Do Squirrels Eat Strawberries: How to Save Your Plants from Them?

Squirrels are visiting your garden, and you notice that there are some strawberries that are missing. You must be wondering, “Do squirrels eat strawberries?” Are they coming to eat your strawberries, then?

Squirrels are visiting your garden, and you notice that there are some strawberries that are missing. You must be wondering, “Do squirrels eat strawberries?” Are they coming to eat your strawberries, then?  

Well, yes. Squirrels can eat strawberries. They are omnivores but enjoy a herbivore diet rich in nuts and fruits. Therefore, fruits like blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries are on their favorite list. They can consume around 50 to 80g of strawberries.   

Although it is beautiful scenery to see these little creatures eating strawberries, this might not be good for your business. Let’s see why they eat strawberries, is it safe for them, and what you can do about it.   

Do Squirrels Love Strawberries?  

Squirrels do not only eat strawberries. They love them. They enjoy everything about strawberries, stamps, leaves, and fruit bodies, all of it. Strawberries are also good for them. They can get a good amount of vitamins and minerals from strawberries.   

Squirrels are opportunistic feeders and devour themselves to any food they find.  If they can get access to your garden and find strawberries, they will be appealed and keep returning for the fruits.  Since strawberries are juicy fruits, it is ideal for them to eat in hot weather.   

You will find it difficult to keep them away from strawberries. Here are some of the reasons that can influence them to love strawberries:  

• Strawberries contain natural sugars and have a sweet and appealing taste. The sweetness naturally attracts squirrels.   
• Strawberries have a high water content. It helps them quench their thirst and stay hydrated.   
• Strawberries also have good nutritional value.  Along with vitamins and minerals, it is also rich in antioxidants.   
• Though squirrels are good climbers, this skill is not required to eat strawberries. Since the plants are small, they can easily get hold of them and eat them.   
• Strawberries are more common during the warmer season. Squirrels are also more active during this time, so they need more water content. Since strawberries can produce both food and drink, squirrels prefer to eat this fruit over others.   

How To Protect Your Strawberry Plants From Squirrels  

Squirrels are small and cannot eat too many strawberries. However, the problem is that they often cause damage to the plants. Therefore, you will need to do something to protect your plants from this animal. Here is how you can do it:  

1. Fence and Cover Your Berries  

Putting a net or chicken wire around your strawberry plants is a good way to keep squirrels away from your plants.  However, make sure your cover is not restricting your plants’ growth. This will also keep birds away from your strawberry crops.   

Squirrels are not strong enough to do any harm to chicken wires. This way, you can keep your squirrels safe. Another good way to keep squirrels is by putting an electric wire.   

2. Motion-Activated Sprinkler  

It is a great way to keep squirrels from eating fresh strawberries. It will detect any motion near your plants and go on. There will be a release of water at a very fast pace. The good thing is that it will not hurt the squirrels. Also, it is a fun sight to watch the startled and running away squirrels without hurting them.   

3. Place Fake Owls  

Squirrels are scared of owls. Yes, that is true.  They are more afraid of owls than they are of humans. Owls often hunt squirrels. You can make some fake owls and place them around your garden. It will scare the squirrels from coming near the plants.   

4. Set Your Dogs on Guard  

If there are too many squirrels and they are not afraid of the fake owls, then you can take the help of your dogs. Dogs will chase them away. However, you should not encourage your dog to hurt these little creatures. They do not mean to do any harm to your garden. They only come to eat to survive.   

5. Keep Some Strawberries Separated for Them  

If there are not too many squirrels, then you can be a little kind. These little fellows do not have a big appetite. Letting them eat one or two strawberries will not cause much loss to your business. When they are full, they will not go near your trees and unknowingly do any harm to them.   

6. Companion Planting  

There are some plants that repel squirrels. It is a wonder of nature that while some plants attract them, some deter them. There are a number of different plants that can help you keep the rodents away. Here is a list of some such plants:  

• Marigolds  
• Onions, and  
• Garlic  

The scent of these plants will keep the rodents away. This way, you will not have to do anything bad to them. It is a very friendly and natural approach to getting rid of squirrels in your garden.   

What Are The Signs Of Squirrels Eating My Strawberries?  

Before you decide to make your garden squirrel-proof, you should be 100% sure that it is squirrels who are taking or eating your fruits. Here are some signs that will prove that there are squirrels in your garden, and you need to work on protecting them.   

• Squirrels sometimes pluck and take away fruits from plants. You will notice that there are often a few strawberries missing from the plants. This can be the primary sign to look for further ones.   
• Squirrels often do not eat the full fruit.  They may sometimes take a bite and then move on. You will find distinct bite marks. You may educate yourself about their bite marks first for this.   
• Another vital sign can be the presence of small holes in the soil near your strawberry patch.   
• Do you see them around your garden? If they are, then there is a high chance that they will come to your garden and nibble on your fruits.   

Do Squirrels Eat Strawberries In The Wild?  

Don’t think that squirrels only come to your gardens for strawberries. It is a part of their natural diet when they are in season. Being omnivorous, they consume almost any edible food. Therefore, when they go on a search for food, they will eat strawberries if they find any.   

They are highly adaptable to their environment.  If there are no berries in where they live, they will not feel the absence of the food. However, if there is a good amount of strawberries, they will love to enjoy these foods.   

The habit of eating berries, nuts, or other foods mostly depends on the availability of the food . If they find one, they will eat. No matter if that is in the wild or in your garden.   

What Do Squirrels Eat?  

Even though they do harm to your plants and gardens, you have to admit that these rodents are very adorable. It is not rare to feel bad for them when you keep them away from eating your plants. Still, you can offer them some food. This might let you think about what they eat.   

As mentioned already, squirrels are omnivores and opportunistic feeders. They can digest both meat and vegetables.  You can offer them a wide variety of foods, such as:  

• Nuts  
• Seeds  
• Insects  
• Fruits  
• Bird eggs  
• Flowers  
• Tree bark and also  
• Vegetables  

However, they might not prefer to eat all kinds of flowers and vegetables. You should do some research before offering them any food.    

What Other Fruits Do Squirrels Enjoy Eating?  

Squirrels enjoy a wide variety of fruits. It is not because they are very health conscious. It is basically their nibbling and chewing habit that provokes them to bite any food they can have their sights on. Here is a list of fruits they love to have:  

Fruit	Benefits for Squirrels
Apples	Source of nutrients and hydration
Peaches	Provides hydration and dietary fiber
Plums	Contains vitamins and natural sugars
Grapes	Good source of water and natural sugars
Cherries	Rich in vitamins and natural sugars
Citrus Fruits	Source of vitamin C and hydration
Pears	Hydrating and contains dietary fiber

FAQ  

Can I feed squirrels strawberries in a park?  

Although it is a satisfying experience to feed squirrels at the park, you should try to avoid doing this as much as possible. Since they are wild animals, they can kick or bite you on your hands or face. It is better to leave them to their natural diet. You can leave some food for them at some place.   

Do too many strawberries harm squirrels?  

Yes, eating any food can be harmful to any animal. And there is no exception for squirrels when they consume too many strawberries than they should. It can result in dietary imbalance and digestive issues and also make them feel lazy to move around.   

Do squirrels eat strawberries whole?  

Squirrels have small mouths, so they do not eat the fruit whole. Instead, they prefer to nibble on strawberries and take small bites or team them into smaller pieces. It helps them consume fruits like strawberries easily and more conveniently.  

Can I feed strawberries to squirrels in my garden?  

Sure, you can. That will be very kind of you. However, you should also remember that feeding squirrels willingly can cause their attention and attraction. They may come more frequently in a larger group for food. This can harm your garden.   

Are strawberries good for squirrels?  

Yes, strawberries are good and considered a healthy food for squirrels. It contains vitamins, water, minerals, and antioxidants. The fruit is especially good for them during the summer.   

Why do squirrels eat strawberries?  

Squirrels are easily attracted to strawberries because of the bright red color, easy accessibility, as well as the sweetness of their taste. Additionally, it contains vitamins, minerals, water, and antioxidants that help them stay hydrated and active.   

How do squirrels damage gardens?  

Squirrels can cause harm to plants and gardens in a number of ways. They like digging, chewing leaves, fruits, and vegetables, and burying nuts and seeds here and there. Their actions often cause damage to your garden.   

Can squirrels eat strawberry stems?  

Though strawberry stems are not the tastiest part of the fruit, squirrels also eat this part too. They nibble on the fruit, leaves, and stems as well while eating strawberries.   

Can squirrels eat strawberry leaves?  

Yes, squirrels can eat strawberry leaves along with the fruit body and stems. They are omnivorous and, hence, can eat and digest leaves.   

Are there any squirrel-resistant strawberry varieties?  

There are no such strawberry varieties yet that can keep squirrels away from them. As the fruits are appealing to look, sweet and tasty, and also have different nutrition, squirrels enjoy eating them.  

Conclusion  

It is obvious that squirrels eat strawberries, and they quite enjoy it. Taking one or two strawberries may not harm your garden. However, several of them can cause damage to your plants and gardens. You can take any of the above-mentioned methods to keep them away. However, you should not intend to hurt them.