Squirrels are typical inhabitants of forest-steppe, taiga zones and city parks. The cute appearance, small size and sociability of this animal have led to the fact that they often become pets. The protein diet is varied. In their natural environment, they eat more than a hundred varieties of natural food, so keeping them in captivity does not cause much difficulty.
The diet of a protein directly depends on its habitat. The animal can find food in almost any area. Proteins enjoy eating plant seeds, cones, acorns, nuts, mushrooms and young shoots.
Protein nutrition in the natural environment
The seeds of trees and shrubs occupy the main place in the diet of proteins. This type of food can be found both in summer and winter. Animals prefer the seeds of fir, pine, spruce, beech, walnut and hazel. Squirrels satisfy hunger with acorns only in cases when it is problematic to find another type of food. Often, the population of these animals directly depends on the yield of conifers. In lean years, the number of squirrels in forests and parks decreases markedly.
The squirrel feeds not only on seeds and fruits of plants, quite often these animals destroy bird nests, eat eggs and even small chicks. In addition, squirrels can attack other rodents that are smaller in size.
Protein nuts are eaten, as a rule, in winter. These fruits become the main reserves for the winter, which animals reliably hide under the bark of trees, in old hollows or buried in moss. Pine nuts and hazelnuts predominate in the diet.
Mushrooms are the second most important food for proteins. Animals not only store supplies by hanging them on the branches of trees, but also dig up frozen mushrooms from the snow. Proteins are especially preferred for tubular varieties of mushrooms.
In addition to mushrooms and seeds, proteins eat inflorescences of trees and shrubs, plant roots, needles, lichens and many other types of plant foods. However, such products for animals are not basic, but complementary feed. In lean years, animals can eat the bark and buds of trees. However, with such a diet, squirrels will not be able to accumulate a sufficient amount of body fat for the winter.
Life for squirrels in city parks is pretty much made easier. People regularly feed the animals, so finding food is not difficult for them. Some of the taste preferences of individuals are individual. Not every squirrel, for example, wants to feast on cookies or corn sticks.
With a lack of calcium, proteins can even gnaw the discarded antlers of moose and deer, as well as the bones of other animals.
Eating protein at home
At home, the protein diet can be significantly diversified. Animals enjoy eating berries, dried vegetables and fruits. It has been noticed, for example, that most of all animals love dried apricots, prunes, raisins and apples. Many proteins do not refuse white bread.
In addition to nuts, cones and seeds, the animal's diet should include sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, grapes and fresh carrots. It is highly not recommended to feed protein with seeds from apricots or cherries, limit the diet only to nuts and in no case should you treat almonds. When keeping a squirrel as a pet, it is very important to provide it with enough water. The animal must eat at least twice a day.
