In a surprising twist of nature and modern technology, squirrels have reportedly been ‘vaping,’ mistaking the sweet, fruity aromas of e-cigarettes for food, according to experts.
Social media platforms have recently been buzzing with images and videos capturing these curious rodents interacting with vapes in unexpected ways. The phenomenon has sparked both amusement and concern among viewers.
One such video, shared by TikTok user @tts_tiktok22, features a squirrel in South Philadelphia enthusiastically gnawing on what appears to be an ElfBar, a popular brand of vape. This peculiar behavior has also been spotted across the pond.
On Facebook, a user from Wandle Valley shared a photo of a squirrel scaling a fence, clutching a vape in its mouth. Similarly, The Telegraph obtained footage of a grey squirrel in south London, fiddling with an e-cigarette.
The scientific community is still scratching its collective head over whether these bushy-tailed creatures are merely attracted to the colorful plastic casings or if they are inadvertently consuming vape smoke or liquid. This emerging trend raises questions about the intersection of wildlife and human habits.
Experts are unsure whether the squirrels are simply biting on the plastic, or consuming the smoke or the vape liquid.
However, they suspect the animals are being drawn to the devices after mistaking the fruity smells for food.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Kay Haw, director of the UK Squirrel Accord, said: ‘I imagine the squirrel is interested in the vape liquid inside, which is exuding an odour and attracting it. The squirrel can smell the liquid and likely thinks it is a food source, so is trying to find a way into the vape.’
Squirrels have started ‘vaping’ after mistaking the fruity smells for food, experts have warned
Footage obtained by The Telegraph this week shows a grey squirrel in south London handling an e-cigarette
To understand why squirrels are drawn to e-cigarettes, Evie Button, a scientific officer at the RSPCA, dissected a disposable vape.
One thing stood out – the smell.
‘The other noticeable thing about the vapes I’ve picked up is the strong smell, even long after they’ve been used,’ she explained in a blog for Wildlife and Countryside Link.
‘The one I took apart still smells strongly of blueberry, over three months since I picked it up.
‘We’re worried that animals could be attracted to the smells and, mistaking them for food, try to bite or swallow them.’
As well as squirrels, photos and videos have shown birds interacting with vapes.
‘So far, we’ve heard about a bird in New Zealand who was poisoned and died after swallowing a vape, and we’ve seen pictures of a squirrel in Wales trying to bury a vape, Ms Button explained.
‘But we know that this will only be the tip of the iceberg as so many litter casualties go unseen and unreported, particularly with wildlife.’
On Facebook , one user in Wandle Valley photographed a squirrel climbing a fence with a vape in its mouth
Worryingly, the expert says it’s not just wildlife who are being drawn to vapes – it’s pets too.
‘We know that dogs in particular have heightened sensitivity to sweet tastes and smells, and they could easily sniff them out on a dog walk,’ Ms Button added.
‘The Veterinary Poisons Information Service has received 680 calls about pets and vape liquids since 2017, and 96 per cent of these were about dogs.
‘They warn that animals which ingest high doses of the nicotine–based liquid could become seriously ill – and sadly, there have been reports of pets dying after consuming liquids from vapes.’
Responding to the Telegraph’s video, an RSPCA spokesman said the footage should serve as a ‘stark reminder’.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, they said: ‘The sight of this squirrel holding a disposable vape is a stark reminder of the danger discarded litter poses to our wildlife.
‘Sadly this is the tip of the iceberg – as five million single-use e-cigarettes were thrown away every week according to research prior to a Government ban on their sale.
‘Many of them end up as litter in our environment, our rivers and the ocean where they can cause harm to animals and marine life.
‘These vapes contain materials and poisonous substances which can be hazardous to animals including plastic, lithium and nicotine.’
Although disposable vapes have been banned since June 2025, there are still millions of the devices littered in parks across the UK.
The spokesman added: ‘The RSPCA successfully lobbied the Government with our #VexedAboutVapes campaign and a ban on selling disposable vapes was brought in last year in England.
‘But sadly we are still seeing litter – including vapes – simply being tossed away in our communities, putting animals needlessly at risk.
‘How we dispose of our rubbish greatly impacts wildlife and we would urge people to hold on to their litter until there’s an opportunity to dispose of it safely and responsibly – and to always recycle where appropriate – so we can reduce the number of animal casualties we see impacted by rubbish.’
