Can Squirrels Eat Salted Peanuts? What to Offer Instead

No. Do not put out salted peanuts for wild squirrels in the UK. Salted snack peanuts contain added salt, while the RSPCA’s grey-squirrel guidance recommends unsalted nuts and Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels specifically lists unsalted peanuts among suitable foods for red squirrels. That is why salted snack peanuts are a poor choice for feeding; the guidance does not establish that one peanut is poisonous.

What if a squirrel has already eaten one?

Remove the remaining salted peanuts so it cannot keep eating them. One sighting does not tell you how much salt the squirrel consumed, and the wildlife guidance cited here does not give a dose at which a peanut becomes harmful. Watch from a distance. If the squirrel appears unwell, weak or injured, follow the RSPCA’s advice on sick or injured squirrels and contact a local vet or wildlife rescue for advice. Do not try to catch it simply because it took a peanut.

Are plain peanuts suitable?

Plain, unsalted peanuts can be part of supplementary food, but they should not be the whole menu. For grey squirrels, the RSPCA favours unsalted hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds and notes that peanuts are also taken. For red squirrels, The Wildlife Trusts advises using aflatoxin-free peanuts within a varied diet, with foods such as hazelnuts. Look for “aflatoxin-free” on the packaging. If you cannot confirm this, choose hazelnuts instead. Avoid mouldy or stale nuts.

“The most suitable foods for red squirrels are hazelnuts in their shells, wheat, unsalted peanuts and sunflower seeds.”

Should you feed squirrels at all?

Supplementary feeding is optional. The Wildlife Trusts recommends small amounts every few days and removing leftovers so feeders do not become a source of spoiled food. In areas with red squirrels, do not encourage them to a feeder visited by grey squirrels: grey squirrels can spread squirrelpox to reds. Stop feeding if greys appear, and consider providing natural food through suitable trees and shrubs instead.

Do not put out salted peanuts. If feeding is appropriate where you live, offer a small amount of plain, unsalted nuts as part of a varied diet.

Related reading: What Is the Best Food for Wild Squirrels? A UK Guide; Can Squirrels Eat Bread? What to Do Instead.