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Wildlife Christmas tree at Witter Wildlife Refuge shared by deer and opossum.
Photo by Author
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Words For Wildlife
by State licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator, James Orr
WILDLIFE CHRISTMAS TREE
If you want to share the holiday spirit with your wildlife neighbors here is a nice tradition you can involve the whole family in.
Every year we decorate an outdoor tree with edible goodies for wildlife. Any stout tree will work but this year we chose to plant a new evergreen “Christmas Tree”. A new tree is a lasting living memory of this years celebration, friends and family.
We string popcorn, cherrios, peanuts with shells and cranberries into edible garland to drape on branches. Use lightweight thread and keep the lengths short 12” -24” so if someone with a big appetite eats the whole thing it is easy to swallow and pass.
You can carve apple slices into neat shapes for ornaments. If you squirt them with lime or lemon juice they will not brown so fast but the animals will eat them regardless of how brown they turn. You can also sprinkle them with cinnamon, sugar or even salt to give an added treat.
You can also use red peppers, banana peppers, green peppers, hot peppers (deer and birds) pears, and other fruit as colorful decorations.
Do not use any metal hooks to hang food. You do not want these treats to be a last supper. Use small pieces of thread. Sliced bell peppers can be hung directly over small branches. Many treats can just be placed on branches or on the ground around the tree.
Slices of oranges add color and deer and birds will indulge themselves in this tropical treat.
A suet cake or two will make birds and squirrels happy and help them build up fat for the cold weather ahead.
Dried or fresh corn on the cob will make raccoons, opossums, and squirrels smile.
You can also make ornaments out of sticks an inch or two thick and 6 to 12” long. Drill holes in them and fill the holes with peanut butter. If you want to get fancy mix the peanut butter with bird seed or nuts. You can also pack pine cones with the same mixture.
Deer, squirrels and beaver also like tender twigs. If you have a willow tree, honeysuckle vines or just about anything thin skinned and green inside you can drape it like garland.
You can decorate around the bottom of the tree with lettuce, spinach, fruit, cranberries, popcorn, and shelled peanuts. The best way to enjoy this tree is to spread out the offerings over several days. Too much protein at one time for a squirrel can cause a brain seizure so until you are sure many animals are sharing the trees wealth limit the peanuts and nuts to a handful at a time.
Carrots make great icicles as do green beans. Flowers,fresh or dried and branches with berries are both delectable and pretty. You can also use branches to skewer strawberries and grapes.
Cyndi’s favorite is a garland of hot peppers collected from her Dad Joel and Mary’s garden.
If you want to cater to carnivores (probably not the best idea) use beef jerky although most will also eat the fruit offered. Fresh meat makes most very “food aggressive” (dangerous) besides he fact the meat gets rancid quickly which kind of spoils the mood. Of coarse buzzards and other scavenges won’t care but they tend to have plenty to eat without bringing them into the yard.
If you decide to feed the meat eaters set it up far from the house and pets. I would also suggest you not treat these “Big guys” more than once or you ’find them hanging around like in-laws overstaying their welcome.
It is fun to see who eats what and it might surprise you what goes first. It also makes a great photo opportunity to see animals eating together.
It is important to keep sugar to a minimum. Most animals are like children, they love sweets but too much is not good for their diet. We limit our sweets to frosted shredded wheat scattered around the base like snow.
Happy Holidays
DONATIONS NEEDED If you would like to help any donation amount it is greatly appreciated. Donations should be made out to Witter Wildlife Refuge and can be sent to P.O. Box 1118, Huntsville AR 72740.
See web page under "HOW YOU CAN HELP" for specific ways you can help us help wildlife
