Feeding red squirrels in gardens or parks
There are an increasing number of locations on Anglesey where people are lucky enough to have red squirrels visiting their gardens. These pages provide advice on red squirrel diet and on the types of foods that can be offered to them
Red squirrels are a popular and attractive species and so feeding them in a garden can be both rewarding and also entertaining. Bird tables can form an important additional source of food, particularly for young animals and breeding adult females. The first question is therefore 'What should I feed them?'
Squirrels will often take the peanuts and sunflower seeds from your garden bird table. However, it is best to offer a variety of different foods and providing a few hazel nuts and walnuts will increase the value of the garden as a feeding site for the animals. Red squirrels will eat fruit and carrot and providing slices of apple, pear or plums can make a satisfying treat.
It is also important to provide a source of calcium either near the squirrel food or elsewhere in the garden. Cuttlefish or antler nailed to a tree or fence post are ideal sources of calcium.
There a couple of food types to try and avoid. Wheat, dried maize and peas are not particularly useful foods, whilst old Brazil nuts can cause poisoning and death.
Domestic Cats - please take care if they are around
Domestic Cats can kill red squirrels and obviously attracting red squirrels to bird feeders can increase the risk of predation. It is therefore prudent to make sure that food isn't scattered on the ground, and that squirrels are fed on platforms or bird tables that are placed as high as possible and in a location that does not require the red squirrels to cross lawns or open ground to reach them e.g. on a fence or fixed to a tree trunk.
What to do if a grey squirrels visits the garden?
If grey squirrels appear in the garden please contact us (07966150847) or contact us via the website. It is important that the grey squirrels are trapped and removed to prevent deadly disease epidemics; and the project can do this for you.
If greys are known to be in the area, you should also cease feeding the red squirrels and try to minimise the amount of foods put out for birds. It is known that grey squirrels carry the 'squirrel-pox' virus which, if transmitted to red squirrels, can cause very high mortality rates. Once the grey squirrels are removed from the area it is safe to restart feeding the red squirrels.
Those with practical skills might like to build a red squirrel feeder using our online red squirrel feeder plans, alternatively if you live in the project area you can contact the project to request a wooden feeder.
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A Message of Support from Iolo Williams - TV Presenter, Wildlife Expert and our Patron
"I remember red squirrels being common around my home in the village of Llanwddyn in north Montgomeryshire but when I return these days, I see nothing but greys. I have followed the success of the Anglesey red squirrel project with great interest because it is so heartening to see the reds striking back. Thanks to the dedication of a few individuals, our native squirrel can once more be seen in several Anglesey woodlands and eventually, I would love to see greys eradicated from the whole of Britain. This is unlikely to happen in my lifetime but with the work on Anglesey going from strength to strength, at least there is some hope for future generations."
Help Support The Work Of The Friends
The Friends are a vital interface between the local community and countryside agencies involved in red squirrel conservation. We raise the profile of the Anglesey red squirrels, publicise the work that is being done to protect them, and identify factors that threaten their survival.
Current membership subscription rates are £10 per person.
Click here for a printable application form making a Cheque payable to:
'The Friends of the Anglesey Red Squirrels Trust' .
Send your cheque, with your name and address, to:
The Friends of the Anglesey Red Squirrels
Plas Newydd
LlanfairPG
Anglesey
LL61 6DQ
Where can you see red squirrels?
1. Llyn Parc Mar Car Parc Newborough Forest (SH413671)
Directions - From the A55, follow the A4080 to Newborough village, continue through the village in the direction of Malltraeth. Once the forest is on either side of the roads there is a signposted car park on the right (Wildlife Pool). There are three red squirrel feeders in the car park area. The woodland is owned by the Welsh Government and access is free here.
Red squirrels were reintroduced to the extensive pine forest in 2004-2007.
2. Plas Newydd (National Trust Property) (SH520700)
Directions - From the A55, follow the A4080 for 3km and the property is on the left and is well signposted.
Red squirrels were introduced to the park and gardens in 2008 and are quite widespread if a little elusive. The gardens to the west of the house are the best location to see red squirrels and there are several feeders.
For details of admission price and opening times visit the National Trust Website.
Current membership subscription rates are £10 per person.
3. Treborth Botanical Gardens (SH550712)
Directions - From the A5 in Gwynedd, take the left turn immediatly before the Menai Suspension Bridge. Follow the narrow road past the small industrial units and to the Treborth lodge. The road then passes through broadleaved woodland and there are several car parking bays (free).
Newsletters
In the period 2003-2007 we produced three bilingual Welsh/English newsletters per annum. From 2012 the newsletter will once again be in both languages and will be available to download.
Autumn 2011 - Download Newsletter
Summer 2011 - Download Newsletter
Spring 2011 - Download Newsletter
Autumn 2010 - Download Newsletter
Contact Information
General Enquiries & Voluntering- Mail@redsquirrels.info
Education & Public Events - Branwen@redsquirrels.info
Membership Enquiries - Mail@redsqirrels.info
Report grey squirrel sightings - Craig@redsquirrels.info (07966150847)
In the event that a sick or dead red squirrel is found please contact us immediatly (07966150847). If a body can be collected, please use gloves and place the remains in a plastic bag. We will collect and pass to our veterinary pathologists for post mortem and viral screening.
Our postal address is:
The Friends of the Anglesey Red Squirrels Trust
Plas Newydd
LlanfairPG
Anglesey
LL61 6DQ
Latest News
Dec 2011 - Red squirrel road casualties continue to rise. The hotspots are A4080 Newborough forest, A4080 Plas Newydd, A545 Menai Bridge to Beaumaris, B5109 Beaumaris, A5025 Plas Gwyn/Pentraeth and A5025 Llanallgo/Lligwy.
Anyone finding a dead red squirrel should report it to the project immediatly on 07966150847 (24hrs).
Dec 2011 - Nine red squirrels were trapped in the Cae Glas coniferous plantations within the Penrhos Coastal Park near Holyhead.
Nov 2011 - We have successfully applied for over a thousand Beech, Hazel, Sweetchestnut, Cherry and Hawthorn trees as part of the Woodland Trust Jubilee Celebrations. These will be planted at our Clyddyn Community Woodland in the Pentraeth forest.
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Red Squirrel Conservation
Feeding Red Squirrels
Woodland Management
Grey Squirrel Control
Genetic Research
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Latest Events
Dec 2011 - Gwynedd Trap Loan Scheme is underway and 22 traps have been provided to homeowners and estates to control grey squirrels.
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