Do squirrels eat lizards? Yes, squirrels eat lizards. Lizards are not dangerous for squirrels to eat because they don’t pose any threat to their life or well-being. Squirrels enjoy eating them because they are high in protein and other nutrients that only make the animal healthier. If you want your pet squirrel to stay healthy, you may want to feed it a lizard every once in a while.
If you live in a region of the United States with an abundance of squirrels, you may have seen them eating lizards.
This is because some species of lizard are known to be edible for squirrels. Lizards are more likely to be eaten by ground squirrels than tree squirrels. Squirrels will also eat other reptiles such as snakes and turtles that they find on their territory or near their nest sites. Some people might find this behavior disturbing, but it is not uncommon among animals in the wild who need additional sources of protein when food sources become scarce during the winter months.
Nutritional Benefits of Lizards to Squirrels
A squirrel’s diet usually consists of nuts, fruits, and vegetables (there are over 400 species of edible plants in the world). You can supplement his/her diet with lizards to make sure your squirrel is getting enough protein. A typical adult lizard provides about 20 grams of lean meat. Thus, one small squirrel could get a full day's worth of protein from an average sized lizard.
How to Feed Lizards to Squirrels
The best way to feed your pet lizards is to gut them for him/her before giving them as food. Gutting means that you open up the body cavity and remove its innards (insects are good to feed too, just be sure to wash them off first). This will ensure that your pet squirrel doesn’t get any diseases by accidentally ingesting the liver or intestines of the lizard. You can also skin it before cooking. One easy way is to submerge it in hot water for a few seconds until you feel the scales loosen. Then, take a pair of tweezers and gently peel off the blackened skin until you are left with a nice white piece of meat. That should make feeding lizards to squirrels much easier.
When Do Squirrels Eat Lizards?
A typical squirrel might start eating lizards when it hits 9 months old because its teeth have already grown to their permanent size. You can feed lizards to your squirrels as a treat at least once every week so that they stay healthy and happy. Also, it is safe to feed them one lizard per day, but it is best not to overfeed them because your squirrels might start suffering from illnesses.
Where Do Squirrels Eat Lizards?
Squirrels catch lizards outside. They will chase them down on fences, on the ground, and in your garden. If the squirrel is very hungry it will eat the lizard right there. If not, it will take the lizard away to a safe spot and feast on it.
Are Lizards Dangerous for Squirrels to Eat?
There are a few different types of lizard species found throughout the world, but most of them aren’t dangerous at all. Some can be venomous or poisonous if eaten alive, but it is very unlikely for your squirrels to encounter a poisonous lizard unless you live in one of the few areas where poisonous lizards live. All in all, I would say that feeding lizards to squirrels isn’t particularly harmful.
How to Prevent Squirrels from Eating Lizards?
A squirrel’s diet consists mainly of plants and nuts, but you can try offering it a piece of fruit or two as a treat. The only thing you can do to try and influence your wild squirrels from eating lizards is to provide enough of the other food they like. If they get filled up on other food, they may not eat lizards. Of course, you can not guarantee they will not eat any lizards.
Do squirrels eat lizards summary
So there you have it – squirrels do eat lizards. If you are going to feed them to your pet squirrel, make sure they are gutted first so that there are no risks involved. You can feed lizards to your squirrels up to once per day, but don’t overfeed them or they might start getting sick. Thanks for reading and be sure to check out our other articles on what to feed squirrels.
