Coquitlam Wildlife Control: Do Squirrels Like Acorns?

Living in Coquitlam means sharing the environment with a variety of wild animals, including squirrels. Red and grey squirrels are quite common in the area and eat many different types of seeds and nuts, including acorns. This is one type of food squirrels will hoard wherever they nest, but what happens when they decide your home is a suitable place for this? At Skedaddle, we are happy to help you with wildlife control in Coquitlam and offer you some interesting information about why squirrels like acorns and how finding a cache inside your home may mean these animals have moved in. 

1. Not All Squirrels Like All Acorns 

Cartoons and other popular media often showcase a squirrel's love of acorns, but in truth, not all species like the same type. Some studies show that most squirrels prefer to dine on white acorns right away while storing red acorns for the winter. There are several reasons most squirrels do this, including:

• The amount of bitter-tasting tannin in red acorns 
• The instinct to store food
• The amount of protein in white acorns 

Because white acorns are overall more nutritious and give squirrels the energy they need to forage and raise young, they tend to eat them rather than store them. 

2. Squirrels Sometimes Forget Their Hoards 

Squirrels may hoard acorns in many different places, which causes them to forget some of the sites they use. This is good news for future oak trees, as dropped and half-eaten acorns assist with the germination of new trees. In contrast, the news is not so good for your home when squirrels chew their way into your attic and start to store food there. If you find a hoard of acorns in your attic but do not see any squirrels, they may still return and nest there for the winter, so calling us in for squirrel removal can help protect your home from the chewing and gnawing damage they can cause. 

3. Acorns Are Fast Food for Squirrels 

Squirrels spend a large portion of their day finding food for themselves and their young, including different types of acorns. While some may prefer one type over another, almost all species of squirrels consider them a fine food source because of their availability and their convenience. Most will simply remove the top and eat the inside of the acorn, an action that is much simpler than cracking open other types of nuts and seeds. This may also explain why so many species of squirrels store acorns for the winter as well. 

4. Squirrels Store Red Acorns for Tough Times 

While most acorns are nutritious for squirrels, the tannin they contain can be toxic if they eat too many at once. This is probably why these animals tend to store red acorns along with other seeds and nuts, so they can be consumed over time and so that the squirrels can avoid any illnesses from eating too much bitter tannin.  Finding a small pile of red acorns in your attic is likely a sign that one or more squirrels have found their way into your home and are preparing for the fall and winter months. Red and grey squirrels, which are tree species, do not hibernate and will need this food for the coming winter. If you suspect squirrel activity in your home, call us for wildlife control in Coquitlam, as trying to handle these animals yourself could be dangerous, especially if a mother squirrel acts to protect her young. Our techs can remove adults, babies and nests, then find and seal points of entry to prevent the squirrels from returning.  While some squirrel activity is useful to the environment, you do not have to endure sharing your home with them. Contact us today for more information about our services and evict these acorn-loving rodents safely.