The word ‘addicted’ is probably the wrong one. Let’s say squirrels can become obsessed with getting their paws on a food type which they find very attractive and almond nuts meet that requirement.
How do I know? Well, I have personal experience in this. It is direct personal experience because, foolishly, I fed a squirrel almond nuts because I ran out of peanuts which a friend gave me because he didn’t want them. Another friend had given me almond nuts. But I wasn’t too keen on almond nuts so I gave some to a squirrel.
The squirrel quickly learned to come to my back patio door to ask for them and then come into the house (see pic below). And then finally he learnt to come through the cat flap. All this took about a week to learn. Squirrels are very rapid learners and therefore obviously quite intelligent.
As I type this the squirrel is still trying to get through the cat flap which I have locked.
And coming through the cat flap he was unable to get out and therefore panicked and charged into items of furniture and the like. I managed to release him to the outside but he came back through the cat flap again which I then locked. The point is I have created a problem for myself which is difficult to resolve.
I did so by being kind to an animal. But it’s backfired on me. The squirrel is not addicted per se to almond nuts but he is obsessed with getting his paws on them because they meet all these requirements and more. Perhaps he had not tasted a food quite like them before. And he loves the taste. And he knows that these nuts are very nutritious and therefore they need to be stored for future occasions as squirrels do.
I am going to have to wean him off almond nuts because as far as I am concerned his behaviour looks like he is addicted to them. It’s a word of warning to others.
Although I wouldn’t expect anybody else to be as foolish as me! And the same can be said about pigeons. Pigeons like peanuts and they don’t understand good manners and etiquette. If you give a pigeon some peanuts, pretty soon afterwards a couple of his mates come around for the same thing.
And then not long after that there are two or three more and so on until you have a squadron of pigeons perched on your roof waiting to be fed peanuts, depositing faeces all over your gorgeous patio. Another lesson. Oh, they can eat 15+ peanuts in one go (about 20 seconds) and store them in their throat area which expands.
The problem is I’m very tender towards animals and I can’t resist it when they ask for food. I must resist. I must steel myself to avoid these kinds of very difficult problems compounded in my case because I have a domestic cat companion who chased the squirrel around my home! Not something that one wants to get into.
Here is what ChatGPT (an AI bot) says about this.
Can squirrels become addicted to almond nuts and do crazy things to get them?
Squirrels can develop a strong preference for certain types of food, including almonds, but whether they become “addicted” in the way humans can get addicted to substances is debatable. However, squirrels are known to be opportunistic feeders, and once they discover a food source they like—especially something high in calories like almonds—they may exhibit persistent behavior to obtain it.
Here’s what might happen:
- Food Preference: Almonds are high in fat and protein, which makes them particularly appealing to squirrels. Once they discover a stash, they may return frequently, showing persistence and determination to get more.
- Persistence and Boldness: Squirrels are naturally curious and persistent animals. If they know food is available, they may repeatedly attempt to access it, even showing bold or erratic behavior, such as rummaging through bags, jumping on tables, or persistently trying to enter a home or bird feeder.
- Conditioned Behavior: If almonds (or other preferred treats) are provided regularly, squirrels can become conditioned to associate humans or specific locations with food. This might make them act unusually bold, such as begging or becoming more aggressive in their attempts to get the nuts.
While this isn’t “addiction” in the scientific sense, it is more like a strong preference or dependence on an easily accessible food source. In some cases, their antics may appear “crazy” because they’re driven by the need to stock up on high-energy foods, especially as winter approaches.
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