Ever seen a small animal with a slender body, large eyes, bushy tail and furry body munching on
a peanut? If yes, you are pretty lucky because it is a sight worth seeing! These tiny animals are
squirrels who would try to fix the whole peanut into their small mouth! These small to medium-
sized animals are easily seen in all parts of the world but with a different specie—squirrels
munch on anything that gets in their way.
You may even see them eating your cat’s leftover dry food in the backyard. You can hand them any junk, and they will eat it happily! They reproduce a lot, so you don’t have to worry about them going extinct too! All you need to go is in a dense woodland area, and you will see a squirrel gliding from one tree to another, jumping as high as six meters on the trees!
A squirrel’s habitat:
If you have ever seen a squirrel, you must have seen it in the forest or on a tree. Squirrels like to
live in thick forests, woodlands, and areas like parks and islands. They always make their
habitats in areas where food and fresh water are readily available. They make their nests on
thick trees with the help of sticks and leaves.
They avoid Polar Regions since their body cannot bear the extreme cold temperatures. You may see them in urban and suburban areas where they live next to humans, so they can always get something to munch on. So next time you visit a City Park or green area, look around and find yourself a furry fellow!
Table of Contents
Breeding and reproduction:
Squirrels have more than 200 species worldwide, and each specie differs from the other in
terms of habitat, breeding habits, gestation period, nature and lifespan. Several males chase a
female, but only the dominant one makes it up to mating.
The breeding season for squirrels varies with each specie, but it generally starts in December and lasts till the end of August. The gestation period for all the squirrels ranges from 36 to 45 days, after which a litter is born with 3 to 6 babies.
Some squirrels breed twice a year, while others breed only once yearly. The male squirrel only gets involved in breeding and does no job in rearing the younger ones. Though female squirrels have multiple cycles over the year, they breed just once or twice a year. The baby squirrels born are known as ‘kittens’ who rely on their mother for the next two months.
How do the squirrels make their nest?
We may wonder how a squirrel cannot fall from its nest high on a tree?! Though it may seem
unbelievable, squirrels make their nests very carefully. And they not only make a single nest but
make multiple ones on different trees in the vicinity.
A squirrel’s nest is also known as a drey, a combination of damp leaves, twigs, branches, sticks, moss and other materials. First, the squirrel gathers green twigs from the trees and sets them as a base of its nest. Then, on top of it, it adds soft materials like moss and damp leaves. For the outer base, hard materials like twigs and branches are added.
This makes a well-insulated nest for the squirrel and its babies to rest in. Squirrels make their nests about 20 meters high on the tree to protect them from ground predators. They will make their nests in areas they feel the safest, for example, in hollow spaces of the trees. Some types of squirrels make nests on the ground as well. But this process depends on the type of squirrel we are talking about.
When do the baby squirrels leave the nest?
The baby squirrels are dependent on their mothers for nearly 12 weeks. After that, they like to
explore on their own. Some baby squirrels leave the nest and start living their own life, while
some stay with their mothers for the whole season.
The mother squirrel starts to leave the nest for more extended periods once the babies are 10-12 weeks old. During this period, the little ones learn to defend and help themselves. After leaving the nest at 12 weeks, some mother squirrels still look out for their children in the wild for the next two weeks. After that, the baby becomes independent, develops complete fur by three months, and develops permanent teeth.
What do the baby squirrels look like?
The baby squirrels, when born, are the most adorable little ones! These are deaf, blind and
hairless. Their fur starts to develop after a week or two. Their skin tone varies with every
specie. For example, the red squirrel’s baby looks somewhat ginger.
They have no teeth when they are born, and the first pair of teeth develop once they are about three weeks old. Their eyes are closed and open up after a week. They have their ears closed and open up after a week or two.
If you save a squirrel baby by chance and feed it with the feeder, once that baby squirrel opens its eyes, it will think of you as its mother! They keep eating sticks and twigs to keep their teeth in place. They are very friendly and pleasant with humans as well.
Why do squirrels make nests?
Every animal in the world works for its safety and security. And this is why squirrels make their
nests too. Following are the reasons a squirrel makes its nests:
- Safety:
Squirrels make their nests for their security. Many animals attack them in the wild, like
foxes, coyotes, wild cats, hawks and eagles. For this purpose, they need to have a
shelter where they can feel safe away from the sight of predators. - Reproduction:
The mother squirrel is very aggressive, possessive and protective regarding the safety of
her babies. During the gestation period, a mother squirrel builds a nest with twigs and
branches on multiple trees to give her offspring a safe place and away from predators. If
any specie tries to invade space, the mother squirrel will attack and protect her babies. - Resting place:
Some squirrels are active during the morning, some in the afternoon and others in the
noon. While active, they rush to compete for food and do other chores. All of this makes
them tired, and they need someplace to go and have some rest. Yet again, if they slept
openly in the wild, they would be inside some predator’s mouth the next moment. So,
squirrels also need a ‘home’ where they can sleep and rest. - Hibernation:
Hibernation is the process in which animals go into sleep mode for months. They do so
to break from the environment and conserve energy. Their bodies undergo physiological
changes like metabolism, heart rate and slow breathing. Since the animal is in sleep
mode and has no idea what’s happening in the wild, it must sleep in the safest zone. So
squirrels make their well-ventilated and secured nests where they go into hibernation.
They prefer hollow spaces of trees for this purpose. - Cold temperature:
During the winters, squirrels show less activity. They like to conserve their energy and
manage to stay warm inside their nests. Some squirrels hibernate in winters while
others don’t, like red squirrels. In colder temperatures, these squirrels utilize their
stored food and stay in their nests throughout the night and colder parts of the day.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to tell if a squirrel is pregnant
Pregnant squirrels are usually obese, and you may see those eating more, drinking more and making nests. One can always observe these squirrels carrying moss, leaves and twigs for their nests. You can also notice them making multiple nests rather than just one.
How to tell a baby squirrel’s age?
A newborn squirrel usually has no fur on its body. By the age of two weeks, you may see its fur growing. When its body is fully covered with fur, it has turned about six weeks old. Also, a squirrel should be 10 to 12 weeks old when it leaves its nest. A squirrel loses its milk teeth when it is about 4 to 6 months old. By eight months, it becomes a mature adult with permanent teeth.
Do baby squirrels drink water?
No, a baby squirrel doesn’t drink water, nor does it need to. The mother’s milk provides it with all the requirements of minerals, vitamins and water. Once the mother squirrel stops feeding the babies its milk, that’s when a baby squirrel needs water to drink. And that too happens at the age of about three months.
