Squirrels being picky

drizzellla · ‎03-14-2010

Wednesday when we went grocery shopping I bought a large broccoli crown. It is a vegetable everyone will eat.

I got to thinking this morning about menus through the weekend and how many meals we will be eating at home. And thinking maybe I bought too much broccoli.

So I cut off some broccoli and fed it to squirrels. I also cut up some pear and grapes.

I just went outside. Pear and grapes are gone but the broccoli is still there. Had to laugh it is tough to even make the squirrels eat their vegetables.

on the bay · ‎03-09-2010

@drizzellla,

That is so funny!

I too discovered this, not with squirrels but with the 2 possums that live under my neighbors bush and come out every night.

Well I put out a little snack of fruit and thought hey I'll throw some broccoli in! They left that. So funny.

I did find they love grapefruit!

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"

Happy2BHere · ‎10-22-2019

Broccoli?! No way and you can't make me

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

LOL ... well, the squirrels at my house are happy to push the turtle doves out of the way, and eat THEIR seed. One or two doves will occasionally push back, which surprises me.

BTW ... when necessary, I switch out the regular mix of bird seed with Safflower seed I get at Walmart. The birds love it, but apparently it tastes bitter to the squirrels, and they won't eat it. So the frustrated squirrels go away, to let my birds eat in peace.

It's always something with animals, isn't it? LOL

geezerette · ‎03-16-2010

My dog loves broccoli stalks! Whenever she hears the broccoli bag come out of the refrigerator she's right there waiting for her share. She doesn't like the florets, though, which is fine because I do. 🥦

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
LOL ... well, the squirrels at my house are happy to push the turtle doves out of the way, and eat THEIR seed. One or two doves will occasionally push back, which surprises me.

BTW ... when necessary, I switch out the regular mix of bird seed with Safflower seed I get at Walmart. The birds love it, but apparently it tastes bitter to the squirrels, and they won't eat it. So the frustrated squirrels go away, to let my birds eat in peace.

It's always something with animals, isn't it? LOL

@Tinkrbl44 Squirrels ate the corner off a plastic storage bench and the corner framing of two second story windows a couple years ago trying to get in the house, which cost a lot to fix.

That was the end of bird feeding for us. That and a rat that showed up one day! EEEEEEEK!!!!!! And since an ice storm took out the big oak tree squirrels are here, but not in droves, just one or two occasionally.

Chopsmom · ‎10-19-2022

@Sooner

I put enough food out for everybody, but the squirrels still managed to chew the roof off of the wooden mailbox. We fixed it, but I can't imagine what the fascination was for that mailbox.

I now put what I call the Junco food (ground feeders) in the back yard and they don't frequent the front so much where the squirrel proof feeders are.

Now everyone gets fed peacefully - even the squirrels.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@Chopsmom wrote:
@Sooner

I put enough food out for everybody, but the squirrels still managed to chew the roof off of the wooden mailbox. We fixed it, but I can't imagine what the fascination was for that mailbox.

I now put what I call the Junco food (ground feeders) in the back yard and they don't frequent the front so much where the squirrel proof feeders are.

Now everyone gets fed peacefully - even the squirrels.

@Chopsmom I don't think squirrels have a reason for what they do. I read once that squirrels were the village idiots of mammalia. That I do believe!

Trailrun23 · ‎05-31-2022

Squirrels are just rats with bushy tails IMHO. I do use safflower seeds in my feeder since squirrels won't eat it. It's about the only think they won't eat that's intended for the birds. I have been tossing out some millet for the juncos and doves that eat on the ground. The squirrels are everywhere in our area...lots of trees but not in our yard...they just come here to eat the birdseed. Squirrel- proof birdfeeder? No such thing in my experience.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@Trailrun23 wrote:
Squirrels are just rats with bushy tails IMHO. I do use safflower seeds in my feeder since squirrels won't eat it. It's about the only think they won't eat that's intended for the birds. I have been tossing out some millet for the juncos and doves that eat on the ground. The squirrels are everywhere in our area...lots of trees but not in our yard...they just come here to eat the birdseed. Squirrel- proof birdfeeder? No such thing in my experience.

@Trailrun23

When I first started putting out Safflower seeds out for the birds, the squirrels didn't like it ... and I was happy to have found something they wouldn't eat.

Of course, I suspected that, sooner or later, the squirrels would "cultivate a taste" for it, but nope, they still won't eat safflower seeds, and my turtle doves get the food all to themselves.