Squirrels - Facts, Information, Habitat, & Lifespan

 We love this small rodent that usually lives in the forests, but has also managed to adapt perfectly to life with humans, It can be found in some parks in the areas where it commonly lives.The sympathy that people have towards these animals has also made them feel protected and be protagonists of many cartoons and even movies.

They prefer all the warmer places, although at the moment of bad weather and winter they hibernate until the good weather with spring reappears. There are more than 500 species, but the ones that stand out the most are the red squirrel or the Korean squirrel.

To learn more about how squirrels live, what they eat and any other information that you find useful, we have prepared some sections that will help you learn more about squirrels.

Table of Contents

• Characteristics of the squirrel
• Where squirrels live
• What squirrels eat
• How squirrels are born
• What threats does the squirrel have?
• Video of the squirrel

 Characteristics of the squirrel

Squirrels generally form a family called Sciuridae. One of the characteristics that most like the squirrels is its tail, this is spongy and with many hairs, being able to get to measure according to the type and species of which we speak, more than 25 centimetres long.

The tails of these animals are also one of the characteristics that must enter the description about the squirrels. This serves not only to stabilize while moving but also helps you swim better or even control the direction of a jump that gives from one tree to another.

The body of these rodents has an average size of 30 cm, being thin animals, and with great skill. The colour of the hair is red or coppery, some of which get mixed with brown tones.The ears are pointed and occasionally some hairs may emerge from these tips. 

Its hind legs are very strong, which help them jump to the trees when they are on the ground collecting fallen fruits or seeds. Like all rodents, they have larger incisors that they use to chew. These animals need to be constantly nibbling because their teeth never stop growing, and can cause serious breathing problems as well as feeding since they can not chew food well.

Like many rodents, it can lean on the two hind legs for while handling any object or food with the front ones, as is the case when they eat . Its extremities end in nails sharp enough to be able to attach to the trees easily and climb them to your home. They are also great swimmers, being able to cross a river very fast in order to find food on the other side. Others, like the flying squirrel, has the ability to plan from one tree to another. 

Where the squirrels live?

The place where they live is usually coniferous forests, where they find food faster. They can be seen generally in all over the world. They like warm temperatures, always avoiding very cold winters, although they adapt well and collect food to get to hibernate.

These rodents prefer to move in the light of day than the night. When the sun begins to rise, leaving the possible nocturnal predators, take the opportunity to inspect the land near your home and then slowly expand the territory in which they move.

They are quite cautious and at the minimum noise, they remain paralyzed listening from where it comes, running if it is needed until its burrow, it is also very common for these species to emit sharp sounds to warn the rest of the family members or the species to hide since there are dangers near them. 

If the case occurs that the predator is between the nest and the squirrel, having in this puppies, sometimes the mother is going to make the predator go behind him, in order to keep his burrow hidden.

What squirrels eat?

We used to see peanuts or acorns squirrels feeding, due to the action that television has on us and especially the animated characters with whom we relate to these animals. 

However, their diet very and you will be surprised to know that squirrels are omnivores, they eat fruits as well as other living beings.Generally, squirrels collect fruit for the day, avoiding going out at night, taking advantage when the Sun hides to get into their burrows and hiding places. 

It is in these places where the squirrel will keep everything that he has been getting to eat, devouring it when they need it. In their diet, they also include insects of all sizes, eggs, both birds and reptiles and finally small birds that they can catch on the fly.

Flying squirrels are the exceptions of squirrels. These squirrels are nocturnal, something that can be appreciated by looking at their big eyes, like any animal that moves at night. The activity of the fliers is identical to the rest of their family but doing it when the Sun is set.

When the squirrels have little choice to feed themselves, they will also resort to seeds or bark of the trees, although since they do not have much nutritional value, they resort to these as the last option.

 How are squirrels born?

The reproductive cycle of the squirrels begins at the same time that the spring begins. when the cold begins to leave and the food begins to abound again. The females usually have two children of 3 or four young in the course of a year, although there are cases of squirrels that can have up to 6.

The time it takes to gestate is approximately 40 days. At the time of birth, the puppies can't see anything, nor listen, and also have no hair. Generally die some in less than a week. Little by Little and last month and the offspring are having more aspects of young squirrel, with all their teeth, being able to feed on other foods other than breast milk.

 What threats does the squirrel have?

Squirrels are not currently in danger of extinction due to the ease of adaptation they have to the environment, although like many people love and love these animals even to domesticate as is the case of the Korean squirrel. Some others peoples do not like it, putting poisons, traps or killing them. On the other hand, its ease of reproduction helps the species to last.

Their life expectancy without diseases or deaths by predators can reach an average of 6 to 7 years. Avoiding Diseases and healthy food can be doubled this number, and they have lived more than 10 years.

However, this is not the norm in the wild, as the squirrels enter the main menu of many predators. On one side are the snakes, who attack the burrows devouring everything they find inside them. They are also attacked on the outside, although these must be very fast as the squirrels move skillfully and often escape alive.

Changes in climate will also affect the life expectancy of squirrels, since they are very likely to catch a cold, eventually having pneumonia, dying in less than a week.