7 Fun Facts About Squirrels

Cute and Small: This is how squirrels are usually defined. These animals are very popular, but not all their curiosities are equally well known. Here we are going to talk about some of them.

Among the best known rodents are squirrels, belonging to the Sciuridae family and characterized by their peculiar tail and speed. Although they are very diverse and some movies show some of their curiosities, there are many facts you may not know about them.

Squirrels are divided into over 200 species of 3 types: arboreal, terrestrial and flying. These animals are present almost everywhere in the world, in any ecosystem with vegetation, with the exception of the continents of Australia and Antarctica. Below, you’ll find 7 fun facts about squirrels you might not know about.

1. Food thieves

One of the most recognizable characteristics of squirrels is that they are very good at enjoying other people’s food. They spend much of their routine looking for food from other squirrels or birds, a behavior known as kleptoparasitism. Their favorite foods are dry grains like walnuts and hazelnuts, although they also eat seeds and fruits.

However, the belief that these rodents only eat this type of food is wrong. Squirrels are omnivores, so you shouldn’t be surprised if you see a specimen consuming bird eggs, snails, or insects. Another curiosity is that – like other rodents – squirrels cannot vomit or burp.

To search for food, these mammals have a powerful olfactory system, which facilitates the task of locating buried nuts. They also rely on their memory and vision to know in which parts of the soil they are most likely to find food.

2. Various sizes

While most squirrels you’ve seen in your life are small, there are some species that are larger than you might think. The extreme of the small size is the case of the species Myosciurus pumilio , which is between 7 and 13 centimeters long.

At the other extreme is the species Ratufa indica , which can reach almost 1 meter in length, making it the largest squirrel on the planet.

3. Growing teeth

On the other hand, in terms of body parts, the squirrels’ particular 4 front teeth grow almost 6 inches a year. This allows your incisors not to wear out from the incessant biting these animals gnaw on nuts and other foods.

4. Articulated legs

In addition, the hind legs give the squirrel a double articulation, which facilitates movement between trees. Regardless of gravity, its ankles can rotate 180 degrees, so its hind legs lag behind and cling to the bark of logs and trees. This mechanism is what helps the animal to ascend or descend quickly.

5. Multipurpose tail

The tail, in turn, allows these rodents to protect themselves from the rain and the winter cold, better conserving their body temperature. As with dogs, this limb helps them balance. But a particular fact is that they have also been shown to use the tail to alert other squirrels of danger, moving it in certain ways that communicate the warning.

6. Superior intelligence

Another curiosity of squirrels is that they learn very quickly compared to other rodents. Several studies have shown that they can adjust their behavior to be more efficient in performing a certain task, such as searching for food. Furthermore, it has been discovered in another investigation that squirrels can lie.

If a squirrel feels like it’s being watched by others, it often digs a fake hole to throw them off and pretends to deposit food there. However, before digging, the food is placed in the mouth and later buried elsewhere.

7. are born blind

The squirrels’ gestation period is from 29 to 65 days, during which the mother breastfeeds and takes care of the young in her den, which can be located in hollow trees or in the ground – depending on the species. Like most mammals, over time the young open their eyes slowly to get a sharp and focal peripheral vision.

Other fun facts about squirrels

Here are some fun facts about these friendly mammals that you might be surprised by:

1. When a small squirrel is abandoned or lost, a female adopts the baby squirrel into her family.
2. Some squirrels can be tamed without too much trouble. However, your rodent behavior will not change. So beware of cables!
3. These rodents can be obese by choice during the winter in order to gain weight and survive during that time.
4. Flying squirrels can glide up to 48 meters, thanks to a muscular membrane located between the feet and the body. This structure is called a patage.

As you have seen, there are many fun facts about squirrels that are not so well known. The ecological value of these animals is very broad – thanks to the seed dispersal – although, paradoxically, as well as many other rodents, are carriers of diseases.

Before adopting or purchasing a squirrel, the best recommendation is to consult a veterinarian to learn about its care and breeding. Remember that these animals are very active and require a huge amount of environmental enrichment, something difficult to achieve in an apartment without a yard.