Do Squirrels Eat Meat? The Surprising Truth

Squirrels are bushy little-tailed creatures found all around the world. There are more than two hundred species of squirrels, and all are categorized into three various types, and the breaking goes on this way.

As there are several varieties of squirrels, there is also a great variety in sizes.

In North America, grey medium-sized squirrels are commonly found. Squirrels are very territorial, and in any way, they all will fight to the death to defend their areas.

Mother squirrels become the most violent ones when it comes to defending their babies.

some squirrels are active only during the dawn and the dusk.

Let us read the article below to know more squirrel facts, their food habits, etc.

Living

Squirrels are found everywhere except in Australia and Antarctica. The tree squirrels prefer living in wooded areas, and the ground squirrels prefer the underground like the tunnels, burrows, etc. Flying squirrels live in the tree holes and nests. Few squirrels hibernate during the winter season inside their burrows to keep themselves warm.

Fooding

How much food on average does the squirrels eat per week? Do they only eat nuts, or they eat meat as well? All these questions might have been arising in your mind since the beginning because the article deals especially with the flooding habits of the squirrels, and the focus is that do these little creatures eat meat? On average these tiny creatures eat only one pound of food every week.

Squirrels do not only eat nuts but also eat meat because they are omnivores. These creatures eat fruits, seeds, and fungi as well.

During the winter season, as most of the squirrels hibernate underground or in the burrows, they already store food with them, which they collect during the summer months, and the food is eaten when supplies are scarcely found.

You might have been obsessed to know what do the squirrels eat? You might be thinking that you are sure that they eat more than that sunflower seeds. And yes, you are! I have given you a shortlisting above which gives a little bit of information to you about their food habits and many more like living, etc.

Peanut is their favorite food. They eat fruits and meat as well, which I found to be very interesting to know! I got curious to know more, and there is a briefing for you all below!

As mentioned above, squirrels do eat meat because they are omnivores. Squirrels are opportunists. Usually, they are vegetarians, but if they come across an unguarded nest, they would probably like to taste the fresh baby birds.

Few squirrels also hunt lizards, rats, etc. There are also squirrels found who kill and eat the baby squirrels.

Omnivores

Squirrels are omnivores! These little creatures almost eat and everything. So, if you are still in a doubtful state of mind and concerned with the question of what to feed squirrels, then the answer should have been obvious by now.

They eat everything: plants, seeds, vegetables, fungi, flowers, and meat. Flying squirrels do not eat fungi. They eat vegetables, berries, fruits, eggs, nuts, snails, mushroom insects, spiders, and young rats.

Predators

Predators! Yeah, you heard that right. It is a bit difficult to believe that these tiny creatures are predators. Isn’t it? Well, anyways, nature has got its own way to surprise humans. For instance, western grey squirrels feed on mountain quails, and eastern fox squirrels especially prefer blue jays and doves.

Douglas’s squirrels eat underground and other varieties of squirrels. Nelson’s antelope squirrels eat rats and lizards. Squirrels eat sparrows, rabbits, and ducks as well. Rock squirrels eat wild turkeys. This list is never-ending, and few people believe this is fake and consider the squirrel’s vegetarians.

But this statement in no way proves that they are not predators because squirrels are found in many varieties, and all have got their own and different food habits.