Squirrel Facts and Nutty Gift Ideas
Got a Squirrely Friend on Your Gift List?
If you enjoy seeing a squirrel dash about the woods then you may enjoy these trivia facts on their lifestyle and habits. A few of these squirrely facts may even surprise or enlighten your critter knowledge base.
Those cute little varmits are scooting all over this web page. I've also managed to dig up quite a batch of amusingly unique squirrel theme merchandise. If you have a friend on your list who would love to receive a critter theme gift well then you have indeed stopped by the right place. Oh and if you happen to have a squirrel that haunts your backyard and who you've decided to pick up a little something for well there are a few ideas here for him too. January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day so that would be a great day to do it. These Little Guys Love Receiving an Invitation for a Free Meal
Food, feeding, and teething? If you are a squirrel these are very important factors in your life.
A squirrel's diet consist largely of nuts, seeds, cones, fruit, berries, leaves, buds, roots, and flowers. But squirrels are also meat eaters and will consume small insects, bugs, worms, caterpillars, eggs, baby birds, snakes, or other small rodents. A squirrel's incisor teeth continue to grow throughout their lifetime so they will always be able to gnaw through any nuts and cones that fall into their hands. Squirrels will do just about anything for food and they certainly appreciate a free meal when it is handed to them. They are only too happy to take advantage of the seed that friendly humans put out for local birds and wildlife. So stock up the feeder. These little critters will hide far more than they are able to retrieve to eat. As for reproduction and birth, squirrels will generally have 1 to 2 litters per year and give birth to 2 to 8 offspring in each litter. If food is plentiful then they may reproduce more often. Because squirrels are very vulnerable their best means of insuring the survival of their species is in the large number of offspring that they produce. You Don't Have to be Nuts to be Fascinated by These Critters
Squirrel Facts on Predators and vulnerability
There are over 200 species of this cute member of the rodent family, these include flying, ground, rock, and tree squirrels.
Squirrels are native to virtually every continent in the world except Australia. Attempts to introduce wild squirrel populations to Australia have for the most part been unsuccessful but there are now a few species calling that country home. Squirrel populations generally survive because of their ability to produce large numbers of offspring. Squirrels have few defenses against predators so largely depend upon the use of a flight response to escape predators. They will use a whistling sound to warn each other of a local danger. Squirrels are most vulnerable to starvation in the early spring when food is scarce. The seeds which they have buried for lean times are sprouting and other food sources have generally not matured yet. Squirrel Facts: Biggest Squirrel and Smallest Squirrel
Squirrels truly are one of the cutest little woodland creatures out there. Scampering and chattering they really are amusing little creatures to watch as they grace you with a visit to your neighborhood.
Did you know that the biggest squirrel is the Indian Giant Squirrel and he grows to an unbelievable three feet (one meter) in length. He is huge compared to the smallest squirrel which is the African pygmy squirrel. The African pygmy squirrel is the smallest itty bitty teeny weeny little squirrel. From the tip of his tiny nose to the furry little end of his fuzzy tale he measures only about five inches in length. Share the Nuttiness With a Squirrely Friend
People Are of Two Minds When it Comes to Squirrels
Squirrels are a very special kind of creature. They are hardworking, furry, cute, inquisitive, and a joy to watch. They are also pesky, thieving, biting, chewing, disease ridden varmits. It all depends how you view them.
Squirrels are certainly interesting little critters to observe. They spend the better part of their summer months industriously working to set aside a large stockpile of food for the lean winter months. The remainder of their time they seem to spend chasing each other around. Yep, life really can get a little squirrely sometimes especially for those who enjoy the companionship of the neighbourhood critters. Personally I have a great deal of respect for squirrels. They are busy living their little lives just as we are busy living ours and they want nothing more than to enjoy their life just as we do ours. Keep your homestead critter friendly. |
Lorelei Cohen
Writer, blogger, wife, mother, and grandmom. I love to write and I love to shop, combining these elements just seemed logical so here I am.
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Thank you Pixabay for your amazing selection of Public Domain Animal Photos.
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