Both squirrels and rats are rodents, they come from the same family. But do squirrels eat rats?
Squirrels do eat rats. These tiny creatures prefer to eat plant matter over animal matter, but if push comes to shove, a squirrel will eat a rat. Squirrels eat rats when there is a scarcity of food. If a mother squirrel is lacking food after giving birth, it will also eat her young.
Squirrels are adorable little creatures that create homes in trees. If you frequent parks and other outdoor spaces, you may have seen these little animals running in your path.
Squirrels are loved by many. They are certainly loved more than other rodent species. They are intelligent, acrobatic, and adaptable in all aspects of their life. How about in their diet? Do squirrels eat rats?
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Do squirrels eat rats?
Squirrels are omnivores, but the majority of their diet is plant matter. Still, there is a lot of variation in a squirrel’s diet.
The most common foods that squirrels eat include dried corn, nuts, seeds, fruits, and mushrooms. But squirrels will eat a rat if the rat is small enough to be preyed on.
If food is unavailable, squirrels may eat young birds, eggs, and smaller mammals.
They are opportunistic feeders and eat meat. Meat offers them an abundance of different nutrients like calcium, sodium, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
In the winter, there is a scarcity of accessible food, which makes squirrels more desperate to eat anything they can get their hands on.
Squirrels often don’t have to eat mice and rats. That being said, the popular belief that squirrels would not hurt a fly is false.
As versatile feeders, they tend to eat debris from animal carcasses, dead mice are not spared.
When food goes scarce, squirrels attack live rats as an alternative source of protein. This happens in the winter season.
Winter is a challenging time as new food sources are absent. Owing to their highly adaptable and opportunistic nature, they can raid nests of birds and eat their eggs.
In the summer, rats and mice become an incredible source of protein and fat to squirrels, where fresh warm meat acts as a great source of nutrients for these rodents.
During this time, rats are only preferred and eaten when squirrels are starving and have to leave their comfort zone of eating nuts, fruits, and seeds.
What else do squirrels eat?
Most squirrels are vegetarians, but they are not picky eaters by any means. They eat anything that is readily available, which includes plant materials, namely flower bulbs and roots.
Squirrels also consume seeds, eggs, and insects. They tend to hoard food, which is why they love digging holes. Multiple locations can be home to their preserved food.
Since humans and squirrels have come to share more space together these rodents have picked up strange new eating habits. They may nibble on old lunch meat, burger scraps, and sandwiches.
Moreover, they have a high affinity for fruits. Squirrels are often found munching on fruits, as they are a rich source of sugar. The sugar in fruits gives them the energy to keep running around.
What other animals eat rats?
In nature, there are a plethora of rat predators. These include:
Dogs: Breeds of dogs that hunt rodents include Rat terrier, dachshund, German Pinscher, and miniature Schnauzer. These dogs have a keen sense of smell which helps them find rats.
Birds of prey: Hawks and falcons watch rats from high above. The prey is ambushed as these birds of prey swoop down to catch them.
Big cats: Bobcats prefer small prey such as rats. These cats have a very adaptable nature and live in swamps, cities, and woods. The cats will stalk, pounce then grab the rat with their sharp claws. Cougars are another kind of feline that will hunt rats.
Snakes: Snakes kill rats by constricting them. Black rat snakes and corn snakes are a few examples of snakes that eat rats.
FAQ:
What is the best animal to keep rats away?
The best animal to keep rats away is cats.
Cats are generally well-tolerated animals in households; plus, they have the added benefit that they will capture and get rid of rats if they get into the house.
Rats will scurry away if they notice a cat in the vicinity
Do rats carry more disease than squirrels?
Yes, rats do carry more diseases than squirrels. Although squirrels do carry diseases, rats carry more because they live closer to human environments.
Rats living with humans cause them to eat contaminated food and waste, and this is how they carry disease.
Are rats worse than squirrels?
Rats are seen as a nuisance. They destroy property, chew through cables, spread dangerous diseases, and get into food and trash cans.
They are often viewed as a pest and rightfully so. On the other hand, squirrels are perceived to be better than rats because they are generally viewed as cute little furry animals rather than a pest.
Both are pests, but one is less dangerous than the other to a certain extent.
Are squirrels cannibals?
Squirrels are omnivores, but their diet mainly consists of seeds and vegetables.
Like many other rodents in nature, squirrels can be cannibalistic and eat their own. If the females are under some stress or have just given birth, they can eat their own young.
Squirrel cannibalism depends on the availability of food in the area. If their diet is lacking in certain nutrients, like calcium and protein, they will eat other animals and even each other as they are striving for survival.
Conclusion:
Squirrels can and will eat rats if push comes to shove. These animals are omnivores, they eat both plant and animal matter.
A squirrel will eat a rat, but squirrels won’t go out of their way to hunt and catch a rat if other food options are available.
If they can, squirrels will eat foods like nuts, dried corn, seeds, fruits, and mushrooms.
These rodents will eat rats if there is little food available in the area and in the wintertime when there are no new food options available.
If a squirrel does have to eat a rat, it will eat the carcass of a dead rat before it takes its chances with preying on a live rat.
Other animals that prey on rats include dogs, birds of prey, big cats, and snakes. Rats are a large part of these animals’ diet. If push comes to shove, squirrels, just as many other animals, will cannibalize each other if there is a scarily of food.
Other foods that squirrels eat include mushrooms, eggs, walnuts, insects, peanuts, grapes, chocolate and almonds. Click the links to read more.