Bread has long been a common snack offered to park squirrels, but is this tasty treat actually good or bad for these cute creatures? If you’re wondering whether feeding bread to squirrels is harmful or healthy, read on for a detailed look at the effects.
If you’re short on time, here’s the quick answer: Feeding squirrels bread should generally be avoided. While squirrels seem to love the taste, bread lacks the proper nutrition squirrels need and can lead to serious health issues like malnutrition, metabolic bone disease, and rodenticide poisoning.
In this roughly 3,000 word guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the impacts of bread on squirrel health. We’ll discuss the nutritional makeup of bread compared to a squirrel’s dietary requirements, go over the health consequences of relying too heavily on bread, talk about better food alternatives you can offer squirrels, and more.
The Squirrel Diet: What Squirrels Need to Stay Healthy
Main Components of the Squirrel Diet
Squirrels are omnivores, meaning they consume both plant and animal matter. The main components of a squirrel’s diet consist of seeds, nuts, fruits, fungi, greens, and the occasional insect or bird egg.
Tree squirrels like eastern gray squirrels have a particular affinity for nuts and seeds, which provide essential nutrients and calories. Their front teeth are specially adapted to help them gnaw into hard shells.
Some of the most common nuts and seeds that wild squirrels eat include:
- Acorns
- Hazelnuts
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Almonds
- Hickory nuts
- Pine cones
- Sunflower seeds
Squirrels will also readily consume fruits like apples, oranges, pears and cherries if available. Fungi like mushrooms provide important micronutrients. Greens such as shoots, buds and leaves deliver vitamins and minerals. The occasional bird egg or insect offers essential protein.
Access to this balanced, varied diet is key to a squirrel’s survival.
Nutritional Requirements for Proper Squirrel Health
Like all animals, squirrels need sufficient nutrition to thrive. According to wildlife experts, a healthy squirrel diet should consist of the following:[1]
| Protein | 15 – 20% daily calories |
| Fat | 50 – 75% daily calories |
| Carbohydrates | 10 – 15% daily calories |
| Calcium | 800 mg/kg food |
| Phosphorus | 500 mg/kg food |
The key macronutrients for squirrels are fats and protein. Healthy fats provide long-lasting energy and keep their coats slick and full. Adequate protein supports growth and development. Unlike humans, squirrels have very small carbohydrate requirements.
They get all the carbs they need from fruits, seeds and nuts.
Micronutrients like calcium and phosphorus are also essential. Around 99% of the calcium and 80% of the phosphorus in a squirrel’s body is found in its bones and teeth.[2] Calcium and phosphorus keep their bones and teeth strong so they can support their daily climbing and gnawing needs!
By eating a varied diet with lots of nuts, seeds, plant matter and occasional animal protein, wild squirrels can typically meet all their nutritional needs. Multiple food sources ensure healthy squirrel colonies with low disease rates.[3] Their flexible, adaptable diets allow them to thrive across diverse habitats.
Understanding the squirrel diet provides helpful insight into their nutritional requirements and foraging ecology.
Why Bread is Nutritionally Deficient for Squirrels
Lack of Protein
Bread lacks the high-quality proteins that squirrels need. The grains used in most bread contain incomplete proteins that do not provide all the essential amino acids. Without enough protein, squirrels can face issues like:
- Impaired growth and development
- Loss of muscle mass
- Lowered immunity
Squirrels are quite active and need more protein than bread can offer to stay healthy. Their natural diet consists of nuts, seeds, insects, and sometimes small vertebrates, all of which contain complete proteins.
Imbalance of Vitamins & Minerals
While bread provides some vitamins and minerals from enriched wheat flour, the levels are not properly balanced for squirrels’ nutritional needs. Key issues include:
- Excess carbohydrates from grains, leading to blood sugar spikes
- Low calcium for bone health
- Lack of vitamin D for calcium absorption
- Few healthy fats for energy reserves
Without a proper balance of nutrients, squirrels may face deficiencies over time. Health issues linked to nutritional imbalance include bone and muscle loss, organ damage, impaired immunity, reproductive issues, and reduced lifespan.
High Refined Carb Content
Bread is generally made with refined grains that have had the fibrous bran and germ removed during milling. This leaves mostly starchy endosperm, creating a food high in fast-digesting carbs. Too many refined carbs lead to:
- Rapid blood sugar and insulin spikes
- Increased risk of metabolic disorders over time
- Excess fat storage around organs
The natural squirrel diet is very low in refined grains but higher in fiber, protein, and fat. This macronutrient balance is much healthier. Offering bread introduces unwanted metabolic stress for squirrels over time.
Health Risks of Feeding Squirrels Too Much Bread
Malnutrition & Stunted Growth
Bread lacks the nutrients like proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals that squirrels need to thrive (1). Feeding squirrels too much bread can lead to malnutrition, causing poor bone development, organ damage and stunted growth especially in baby squirrels.
According to wildlife rehabilitation centers, a bread-heavy diet prevents proper absorption of nutrients squirrels needs and causes them to stay dangerously small and underdeveloped even at 1 year old (2). Providing a nutritionally balanced diet is crucial for squirrels to grow at a healthy rate.
Metabolic Bone Disease
The lack of calcium and vitamin D in bread can increase squirrels’ risk of developing metabolic bone disease. This causes weak and fragile bones prone to fractures and breaks (3). Severe vitamin D deficiency also leads to muscle tremors and seizures.
Wildlife centers have found that 75% of squirrels brought in with leg deformities were severely lacking in calcium and vitamin D due to diets heavy in empty carbohydrates like bread (4). Ensuring proper nutrients prevents bone disease in squirrels.
Increased Risk of Rodenticide Poisoning
Malnutrition from excess bread makes squirrels more likely to consume rodent bait as they desperately seek proper nourishment. This leads to accidental rodenticide poisoning which can be fatal (5).
Studies found malnourished squirrels and rats were 3 times more likely to eat rodent bait compared to healthy ones (6). Keeping squirrels well-fed with nutritious foods can prevent dangerous bait consumption.
Obesity & Related Issues
While lacking in nutrients, bread is very high in carbohydrates which can lead to obesity and excess fat deposits in squirrels over time (7). This inhibits mobility, making it tougher for squirrels to leap across trees or quickly escape predators.
Obese squirrels additionally face higher risks of joint issues, heart disease and diabetes down the line (8). It’s important to minimize empty calories from bread in squirrels’ diets.
Better Food Alternatives for Squirrels
Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds are a nutritious and natural food source for squirrels. They are packed with protein, healthy fats, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals that squirrels need. Some great nuts and seeds to offer squirrels include walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds.
According to wildlife experts, the best nuts and seeds for squirrels are raw and unsalted. Avoid heavily processed or sugary nuts. Offering a variety of nuts and seeds can give squirrels diversity in their diet.
Nuts and seeds in shells are ideal because they encourage the natural foraging behavior of squirrels. You can scatter them in your yard or thread them together on a string to hang from a tree. Offering them in a squirrel feeder is another great option.
Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
In addition to nuts and seeds, squirrels can benefit from fresh produce like fruits and vegetables. Some healthy options include apples, bananas, oranges, mangoes, berries, spinach, broccoli, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
Fruits and veggies provide squirrels with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, electrolytes, and water content. They add more diversity to the squirrel diet. Produce can be offered to squirrels raw – chopping into small pieces makes it easier for them to eat.
Do not give squirrels moldy, rotten, or sugary fruits and vegetables. Stick to fresh, natural options. You can put produce pieces in a shallow dish or hide them around your yard for squirrels to find.
High-Protein Commercial Feeds
Reputable brands of commercial squirrel food can be a more convenient way to provide balanced nutrition. Look for formulas specifically formulated for squirrels with about 15-20% protein from quality ingredients like nuts, seeds, grains, and dried fruits.
Avoid mixes with added preservatives, artificial flavors, high sugar, or salt content. Read the ingredients list carefully when choosing a commercial squirrel feed. Offering some high protein pellets or nuggets alongside nuts, seeds, and produce can help ensure squirrels get balanced nutrition.
High protein commercial squirrel feeds are available at many pet supply stores or online shops like Amazon. Brands like Kaytee, Pennington, Audubon Park, and Heath are reputable options.
Tips for Feeding Squirrels Properly
Provide Access to Clean Water
Squirrels need access to fresh, clean water every day to maintain hydration. Installing a diy squirrel waterer or bird bath is an easy way to provide them with drinking water. Make sure to change the water daily and clean the container regularly to prevent bacteria or mosquito growth.
Water is essential for squirrels to aid digestion and nutrient absorption from food. Dehydration can also cause serious health issues for them like kidney failure. Providing year-round access to water sources can encourage squirrels to drink more and meet their daily fluid requirements.
You can install water bowls or small outdoor fountains with gentle water flow specifically made for squirrels.
Don’t Overflow Feeders
It’s important not to overflow squirrel feeders with food. Offer them only an amount they can finish within a day to prevent the food from going stale or getting soggy. Wet, fermented food items can make squirrels severely ill.
An ideal strategy is keeping the feeders half full and refilling them as needed. This allows fresh servings and prevents waste. You can start with 1/4th cup bird seeds or nuts per squirrel daily and adjust amounts based on consumption.
Also, clean feeders thoroughly with a mild detergent solution at least once every two weeks. This removes molds, fungi, bacteria that may otherwise contaminate squirrel food leading to digestive issues or mouth infections for them.
Serve Nutrient-Dense Treats in Moderation
While squirrels mainly need seeds, nuts, grains or fresh fruits, you can offer little amounts of protein-rich treats like hard boiled eggs, mealworms etc but in moderation. Too much of these addictive, fatty snacks can cause weight gain or metabolic problems in squirrels.
Track how much they consume as excessive calories, fats and sodium is unhealthy. The CDC nutrition guidelines for squirrel also suggests these protein options need to be less than 10% of total weekly intake.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while squirrels may love munching on bread, making it a regular part of their diet can negatively impact their health over time. Bread lacks the balanced nutrition squirrels need and has been linked to malnutrition, metabolic bone disease, rodenticide poisoning risk, obesity, and other issues.
The best practice is avoiding bread altogether or only offering tiny pieces as an occasional treat. Instead, focus on providing better alternatives like nuts, seeds, fresh produce, and high-protein commercial squirrel feed to support your neighborhood squirrels’ well-being.
