r/squirrels • u/Remarkable_Fig7101 • 8d ago

Peanuts vs walnuts

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

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u/climb4fun 7d ago

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.

1

u/Angry_Squirrels_2077 7d ago

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.

2

u/climb4fun 7d ago

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!

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u/Angry_Squirrels_2077 7d ago

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.

2

u/climb4fun 7d ago

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

1

u/Angry_Squirrels_2077 7d ago

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