Why You Shouldn’t Feed Squirrels in Your Yard

Most of the time, squirrels are pleasant visitors to your yard. Many people find them cute and don’t see the harm in feeding them. While they aren’t as hazardous as their rodent cousins, mice and rats, they can still do their fair share of property damage.

Many wildlife experts advise against feeding wild squirrels. The Ja-Roy team is here with a few reasons you should reconsider feeding them, as well as help finding a solution to a squirrel problem.

Dangers of Feeding Squirrels

It’s important that all wild animals have a healthy fear of humans, for their own safety as well as ours. If people feed squirrels, they eventually see humans as safe – which can lead to them hassling people for food, which can lead to harmful interactions. It might sound appealing to become friendly with local squirrels, but remember that it could endanger both parties.

Hazards Caused By Squirrels

Squirrels generally don’t bite people, but can if they feel threatened – or they’re used to people offering them food and happen across someone who won’t. The biggest health issue related to squirrels is actually caused by the parasites they carry on their bodies. Just like mice and rats, squirrels can carry fleas and ticks, which transmit diseases like plague and Lyme disease. Squirrel droppings can also cause health issues, including diseases like leptospirosis and salmonellosis.

Much like other rodents, squirrels can also cause property damage by gnawing. They might chew on wood, insulation, drywall, and even electrical wires, which can be a fire hazard.

What Do Squirrels Eat in the Wild?

There’s a reason that squirrels are frequently found around bird feeders; several of their favorite foods are conveniently included in most bird seed mixes. Squirrels will eat nuts, seeds, and grains, as well as fungi, fruits, berries, and insects.

You don’t even need to feed squirrels on purpose; they’ll find their way into garbage cans and bird feeders with ease. That’s why they like to live near humans – we provide very easy food sources for any rodent.

Can Squirrels Eat “People Food”?

Absolutely – but that doesn’t mean it’s good for them. Common human foods that are toxic to squirrels include avocados, chocolate, garlic, and onions. Squirrels also won’t realize that plastic and foil aren’t edible, and will eat it along with the food. This can cause deadly blockages in their digestive systems.

Squirrel Prevention Tactics

There are a few steps you can take to keep squirrels out of your yard – protecting your property and the squirrels themselves.

• Keep a locking lid on your outdoor trash cans. If they can’t access your trash, they won’t eat it.
• Invest in a squirrel-proof bird feeder. These may have smaller openings or weight-sensitive dispensers that prevent squirrels from sneaking a bite.
• Sweep up food spills outdoors. Crumbs will attract pests of all sizes – from ants all the way up to raccoons. Cleaning them up is always important.

As you can see, the approach to squirrel prevention is very similar to the one you’d take for any other rodent problem. And just like any other rodent problem, it’s easy for a squirrel problem to get out of hand. When that happens, don’t hesitate to call the Ja-Roy team.

Need Squirrel Control in Louisiana? Call Ja-Roy

Squirrels may seem harmless, but they can cause trouble in their own way – especially if they get a little too comfortable in your yard. If your home or business is dealing with a few too many squirrels, you can count on Ja-Roy. We have 50 years of experience dealing with rodents and other pests; with us on hand, your squirrel problem will soon be a thing of the past.

Give us a call to get started with a free quote!