When it comes to the diet of the squirrel, it will depend on the squirrel. If any squirrel is in captivity, the diet has to match closely to the food that the squirrel would have eaten in the wild. The flying squirrel, tree squirrel and ground squirrel have diets that overlap, but they will not eat the same things in general. If you have a squirrel, it is good to learn about what it would have eaten in the wild before you decide on what to give to it.



The urban squirrels will survive periods of food shortage through being opportunistic feeders. The squirrel may eat ice cream, cake and cookies. This people food is not good for the people themselves, and it is not good for the squirrels either.

Squirrels eat different types of vegetables. Squirrels may eat leafy greens like arugula, spinach, kale, chard and lettuce. They also eat delicious veggies like greens, root vegetables, peas, corn, beans, squash, radishes and tomatoes.

Squirrel-watchers may feed cereal to the squirrels. The squirrels like the nuts and the grains that are found mostly in cereals. The squirrels will eat grape nuts, corn flakes, shredded wheat and other tasty treats. However, these sugary cereals may not be what Mother Nature intended the squirrel to eat, but the squirrel will not care too much as long as its belly is full.

Cheese is not found naturally in nature, but when a human puts it in their natural setting, then the squirrel will not leave the cheese alone. The squirrel will not be picky when it comes to the cheese. They can eat mozzarella, provolone, Swiss and cheddar. They may also eat cheese pizza when they find it.

The squirrels like nuts. When you live near a nut tree, it is possible to see the squirrels moving around busy with nuts. It will eat some and take others home so that it can store them to use later. The nuts are the most natural foods of the squirrel. When the squirrels cannot find nuts, they will eat pine cones, pine nuts, hickory nuts, chestnuts, cashews, acorns and macadamia nuts. The nuts are a source of protein and fats for different types of squirrels.

Birdseed found in the backyards of bird watchers is also available for the squirrels. Even when the birds are eating, the squirrels will also reach for them to stuff their bellies. The birdseed also contains the food that squirrels like such as nuts, grains and seeds. When the squirrel cannot find nuts or fruits, it will turn to small insects for its protein. In a natural setting, the squirrel may eat mushrooms and other fungi found near them.

Go back to the Squirrels in the Attic home page.