What do proteins eat? Explanation of their incredible diet

Are there any rodent species more beloved by humans and ubiquitous than the adorable squirrel? These adorably curious and outgoing furry animals love to hang out in our backyards and gardens, as well as urban areas such as cities and neighborhoods, and have adapted over time to eat a wide variety of foods in order to survive and thrive.

Proteins are part Sciuridae a family that mainly consists of small rodents such as chipmunks, prairie dogs, marmots and of course both tree and land squirrels. There are over 200 squirrels around the world, from tiny dwarf squirrels to massive black giant squirrels, and their diets are just as varied.

Here’s a detailed overview of the typical squirrel diet, as well as the fascinating ways these rodents can find and store their food so they can survive the cold and merciless winter months.

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What do proteins eat?

Squirrels are technically omnivorous, which means they eat both plants and animals. However, they tend to strongly prefer to go for more plant-based foods rich in carbohydrates, fats, and protein, such as nuts, fruits, and grains. Squirrels only eat other animals like mice and lizards when they’re desperate and can’t find anything else to eat.

However, they are very adaptable and surprisingly adept at solving problems, so they will happily eat any of the following foods they find in their many diverse habitats:

• Nuts of any kind, such as peanuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, etc.
• Mushrooms such as truffles and oyster mushrooms
• Seeds
• Roots
• Grains
• Herbs and Leaves
• Small fruits, mostly wild berries
• Insects such as caterpillars and crickets
• Bird eggs
• Mice, usually smaller, and baby mice (rare)
• Vegetables such as corn and zucchini
• Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and lettuce.
• Flowers
• Small lizards and snakes (rare)

Although proteins cannot properly digest cellulose (an organic compound found in most green plants), they still often eat a lot of herbs, flowers, and other plants.

This is especially true in early spring because most of the nuts they stocked up over the winter have begun to sprout or rot, and many of the other foods they eat, such as fruits and vegetables, are only available during the warmer months.

In addition, urban squirrels often eat food leftovers found in garbage cans and in crowded areas, although this is not very beneficial for their health and is more of a survival tactic.

How do proteins find food?

Proteins have an excellent sense of smell and very good eyesight, and they both use them to find their favorite food sources, most notably nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables.

In order to survive the harsh winter months, many squirrels bury their food in different places during the warmer months in order to return to it later. Thus, they have a constant supply of food, even when things get tough and most of what they eat becomes extremely scarce.
Their keen sense of smell is also one of the reasons they can find where they have hoarded and buried their food! However, smell isn’t the only way to track down buried nuts and other goodies; Studies have shown that many types of proteins are indeed capable of remembering and returning to specific food storage locations weeks or even months earlier.

Learn more about proteins on the AZ Animals website