How to Take Care of a Squirrel & What Do They Eat?

Squirrels can be easily seen on any given day in parks and yards. Although squirrels are unconventional pets, some people take them in as pets. If you want to adopt a squirrel, or if you've come across a wounded squirrel and want to nurse it back to health, the best way to care for it is to keep it properly fed and watered, housed in a large cage, with plenty of things to play with.

Things You'll Need

  • Ferret cage or large bird cage
  • Tree branches
  • Small box or nest box
  • Corncobs and mineral blocks
  • Small plastic dog toys
  • Rodent blocks
  • Various fruits and nuts
  • Water dish or water bottle
  • Newspaper
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Adopt your squirrel when it is just born or still a baby, if possible. The younger the squirrel and the less exposure to the wild, the more easily it will trust you and adapt to life as a house pet. A full-grown squirrel that is used to life in the wild would probably be a destructive and untrusting pet, and it could attack or bite you to get away.

    • 2

      Buy a ferret cage or a large bird cage to house the squirrel in. Most ferret cages are spacious enough so that the squirrel doesn't feel too confined, and many also have built-in levels that allow the animal to run up and down and climb as it would in the wild. Furnish the cage with a wooden box or a nesting box, which gives the squirrel a place to hide and take cover in if it wants to sleep or if it senses danger. You can also put in a old T-shirt for the squirrel to sleep on, plus a tree branch or two to make the squirrel feel more at home. Keep the cage high enough off the ground so that other pets can't disturb or frighten the squirrel.

    • 3

      Give the squirrel toys and other objects to play with to keep it entertained and occupied. You can install a pet hammock in the cage, along with plastic balls or small plastic dog or cat toys to chew on and play with. You can take your squirrel out of its cage to pet it and play with it, but make sure that no doors or windows are open that the squirrel could escape through. Never leave the squirrel out of its cage and unattended, as it could become lost or destroy things such as pillows and furniture.

    • 4

      Feed your squirrel a balanced diet of rodent blocks, corn, and fresh fruits and vegetables and water. Squirrels love to chew on rodent blocks and get most of their daily vitamins and nutrients from them. You can also feed your squirrel dried corn pellets and fresh corncobs, as well as sunflower seeds, unsalted peanuts, walnuts, almonds and other nuts either in the shell or out. Fruits and vegetables, which can include grapes, melons, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, apples and cherries are also essential to a squirrel's diet. Always have a bowl or water bottle full of clean, fresh water for your squirrel.

    • 5

      Line the cage with a thick layer of newspaper, and change it every other day or as needed. Some squirrels become "litter trained" and will defecate or urinate in only one corner of the cage. If you notice your squirrel going in one certain spot repeatedly, put an few extra scraps of newspaper in that corner or even try a small heap of cat litter.