Hand Feed a Squirrel

Have you ever tried to hand feed a grey squirrel, red squirrel, ground squirrel, pet squirrel, squirrel at the zoo, flying squirrel or any other member of the Sciuridae family...but it just runs away? This article explains how to hand feed any squirrel, in any location.

Steps

1. Buy some peanuts. You'll need the ones in the shells. If you already have some, you don't need to buy some, you can use the ones you've got.
2. Put them out in a yard. Do this daily. A garden may suffice but if you live where there are no squirrels, this might not work.
3. If squirrels start coming around while you're outside, feed them the peanuts by throwing them a distance away from you. Doing this will get them used to you.
4. Make it more difficult for the squirrel by putting the peanuts close to you - about a foot away. Stay completely still - you do not want to frighten the squirrel. Repeat this over several days until the squirrels become comfortable with you.
5. Wait until a squirrel is close by. Try luring it in with the peanuts. Hold a peanut by just one end in your fingers. Most of the peanut should be sticking out towards the squirrel.
6. Be very still and just hold the peanut out. The squirrel will be discouraged and may be close then run off.
7. Remember, you are scary to the squirrel, so for a few days toss the peanut to the squirrel or just drop it close to your hand.
8. Gain the squirrel's. As you gain its trust, the squirrel will approach closer and closer each time. Eventually it will take the peanut from your hand.
9. Make a clicking sound with your mouth. When the squirrel places its mouth on the peanut release the peanut otherwise the trust will be broken.
10. Try moving your hands around slowly - sometimes this will help. Whenever you need to back away, moving your hands in a circular motion above your head shows them that you don't have any weapons of any sort.

Video

Template:Video:Hand Feed a Squirrel

Tips

• Stay still and quiet at all times you don't want to frighten the squirrel.
• Don't use corn, because it is not good for the squirrels to eat.
• Use other nuts instead if peanuts - the ones especially recommended would be the nuts local to the area. Peanuts are not nutritious for squirrels, and raw peanuts may have mold that is toxic for squirrels.
• If you want to train several squirrels at once, try not to feed them at the same time, because one will get jealous of the other and that will start a fight, sometimes leading to one squirrel leaving its territory.

Warnings

• The squirrel may scratch on your door, (because it wants food)
• Do not approach a squirrel if it appears to have rabies, or any other disease.
• Squirrels are wild animals and may bite.
• Do not train the squirrel to come into your house. They will most likely be hard to get rid of, and they make messes.
• Steps will not work in locations not populated by squirrels.

Related Articles

• Catch a Squirrel
• Raise a Baby Squirrel
• Stop Squirrels from Eating Your Birdseed

See also

• Raise a Baby Squirrel
• Keep a Pet Squirrel