Living squirrels at home. Degu, a small domestic squirrel How to raise a squirrel at home

The appearance of these animals in apartments occurs, as a rule, in two ways. The first is when people thoughtlessly and, having taken pity on the animal, as a rule, it is a squirrel, take it to their home, having no place to keep it and having little information about its needs. The second is a deliberate and “planned” establishment of such an animal at home, for example, after buying it in squirrel nursery.

The life expectancy of a common squirrel in captivity is 7 - 10 years, under good conditions of keeping and feeding.

The fastest and easiest of all to adapt to a new environment are young animals, most of them forget about their former habitat in a day. Sexually mature males, acquired during the mating season, adapt in the apartment in 2-3 days, while females will need more time for this, sometimes up to 2 weeks.

Before you start a squirrel in the house or already, after you have brought it to your apartment, it needs to create the right conditions for the animal to feel good.

Squirrels very mobile and playful animals, they can run and climb for hours. Therefore, how comfortable it will be for her to live at home depends largely on the size of her new home. The best thing you can offer her is a high aviary made of metal mesh, its minimum dimensions are 100 cm high, 50 cm long and wide. If it is located on the street or on a balcony, it must be covered with a gable roof made of tin. It is necessary to locate housing for squirrels in a place without drafts, heating and noise. There should be a nest in the enclosure - like those that a squirrel builds for itself in the wild, but a birdhouse is also suitable. Also, there should be one large or several small branches so that the animal can run along them and grind off claws, boards, perches and shelves on which the animal will sit.

The most difficult period in the home life of a squirrel comes during molting, which occurs 2 times a year. Some animals become lethargic, drowsy, while others, on the contrary, become more active or behave as usual. Spring molting in an ordinary squirrel occurs immediately after estrus. In males, the molt begins earlier and drags on until mid-summer. Females molt later than males, but more intensively, it ends by the birth of baby squirrels.

For the owners of the animal, molting does not bring any big trouble, as it passes gradually. But still, it is recommended to put plates of any material 10 cm high around the perimeter of the base of the cage or aviary.

Squirrel care also involves regular cleaning of her house, which must be done as it gets dirty (about 1 time per week). Her nest should not be disturbed, as they love their smell very much and are very worried when they do not touch it. Feeders need to be washed every day, just once a day to change the water in the drinker or bowl.

Some people keep the protein in an apartment outside the cage or are often released from it.

Just before letting the squirrel roam freely around the apartment, you need to remove all substances and objects that are dangerous to the health of the animal, as well as close the electrical wiring. You can not open windows and doors, since it is not realistic to return the animal that jumped out of the apartment.

If the squirrel escapes from the cage, then it is impossible to catch it. This is a very dexterous animal, but even during stress during fishing it can not resist and, falling, get injured. Therefore, when the animal gets hungry, it will go into the cage itself for food.

So that the squirrel feels good at home and does not get sick, except right conditions content, it must be properly fed. Her diet should include Pine nuts and hazelnuts, fresh and dried mushrooms, acorns, seeds, fresh eggs, insects, worms and beetles. She also needs spruce and pine cones with seeds, buds on spruce and pine branches, young birch leaves, willow and aspen catkins, blueberries, lingonberries, cloudberries. In a word, everything that they eat in the wild. A squirrel should not eat sweet, peppery and food prepared for a person. We must not forget that a squirrel is primarily a rodent. So that animals do not experience mineral deficiency, when kept at home, they must be given crushed eggshells, chalk, or calcium gluconate or calcium glycerophosphate tablets, raw spongy bones, coarse table salt.

In order to be able to have a pleasant time and communicate with a squirrel, it must be calm and tamed, otherwise such contact will bring nothing but stress for the animal and biting the owners. You need to start contacting the animal immediately after its period of adaptation in the apartment. In order to make friends with a squirrel, it is necessary to treat it with food from the hands as often as possible, ensuring that it itself makes contact. And only after that, it can be slowly and carefully picked up and stroked, starting with a short period of time and increasing it each time. The squirrel requires constant attention, as it has a very "short memory" and quickly runs wild without regular communication.

An indisputable advantage when keeping squirrels at home is that they are very clean animals, without an unpleasant smell, and if they are accustomed to hands, then they are very affectionate and friendly.

This agile, agile and very graceful animal has long been a habitual and permanent inhabitant of many city parks. Giving a treat (a nut, a cracker) just from the hands of a squirrel, who is not at all afraid of people, is very popular not only for children, but also for adults. And what a pleasure to watch the games of squirrels, their jumps and antics! However, our ordinary city apartments are not very suitable for an animal accustomed to spaciousness and free life ... Perhaps it makes sense to listen to the opinion of the owners of domestic squirrels, people who are familiar with the situation firsthand, although such information may cause displeasure among "lovers" of squirrels from the side.

squirrel family (Sciuridae) is extremely extensive, its representatives can be found almost all over the world - there are no squirrels only in Australia, on about. Madagascar, in the polar regions, the Sahara desert and in the extreme south of South America. This family includes 48 genera, uniting about 280 currently known species and is second only to the Mouse family.

in Europe, Siberia and Far East common common squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), which has a lot of varieties, among which we have the most famous Central Russian squirrel (or veksha) and European squirrel (reconciliation).

soderzhanije-ruchnyh-belok


In general, various varieties are found from the Atlantic coast to Kamchatka and about. Sakhalin.

The squirrel is a small animal of characteristic appearance, with an elongated body about 25-35 cm long and a long fluffy tail 15-20 cm, which the animal uses as a "rudder" while jumping. The head of the squirrel is rounded, with large expressive eyes, ears are long, decorated with tassels. The claws on the toes of the squirrels do not retract, they are very sharp and help the animals move through the trees. The coat color of squirrels varies greatly not only among their varieties, but also depends on the time of year, specific habitat, and even on the height of the area above sea level. The color of the back can be dominated by red or gray shades, dark brown, almost black squirrels are also known, but the belly of the squirrels is light, often white.


According to the color of the tail, among ordinary squirrels, the “red tail”, “brown tail”, “gray tail” and “black tail” are distinguished.

The squirrel is a typical forest dweller that spends most of its time in trees, descending to the ground, mainly in search of food. In nature, squirrels settle in mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, spruce, pine forests, cedar forests, but at the same time they have long successfully mastered city parks, and gardens and vineyards in the south. In deciduous forests, squirrels usually live in hollows of trees, lining them with soft bedding of dry grass, leaves, and lichens. Squirrels build nests in coniferous forests guys"In the forks of trees, using dry branches as a frame, also lining them with soft bedding from the inside, there are such nests at a height of 7-15 m. Sometimes squirrels use birdhouses and under shelter. Each animal can have up to fifteen dwellings, which it changes every 2-3 days. Despite the fact that squirrels are convinced loners, in winter up to 6 animals can be in one nest. In conditions temperate climate squirrels do not fall into real winter hibernation, however, during severe frosts they do not leave their nests, being in a semi-drowsy state.

Squirrels are real fidgets, they easily jump from branch to branch at a distance of 3-4 m in a straight line and 10-15 m in a downward curve, “steering” with their tail. These animals are characterized by seasonal migrations associated with the timing of the maturation of various foods and the resettlement of young animals. However, during a drought, crop failure of the main feed or due to forest fires, squirrels are able to make mass migrations over a distance of 250-300 km, during which many of the animals die.

Seeds form the basis of the protein diet in nature. coniferous trees(spruce, pine, cedar, fir, larch). It takes the animal about 3 minutes to “process” one pine cone; in a day it can peel 15 spruce cones and more than 100 pine cones.


In addition, squirrels willingly eat (hazel), acorns, mushrooms, berries, grain, buds and young shoots of trees, lichens, rhizomes and tubers of plants, some herbaceous plants, do not disdain insects and their larvae, small vertebrates, can destroy bird nests and eat eggs and chicks.

For the winter, the squirrel tries to make supplies, pulling cones, nuts or acorns into hollows and burying them between the roots of trees, hanging mushrooms on branches. True, squirrels maiden memory”And they simply forget about many of their supplies, which other forest dwellers successfully use. At the same time, the squirrel can easily find the “pantries” of other animals (mice, chipmunks, and others) even under a 1.5 m layer of snow.

Squirrels are very prolific, usually they have two litters a year, in the southern regions there may be three broods. Pregnancy in squirrels lasts 35-38 days, as a result, 3-10 naked and blind cubs are born, weighing about 8 g. Squirrels are covered with wool after 2 weeks, their eyes open after a month. The squirrel feeds the cubs with milk for 40-50 days, and at the age of 8-10 weeks they already leave the mother. Under good living conditions, squirrels reproduce quite easily in captivity.


In more than half of the cases, squirrels appear in the house because people pick up an adult wounded animal or baby squirrels whose mother either died or abandoned them (this happens when there is not enough food, if the cubs were born too early in the spring or in a lean year ).


It will not be possible to tame an adult wild squirrel, you can only treat it and release it back into the wild. With newborn squirrels, the situation is different, they can be tamed, but first the main thing is to feed them, and this is not an easy task ...

jannaludlow.co.uk


Release the squirrel brought up by people, it is impossible, he is not adapted to life in the wild and will simply die.

Quite often, squirrels are purchased through advertisements. Here, there is a high probability of running into an unscrupulous seller who will hand you not a “homemade” squirrel from a breeder who has been accustomed to the company of people since childhood, but a completely wild animal obtained by poachers.


all kinds of branches and shelves.


Squirrels are very fond of spinning the wheel, but its rim must be solid, and there must be no axis of rotation inside to avoid injury to the animal.


Also, squirrels will need various toys with which they can occupy themselves in the absence of their owners.


However, the presence of even the largest enclosure is not enough for a squirrel, she needs free walking around the apartment for several hours a day. And here, indeed, “save yourself, who can!” It is impossible to keep track of a nimble animal, he will have time to visit everywhere: “mark” himself on the ledge,


hang on the curtains and try "on the tooth" houseplants,


check shelves and cabinets...


Live wires and heavy unstable objects that they can tip over are especially dangerous for squirrels.

Since squirrels are omnivorous, in addition to cones, you can include in their home diet :
- hazelnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts and walnuts - with shells, not fried and not salted;
- sunflower seeds, pumpkin, watermelon, melon;
- acorns;
- dried or fresh mushrooms;
- young shoots of trees with buds or leaves;
- quail eggs;
- cottage cheese;
- insects (crickets, cockroaches);
- Zophobos;
- ant eggs;
- cartilage, dry beef bones;
- various berries;
- apples, pears, bananas
.

And now a little about the sad ... A squirrel in the house is by no means an endless “mi-mi-mi”.


Owners of squirrels with experience in keeping these animals strongly warn about the following nuances :
1. Get up early. At dawn, you can be awakened by the “melodious” sounds that a squirrel makes, gnawing a house, a branch or a shelf, or a roar from an animal frolicking in an aviary, a nut knocking on a bowl, or a cheerful squirrel chirping.
2. Smell. Although squirrels are very clean, a specific smell cannot be avoided from them, especially during the rut.
3. The content of proteins is associated with significant costs, both for the cage and for various accessories inside it.
4. Squirrels scratch and can sometimes bite painfully.
5. Squirrels are not accustomed to the tray, on the run they relieve themselves, where they have to.
6. Get ready for torn curtains, scratched and gnawed things, destroyed houseplants.
7. Caring for a squirrel requires a significant amount of time, it is by no means half an hour a day.
8. Squirrels love to suddenly jump on the back and head of the owner, while scratching painfully with their claws.
9. The issue of treating squirrels is very acute, in many cities there are simply no rodentologists
!
In addition to the above, protein is strongly discouraged from starting in families with small children and people prone to allergies.

In general, according to the owners, “only an elephant in a china shop can be worse than a squirrel in an apartment!”

These cute tiny creatures are literally "pocket" animals, as they have a deep attachment to their owner. They will be happy to spend hours with you or sleep wrapped in your clothes.

Fluffy webbed folds between the front and hind legs give them a special charm. And such big loving eyes can melt the heart of everyone. That is why flying squirrels are now quite popular as pets.

Flying squirrel as a pet

In general, these are very curious and affectionate animals, if you show them due attention. At the age of 6-8 weeks, the squirrels are ready to go to new house. Hand feed them so they get used to their new family as quickly as possible. Average duration life in captivity 10-12 years. Reach very small sizes, weight only about 200 gr. The flying squirrel is a nocturnal animal, but because of its devotion to its owner, it is ready to rearrange its natural rhythms in order to spend as much time as possible with it. Under natural conditions, the folds of the skin, which form a kind of wings, help them move quickly and escape from predators. Their natural enemies are mainly large owls, less often martens and sable.

Buy flying squirrels no more than 8 weeks old. Hand feed and carry in the breast pocket of your shirt for several hours a day for at least 2-3 weeks. This will get them used to your voice and smell. Your warmth and care will make them truly handmade.

For the first two weeks, we recommend keeping the baby squirrel in a small plastic carrier. Then you will need a good high and spacious cage at least 60x60x90 cm (the width between the bars is not more than 1.5 cm), and preferably an aviary. The cage should be away from direct sunlight, batteries and drafts. The filler should be changed 1-2 times a week. Flying squirrels need a place to move around in order to feel comfortable. Indeed, in nature, from a height of 12 meters, they can jump up to 50 meters! Fix at different levels a large number of branches, set toys, a wheel and a hammock for an overnight stay. It is best to use natural materials - cotton, felted wool or ready-made wicker baskets. In the wild, these squirrels prefer pine, cedar or spruce with abandoned woodpecker hollows. Moss and lichens are used to build nests.

It is worth noting that they are quite shy and can bite in case of danger. Therefore, let other people communicate, play and feed the flying squirrel with early age. Then the squirrel will not attack strangers, protecting you. We would recommend getting two flying squirrels at once, as they are social animals and behavioral problems may arise because they will be lonely. But this is not such a mandatory rule. Squirrels should spend a lot of time outside the cage so that they can play and not gain weight. But don't let them outside because they will jump on the tree and you will lose them.

Features of hand-feeding baby squirrels

Hand-feeding is necessary in order to tie the squirrel to you as soon as possible. But it is important to take this with all responsibility, as improper feeding can lead to a fatal outcome. If you purchase a flying squirrel from a trusted breeder, then it should already be accustomed to feeding. First you need to prepare a syringe, a mixture (goat's milk or a substitute) and a napkin. In no case do not feed the baby on his back, he must stand! Show him the tip of the syringe, he will reach for it. Slowly apply pressure to the syringe, stopping every 5-8 seconds to allow the squirrel to completely finish the dose. This is very important as feeding too fast will force the formula into the lungs and the baby will die within hours.

The number of feedings is at least 3 times a day for a duration of 6-10 minutes (the total consumption of the mixture is 3-5 syringes). Babies won't eat more than they need. After that, you need to wipe the muzzle and take it back to the cage. It is recommended not to play with them for an hour so that they can calmly digest the writing. Grown squirrels feed on the mixture already 2 times a day with the addition of apple slices (oranges) and coniferous seeds to the diet. After 2 weeks, you should gradually stop feeding and switch to the main food, fruits and vegetables.

What to feed a flying squirrel?

The food tract of flying squirrels is adapted to rough plant foods that contain indigestible fiber. Flying squirrels can be fed with fresh sprigs of willow, birch, alder catkins, fruit cones, rowan berries, lettuce, cabbage, dandelion, tender shoots of maple, aspen and buds of deciduous trees. Seeds of spruce, cedar and pine, as well as sunflower and pumpkin, are a delicacy for these animals and a mandatory addition to the daily diet. Be careful when buying in regular stores, the product should not contain salt!

Flying squirrel (momonga) at home

Squirrels are cute fluffy creatures, always cheerful and active, it seems that if you get this animal at home, then a continuous holiday will come. Is it true? What conditions will have to be created for a comfortable life of squirrels in captivity and how do they themselves relate to domestication?

Squirrel is not a gift

In most cases, the squirrel that the kids in the park love to hand-feed is completely unsuitable for keeping as pet, or rather, about 90% of protein is not suitable for this. 90 out of 100 animals will bite or scratch their owner or family members very badly sooner or later. And only the remaining 10 squirrels, tamed at a young age, may become really cute, affectionate animals.

Squirrels have a very unpredictable nature, they are prone to regular mood swings, which depend on the hormonal background. During such periods, they are extremely cruel to everyone they consider superfluous on their territory, especially if they are in a confined space.

My home is my castle

When a squirrel takes root in a new place, for example, in an apartment, she begins to feel like a full-fledged mistress, yet other people and animals are only guests in her house, sometimes welcome, and sometimes completely unnecessary.

It is also worth remembering that around the squirrel cage it will always be very unaesthetic, a kind of gastronomic chaos, an unpleasant smell is inevitable, to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the frequency of cleaning. In addition, squirrels shed almost all year round, so people prone to allergies or asthma will have to give up the idea of ​​keeping a red creature.

Of course, there is another side of the coin. Hand squirrels are very sociable creatures, they allow themselves to be petted, sleep in the owner's arms and respond to the name, familiar sounds or cat kitty.

Content Features

A squirrel needs a fairly large cage with strong rods, at least 60 * 60 cm in size and 1.5 meters high. Sometimes the entire loggia or balcony is re-equipped to keep the red-tails.

What to feed squirrels

Homemade squirrels will have to offer a very varied menu, which will cost a lot: forest, walnuts, pine nuts and ground nuts, chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, vegetables and fruits, dry mushrooms. Cones and needles should be in the will of the squirrel. All this can be bought in a specialized store or assembled independently.

It is very important not to overfeed the rodent. In nature, they spend a lot of energy looking for food, but in the apartment they do not have to strain, so extra grams are gained in a matter of weeks. Any food for a squirrel should not be fried or salty, nuts only in shell, only walnuts can be chopped a little. Literally without a few vital foods in the diet, the animal will begin to get sick, become weak and die in agony. And by the way, under the squirrel stocks at home, you will have to allocate a full-fledged closet.

Cashews for protein are considered too fatty, and almonds are poison.

Weigh the pros and cons

The cost of a squirrel ranges from 5-10 thousand rubles, in addition, significant costs will be required for the maintenance and purchase of an overall enclosure with all related equipment.
There are very few specialists who are able to provide the squirrel with qualified veterinary care, even in large cities, and it’s not worth talking about sparsely populated areas.
Buying the smallest animal, it is impossible to predict whether it will be tame and cute or remain a wild animal.
Even if the squirrel has its own large cage, it needs long walks around the apartment, as a result the whole house will turn into a single squirrel aviary with claw stripes on furniture and wallpaper, scattered and gnawed things. In addition, in the most unpredictable secluded places, the squirrel will definitely collect food supplies for itself.
Not all proteins are distinguished by cleanliness and relieve their needs in the allotted place.

It is very interesting to watch cute moving animals, their way of life and habits, and close communication with a tamed obedient squirrel really gives a lot of pleasure. You can even breed them if you want.

When meeting a squirrel, especially in the cold season, people have a natural desire to feed it. Usually, what is at hand is used, but few people think about real benefit such help. In order not to aggravate the unenviable situation of animals, learn how to feed squirrels in winter and how to do it safely for animals. The list of what can be used for top dressing is quite extensive, but there are also many dangerous and poisonous foods, even among those that people eat every day.

Squirrel diet in natural habitat

In nature, squirrels feed mainly on plant foods, although they are omnivores. Nature protein researchers report over 130 feeds they use. The amount of food consumed per day depends on the time of year: from 30-35 g in winter to 80 g in spring during the mating season.

In winter, squirrels can take food directly from their hands.

Favorite treats of squirrels in the forest

The list of the most common animal food is small:

  • seeds of coniferous trees;
  • young branches, bark, buds, tree leaves, needles;
  • hazel nuts, acorns;
  • mushrooms;
  • berries and fruits;
  • feed of animal origin;
  • tubers, rhizomes, as well as the ground part of herbaceous plants, lichens.

Shed ungulate horns are an important source of calcium for squirrels

The share of the latter in the nutrition of squirrels is insignificant, but it increases significantly with a crop failure of other feeds. The main part of the diet is made up of coniferous seeds; more and less preferred ones are also distinguished among them. The most delicious for animals are pine nuts, then - seeds of spruce, larch, fir, pine. In the event of a crop failure, the animals can migrate and roam in search of food.

Feed of animal origin is consumed mainly after winter, during the breeding season. Squirrels can also eat bird eggs, chicks, insects, frogs, and small mammals. They gnaw on the bones of animals and the discarded horns of forest ungulates.

Features of nutrition in winter

Squirrels stock up on food for the winter. Cones, nuts and acorns in small quantities are buried in the ground or hidden in hollows and nests, of which one squirrel always has several. Mushrooms are also collected, then dried on tree branches.

However, furry animals often forget about their reserves and, as a rule, find them by chance, thanks to their developed sense of smell. Squirrel "forgetfulness" contributes to the renewal of the forest, because untouched supplies germinate in the spring. In addition, other animals can also find them. The squirrel also successfully uses other people's warehouses (mice, chipmunks and other rodents).

Mushrooms are dried, strung on twigs

In the cold season, these animals eat little. They wait out bad weather in hollows and nests, and in severe frosts they do not leave them at all, falling into a semi-drowsy state and using reserves. The hungriest time for squirrels is late winter and early spring. It is known that the lack of food in winter, as well as infectious diseases kill up to 85% of young squirrels.

How to help a squirrel survive the winter

It is better to endure cold in satiety, knowing this, many people try to help squirrels by feeding them. In addition, at this time, you can quite unexpectedly become the owner of a weakened or crippled animal. In such cases, it is important to know how to feed squirrels in winter at home and in the wild, how and when it is better to feed.

Cones - the main squirrel food

The optimal squirrel diet for a full existence outside of nature

The food that you can feed the animal is very diverse. But, even knowing which products will be useful for a squirrel, it is very difficult for a beginner to navigate them and make a menu. For example, consider the norms of products and the frequency of their issuance to squirrels in a zoo. Below is a ration for one animal.

Daily:

  • wheat bread - 10 g each;
  • hazelnuts - 10 g each;
  • pine nuts - 10 g each;
  • ground nuts - 10 g each;
  • sunflower seeds - 10 g each;
  • pumpkin seeds - 10 g each;
  • fruits, berries - 2 g each;
  • dried fruits - 2 g each;
  • hemp - 2 g each;
  • dry mushrooms - 2 g each;
  • salad - 2 g each;
  • cottage cheese - 2 g each;
  • milk - 2 g each;
  • butter - 2 g each;
  • salt - 2 g each;
  • flour worm - 2 g each;
  • fish - 2 g each;
  • grass, branches - in unlimited quantities;
  • cones - in unlimited quantities;
  • needles - in unlimited quantities.

Squirrels love shelled nuts

In one day:

  • chestnut - 10 g every other day;
  • chicken egg - 1 g every other day;
  • apples - 5 g every other day;
  • carrots - 5 g every other day;
  • cabbage - 5 g every other day.

Also on the menu should be:

  • walnuts - 10 g in 2 days;
  • chalk - alternate 2 g;
  • bone meal - alternate 2 g;
  • honey - alternate 2 g;
  • jam - alternate 2 g;

Squirrels are very funny and playful animals.

At home, it is almost impossible to stick to such a varied menu. It is important to consider here that such plant foods as branches, grass, green cones, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, vegetables and fruits should always be in the squirrel. Heavier fatty foods (nuts and seeds) should be given in small portions once a day, in the late afternoon.

A lot of fat eaten negatively affects the health of the liver of the animal. Some experts recommend feeding nuts to squirrels at home. different types. For example, today - walnuts, tomorrow - forest, the day after tomorrow - cedar (no more than a tablespoon).

In addition, we must not forget about animal products and water. Keep in mind that the presence of hidden foods indicates that you need to reduce the portion. The squirrel must also have constant pure water, the drinker should be slightly raised so that the animal does not turn it over.

There should be a lot of needles

Suitable foods for feeding a foster squirrel

Food may be fresh, dried or frozen, and fruits are usually given in small pieces. In addition, each squirrel has individual preferences, what one likes may not be of interest to other animals. They may not eat whole fruits, but cut and peel them with pleasure. Ignore the berries offered in bulk, but appetizingly gnaw them from the twig.

Belka can offer:

  • nuts (necessarily in shell) - hazelnuts, walnuts, cedar, acorns (fresh and frozen), sweet chestnut, hornbeam, beech;
  • seeds in shell - sunflower, pumpkin, watermelon;
  • green cones and cones (fresh and frozen) - spruce, larch, pine, fir, arborvitae, cedar;
  • fruits (fresh, frozen, dried; seeds and seeds must be removed) - apple, pear, peach, apricot, banana, nectarine, watermelon, quince;
  • berries (fresh, dried, frozen) - lingonberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, wild strawberries, mountain ash, cranberries, blackberries, viburnum, wild rose, sea buckthorn, hawthorn, chokeberry, currants, irga, mulberries, cherries (without stones), sweet cherries (without seeds), grapes (fresh, pitted);
  • vegetables - pumpkin (fresh, dried), beets (fresh, dried), cucumber, kohlrabi (fresh), carrots (fresh, dried), corn (fresh, frozen, dried), sunflower inflorescence with fresh seeds;
  • dried fruits (pitted) - raisins, cherries, apricots, plums, cranberries;
  • mushrooms (fresh, frozen, dry) - white mushroom, boletus, boletus, flywheel, chanterelle, Polish, butter, russula, mushrooms (fresh), mushrooms, chaga, real tinder fungus;
  • branches, leaves, inflorescences, buds - birch, willow, maple, oak, hazel, larch, aspen, spruce, linden, pine, mulberry, hornbeam, mountain ash, apple tree, cherry, plum; possible with small green fruits;
  • herbs - dandelion, wood lice, goat's beard, hairy sorrel, sorrel, sorrel, clover, milky ripeness cereals on stems, young shoots of oats;
  • animal products - chicken and quail (raw and boiled) eggs, cottage cheese, dry beef and fish bones, flour worm, ant pupae.

Squirrels love berries in bunches

All products must be fresh, unspoiled and of good quality.

What not to feed squirrels - prohibited foods

The basic rule for choosing food for a squirrel - if you don’t know what kind of plant it is (mushroom, berry, grass) - it’s better not to give it. The prohibited ones include:

  • fast food and other "human" store food;
  • nuts and seeds from the supermarket - salted, sweetened, flavored, fried;
  • almond;
  • bones of fruits and berries;
  • mushrooms - poisonous and those that need pretreatment(mushrooms, volnushki, pigs, morels, lines), as well as champignons and oyster mushrooms;
  • branches, leaves, fruits - apricot (fruit pulp is possible), almond, lilac, yew, elderberry, buckthorn;
  • poisonous herbaceous plants: belladonna, nightshade, corydalis, lily of the valley, kupena and others.

Almonds for squirrels are a real poison

Rules for feeding squirrels in nature and in cultural parks

Squirrels in their home are warmed by a few, most are trying to feed the red-haired beauties in parks, squares, forests or even in their own garden. Given the food lists above, it's easy to put together a package to help animals in need. Naturally, dried fruits, mixtures of nuts, seeds, wheat crackers are most convenient for this purpose.

Random treats and feed on walks

There are two ways to feed a squirrel in nature. The most common is when, while walking in the park, people meet animals, which are lured and subsequently fed with brought food.

Adults and children get a lot of pleasure when a brave squirrel takes the offered product directly from the hands. This option is an ideal combination of benefits for people and animals, but its disadvantages are also obvious:

  1. First, the squirrel still needs to be found, or it needs to find you.
  2. Secondly, feeding in this way is irregular.

Maximalism in feeding is superfluous

Organization of permanent feeders

A more rational option for feeding is a feeder. You can install it almost anywhere where a fluffy animal lives. At the same time, everyone will be able to put food in publicly accessible places. A feeder installed on a private territory can become an additional decorative element of the site, its highlight. In this case, you can watch the squirrel without leaving your home.

Squirrel feeder drawing

When choosing a feeder model, you need to consider that it must be with a roof and a flat floor. The material is preferably untreated wood. The open sides of the feeder will allow the birds to feast on treats. So that everything that is offered to the squirrel does not go to the crows, you can cut small holes in solid walls. More original designs are also available, such as a feeder in a jar.

Feeder in a jar - beautiful and practical

Obviously, helping animals and birds survive the winter is not very difficult. You just have to be indifferent. Using quality natural and unprocessed products will bring maximum benefit to animals and cheer up people. Be sure to tell your friends what to feed squirrels in winter and what foods are dangerous to give them in order to save as many animals as possible.