Squirrel notes

Squirrel

Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae
 consisting of small or medium size rodents

The family includes:
 Tree squirrels, ground squirrels
 chipmunks, marmots - including woodchucks
 flying squirrels and prairie dogs

Squirrels are generally small animals ranging in size
 From the African pygmy squirrel ranging from 7 to 10 cm in length and 10 grams in weight,
 to the Alpine marmot, which is 53 to 73 cm long and weighs 5 to 8 kg

They have bushy tails

They have very versatile and sturdy claws for grasping and climbing

The color of squirrels is highly variable between and often even within species

Many squirrels have a good sense of touch, with vibrissae on their heads and limbs

They have an excellent sense of vision


Most squirrel species are primarily herbivores and their diet consists primarily of a wide variety of plants, including nuts, seeds, conifer cones, fruits, fungi, and green vegetation
 They might also eat bird eggs, insects, spiders and small invertebrates when for example food is         scares

These squirrels collect and store nuts so they'll have food to last through the winter also called hoarding
 They also store food like nuts and conifer cones for the winter
 by putting it in a shallow hole and covering it up

Smaller tropical species tend to be much more carnivorous
 Feeding upon insects, spiders, and even small vertebrates
Tropical ground squirrels are active all year and do not store food


Squirrels breed once or twice a year and give birth to a varying number of young
after three to six weeks, depending on the species


Adult squirrels can have a lifespan of 5 to 10 years in the wild
 Some can survive 10 to 20 years in captivity