Squirrel FAQs
The ability of squirrels to adapt to different habitats, combined with their intelligence and curiosity, have allowed them to become proficient city dwellers. This often brings them into conflict with homeowners as the animals seek food and shelter.
Squirrels are members of the rodent family. The eastern gray squirrel is the most common tree squirrel. It is usually gray or brownish-gray with a white or lighter grey belly, or completely black. The red squirrel, also a tree squirrel, is smaller and has reddish brown fur with white underparts. Both are active during daylight hours and are primarily herbivores, feeding on roots, stems, bark, shoots, leaves, fruits, nuts, seeds, fungi, flower bulbs, and occasionally insects. Because they have rootless teeth that keep growing, they must gnaw continuously to wear them down. Otherwise they would be unable to close their mouths, and their teeth would continue to grow and eventually prevent them from feeding.
Eastern gray squirrels are about 40-50 cm long, although their bushy tails make up about half that length. They use their tails for shade from hot sun, warmth in cold weather, balance in climbing and jumping, and slowing their fall when jumping from tree to tree. When they are distressed, they will flick their tails back and forth while vocalizing to warn their neighbours.
Their slender toes with sharp claws make them excellent climbers. Squirrels keep themselves busy collecting and hoarding seeds and other food. Red squirrels will store food where they live, whereas grays will store it elsewhere. They often store more than they need and sometimes forget where they stashed it. This contributes to reforestation by scattering seeds that will take root and grow in a new location.
Gray or red squirrels generally build their nests high up in trees, in hollow trunks or forks between thick branches, using moss, twigs, and dry leaves. Sometimes squirrels will live in colonies with several nests shared amongst them. Although they do not hibernate, they will spend long hours in their nests during winter. Red squirrels will stay in their nests for days since they have food stored, whereas grays will go out of their nests every day.
Red squirrels can enter a building at ground level and work their way up to the attic where they will build their nests out of leaves, grass and shredded bark from outside. A sure sign of reds in the attic is large stores of pine cones, nuts and fungi. Entrance holes are usually very hard to find as they can be as small as a golf ball.
Gray squirrels mate in January or February and again around July; reds mate in February or March and again in July or August. The gestation period is 38-44 days. One to seven hairless and blind pups are born in a litter. They do not venture out of the nest until seven to eight weeks and are not weaned until 10 to 12 weeks. Their average life span is five to eight years.
Do you have a problem with squirrels? Visit the Ottawa-Carleton Widlife Centre's website!
For more information on squirrels, contact the Ottawa Humane Society at 613-725-3166 ext. 262, or send us an email.
Information from the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies.
