Deers are indigenous animals but will return to you more often if they are fed. They are herbivorous and will gulp down anything plant-based – even dog food. The smell of dog food can prevent them from eating it but, the ones without any odor can completely allure them to be eaten. Usually, deer will not eat dog food.
Deers usually drink an ample amount of water after they are done eating. Dog foods are compressed packaged food that expands when they are wet. Thus deers feel fuller after eating not much of the food which can be very economical for the hunters. But looking critically, feeding deer dog food is not healthy if used as their primary diet because they do not have many nutrients that a deer will require.
Will deer eat dog food?
As discussed earlier, you can feed deer dog food but not regularly. Every animal is evolved differently and requires different types of nutrients for its development. A dog is an animal that is essentially tamed and has several characteristic features which are very different from that of a deer. Dog food is therefore designed in such a way so as it can provide the essential nutritional requirements of a dog
Another important thing to remember is that dogs are omnivorous animals which are contradictory to the feeding habits of a deer. Dog foods have the smell of meat or sometimes meat itself to lure the dogs to eat them. Deer do not prefer this as they are plant eaters.
Even if you plan to give wild deer dog food you should always restrict the amount given to them. Baby deer should never be fed these packaged foods as they can be too harmful to them. The artificial color, chemicals, carbohydrates, and nutrients in dog food are not for them. It
can cause several diseases like blockages in the digestive system, enterotoxemia, etc., and even leaves them malnourished. The food developed for canines is not meant for deer and should depend on what nature gives. These foods can be addictive as they are easily available so it is best to keep the deer away from your pet’s food.
What wild animals eat dog food?
Not only deer but several wild animals prefer to eat dog food over any packaged food as they are easily available and are also easy to eat. Some of these animals are as follows:
1. FOXES
Foxes are the breed of animals from which dogs have almost all the similarities. Dog breeds like huskies have developed as a mixture of the snow wolf and wild dogs.
Both of them are omnivores as well as scavengers. Therefore they can feed on similar sorts of food with a similar digestion capacity. Dog foods can be ideal for the foxes in this case.
You can feed them dog food during the colder months as food is rarely available. They will happily gobble down your leftover pet food as food availability becomes scarce during that time.
2. BEARS
Bears are also omnivorous animals. They are lazy in terms of doing activities and will wander around only when they search for food.
Like dogs, they have a very developed smelling capability which helps them know the source of the food. It is not surprising to see a bear near your yard in winter.
They are fond of dog foods as they follow their food preferences and tend to find them out from the human settlements when there is a shortage of other foods.
3. STRAY CATS
Both cats and dogs are the animals that are most widely accepted as pets. They tend to connect with humans and understand their emotions very quickly.
Like their characteristics, their appetite matches too. Both animals are fond of flesh and its smell. Cat parents often use chicken or fish stock in plain rice to make their cats eat the food.
Therefore, keeping your dog food out in the yard will attract stray cats and often lead to catfights.
4. CROWS
Crows belong to the category of birds who feed on anything and everything. Crows depend on the grains people leave on their terraces or food from the dustbins. They are scavengers and will pick food from anywhere they spot while flying.
Dog food is no exception. If you keep your pet’s food open in your pet’s backyard and have not eaten all of it that has been served, it will most probably be the crows who will feast upon it.
5. RATS
Rats are a very common problem in households. They can sneak into any corner of your house and cut several things ranging from clothes, your important documents, or the curtains.
Often when food is kept open, they feed on it. Rats can spread several diseases to you and your pets as they cannot eat the entire amount of the meal and leave them half eaten.
They populate rapidly and subsequently you should keep dog foods out of their reach to prevent the spread of diseases amongst your pets.
Is it okay to leave food out for wild animals?
Wild animals develop in a certain way that they can collect food on their own. Keeping food for the wild animals in your yard will not help but make them depend on you. You will be obliged to keep food for the animals every day because if you miss out one day, they may starve. Over time, the once calm and quiet animals can turn aggressive if they do not get the food.
They tend to have specific diets on which they have grown over time. Giving them food may harm their diet as they will not contain all the nutrients they require. Food meant for humans and domestic animals is not enough for the wilder ones. So it is better to keep yourselves from giving food to the wild animals except during the winters when there is a food crisis.
What is the cheapest thing to feed deer?
Deers love potatoes and carrots but it is not ideal for your pocket. Deers feed on wild grass, small plants, and vegetables and their scraps.
But if you want to feed the deer, especially during the cold season which is also pocket friendly and healthy, you can always go for corn. Corns are the cheap, flavourful, and easily available staple food for the deers. Therefore it is better to choose corn when you feel like feeding them specifically during the winter.
What attracts deer quickly?
Deers wander from forests to the settlements often in search of food. A food plot near your residence is perfect if you want to attract deer. You can grow small shrubs and grasses on which most deers feed which have high nutrients.
Keeping grains of wheat, oats, rye, and barley can also be handy to attract deer. Deers also like nuts, chestnuts, and acorns which will likely allure them near your desired place.
You May Find Useful: Do Deer Eat Potato Plants? | Do Deer Eat Oranges? | Do Deer Eat Walnuts? | Do Deer Eat Celery?
Conclusion
To sum up, we learn that keeping food for wild animals is not very intelligent. It will not only hamper their diet but also affect their health. Coming in close contact with them can subject you to diseases like rabies and hantavirus. It is best to avoid coming in close contact with wild animals and if needed keep the food at a distance from your house.
