Interesting Facts About Squirrels
The average adult squirrel must eat about a pound of food a week to remain healthy. They are omnivores, so they will eat things such as: birdseed, spring bulbs, tree buds, frogs, small birds, eggs, insects, insect larva, fruits, conifer cones, small children that throw sticks at them, and nuts. Their food is stored in multiple hiding places, otherwise known as caches. It has been suggested that each squirrel has thousands of caches each season, and the good memory to find them again too.
Territorial Behavior
Squirrels are very territorial. If there is something that kills more than anything else it is other squirrels. Females that are currently building a nest, (called a drey) are the worst. Do not approach squirrels they have sharp teeth and cannot differentiate fingers from food! Types of Squirrels, Species Differences, Breeding and Baby FactsFox Squirrel (Sciurus niger), Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus griseus), Douglas Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii), American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), Flying Squirrels, and the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), can be troublesome and persistent animals. There are many other squirrel species, but these are the most common. They do not belong in your house. There are many other squirrel species, but these are the most common. They do not belong in your house. Because breeding and gestation periods can vary because of many factors, it is very important that we thoroughly inspect your attic after the squirrels have been excluded from your home. A nest of baby squirrels will not only die, but quickly put your family in a hotel because of the smell of dead squirrels. Typically, a squirrel gestation period is 30 - 44 days.
The Fox and Eastern Grey squirrels typically have two litters a year. Although their breeding and gestation periods vary because of many factors, the young are usually born between February and April, and then again in August and September. Young are born without hair, and cannot easily crawl around on their own for approximately eight weeks.
The Western Gray only has one breeding season and their young are born between February and June. Young are born without hair, and cannot easily crawl around on their own for approximately eight weeks.
The Eastern Gray squirrels body is approximately 18 inches long, including its bushy tail. The grays can vary in color, ranging from a light silver gray to an almost pure white, and sometimes even all black. The white belly and reddish tinge can confuse folks as to its proper species. Other differences, the western gray squirrel is longer and heavier than his eastern cousin measuring in at 20 inches long, and the fox squirrel is the biggest of allup to 24 inches long - weighing up to three pounds. The Flying Squirrel is nocturnal, and present an entirely different problem. Telltale signs include insulation formed into "peaks", scratching / dragging movement at around 2 - 4 AM, and feces that looks like molasses. Other types of squirrels and squirrel species include the Antelope, Prairie Dog, Marmot, Woodchuck, Chipmunk, Spotted, Grey, American Red, Northern Flying, Southern, Arizona Gray, Idaho, Arctic Ground, Franklin, Richardson, Douglas, Albert's, Fox, Mountain Tree, Rock, Pygmy, White, Albino and Black.
Flying Squirrels
Their normal habitat is inside hardwood tree cavities. They are smaller than the gray squirrel, so they can enter the smallest of cracks and holes. They weigh only about 3 ounces as an adult, are about 9 inches long, which includes a 3-4 inch tail. They have a dense soft brown fur and a white belly.
The flying squirrels don’t really fly, but glide. Often this means they glide into attics from trees. They have a thin skin that extends out from the sides of the body and connects the front and hind legs. They leap, spread their legs to stretch the skins so they can glide, and use their bushy tails for guidance. Experts have recorded glides of 200 feet or more.
Flying squirrels are more active at night and can enter the attic through small cracks in the eaves and soffits. They often chewing to create a wider entry point.
They normally have 2 litters a year, with about 2-4 young per litter.
The average adult squirrel must eat about a pound of food a week to remain healthy. They are omnivores, so they will eat things such as: birdseed, spring bulbs, tree buds, frogs, small birds, eggs, insects, insect larva, fruits, conifer cones, small children that throw sticks at them, and nuts. Their food is stored in multiple hiding places, otherwise known as caches. It has been suggested that each squirrel has thousands of caches each season, and the good memory to find them again too.
Territorial Behavior
Squirrels are very territorial. If there is something that kills more than anything else it is other squirrels. Females that are currently building a nest, (called a drey) are the worst. Do not approach squirrels they have sharp teeth and cannot differentiate fingers from food! Types of Squirrels, Species Differences, Breeding and Baby FactsFox Squirrel (Sciurus niger), Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus griseus), Douglas Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii), American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), Flying Squirrels, and the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), can be troublesome and persistent animals. There are many other squirrel species, but these are the most common. They do not belong in your house. There are many other squirrel species, but these are the most common. They do not belong in your house. Because breeding and gestation periods can vary because of many factors, it is very important that we thoroughly inspect your attic after the squirrels have been excluded from your home. A nest of baby squirrels will not only die, but quickly put your family in a hotel because of the smell of dead squirrels. Typically, a squirrel gestation period is 30 - 44 days.
The Fox and Eastern Grey squirrels typically have two litters a year. Although their breeding and gestation periods vary because of many factors, the young are usually born between February and April, and then again in August and September. Young are born without hair, and cannot easily crawl around on their own for approximately eight weeks.
The Western Gray only has one breeding season and their young are born between February and June. Young are born without hair, and cannot easily crawl around on their own for approximately eight weeks.
The Eastern Gray squirrels body is approximately 18 inches long, including its bushy tail. The grays can vary in color, ranging from a light silver gray to an almost pure white, and sometimes even all black. The white belly and reddish tinge can confuse folks as to its proper species. Other differences, the western gray squirrel is longer and heavier than his eastern cousin measuring in at 20 inches long, and the fox squirrel is the biggest of allup to 24 inches long - weighing up to three pounds. The Flying Squirrel is nocturnal, and present an entirely different problem. Telltale signs include insulation formed into "peaks", scratching / dragging movement at around 2 - 4 AM, and feces that looks like molasses. Other types of squirrels and squirrel species include the Antelope, Prairie Dog, Marmot, Woodchuck, Chipmunk, Spotted, Grey, American Red, Northern Flying, Southern, Arizona Gray, Idaho, Arctic Ground, Franklin, Richardson, Douglas, Albert's, Fox, Mountain Tree, Rock, Pygmy, White, Albino and Black.
Flying Squirrels
Their normal habitat is inside hardwood tree cavities. They are smaller than the gray squirrel, so they can enter the smallest of cracks and holes. They weigh only about 3 ounces as an adult, are about 9 inches long, which includes a 3-4 inch tail. They have a dense soft brown fur and a white belly.
The flying squirrels don’t really fly, but glide. Often this means they glide into attics from trees. They have a thin skin that extends out from the sides of the body and connects the front and hind legs. They leap, spread their legs to stretch the skins so they can glide, and use their bushy tails for guidance. Experts have recorded glides of 200 feet or more.
Flying squirrels are more active at night and can enter the attic through small cracks in the eaves and soffits. They often chewing to create a wider entry point.
They normally have 2 litters a year, with about 2-4 young per litter.