you want to choke these little cuties, you should also provide them with fresh and clean water to complement their food.
Similarly, finding a source of clean water for these animals is usually tricky; thus, providing one in your backyard will work to your advantage.
You can start by placing bowls or dishes filled with water at different positions in your backyard. You should also change the water daily if you want the squirrels to be returning to your yard.
Step#4 Plant Squirrel Friendly Trees
Trees are very crucial because they double up as habitats for these little critters. However, squirrels are attracted to trees that specifically yield edible nuts and flowers.
Examples of trees that attract squirrels include conifers such as pines and deciduous trees such as aspens. Apart from yielding nuts, trees act as a safe habitat in the long run for squirrels.
The structure of the trees is also vital to squirrels as they determine if a tree is scalable and if nests can be built in them.
Step#5 Conceal Traps and Baits
Since squirrels are very cautious, covering up any traps and baits is critical in ensuring a safe ground for these creatures.
You can start by covering up any holes and steep places in your backyard to create a free moving area for the squirrels.
Step#6 Consider a Nesting Box
Building a nesting box in your backyard is also a good idea as it may lure the squirrels into staying for good. A nesting box technically acts as a shelter and a breeding place for the little furballs.
Always make sure to hang the nesting boxes on the trees in your backyard.
What Smells Attract Squirrels?
The sense of smell is a very crucial feature in any living organism. Likewise, squirrels have a very sharp sense of smell that is also essential for their survival.
Squirrels are attracted to odors associated with their favorite foods, such as corn, nuts, and fruits.
Therefore, these scents are effective when laying traps and baits for squirrels and are technically irresistible to these little creatures.
How Do You Get a Squirrel to Come to You?
While squirrels are outgoing creatures and can quickly form bonds with humans, they can also be dangerous when provoked. Getting a squirrel to come to you, therefore, requires a great deal of patience.
The squirrels also need to understand that you are not a threat to them. You should therefore maintain your distance in your first interaction with the squirrels.
You can start by coming out if you notice them in your backyard and feed them. With time squirrels should get comfortable with your presence and even stick around you.
Wrapping Up
Having squirrels hang out in your backyard breeds a sense of achievement. It, however, requires one to be dedicated and patient before the results can manifest.
Squirrels are also crucial to the environment and the natural food chain. Attracting squirrels to your backyard requires strategy.
Some of the best methods include offering food and water to these rodents, providing them with natural cover, and planting squirrel-friendly trees.
