Generally, in spring, the gray squirrels live on whatever buds, roots, bulbs, and flowers are available plus buried stores from the prior season. Natural food sources are your yard plants and trees that provide forage. Supplemental food, such as in a bird feeder is good, but natural foraging sources are even better.

The human help that the critters need is water, (Water can come from a bird bath or very slowly dripping faucet), natural food sources, (such as buds, roots, bulbs, flowers, seeds, berries, and nuts), and shelter, (Squirrels find shelter within the massive branches of the white oak trees that we can plant in our yards.)