Under Colorado state law, it is not illegal to feed squirrels. The statewide wildlife feeding ban lists specific species — deer, elk, pronghorn, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and bears — and squirrels aren’t among them.1Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Feeding Wildlife Several Colorado cities, however, prohibit feeding any wildlife within their limits, and those local rules do cover squirrels. Whether you can legally put peanuts out for the squirrels in your yard depends on your municipality.
What the State Rule Covers
Colorado Regulation #021 (2 CCR 406-0) governs feeding and attracting wildlife. It bans scattering food as an intentional lure for big game, addresses coyotes and foxes in areas where firearms can’t be discharged, and requires residents to secure trash, grills, pet food, and bird feeders once Colorado Parks and Wildlife has notified them that bears, coyotes, or foxes are active in the area.2Cornell Law Institute. Colorado Code 2 CCR 406-0-021 – Feeding or Attracting Wildlife
Squirrels appear in none of those subsections. One narrow provision bans placing salt or minerals as an attractant for wildlife generally, but the language targets mineral blocks and salt licks, not a handful of sunflower seeds on a deck rail. So at the state level, feeding squirrels is not prohibited.
Cities That Do Ban It
Colorado’s Home Rule cities can write wildlife ordinances stricter than state law, and several have. Colorado Springs Code Section 6.7.121 makes it a noncriminal civil infraction to feed any wildlife within the city without authorization — language broad enough to cover squirrels, pigeons, and every other wild species in a neighborhood.3American Legal Publishing. Colorado Springs Code 6.7.121 – Limitations on Feeding of Wildlife
Denver’s wildlife management guidance tells residents flatly not to feed wildlife and warns that even feeding songbirds can draw in unwanted animals. CPW itself reinforces that where local rules are stricter than state ones, the stricter rule controls.4Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Common Human-Wildlife Conflict Species A city can cite you for feeding squirrels even though the state wouldn’t.
The scope varies widely. Some municipalities target all wildlife. Others focus only on bears and coyotes. There is no statewide database that compiles every local rule, so check your own city or county code before putting out food. If your ordinance names “wildlife” without exceptions, assume squirrels count.
Bird Feeders Are the Common Trap
Most residents who run into trouble do so through a bird feeder. CPW considers bird feeders appropriate only during winter months when bears are hibernating, and recommends switching to nest boxes, hanging flower pots, or bird baths in spring and summer.1Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Feeding Wildlife Hummingbird feeders, suet feeders, and seed feeders all count as bear attractants under state guidance.5Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Living with Bears
Once CPW notifies you that bears, coyotes, or foxes are active in your area, Regulation #021 requires you to secure or remove bird feeders along with other attractants. Leaving the feeder up after that notification is a violation regardless of whether you meant to feed birds or squirrels.2Cornell Law Institute. Colorado Code 2 CCR 406-0-021 – Feeding or Attracting Wildlife
Even in winter, a feeder that consistently draws squirrels can become a problem in a city with a broad wildlife feeding ban. Letting squirrels treat a bird feeder as a buffet could arguably count as feeding wildlife. Squirrel-proof designs with baffles or weight-activated perches are the safest route for anyone who wants to feed birds without inadvertently creating a legal issue.
What a Violation Can Cost You
The state wildlife feeding violation carries a $100 fine, but that applies to the species the state ban actually covers.1Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Feeding Wildlife Since squirrels aren’t on that list, the fine wouldn’t reach a squirrel feeder directly unless another regulation was triggered — such as ignoring a notification to take down attractants.
Municipal penalties vary. Colorado Springs treats unauthorized wildlife feeding as a noncriminal civil infraction, with the fine set by the municipal court.3American Legal Publishing. Colorado Springs Code 6.7.121 – Limitations on Feeding of Wildlife Boulder’s Bear Protection Ordinance uses a tiered structure — $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second, $500 for a third — though those amounts are tied to bear attractant violations specifically.6City of Boulder. Urban Wildlife Policy and Programs Enforcement typically begins with an educational warning before escalating to a citation.
Local animal control officers and city park rangers handle municipal code violations; CPW officers enforce state regulations. In practice, a CPW officer is unlikely to cite you for tossing peanuts to a backyard fox squirrel. The realistic scenario is a neighbor complaint to animal control in a city with a broad feeding ban, or a CPW bear notification you ignore while keeping feeders stocked.
Why the Rules Exist
Beyond the legal question, Colorado squirrels carry serious disease. Plague is detected regularly in rock squirrels, ground squirrels, woodrats, and chipmunks across the state, and it spreads to humans through flea bites, contact with infected tissue or fluids, and respiratory droplets.7Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Plague Activity Identified in Colorado Symptoms include sudden fever, headache, chills, and swollen lymph nodes.
Feeding draws squirrels closer to living spaces and concentrates them in small areas, which raises flea density and the chance of transmission. CPW states that feeding wildlife “attracts them to your property, brings them in close contact, and increases the risk of disease transmission.”8Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Plague Activity Present in Colorado Plague is present in Colorado rodent populations year-round, and the state has documented fatal human cases linked to rodent exposure.
Concentrated squirrels also damage property. Chewed wiring, torn attic insulation, and gnawed siding are common follow-ons when a yard becomes a reliable food source. Any wildlife professional called in to remove them will tell you the same first step: stop the food.