Do Squirrels Eat Green Walnuts

Yes, squirrels do eat green walnuts, and they often go after them before the nuts ever reach maturity.
 
If you’ve ever watched a squirrel scurrying off with a lumpy green ball in its mouth, you’ve witnessed this firsthand.
 
Green walnuts are fair game for squirrels, and in many backyards they’re a favorite seasonal snack.
 
In this post, we’ll dig into why squirrels eat green walnuts, how they manage to crack them open, and what it means for your walnut trees.
 
Let’s get to it.
 

Why Squirrels Eat Green Walnuts

Squirrels eat green walnuts for a few very good reasons, and once you understand them, the behavior makes perfect sense.
 

1. Green Walnuts Are Packed With Nutrition

Green walnuts might look unappealing to us, but they’re a nutritional goldmine for squirrels.
 
Inside that tough green husk sits a soft, developing nut that’s rich in fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
 
Those nutrients give squirrels the energy they need for climbing, foraging, and storing fat for colder months.
 
So when a squirrel eats green walnuts, it’s basically fueling up on a high-calorie power snack.
 

2. They Beat the Competition

Squirrels eat green walnuts early because if they wait, other animals will beat them to it.
 
Birds, deer, chipmunks, and even insects all have their eyes on the same trees.
 
By harvesting green walnuts before they ripen fully, squirrels secure a food source that others haven’t claimed yet.
 
It’s a survival strategy, and eating green walnuts is simply part of the game.
 

3. The Husks Are Easier to Chew Early On

You might think a hard green husk would be tough to get through, but squirrels eat green walnuts precisely because the husk is softer.
 
Once walnuts mature, their shells harden dramatically, making them much harder to crack.
 
In the green stage, the outer layer is still fleshy and the inner shell hasn’t fully hardened.
 
That means a squirrel can gnaw through a green walnut far more easily than a ripe one.
 

4. They Cache Them for Later

Squirrels eat green walnuts, but they also bury them.
 
This caching behavior is famous, and green walnuts are perfect for it because they stay fresher underground.
 
A squirrel will nibble some green walnuts on the spot and carry others away to stash in shallow holes.
 
Some of those buried walnuts get forgotten, and that’s actually how many new walnut trees sprout.
 

How Squirrels Get Into Green Walnuts

Getting into a green walnut isn’t as simple as taking a bite, so squirrels have a few clever tricks.
 

1. They Gnaw Through the Husk

The first step for a squirrel eating green walnuts is chewing through the outer husk.
 
Their incisors are sharp and grow continuously, which keeps them perfect for this kind of work.
 
A squirrel will nibble away at the green husk until it reaches the inner shell.
 

2. They Use Their Teeth Like Tools

Once the husk is off, the squirrel uses its teeth to pry open the inner shell.
 
Green walnuts have a softer shell than mature ones, so this step is much quicker.
 
That’s another reason squirrels eat green walnuts instead of waiting for them to ripen.
 

3. They Sometimes Drop Them First

You may have seen squirrels knocking green walnuts out of trees and letting them fall.
 
The impact can crack the husk or loosen it, making the nut easier to get to on the ground.
 
Then the squirrel climbs down and eats green walnuts right where they landed.
 

Do Green Walnuts Harm Squirrels?

Here’s the good news: eating green walnuts is generally safe for squirrels.
 

1. Green Walnuts Aren’t Toxic to Squirrels

Unlike some plants that can poison wildlife, green walnuts don’t pose a toxic threat to squirrels.
 
Squirrels have evolved alongside walnut trees for thousands of years, so eating green walnuts is a natural part of their diet.
 
That said, the green husk contains juglone, a compound that can be irritating to some animals.
 
Squirrels seem to handle it just fine, and they eat green walnuts without any obvious issues.
 

2. The Real Risk Is Overeating

The bigger concern isn’t toxicity, it’s quantity.
 
If a squirrel eats green walnuts in huge amounts, it might end up with an upset stomach.
 
But in nature, squirrels self-regulate and rarely overdo it.
 
So for the most part, eating green walnuts is a safe and normal activity.
 

3. Moldy Walnuts Are a Different Story

One thing to watch for is mold.
 
If green walnuts have been sitting on damp ground and develop mold, they can make a squirrel sick.
 
But that’s not about green walnuts themselves, it’s about spoiled ones.
 
Fresh green walnuts straight from the tree are a healthy choice for squirrels.
 

What This Means for Your Walnut Trees

If you’re growing walnuts, you might not love that squirrels eat green walnuts.
 

1. Expect Some Losses

Squirrels will strip a tree of green walnuts before you ever get a harvest.
 
It can be frustrating, but it’s also a sign that your tree is healthy and productive.
 

2. You Can Protect Your Harvest

If you want to keep squirrels from eating green walnuts, you can try netting, repellents, or harvesting early yourself.
 
Just know that squirrels are persistent, and they’ll find a way if they’re hungry enough.
 

3. Or Just Let Them Enjoy

Honestly, watching squirrels eat green walnuts can be pretty entertaining.
 
They’re clever, determined, and fun to observe, and they’re just doing what comes naturally.
 

So, Do Squirrels Eat Green Walnuts?

Squirrels do eat green walnuts, and they do it for good reason.
 
Green walnuts give them nutrition, they’re easier to open than ripe ones, and they help squirrels stock up before winter.
 
Eating green walnuts is a safe, natural behavior that’s been happening for ages.
 
So if you see a squirrel running off with a green walnut, now you know exactly why.