Nibbles for the squirrel

This acrobat, with his brownish soft fur and majestic fluffy tail, gets a lot of attention when he climbs in the trees. Its tail not only looks beautiful but also allows the squirrel to swing from tree to tree without losing its balance. During the cold winter months, the squirrel can then wallow in it again to warm up.

A warm winter layer 🐿️

The squirrel is an early bird so you will have to get up early if you want to spot it in winter. After waking up, the squirrel goes straight to his breakfast and retreats to his nest in the afternoon. The squirrel will not venture outdoors in the rain, snow or cold. The squirrel does not have to go out foraging, as it has already grown a warm layer of bacon in the autumn, and has hidden nuts and seeds in all sorts of nooks and crannies in the garden.

Snatching nuts 🐿️

Apart from munching on crunchy nuts, squirrels sometimes pick mushrooms or a few tasty berries. You can also help them by storing some unsalted walnuts, hazelnuts or peanuts in the garden. These nuts, however, are enjoyed by many garden animals. To prevent the birds and hedgehogs from getting hold of this 'candy', you can buy a special squirrel feeder. This has a lid that only the squirrel can lift to pick out some nuts. Always provide a bowl of water for them to quench their thirst. As with birds, it is important to keep the food as pure as possible, without added sugar or salt. Squirrels also need a lot of variety in their diet, so change the buffet regularly. Garden centres and pet shops also have special squirrel food that contains all the necessary vitamins and nutrients.

Tip from Marcel

Hang two houses close together and make sure that the exit is close to a tree branch. This way, the squirrel can quickly flee from one house to the other when danger threatens.

A warm nest 🐿️

Just like humans, squirrels look for the warm and dry places in the garden during cold & wet days. When they find a wooden  squirrel house in your garden, they will be grateful and will stay there until the winter is over. Attention: hang the squirrel houses as high as possible in the trees, and never facing south-west as it can easily rain and blow inside. Also make sure there are a few messy corners in the garden by leaving fallen leaves and branches lying around. When the temperature rises again and we see the sun a bit more often, you still have plenty of time for spring cleaning!

More tips for looking after the garden animals? 👇

• Create a hedgehog-friendly garden
• Get your winter garden ready for the animals
• Help your pets through a heatwave