Celery is a healthy, nutritious vegetable enjoyed by humans around the world. But have you ever wondered if our furry friends the squirrels enjoy celery too? In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about whether squirrels eat celery.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Yes, squirrels do eat celery. Celery contains vitamins, minerals, fiber and water that squirrels need.

The Squirrel Diet

Herbivores That Enjoy Veggies

Squirrels are primarily herbivores, meaning the bulk of their diet consists of plant foods like fruits, seeds, nuts, and veggies. As rodents, they have a taste for fresh produce like celery that offers vitamins, minerals, and fiber to support their active lifestyles.

Celery is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium and folate for squirrels. The crunchy veggie also contains lutein, an antioxidant that is great for eye health. With their keen sense of smell, squirrels can detect nutritious sources of food like celery from far away.

Favorite Foods of Squirrels

When it comes to snack time, squirrels will munch on most types of vegetables, including favorites like broccoli, corn, tomatoes and spinach. Celery offers a tasty, lightweight nutritional boost.

In one funny YouTube video, a squirrel is caught on camera hanging upside down from a bird feeder munching on a stick of celery! 😄 The flexible veggie makes for an ideal on-the-go meal.

Nutritional Needs of Squirrels

Like all animals, squirrels need balanced nutrition to stay healthy. Their diets are high in carbohydrates, especially in fall and winter when they consume more nuts and seeds to store fat reserves.

According to wildlife experts, celery can make up 5-10% of adult squirrels’ varied vegetable intake. For young squirrels, celery provides hydration from its high water content (95%) plus key vitamins and minerals to aid growth and development.

Offering fresh veggies like celery supports local squirrel populations. Just be sure to wash produce thoroughly before serving to minimize risk of disease transmission between species.

Nutritional Benefits of Celery for Squirrels

Vitamins

Celery contains a variety of vitamins that provide important health benefits for squirrels. It is a great source of vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant and supports immune function. Celery also contains vitamins A, K, and several B vitamins like folate, pyridoxine, and choline.

These vitamins support vision, blood clotting, red blood cell production, and nerve function. The vitamin K in celery is especially beneficial for squirrels as it supports bone health. Overall, the vitamin content of celery makes it a nutritious supplement to a squirrel’s diet.

Minerals

In addition to vitamins, celery contains essential minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium. Potassium helps regulate fluid balance and nerve signals. Calcium and phosphorus support bone health while magnesium aids enzyme function and energy production.

The sodium in celery helps replenish electrolytes lost through activity or sweating. Together, the mineral content of celery provides squirrels with nutrients vital for muscle contraction, nerve transmission, hydration, and metabolism.

Fiber

Celery is an excellent source of dietary fiber, providing 1-2 grams per stalk. This insoluble fiber adds bulk to the diet and promotes regular bowel movements and a healthy digestive tract. Fiber also slows digestion, helping squirrels feel full for longer after eating.

This may prevent overeating and weight gain. The fiber in celery supports cardiovascular function as well by binding to cholesterol and removing it from the body. Overall, the high fiber content of celery makes it a great addition to a squirrel’s diet.

Water Content

One of the biggest benefits celery offers squirrels is its high water content. Celery is about 95% water by weight. This makes it very hydrating. The water and electrolytes in celery help squirrels stay hydrated, which is extremely important for their health.

Dehydration can cause serious issues like kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and impaired temperature regulation. Celery is a great way for squirrels to increase their fluid intake, especially during hot, dry weather when their hydration needs are even higher.

Its high water content makes celery an ideal supplemental food for squirrels.

Ways Squirrels Obtain Celery

In the Wild

Squirrels naturally forage for food like seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetables in the wild. Celery, which contains tiny seeds, can be found growing naturally in some wooded areas and meadows where squirrels live.

The small seeds inside celery stalks and leaves provide tasty morsels for foraging squirrels.

In the autumn months, squirrels gather and store foods like celery to have reserves during the winter when fresh foods are scarce. They bury celery stalks and seeds underground in shallow holes or hide them in tree cavities.

When winter arrives, squirrels recover the buried celery to eat and feed to their young.

Quick and nimble, squirrels also grab discarded celery pieces from compost piles made by homeowners. Some clever squirrels even raid backyard vegetable gardens and nibble on homegrown celery planted by people.

Bird Feeders

Bird lovers often fill feeders with various seeds to attract wild birds. Squirrels, with their excellent climbing abilities and persistence, also take advantage of easily accessible seeds at bird feeders as an easy food source.

Some brands of bird seed mixes contain dried celery seeds. When squirrels manage to get into bird feeders, they will eat these celery seeds along with other nutritious seeds and grains intended for birds.

Crafty squirrels have even learned to hang upside down from feeders to get to the seeds! Once they discover a good source of food, squirrels will keep coming back to raid bird feeders, much to the dismay of bird enthusiasts.

As Handouts from Humans

People sometimes intentionally feed squirrels treats like nuts, dried fruits, and veggies. Celery is one healthy snack that is offered to tame urban squirrels in parks and backyards.

Squirrels gradually lose their fear of humans when repeatedly fed by people. They learn to associate humans with food and may even climb onto someone’s hand to gently nibble celery sticks or stalks.

Feeding squirrels promotes trust and allows close observation of their eating habits. Squirrels seem to enjoy the refreshing crunch and subtle flavor of celery!

Potential Concerns with Feeding Squirrels Celery

Pest Problems

Feeding squirrels celery can unfortunately lead to increased pest issues over time. As squirrels become accustomed to receiving free meals, they may congregate in larger numbers seeking handouts. This concentration of squirrels can damage gardens, flower beds or landscaping as they search for food (not to mention the headaches caused by incessant squirrel chatter!).

Squirrels are also known to invade attics or chew on wood infrastructure when food sources are readily available, leading to costly home repairs. According to pest control company Terminix, managing these nuisance squirrels or mitigating damage can cost $200 to $500 on average.

Behavior Changes

Hand-feeding celery or other foods to local squirrels can lead to unintended behavior changes. Squirrels may lose their fear of humans and become aggressive when demanding food. According to wildlife resource The Squirrel Enthusiast, overly habituated squirrels have been known to pounce on people, (😱) pull at clothing or even bite those denying them a free meal!

This unnatural dependence on humans disrupts normal squirrel behaviors like foraging. Additionally, squirrels may have difficulties surviving winter without supplemental feeding from compassionate yet counterproductive homeowners trying to “help” them.

Dietary Imbalances

While celery provides nutrients like vitamins K and C along with small amounts of fiber and protein, it lacks the complete nutrition a wild squirrel needs. According to University of California’s Integrated Pest Management Program, squirrels thrive best on natural food sources like acorns, tree shoots, fungi, bird eggs or even an occasional insect.

An imbalanced diet heavy on human food handouts like celery can lead to malnutrition over time. Squirrels may then become immuno-compromised and more susceptible to diseases like the fatal mange. 😢 Better to let squirrels fend for themselves by foraging naturally instead of offering limited celery snacks.

Best Practices for Feeding Celery to Squirrels

Chop into Bite-Sized Pieces

When preparing celery for squirrels, it’s important to chop the stalks into small, bite-sized pieces that are easy for them to pick up and eat (1-2 inches long). Their tiny mouths and teeth aren’t well-equipped to bite off or chew large chunks of food.

Cutting celery into properly sized pieces will prevent choking hazards and allow squirrels to comfortably enjoy this healthy, low-calorie snack.

Avoid Overfeeding

While celery makes a nutritious supplemental food for squirrels, too much can cause diarrhea or other digestive issues. It’s best to offer tiny portions of chopped celery just a few times per week. About 1-2 tablespoon’s worth per squirrel is sufficient.

Overfeeding can also encourage begging behavior or unnecessary dependence on humans for food instead of naturally foraging.

Pair with Other Healthy Foods

For balanced nutrition, celery should be paired with other healthy foods when feeding squirrels. Some excellent options are nuts, seeds, fruits like apple slices or berries, and occasional whole grain treats.

Offering a variety will give squirrels the carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals they need. It also adds enrichment to their diets, keeping mealtimes fun!

When supplying supplemental foods like celery, it’s important we act responsibly as stewards of nature. Following these best practices allows squirrels to safely enjoy celery as a small part of their nutritious, natural diets.

Conclusion

In conclusion, squirrels do enjoy eating celery for its nutritional benefits. Celery provides vitamins, minerals, fiber and water content that are useful for a squirrel’s diet. In the wild, squirrels may nibble on celery plants when available.

They can also obtain celery from bird feeders or as handouts from humans. It’s fine to feed squirrels celery in moderation, though overfeeding may lead to issues. Overall, celery can be a healthy supplemental treat in a balanced squirrel diet.

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