Squirrels are carnivorous mammals. They are known for eating just about anything. In their vegetarian diet, they have a large variety of food that they can eat. However, is it okay for them to consume everything?
We will be looking at it today. Our focus will be on the avocado fruit. We will find out if it is beneficial for the squirrel.
Read on to find out if it is okay for squirrels to eat avocados and how to feed them.
Can squirrels eat avocado?
Squirrels can eat avocado. However, many may consider this fruit to be bad for squirrel health for it is high in saturated fat. In fact, squirrels eat for nutritional benefits as well. Avocado contains healthy natural fats, carbohydrates, fibers, and potassium which are essential for their health.
Table of Contents
Squirrels love eating avocados. They eat the flesh avoiding skin and pits. Moreover, you may find your avocado fruits in the backyard trees ruined if you fail to protect them from wild squirrels. In addition, you should include this fruit on your pet squirrel’s diet for its nutritious value.
Many people believe avocados aren’t a good staple for squirrels as they contain saturated fat in high amounts. Nevertheless, remember that saturated fats are only harmful when you feed your squirrel in unnatural forms.
If you find a squirrel in pain or with soreness in its teeth and jaws, avocados can help ease the situation. The fruit is again soft to eat, delicious, and well-balanced.
Avocado trees:
Squirrels eat avocados hanging on the tree or the ground. Mostly, the flying ones would swing and have avocado straight from the tree.
They tend to tear a hole in avocados, eat a little and then move on. It may also sometimes becomes arduous to save avocado fruit gardens if you cannot control the squirrels appropriately.
Avocado skins:
Squirrels only eat the flesh leaving behind the skin and seed. Because they carry a natural toxin known as persin. It again contains cardiac glycosides that cause the squirrel’s heart to work overtime, irregularly and pump more blood faster.
Again, persin, when consumed by squirrels can cause digestive problems, respiratory distress, and heart failure. Sometimes persin leaches out in the fruit flesh. However, that is a negligible amount to harm squirrels.
Can squirrels eat avocado pits or seeds?
Squirrels cannot eat avocado pits. It contains a toxic element called persin. The persin again includes cardiac glycosides that can cause heart failure in squirrels. Persin is also responsible for digestive issues and respiratory illness. Therefore, feed squirrels the flesh part only.
Squirrels are only allowed to consume the flesh part of avocado fruit. The wild squirrels only eat the flesh leaving out stones and skin. Even a lot of them especially, the flying ones, would eat a little bit of them hanging on trees leaving the rest behind.
The seeds and the skin is toxic, causing various health issues in squirrels. If you have a squirrel as a pet, make sure you only feed the flesh.
Both the skin and the seed of an avocado carry a harmful element known as persin. It is an oil-soluble compound. For an avocado, persin acts as a form of protection. Hence, animals cannot damage the fruits, especially the seeds.
Persin can make squirrels sick and cause digestive distress, respiratory illness, and heart failure. It again includes cardiac glycosides that compel the heart of a squirrel to work faster, overwork, and pump more blood than usual. It may result in cardiac issues.
Again, a ripe avocado is safer to consume than the unripe ones. Sometimes, persin may leach into the flesh. However, that should not concern you as the amount is pretty insignificant to cause distress in a squirrel.
Can baby squirrels eat avocado?
Yes, similar to the adult squirrels, babies can eat avocado too. The most preferable would be the ripest ones over the unripe ones. Again feed the flesh of the avocado only. The ripe ones are once again softer, which is congenial for a baby squirrel to eat comfortably.
It is advisable not to give the skin and seeds which are toxic to their health. The ripe ones not only taste better but are also less toxic. Hence, it would be the best choice for a baby squirrel.
We already mentioned that avocado provides healthy fats, carbohydrates, potassium, zinc, and vitamins. The baby squirrels can also obtain the same benefit from eating an avocado.
The saturated fat of avocado is helpful for baby and adult squirrels’ health. Do not let the babies consume the artificial saturated fat from processed foods.
Are avocados harmful to squirrels?
Avocados are not harmful to squirrels. Apart from being tasty and soft, it contains myriads of nutrients. Ranging from healthy saturated fat, carbohydrates, potassium, you will get them all.
The flesh of avocado does not contain anything that can pose a health risk for most squirrels whether they are wild or pet. Even the baby squirrel can also eat avocados and get the same benefit.
Nevertheless, the pit and the skin of avocado are poisonous to squirrels. They include an element named persins which can cause serious health issues such as digestive health, respiratory illness, and even heart disease.
Irregular heart function and unusual blood pumping can also occur due to the cardiac glycosides from persins.
The wild squirrel will stay away from eating these parts. And if you have pet squirrels, feed them only the flesh. If your squirrel accidentally eats any toxic parts, look for symptoms such as diarrhea, and less activity.
What are the health benefits of avocado?
Squirrels eat avocadoes for their taste and because it helps them grow and maintain their well-being. The major nutritious elements found in avocado are fiber, vitamin c, carbohydrates, various micronutrients, potassium, healthy saturated fat, and many more.
It also contains healthy omega fatty acids. This element is an all-rounder for animal health. It contributes to good eyesight, healthy fur, skin, and maintain heart health.
Other nutrients are folate, sugar, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin-k, vitamin B6, niacin, fluoride, zinc, and water.
Do squirrels like avocado?
Squirrels enjoy eating avocados. They prefer the ripe avocadoes over the unripe ones as they are softer and tastier. Again, ripe ones bear less toxicity in their seeds and skin.
Squirrels also eat avocado for their nutritious value. The fruit is a good source of fiber, carbohydrates, potassium, zinc, and omega acids. However, the squirrels can only feed on avocado flesh, not the skin and pits.
They bear toxic elements that can cause potential health risks.
You will notice how the wild squirrels avoid eating skin and seeds. They would only make a small hole and eat the flesh inside.
You will again find that wild squirrels eat avocado in small bits and leave the prior for the next one. The baby squirrels also love eating avocados.
How to feed squirrels avocado?
Squirrels usually eat avocado by scooping out the flesh from inside using their tongue. They won’t eat the outside and the seeds.
So you must know how to feed your pet squirrel. Since they are far from wild, they may not know the proper ways to eat. Here we have discussed ways on how you can feed your squirrel avocado.
Scoop out:
First, cut the fruit in half and scoop out the flesh out of it. Remove the seed. You can also peel off the skin.
Leave the seed and skin:
The stone and skin of avocado are poisonous. Hence do not process or cut these parts for feeding the squirrels.
Cut into pieces:
Cut the flesh into small pieces. It is to help them eat without choking and comfortably.
Caution:
Make sure when feeding avocado, it won’t clash with other food items.
How to keep squirrels away from the avocado trees?
Squirrels are no wonder adorable. But they can be a nightmare to your backyard orchard. If you have avocado trees, you will find these visitors frequently.
So how do you keep them away from coming? There are ways. Many may attempt lethal ways, but it is not advisable. So here’s how you should do it.
Scare:
Scare the squirrels away. In such ways, you are not harming the animals but only making them believe that your yard is not a good place to stay.
Squirrel deterrent:
Common squirrel deterrents are capsaicin, Ro-peel, hot pepper oil, and sticky applications. A metal collar of 2 feet wide around the tree trunk will help prevent entry.
No poison or traps:
These are considered unethical. Again, the trap or poison can harm the children playing around.
Final thoughts
Squirrels can eat avocados. They are beneficial to their health as well as tasty. Again, let them eat only the flesh as seeds and skin are toxic. By eating avocado, squirrels can glean all the health benefits. Both wild and captive squirrels enjoy the fruit for its taste and health value.