Can Squirrels Eat Bread? What to Do Instead

Yes, squirrels may eat bread they find, but do not put it out for them. Taking a dropped crust does not make bread a useful part of their regular diet. In UK parks, The Royal Parks asks visitors not to feed squirrels and contrasts natural foraged food with bread and crisps. Gardens have different rules, but bread is still a poor way to support a wild squirrel.

What if a squirrel has already taken some bread?

The UK guidance checked here gives no safe serving size for white, wholemeal or toasted bread. If you can do so without chasing or handling the squirrel, pick up the remaining bread and dispose of it. If the animal is visibly injured or unwell, seek advice from a wildlife rescue or vet; do not attempt a home treatment.

Is there anything better to offer?

Often the best help is a garden that lets squirrels find their own food. The Mammal Society recommends trees, hedges, long grass and leaf litter as ways to support wild mammals without putting out food. It advises against feeding grey squirrels in Britain. Where red squirrels are present and greys are absent, carefully managed supplementary feeding may be appropriate: its guidance names hazelnuts, beech nuts and sweet chestnuts in their shells, and stresses cleaning feeders. Remove a red-squirrel feeder if greys begin to visit it, because of disease risk.

Do not hand-feed either species. Watching a squirrel forage from a distance is the safer way to enjoy it.

it’s much healthier for the wildlife to eat the food that they’re accustomed to foraging for

What if the squirrel is a baby?

Bread is not baby-squirrel food. If you find a young squirrel on the ground, do not give it food, water or homemade formula. The RSPCA’s baby-squirrel decision guide explains when a grey squirrel may be reunited with its mother and when to contact a vet. It also distinguishes red squirrels, which can be referred to a wildlife rehabilitator or vet if injured or orphaned. Follow that species-specific guidance rather than trying to rear the animal yourself.

Related reading: What Is the Best Food for Wild Squirrels? A UK Guide; How Long Can a Baby Squirrel Go Without Food? What to Do.