Do Squirrels Eat Grass?

Yes – squirrels eat grass. You may notice though, that squirrels in your lawn or in the wild prefer grass seeds to the actual stems. Squirrels are omnivores and eat a diet of plants and other small insects or animals. They tend to stick to plant matter though, and grass isn’t their first choice. 

Read on to learn about grass nutritional value, exactly how and when to feed squirrels grass, safe feeding tips, and tips to protect your lawn.

Grass is a plant, so why don’t humans and many other animals eat it regularly? Doctors recommend we eat lots of plants and vegetables, so why exactly isn’t it a part of most of our diets?

In actuality, grass (especially wild grass) does have nutrients – it has vitamins A, C, and some B vitamins, as well as several minerals. However, it also contains something called lignin, and a lot of it. Humans can process lignin in small qualities, but grass contains so much that it usually passes through without giving any nutrients. Meanwhile, other animals like cows, with their famed multiple stomachs, are able to eat grass and thrive on it. 

Although many animals can thrive on diets consisting largely of grass (see a full list of animals that eat grass here), for many animals including hamsters and humans, grass isn’t a viable source of sustenance. 

Squirrels are able to digest grass, but it isn’t a big component of their diet. In actuality, while they’re digging around in grass beds, they’re likely looking for bugs, nuts, bark, and twigs to collect and eat. 

They may collect the grass to use for a nest. So you may notice squirrels picking at your grass, but they might not be eating it.

Eating grass gives squirrels: 

• Vitamin A 
• Vitamin E 
• Vitamin K 
• Vitamin B6 
• Fiber
• Protein (often from insects in the grass)

Squirrels can damage lawns, but it’s usually on a small scale. Squirrels will gather food for the winter and bury it underground, although they usually only go down a few inches. The holes they dig will be tiny and likely won’t damage your lawn. 

If you are noticing damage to your lawn and you suspect squirrels are the culprit, there are several things you can do to deter them from digging at your grass: 

• Rake your lawn because nuts and acorns attract squirrels 
• You can make a barrier around your lawn 
• Sprinklers in your lawn (squirrels detest these) 

Yes. If the grass or plants outside have been treated with chemical pesticides, or are contaminated with other animal’s feces, a squirrel could get poisoned.

Yes! Squirrels eat grass seed, and in fact prefer it to grass stems. It tastes better to them and they enjoy foraging around in the grass for seeds, nuts, bark, etc. 

• Yes, squirrels eat grass! However, it isn’t something they eat in large quantities 
• You likely won’t notice damage to your lawn from squirrels 
• If you do, rake up any acorns and install sprinklers to deter them 

Are squirrels herbivores?

No – Squirrels are omnivores, so they eat both plant and animal matter. 

What are the best foods to feed squirrels?

Below is a list of common plants and foods that squirrels can eat: 

• Ears of corn
• Petunias 
• Sunflower plants
• Nuts (Walnuts Almonds Hazelnuts Pecans) 
• Spoiled apples 
• Peaches 
• Watermelons 

• What vegetables won’t squirrels eat?

Squirrels are not fond of: 

• Kale
• Broccoli 
• Brussel Sprouts
• Carrots
• Beets
• Squash 
• Pumpkins
• Turnips
• Basil 
• Dill 
• Oregano 
• Hot Peppers
• Garlic 

These little critters are quite sensitive to taste and texture and avoid the above list of vegetables because they find them unpalatable. 

Why do squirrels dig in grass?

Squirrels are foraging when they dig in the grass – for bark, nuts, insects, plants. They could also be digging to build their underground stash of food for the winter, in a process called caching. 

What do ground squirrels eat? 

Ground squirrels eat plant matter and animal matter (small insects and other small animals). They mostly subsist on plants, leaves, nuts, and bark. 

If you have any further questions, feel free to email me!

Related articles: 

• Can Tortoises Eat Grass?
• Do Butterflies Eat Grass?
• Can Chinchillas eat grass?