Where do Squirrels Live

Remember the famous Chip 'N' Dale animation series of Disney? Well, if you don't then your kids surely will. Chip and Dale are two chipmunks who always mess with Donald Duck. They have been and still are a big hit with kids and even with grown ups. I still love to watch this series whenever it comes on T.V. Squirrels are among the most beautiful and majestic animals on Earth. With their cute little eyes, long bushy tail and swift movements, they never fail to attract and amuse people.

Interesting Facts About Squirrels

Sciuridae is the name attributed to a large family of rodents which are of medium and small size and squirrels belong to this family. They include tree squirrels, ground squirrels, flying squirrels, chipmunks, marmots and prairie dogs. The Americas, Eurasia and Africa are known to be the origin of these creatures.

Squirrels live in places where there is abundance of food. Generally, they inhabit places with nut and seed producing plants and trees. Areas which are full of new grasses and plants can also be found to be populated by squirrels, as the new plant shoots are edible. In cities, the habitat of these animals comprise areas which have trees, specifically for building nests (dreys) to bring up their young. What about the months with dropping mercury? I mean to say, 'Where do these rodents live in the winter?' When cold starts falling in, these mammals reside in tree trunk holes, which keep them warm and from the pangs of winters. Use of the afternoon heat provides great relief to these mammals during the colder months. Those squirrels who cannot find enough space in tree holes or cavities, sneak their way into local home's attics. There they are not only kept safe from falling temperatures, but from natural enemies such as hawks, cats and even snakes.

• Foods which fall in the menu of these vegetarians include nuts, acorns, wheat, fruits, almonds, walnuts, oranges, avocados, apples, apricots, leaves, berries, seeds, oak buds, fungi a variety of other plants. In city dwellings, they may also feed on dog food, table scraps and anything which smell or taste good. Although, squirrels are primarily vegetarians, they may also enjoy occasional treats of bird eggs, insects, small frogs, moths, etc.
• These animals do not finish off their food right away. They, instead, keep them buried underground and other hiding places. This habit of the squirrels is carried on all year round. However, it is done intensively in the fall so as to build a store of foods during the winter, when food supply gets scarce.
• Squirrels can live up to 10 or 12 years in the wild. These animals are considered as old, once they are 6 years old.
• Squirrels are most active during the day. In summers, they can be spotted during early morning and late evening hours and during winters, during the noon times. During the mating season, they are the most active at night.
• A squirrel's brain is the size of a walnut. It chews on tree branches and power lines to groom its teeth. It is also a practice which it does from preventing its teeth from growing continuously.
• Science attributes gray squirrels as living fossils, as they haven't undergone any change in 37 million years.

Squirrels communicate through a series of chirps and early spring is usually time when squirrel babies are born. Also, they are the cleanest in the rodent family.