Are you really an MSU student if you haven’t seen a squirrel eating sugary, fatty garbage out of a trash can? I’m not a scientist but I’m pretty sure that the diet of a city squirrel greatly varies from one that lives in the forest. While the animals that wander our beautiful green campus certainly find food on their own, how do students factor into this? Feeding squirrels, ducks, and other wildlife is a common pastime for MSU students, so here are some snack suggestions to keep the adorable animals healthy on campus.
Squirrels
MSU squirrels are just about the friendliest little guys in East Lansing, and it is very hard not to look at their tiny baby hands and their big fluffy tails and not want to give them your whole lunch. They are not shy about asking for it either – a squirrel once went inside of my tote bag to get a snack.
According to squirrelrefuge.org, there are plenty of things that are safe for squirrels to eat. For example, corn, sunflower seeds and peanuts should be given in moderation. Squirrels can eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables, but foods with high sugar content should also be given in moderation. As any cartoon will tell you, squirrels love nuts, especially ones that are still in shells. Gnawing on the shells keeps their teeth healthy, as well, according to perkypet.com.
Highly processed food isn’t healthy for squirrels. Foods that aren’t good for humans in excess, like chips, candy, and chocolate, aren’t good for squirrels either. The squirrels are going to go dumpster diving all around campus to eat junk unhealthy food regardless of our actions, but that doesn’t mean we have to contribute.
Ducks
Don’t. Feed. Ducks. Bread. It’s literally the headline of this Popular Science article about what to feed ducks and other waterfowl. Too much bread can lead to malnutrition because while it’s made of grains, the breadmaking process renders the food filling, but with few nutrients. Try imitating the natural foods that the waterfowl find in their natural environment, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains. Also, ducks don’t have teeth, so keep the pieces small. Popular Science recommends frozen peas, corn, or chopped carrots because they will float on top of the water and be easy to eat. Similar to the guidelines of feeding squirrels, you should avoid sugary and highly processed food. They also emphasize that even when ducks live in developed areas, like city parks or MSU, they can still forage their own food. They’ll get by without us, so we need to make sure that we aren’t harming the animals that call our campus home.
Ducks, squirrels, and many other furry friends live alongside thousands of students here at MSU. So, when your spirits are lifted by a squirrel taking a snack from you with her tiny little hands, or you get joy from watching a duck bob under the river to catch your offerings, make sure those offerings will keep the wildlife safe, healthy, and able to be enjoyed by MSU students in the future.