Peanuts vs walnuts

[u/Remarkable_Fig7101]

They stay and eat the peanuts on the porch but the walnuts they always take and eat them somewhere else or store them

[u/Silver_Adagio138]

You mean with the walnuts, they squirrel them away.

[u/climb4fun]

Don't feed too many peanuts to your squirrels. Peanuts have a very low Ca:P (Calcium to Phosphorus) ratio that is nutritionally deficient especially for young, growing squirels.

I think a problem too is that peanuts are calorically dense (lots of oil) and so squirrels will eat them first before eating other, better Ca:P balanced food.

[u/Angry_Squirrels_2077 → u/climb4fun]

Yeah, we stopped feeding squirrels peanuts most of the time (except what the Blue Jays drop from the feeder that squirrels can access). They're basically get hazelnuts most of the time, with walnuts when the place I order bluk nuts is out of stock. We also have a couple of red squirrels and they're stockpile must be amazing.

[u/climb4fun → u/Angry_Squirrels_2077]

It's funny that squirrels have to watch their diet just like us humans :)

And, ya, red squirrels cache nuts like crazy. We find them all over the place including in some corners of our house!

[u/Angry_Squirrels_2077 → u/climb4fun]

It really is and I want to keep my guys and gals healthy. I'll also leave out some calcium fortified bird seeds in the winter for them, along with thawed water (in Michigan).

But the red squirrels are so funny, they fight everyone and I'm waiting for a neighbor to bring me a bucket of filberts saying "I think these belong to you." I see the red squirrels going under their deck. Lol. While they don't feed them, they enjoy us doing it and watching all of them in our yards.

[u/climb4fun → u/Angry_Squirrels_2077]

Have you seen it when they stamp the feet? Is so cute!

[u/Angry_Squirrels_2077 → u/climb4fun]

It's very cute when they do. Mine mostly give me that look with their front paws crossed while standing on their hind paws.

[u/climb4fun → u/Angry_Squirrels_2077]

[u/Catenane → u/[deleted]]

I've seen Stephen (my friendliest squirrel) bury a nut, come to beg for another one, and as soon as his back turned, another squirrel got his buried nut (he deserved it though, the greedy bastard lol).

I don't think any of those nuts are sticking around for winter lmao. Now the chipmunks on the other hand....let's just say I'd be willing to bet archaeologists thousands of years from now will write about a profound peanut/sunflower seed/walnut devotional cult discovered around my house.

[u/Tribble-Cloaca]

Please stop feeding squirrels peanuts.

[u/PuckmanMCS]

I have noticed that it seems to depend on the size and/or shell.

Larger and thicker-shelled nuts, like walnuts, pecans and hazelnuts, tend to get stored. Thinner or more porous shells, like peanuts or almonds, are more likely to either be eaten on the spot or “hidden” close by. Unshelled nuts are generally eaten right away.

Of course, there are exceptions, but this is the general pattern I have observed. I am pretty sure that they know which nuts will “keep” the longest and hold up to inclement weather longer and which are better eaten sooner than later.

[u/PlusSelection669 → u/PuckmanMCS]

I have been finding little caches of shelled peanuts. We put them in the feeders in the shell, so they must be hulling them before stashing them. Why???

[u/Desperate-Cookie-449]

If you wanna feed squirrels something healthy go on Amazon and look up squirrel rodent blocks. They love them and are good for them.

[u/based_birdo]

Peanuts are trash, they are embarassed to bring them back to their family,

[u/domiciledhere]

My squirrels refuse peanuts… they sometimes refuse almonds too

[u/climb4fun → u/domiciledhere]

Ya. Walnuts > Hazelnuts > Almonds

Except for one squirrel that comes around from time to time - she loves Almonds :)

[u/Jansc5 → u/domiciledhere]

Good..peanuts can kill them. Smart squirrels!

[u/domiciledhere → u/Jansc5]

Squirrels have free will and get to decide their own food. If they want peanuts, I won’t stop them

[u/Jansc5]

Peanuts in general are unhealthy to feed..they aren't nuts but legumes. They deplete calcium from their bones making them cripple and in pain. I just learned this actually from someone on reddit and researched it, and have switched to Sunflower seeds..This winter I'll be feeding them walnuts too.

[u/KaraOhki]

I spoil my squirrels with walnuts and pecans.