Human foods toxic or harmful to squirrels include chocolate, caffeine, avocado (skin/pit), raw beans, onions, garlic, and heavily salted or processed snacks like chips and pretzels. Moldy food, dairy products, and high-sugar items (candy/cookies) can also cause severe digestive issues, metabolic bone disease, or death.
The 5-7-9 rule is a guideline for placing bird feeders to deter squirrels, suggesting they should be 5 feet off the ground, 7 feet from jump-off points (like trees or fences), and 9 feet below overhanging branches, based on a squirrel's jumping and leaping capabilities (5 ft high, 7 ft horizontal, 9 ft drop). Following these measurements creates an "escape room" challenge that makes it difficult for squirrels to reach the seed.
Yes – even the foods that are bad for them. Plenty of human foods are toxic to squirrels, such as avocados, onions, garlic, and chocolate. On top of that, squirrels can't tell that plastic and foil aren't food; they'll eat it as well, which can cause deadly digestive problems.
8 Steps to Take to Successfully Befriend a Squirrel
A squirrel's worst enemies include natural predators like hawks, owls, snakes, foxes, and coyotes, but in many areas, humans (through vehicles and habitat destruction) and domestic cats/dogs pose the greatest threat, while in the UK, the invasive grey squirrel is the primary enemy of the native red squirrel.
Mean life expectancy for a gray squirrel at birth is 1-2 years; the average life span of an adult is closer to 6 years. Records for maximum life span are 12 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity.
Another option to repel squirrels with an odor is to sprinkle cayenne pepper and chili flakes around plants in the garden. This doesn't harm plants but makes them taste and smell bad to squirrels, so they may leave them alone.
Plant What They Don't Like
Squirrels and chipmunks avoid daffodils—which are poisonous—as well as alliums, scilla, hyacinth, grape hyacinth (muscari), fritillaria, camassia, chionodoxa, snowdrop (galanthus), and summer snowflake (leucojum).
Squirrels also signify abundance and foretell a bright future for you. ☀️ In some cultures, seeing a squirrel staring at you is auspicious, and a sign from the spirit world. In many traditions, squirrels come to us as messengers to remind us to prepare and gather for the future.
Squirrels are most active in the fall – as the temperature begins to slowly cool down, you may begin to see more squirrels. This is because they are trying to collect as much food as possible for winter.
While some homeowners report seeing fewer squirrels right after placing Irish Spring around their property, those results are usually short-lived. Squirrels are naturally curious and determined creatures — a strong soap smell might confuse them at first, but it rarely drives them away for good.
Squirrels dislike bright colors and prints on clothing.
Repellent Granules: Repellent granules contain natural ingredients, such as cinnamon or cloves, that are unpleasant to squirrels and will discourage them from feeding in the area. Consider spreading cayenne pepper, ground chili peppers, or pepper flakes around your blooming plants to deter these critters.
“Chocolate, avocados, onions, and moldy foods are some of the most poisonous items you can leave out for squirrels.
“I put Vicks on the pole and the squirrels don't go by,” Lucy said. “Squirrels don't like it and ants don't like it.” If you didn't already last week, some of you are probably rummaging through the medicine cabinet looking for a little Vicks VapoRub right now. If you can't find any, don't worry.