Do squirrels eat earthworms? This is a question that many people, including me, have wondered about at one point or another. I’ve seen them eat other things like nuts and berries but never earthworms. So I was curious to find out if they did or not because it would be interesting to know.
The answer turns out to be yes, they do eat the occasional worm when the opportunity arises. They don’t go looking for them though; they just take advantage of opportunities that present themselves in their natural environment. If you really want to feed your local squirrels some worms try dropping some on the ground near trees where there are probably hiding spots nearby so they can come over and grab it without being seen by larger animals.
When it comes to what squirrels eat, the answer is usually seeds, nuts, and berries as their typical food of choice. They might also eat insects if the opportunity arises as well as fresh plant shoots that are easy for them to digest. As far as we know they don’t eat earthworms as a matter of course.
Nutritional Benefits of Earthworms for Squirrels
Earthworms are protein-rich, low in fat, and very nutritious with good levels of iron, calcium, phosphorus, and B-vitamins.
What Type of Earthworms do Squirrels Like to Eat?
I’ve read that the best type of earthworm for squirrels are red worms because they have a high meat content with about 20% protein, but I know there are other types as well. Do the squirrels eat the heads and tails? Yes, they do.
How Do Squirrels Eat Earthworms?
As for how to feed earthworms to squirrels, you can pour them on top of the ground where they’ll find them or put them in a container close by; make sure it doesn’t have a lid though so they’ll be able to smell it and come take a look.
Once they have seen the earthworms, the squirrels may or may not eat them. Because worms are not one of their favorite foods, they may just turn away. But if they are hungry, there is a good chance they will eat some of the earthworms.
Also, squirrels will pick up earthworms that are moving on the ground and eat them. This can be seen after long periods of rain when earthworms are driven to the surface.
When Do Squirrels Eat Earthworms?
In my experience, this has usually been in the Springtime but it’s hard to generalize because they are opportunistic animals. They might eat earthworms more often during the summer months.
Are earthworms dangerous for squirrels to eat?
I wouldn’t think so because they are natural creatures and would know what food is good for them nutritionally speaking without having to experiment with it to find out.
How Do You Prevent Squirrels from Eating Earthworms?
As for how to prevent squirrels from eating earthworms, just feed them other food that they prefer so they don’t get the chance. Put out nuts, fruit, and insects to entice them to eat stuff they like.
You really can't prevent squirrels from eating earthworms that are crawling on the ground.
Do squirrels eat earthworms summary
So there you have it, all the answers to the question do squirrels eat earthworms in a nutshell. Squirrels don't really go looking for earthworms to eat, but will munch on them when they find some and are hungry.
Are you interested in learning about other facts concerning squirrels? Check out my article on how to feed squirrels if you’re interested. As always, thanks for reading and make sure to share this with friends. You never know when they might be wondering, do squirrels eat earthworms?
