SquirrelNutrition.com
Add text
  • Home
  • Squirrel Formula
  • Nut Square Kits
  • Squirrel Veggie Squares
  • Mange Treatment In Squirrels
  • Squirrel Mall
  • Blog
  • Squirrel Pockets
  • Basic Care of a Baby Squirrel
  • Squirrels With Severe Health Issues
  • Palm Squirrel Skin Disease
  • Squirrel Nesting Box
  • Bulk Nut Mix Order
  • Carbon=60
  • Significance of New Wine in the Bible
  • Product Page
  • Squirrel Pox

Do Squirrels Hibernate?

8/7/2013

134 Comments

 
Picture
The short answer is, "No, squirrels do not hibernate, but they do sleep a lot!"

Squirrels do not hibernate in winter, but they do not like bitter cold weather, so they will stay hunkered down in their den or drey when it is really cold, opting to stay warm with their friends rather than venture out. When there is a break in the weather, they will venture out to retrieve some of the three years worth of food they squirreled away during the Summer and  Fall. ( Yes, it is estimated that a squirrel will find and bury 3 years worth of food every Summer and Fall!) They are the ultimate survivalists!

When I say that they stay hunkered down with their friends during bitter cold weather, that's exactly what I mean. This is the main way squirrels stay warm in Winter, and how they manage to survive during the coldest of Winters. It is a characteristic they learned when they were babies. If you have ever raised more than one baby squirrel, you know that they sleep in a ball of bodies and keep each other warm. This communal sleeping arrangement carries over into adulthood, especially when it is bitter cold. Even though squirrels can be territorial, this rule is dropped when the weather turns bad. My suspicion is that it is divided upon sex lines, IE., females group together and males group together, because it has been my observation that females will not tolerate males at any time except mating season. I made a video titled," How Squirrels Stay Warm In Winter," that shows this communal sleeping arrangement exhibited by a pair of females I released a few years ago, along with some other facts about how they stay warm in winter. I made a hyperlink of the title for any that would be interested to view it!

Even during warm weather, squirrels are most active in the early morning and late afternoon. This behavior is seen even in captive squirrels. During the day they will often lay very still in a cool shady spot and nap. This characteristic has been termed "splatting," in that they often will spread out their legs and feet and appear to have landed "splat" in that position. My resident blind squirrel, Lucky, pictured above, will often nap and sleep 18 to 20 hours per day. She's up bright and early in the morning for a couple hours, and then a couple hours in the evening. So, even in captivity, they continue this instinctive ritual!


134 Comments
Tim link
8/28/2013 09:28:47 am

This is the coolest blog.
I admire squirrels.
After obserbing them for a long time now,
I labeled them "northern monkeys".

Reply
Nancy link
10/29/2016 07:35:49 pm

I just love squirrels and also admire them. We have plenty of gray tree squirrels and ground squirrel (prairie dogs) too. They are so fascinating to watch. I keep wondering just where the tree squirrels go all the frigid snowy winter but I guess they have nests up there in the trees.

Reply
William link
10/29/2016 09:16:47 pm

Hi Nancy,

I just had a lady write and ask about how squirrels stay warm in Winter. This is what I wrote to her:


Squirrels make their nests from dry leaves, twigs, dry grasses, and when they have babies, they pull hair from their own body while they are gestating to line their nests in preparation for giving birth.

When leaves are dry, they shed water and will not re hydrate. The many layers they put into the nest traps air which helps to insulate it.

Squirrels also have several unique physical characteristics that keep them warm in the winter, like a blood valve at the base of their tail that restricts blood flow to a minimum in winter and is wide open in summer. This valve keep warm blood in the main part of the body in winter.

They gorge on acorns in the Fall, which are high in carbohydrates, so they gain a layer of insulating fat. They also grow winter hair, which they shed starting in March.

In bitter cold, they revert to their babyhood practice of sleeping together in the warmest den. When the weather moderates, everybody goes back to their own den or dray.

And last but not least, a squirrel has the ability to crank up their metabolism to 7 times normal. If we could do that, we'd be comfortable shoveling snow in our swim suits and flip flops. But, this ability burns a lot of calories, so, feeding high energy foods in winter is the number one, best way to insure that your squirrels will stay warm.

Squirrels with limited food supplies will stay in their dens or drays on enter brief periods of Torpor, ( hibernation.) If they are severely malnourished, they will usually die off from pneumonia or exposure.

So, feeding high energy foods, like avocado, in Winter helps immensely in their ability to survive Winter.

Bill

Rita
5/22/2018 03:23:48 pm

Hi There ! Our outdoor squirrels have seemed to disappear! We feed them every day, but we haven’t seen them in at least a week. :( Do they hide in May? We’re in Illinois, Thankyou All !

kendey
9/18/2019 12:57:08 pm

crazy people

Nishad Borah
3/30/2019 10:00:30 am

Then what would u say about North ground squirrels.......u can even find in google that this species do hibernate

Reply
cheralee link
1/22/2014 07:44:17 am

I just love the little guys.so smart,they come by every morning and wait.they even know on weekends its alittle later.my little weather men.i feed them unsalted peanuts if bad weathers comimg,and i always leave 1 fall leaf bag umder my deck all winter.they raid it for nests.if im late one will knock on my glass door.they make a long winter better.

Reply
Hazel nicholls
6/22/2016 03:58:28 am

Hello
I live in the south East of England I have been having regular daily visits from at least 8 squirrels including a young one..
The young one has been spending nearly all day here everyday...but suddenly they have all vanished...I'm constantly looking out for them ...they bring me so much joy and I've become quite attached...I'm missing them..what do you think has happened?

Reply
SilentCal
11/5/2016 09:43:38 am

Squirrels often have two nests...a backup in case one is destroyed...but they are usually not in the same tree. It may be that the primary nest that was nearer your house fell apart or blew down during a storm and your little colony has moved farther away from your home. They will build another backup nest, so if you keep putting out food, eventually they'll come back. This has happened to me several times over the years.

Diana L. Denboba
8/11/2018 08:12:53 am

My two squirrels who would visit me on my deck have disappeared. They would both come from the same tree. One was larger so I assumed it was the mother. First she disappeared. The smaller one who has a distinguishable tail now comes from a different direction (different nest/tree). He does not come if food is left out. He only comes when I am out there as well and seems to be famished. Hope the little one is O.K.as I haven't seen him for 3 days.

William link
8/11/2018 11:46:49 am

Hi, Diana!

Could you cut and paste your post into an e-mail and send it to me at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com? I have several things you need to clarify for me and it is very difficult to carry on a conversation through a Blog. Send it to SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com.

Thanks for writing!

Bill

Ann n Lawrence Milby link
8/12/2017 06:38:12 am

can make a shelter for them outside? I like all the information and stories about them. thank you for all the information you provide.

Reply
Emelia Nevers
2/22/2018 02:01:13 am

I loved reading your comments on ....Do squirrels Hibernate? Please send me more information and any pictures you may have.

Reply
William link
2/22/2018 08:39:34 am

Hi, Emelia!

You didn't send any contact information. If you write to me at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com and let me know what you are wanting I will be happy to send!

Bill

cheralee
2/8/2014 05:48:18 am

One of "my" squirrels died today...must of been attacked,her front paw was mangled...sje came to my door ,i tried to care for her but she died in 20 ,ns....my poor husband got attatched as me.je wrapped her in a blanket bit it was too late.do her "sisters" even know shes gone? It was horrible.i miss her.

Reply
nona link
2/23/2014 09:58:09 pm

hi

Reply
Squirrel Mom
10/31/2014 01:31:38 pm

So sry for ur loss, a few days ago I thought Rocky had gotten run over, but it wasn't him but one of his buddies, it still saddens me bcus I try and fatten em up for winter

Reply
Ami
3/6/2014 11:01:02 am

Being the "momma" of two orphan Eastern Greys, (two weeks apart in age), aged around 5/6 months as of March 2014, Hermione and Ginny, I can vouch for the long-slumberingness of these critters. Typically mine are up around 9 or 10am, play with me, run around inside and outside their cage, back to sleep around 2 or 3pm, sleep til around 7 or 8pm, run and play for an hour or two then back to sleep around 10 or 11pm. They sleep curled up together either under the blankets on the top level of their cage or in one of their three sleep fleece hanging pouches, and if anyone is talking near them they will grumble and growl in their sleep and they hate being woke up unless you have a treat. Lol.

Reply
Ami
3/6/2014 11:29:51 am

Some background info in case anyone is curious:

Hermione was born around July 13, 2013 and she was either pushed or fell from her nest. I waited a long time for her mother to come for her and when she didn't and I was getting ready to leave the area forever since it was place of employment and my final day, 2 week old Hermione squirrel came home with me on that day on July 28th and I did a very fast, yet thoughough crash course on infant rescued squirrel care. Fast forward a few weeks. A friend brought me another needy little fuzzer. Another girl. We named her Ginny. She came to me about 4 and a half, 5 weeks old. Her eyes were barely opening. She had been stuck in her nest with a dead brother and mother after teenagers shot them with BB's. She was the sole survivor and no one could reach her til five days later when she crawled out and fell to the ground. So she came to me very dehydrated half dead covered in fleas and my best friend and I worked on her 110% and often we thought it was a lost cause. About a week after she came to us, Hermione curled up with her in their cage and after that Ginny began to put on weight and become more active. They've been like sisters ever since. They sleep, eat and play together. Now, about six months later, they are both bright eyed, bushy tailed and about 2 pounds each. It's hard to tell them apart by a glance but Ginny is my tomboy and loves to wrestle and play attack my hands, after which she grooms them Lol, and Hermione is my gentle soul; she loves her one-on-one time with me before bed when she lays across my arm and dozes while we listen to oldies (40s-80s) music until I put her in their cage where she curls up with little sis. If I did not mention it, I am overwintering them but am seeking a way to keep them permanently since they are both very used to not only humans but cats and dogs, too. All they've known have been our little house and sunlight from the window their cage is by, it's a very large cage but they do get free cage time a few hours a day, and their UVB sunlamps every day of course. Food wise they used to get Fox Valley formula and now they get Henry's Healthy Pera growth formula alternated between Picky Blocks formula and Monkey Chow and fresh fruits and veggies daily with the occasional treat of a bit of walnut or almond. Of course they get lots of stuff to chew on, too! In other words they are very happy and healthy little girls. ^__^

Reply
Lynne hellyer
10/26/2014 01:36:34 am

I loved your STory.I live in uk.and I have been feeding SqurrelS for about 4yrs,I have 5that come to my kitchen Window every day but it is sometimes 3 or 5 Times,and I wonder Why So Many TimeS ?? They Cannot be Hungry,as I go Threw 1and a half a400grambags.also choc chip cookies, but only 1will eat.i have a dog so I'm scared to bring into the house as sometimes 1will try to come in the living room door that goes To the garden what do you SuggesT??I love them so much and I do wonder how they will manage during the WinTeR!!every year at ThiS Time..They do have little fights,but I call at Them and then They Stop one Will Come to the Window the other a bit later.I call Them all My Babies xx I wonder if you can GiVe Me Any advice on how I can help them many Kind Regards, Lynne

sherry jones
12/30/2014 09:50:16 am

man, would LOVE to see pix of Hermione & Ginny! you could start a facebook page and post new pix every now and then - bet it would be REALLY popular! i was here cuz was getting concerned that i'd not seen a SINGLE squirrel on my afternoon walk since christmas day, and wondered if they actually hibernated or something! today is the first time the peanuts i leave out the previous day weren't all gone :( with all the animal cruelty going on, would just feel a LOT better if i saw them, even from a distance, or even just HEARD them in the leaves or something! sure hope none of the neighborhood kids got a BB gun for christmas... =^,,^=

Stephanie Gill
12/19/2018 02:40:31 pm

That's a great story. It sounds like ur two baby girls are in wonderful hands.

se
4/27/2014 12:15:36 am

cool!!!

Reply
Diana L. DENBOBA
11/6/2018 07:47:00 am

I just received an email from you Sherry about nuts to feed squirrels. I get the unsalted, shelled natural peanuts and also put out shelled, unsalted sunflower seeds. I had been feeding a young one who would come running to me for about a month. Then when the other squirrels came back, I didn't see him for awhile. He has a peculiar tail so I can distinguish him. I feared they had taken over his nest, frightened him or that turkey vulture got him. Thought I saw him the other day. He will come up on the deck but not come up to me like before.

Reply
Arthur
10/17/2014 11:20:15 am

I have been feeding squirrels, chipmunks and birds from around my work shed summer and winter for many years.. The place is overrun and full of droppings etc.We stopped all feeding activity as we want to regain our life and removed all remnants of seeds,peanuts etc and cleaned the place.We live in a semi tourist village settings, so there other places to get food.
Are we committing a cruel act, as some friends suggest??
Any comments

Reply
P Brown
10/21/2014 07:31:53 am

I have a number of squirrels living in my loft. a say a new because one or two neighbours have seen them and bought it to my attention!!!!!! Seeing as you have a heart for them would you come an take them! Or give me the name of an organisation that would take them........please please please?

Reply
William link
12/31/2014 08:13:25 am

Hi Mr. or Ms. P Brown!

I don't see how I could come take your squirrels since I don't know where you live. Plus, if you don't live in my state, it's against the law to cross state lines with live wild animals.

A better plan would be to wait until the weather moderates in the Sprin or early Summer and place some peanut butter with a few pecan or walnut nut meats in a have a heart trap, catch them, and move them at least two miles away. That way, they will have the Summer and Fall to establish a new home and gather food for Winter........Bill

Reply
April
1/25/2019 10:36:57 pm

Hi Bill: I live in MN/USA and unfortunately my "pet squirrels" have discovered a way to enter the roof of my rental property due to lack of maintenance. There is a hole in the siding that revealed a crack in the wood and was not properly covered with mesh or flashing. Of course my "friends" got in the top of the house and now the management company wants to do their repair. I "get" the squirels should not be there...but now they want to trap them...I've read several articals online only to discover 90% of the time the animals die. Of course I don't want this to happen. Is there any recourse here and/or can you tell me something that may convince my mgmt. co. to adhere to another policy in deference to saving their lives? I am about out of time here....any response would be greatly appreciatiated!!!! Thank you so much!

rusty
10/23/2014 03:57:35 pm

I rescued black squirrel from top of pool cover with aprrox three inches of water... she was just swimming around trying to get out for how long I don't know... I have her in a small box vented box beside a heater right now... she just sleeps and I see breathing I think ok... she will scatter if I get close or touch the box... ????

Reply
michelle
11/3/2014 02:47:39 am

Thank you for this AWESOME blog! It is wonderful to "meet" others who love and ENJOY squirrels! (We all know there are those who don't!) =( My father (who left us in Jan.) made me a wonderful squirrel feeder, of course complete with a compartment to put their food in acclimate weather...so fun to watch them!! Anyway...nice to see friends here! Have a wonderful day!

Reply
mandy link
11/15/2014 05:27:29 am

I loved the info on what squirrels do during the winter. My grandson and I were just talking about where they go and what do. Enjoyed the other replies, also

Reply
Christian
12/30/2014 12:32:02 pm

Thanks for the education everyone... we raised two tornado babies from their little.pink selfs to now 5.25 months... our girl JUNEBUG (as she was just a little curler boy..) left once we move them to their tree house.. I miss her so much.. but I know she is doing well wherever she has gone off to.. she was always so mu h more independent than LUCIEAN.. my little boy.. he is a black squirrel.. and he decided to.stay... he and I eat breaky together and see each other bout 3 pm even fay when I walk with him and he does his busy body thing ( I spoil him with pecans.. I know..) and we final get to his dry and his buddy is there.. and I leave them peanuts for the midnight snacks.. HA HA... I love the little fella.. save him from a hawk once.. car 2 x and from a dog so far.. but he has learned so much since he transitioned from inside to out.. they are quite smart.. and when he takes a.moment to slow up.. and for a brief minute or two realize I am more than a food dispensor..protector .. that's when I get my kisses in.. it's the best cause I can tell he does love me... lol.. good luck and bless.your little fellas guys..

C

Reply
Carol Winter
12/30/2014 11:25:38 pm

We had several squirrels this year. We loved to watch them play running up and down the trees. They ate the suet and bird seed we put out for the birds. They collected the acorns from our oak trees. we have pic. of them eating from our feeders.
This fall they were going on the roof of our house. Someone told us if they get in our attic they can do a lot of damage. We got a trap and caught 3 of them and took them to the country about 4 miles from our home where there was a wood area with lots of trees. I hope we did the right thing and they will survive there okay. We live in Iowa and it is cold here now. We only see one left here but thought there was 7 of them here during the summer. Love this sight it is very informative.

Reply
Ami link
1/7/2015 07:25:39 am

If anyone would like to see pictures of Hermione and Ginny, and see their progress growing up, they may go to

thepetsquirrelboard.com/

And look at Hermione's Thread and Ginny's Thread. I also have videos of them up on YouTube under SkaydaLee and on my tumblr page www.skayda.tumblr.com

Sorry I never replied back to you guys, life got extremely busy over the last six months or so, but, my girls are doing great. They will be two years old this summer. Due to some brain injury issues, Hermione is a Non-Release and Ginny won't go anywhere without her.

Reply
Eternal
1/8/2015 08:25:56 pm

I have squirrels visiting me for months. I feed them all different nuts. One female has been with me from April 2014. She has become very close to me & lets me stroke her. She has been missing for 2 days. It is winter here, not sure if that's the reason but I am worried sick not seeing her. She hasn't been missing before only when pregnant & that was 2 days. I normally call her & she comes running to me. I have named them all. I know the difference between the 6 of them. One of the male ones went missing for 3 days but he is back. I really hope she is okay.

Reply
William link
1/9/2015 05:12:33 am

Hi Eternal!

I wouldn't worry too much. If you are in the same deep freeze as I am, ( down below zero every night,) your squirrels have a reason for not venturing out. They are in a nice warm ball of bodies in someone's den, dray or attic keeping each other warm until the weather breaks. I haven't seen a squirrel or even a footprint in the snow for 4 to 5 days and I have around 18 to 20 squirrels in my yard! It's also mating season, so your little girl could be off leading a mating chase and getting herself pregnant. There's lots of reasons to not see them at this time of year! Wait until the weather breaks, or they get so hungry they venture out before getting too concerned!

Bill

Reply
Eternal
1/9/2015 09:46:15 pm

Hi Bill, thanks for getting back. Helped me feel less anxious. It's winter here , but no snow yet! I am dreading the snow coming. The weather is wet & very windy 3C to 6C.
Can squirrels get through the really cold weather?
I am always concerned about people poisoning them in our neighbourhood. They see squirrels are vermin here in UK. I really hate this attitude. Okay they do dig flower pots, but I can watch them for hours playing & chasing each other.
Yesterday I spent most of the day calling the female squirrel & eventually she did come, but not her usual
self. She ate a monkey nut & let me stroke whilst eating. Then she took a walnut & went. It was a very short visit, It's like she only came because I called her so much & to say " YES I AM FINE!
Today she came around 1:00pm, she is limping., but she is using her back leg , so I am not too concerned. She has had this trouble in the pass & next day the leg was fine.
All the other squirrels are male, so I am not sure how she keeps warm at night. They all seem to chase each other. So it seems quite funny to picture them sleeping together. (The males I mean) I built them a wooden box in the shed. I put hay, leaves & hamster bedding in there, but they do not use it.
I also offer them fruit, but they don't eat it. I know nuts are not very good for them. I love the way they alert each other when there is a stray cat or fox around. They remind me of meerkats lol

William link
1/10/2015 12:06:15 pm

Hello again!

You don't need to worry about your squirrels if they are healthy.
Here is what they do in nasty weather:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XLK9SYb_RU

Bill

Eternal
1/10/2015 01:08:26 pm

Excellent video Bill. Definitely noticed the White tuffs behind the ears. One of our squirrels has more whiter ears then the others, which helps with indentifying them.which squirrel is which.
Your squirrels are gorgeous! Makes me really happy seeing how well you care for them.

Reply
Eternal
1/17/2015 12:48:33 am

We have 6 squirrels who come to us daily. One or two is female others are male. The older males seem to pick on the one of the younger ones. I could hear him screaming at times.
This really upsets me. I do try to distract the bullies, whilst trying to feed him, but as you can imagine it is not easy.
The female chases him at times but doesn't hurt him. She just wants all the food to herself, but the males are hurting him.
Even though they act so horrid to one another.
Are they still able to share a nest/dray together? I am very curious, if you can help, it would be great.

Reply
William link
1/17/2015 01:22:17 am

Hi Eternal!

When it comes to food, squirrels are insanely jealous. We see this from the earliest age. When they start to eat solids together, the bickering and fighting begins. It's a survival thing that is burned into their DNA, and you are not going to change them.

The amazing thing is that they carry no grudges for each other. At the end of the day, all is forgiven and they all curl up in their bed and keep each other warm!

If you have one that is being overly aggressive to others and is causing physical harm, you can live trap those bullies and move them at least 2 miles away so that they cannot find their way back.

Dominant males tend to be that way, especially at this time of year since it is breeding season. Hope this answered your questions sufficiently.

Bill

Reply
Michelle S Myers
6/3/2018 09:02:32 am

It is my understanding that you need to take them 5 miles away so they can't find their way back, or up to 10

William link
6/3/2018 02:06:34 pm

Hi, Michelle!

3 to 5 miles is good. It's their nose that leads them home. So, if you take into account the prevailing winds, ( usually from the West, Southwest, and Northwest, but rarely from the East,) if you release them anywhere to the west of where you live, it greatly decreases their chance of them ever finding their way back to your place! Just make sure that where you release them has a good source of water, food and trees!

Bill

Eternal
1/17/2015 02:31:14 am

Hi Bill, thanks for replying. Oh I definitely sensed the jelousy between them. The body launguage they use, especially the teeth chattering!
I wouldn't have the heart to remove any of them. I adore each & everyone of them.
Bill, would be great if you did more videos. Lou Lou & Annie are so adorable.
Do you find females more friendlier then males?
My female squirrel has been with me 8 months, the others 3-4 months max. I only get quick stroke from one of the boys, it seems like females are more trusting.
I emailed you, over a week ago for a veggie square recipe, when you have time can you email me it please?
Thanks Bill for all you advice :)

Reply
William link
1/17/2015 06:44:18 am

Hi Eternal !
Females and males are equally sweet and friendly up until the male hits sexual maturity, ( 1yr to 14 mos,) then, all bets are off. Males usually make a 180 degree turn and become nasty biters. I have had people tell me that their male stayed friendly, but it is usually only to one person,(usually a female.)

My female releases almost always stay friendly and stick around.

Sorry, I don't recall an e-mail about veggie squares. All they are is our Nut Square mix with fruit and vegetable powder added in. Did you mean the recipe for Squirrel Biscuits? Did you send the request to SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com?

If you resend, I'll get the recipe right out to you.

Bill

Reply
David
1/19/2015 01:19:47 am

I live in Florida. Our grey squirrels seem to be about life the same as when I lived in Missouri, yet strangely different sometimes. Our winters, of course, are nothing like up North. In our cooler months, like now, they still hide out when the temps drop below 45 degrees. I wonder if their bodies are accustomed to our Florida weather, much like we are. So even when it is lower than 50 degrees, they do the same as squirrels up north when its much colder.

We actually live on an island, in the inter-coastal waterway, near the gulf of Mexico and the only way on and off is over a 2 lane bridge. In all the years I have lived here on the island, I don't think I have ever seen a squirrel scampering across the bridge. Maybe they just stay over here, from one generation to the next.

We only feed them non roasted, unsalted, organic peanuts and sometimes some other natural nuts too. We have seen our 2 local squirrels eating off our Fig tree, in our backyard. We had never seen squirrels do that before this last summer.

Reply
William link
2/7/2015 07:49:57 am

Hi David!

I don't know how close you are to the mainland, but don't discount the fact that squirrels are excellent swimmers. Google, "Swimming squirrel pictures," Back during the hurricane of 1938 that wiped out New England, there were reports of an estimated 5000 or so squirrels in a mass migration, were seen swimming across the Connecticut river near Holyoke, MA.

Reply
Catherine
9/12/2017 12:49:21 am

Peanuts are actually very bad for squirrels. One or two for a treat once in a while are okay but they aren't nutritious for squirrels, it's like us eating a chocolate bar.

Reply
Linse
10/25/2017 09:36:37 am

I just found a baby squirel that had been screaming outside my window the other night. It is about 8 or 9 weeks old is my guess, I have had some experience with squirrels growing up but have always found them in the spring as my dad owns a tree service and brings home every baby animal he comes by which is where I get my love for animals. The baby squirrel just started eating food and I’ve been giving it corn flakes, pedialyte l, and bran flakes. Some nuts. I also leave crackers in the cage. My issue is I can’t keep him in my house over the winter and I know he doesn’t have the prep he requires to survive through our winters in Wisconsin. What can I do? I don’t want to surrender him if he’ll be put down?
Thanks

Ramona Russell
1/19/2015 02:27:38 am

Loved your "Do squirrels hibernate. My granddaughter, Alexis & I just love squirrels. She names them all Princess. We can't help but be happy when we see them running & jumping & playing in our trees. We hang corn out for them, sunflowers, peanuts & cut up apples. They love it. We didn't see them when it was really cold so your video was very helpful. She loves animal facts.I'll read up on a healthy diet & add some to their treats. Thanks so much! 💞🐞

Reply
Peg Harvey
1/27/2015 01:03:55 am

The blizzard of 2015 is happening and I live in the heart of that, west of Boston. There is a squirrel in a tree who was eating from a suet bundle until a hawk swooped down and almost got him. The squirrel ran to another tree and hasn't left it for about 3 hours. He is moving around occasionally, but then will just sit on a branch and look like he's asleep. He will then move around and do the same. Is he ok?? I just checked him. He is still there, holding onto a branch covered in snow.

Reply
William link
1/27/2015 03:59:21 am

Hi Peg!

I'm familiar with Massachusetts winters! My wife and I were married in Greenfield and I graduated from college there.

Did the hawk actually hit the squirrel? If he did, he may have sunk a talon in the squirrel. When a squirrel is injured or sick, they will sit very still to conserve energy. If the wound is not a mortal wound, eventually the squirrel will move on to it's den or dray eventually. They do have an amazing ability to heal from major wounds without getting infected.

Every time Lucky has been sick or after a surgery, she avoids her soft squirrel pocket bedding, choosing rather to crouch on the bare cage wire with her nose straight down, and she stays motionless.

A couple time, I put her in a squirrel pocket because she looked so uncomfortable. But, within 10 minutes, she was back out in the middle of the cage in the above posture.

I did not take her temperature, but she felt really warm. My theory is that when a squirrel is injured, they have an immune response that shoots their body temperature up to a high fever range to fight any potential infection. ( The same thing that happens when we are sick.) Fever does serve a purpose in infection because many pathogens are heat sensitive. When my kids were small, I rarely treated any fever they had, unless it climbed above 105. None of my kids had febrile seizures so if we gave a dose of tylenol for body aches or headache, we would only use 1/4 to 1/2 doses.

By sitting exposed, it helps keep a squirrel from getting too hot, Probably why Lucky would climb out of the bedding and lay where air could circulate all the way around her.

There is a lot of research that shows that a tepid bath is a better way to treat fever in children than any chemicals, But, as usual, the drug companies are very effective at keeping this information from being published or disseminated.

There is really nothing you can do for that squirrel. It's doing what it needs to do. If it dies, it will not go to waste. This time of year, predatory birds and animals are desperate for food, especially when snow is deep and temperatures plummet.

Not pleasant to thinks about, especially when it is a lovable squirrel, but that is the circle of life in the wild.

Thanks for writing!

Bill

Reply
Peg
1/27/2015 10:23:53 pm

Hi Bill.

Thank you for your response. We left our house to walk to a neighbor's and the squirrel was still in his spot when we left, about 6.5 hrs after he started his perch. When we returned, after dark, he was gone. I don't know if he needed the time to recover or was just waiting for the cover of darkness, but I hope that means he is ok.

I did get some adorable pictures of him; our little blizzard buddy!

Thanks,
Peg

William link
2/7/2015 07:05:45 am

Hi Peg!

Thanks for the update!

One other thing I thought of was that the squirrel was waiting for the cover of darkness because sharp eyed predators are always on the outlook for animals that move like they are injured. It's an observation I've made from my blind squirrel and rehab squirrels. When they have an injury they do not move except for essentials like water, and will sleep and conserve energy until they either get better or die.

Bill

Matthew
2/13/2015 01:25:12 am

I can believe the squirrel stockpiles food. I have a hazel nut tree in my garden and, every year, I watch for the ripening. crop. Every year I lose out to the squirrels. One day the nuts are hanging on the tree, next day they are all gone - never notice them removing the crop. I searched the garden and found the stack well hidden. Went back to look at the stack and found only shells Love it

Reply
Nic
2/22/2015 01:44:45 pm

Wow!! I can't take it reading all your cute little stories. I can't stand the nasty little rodents & I wish the one in my apartment ceiling would find a nice tree to cozy up in instead!!

Reply
William link
2/22/2015 02:23:32 pm

Hi Nic!

The fact is, all behavior has meaning. The reason you have one in your apartment ceiling at this time of year is that it is a female looking for a secure place to have her babies.

They do not prefer attics or crawl spaces, because once the weather warms, it is too hot. But, the fact that they seek out such space a place indicates that there is no longer available space in,"nice trees to cozy up in!"

I have dozens of squirrels living around me and have never had one in my attic. The reason? I provide them with an acceptable alternative. It's called squirrel nesting boxes. They don't care about not having heat, because squirrels have a unique endothermic ability that is stimulated by cold weather. It cranks their metabolic rate up to 4 times normal. If you could do the same, you'd be comfortable never running your furnace, taking cold showers, and shoveling snow wearing only a speedo.

Probably too late for this birthing season, but if you give them what they need, they'll leave you alone.

If you found where it has made access, you could place a one way door over the hole that would let her leave but not return. But, if she has already had babies, she will chew the device right off the building to get back to her kids.

Don't know if you have access to the space, but professional services can go in and get the babies and place them in a heated holder outside the building, and place a one way door on the access hole and she will come and move her babies to a secondary dray or den, ( if she has one.)

Reply
Eternal
3/7/2015 07:43:46 pm

Hi Bill,
Where are all the grey squirrels in March.
They were here all through winter, but worried to why the males are missing. The females are most probably nesting, but I only see one male out of 6.
My neighbour has a new dog, I hope he hasn't driven them away.
The happiness they give me daily in my life, seems to have been taken away . :(

Reply
Sharon
7/11/2015 09:54:00 pm

Hi, all the squirrels round our way are called Steve :). My friend made me a feeding box that they can get nuts out off, put it on back fence. Everyday they use it, everyday I seen the Steve's, until recently...... A fox got a baby squirrel, since then I have not seen any Steve's what so ever. I'm gutted.

Reply
Eddie
7/20/2015 03:11:36 am

This may sound cruel but I take my dogs to the park to chase squirrels. I do encourage them to chase because it releases all their pent up energy. Today I did this as I normally do but did not see that there was an injured juvenile until the dogs had already gotten hold of and mangled it. By the time I got hold of them again, the squirrel barely pulled itself back inside its hole. I feel bad for the squirrel yet at the same time I doubt I'll stop letting the dogs chase them. It's healthy exercise for rodent hunters like chihuahuas. Before you ask, they've been immunized for everything related to this behavior. I didn't see any bleeding so any injuries are probably internal. I'd put the chances of survival pretty low. Do you know if ground squirrels dispatch their mortally injured members or do they attempt rehabilitation or does the injured member find a place to pass by itself?

Reply
William Sells link
7/20/2015 08:25:42 am

Hi Eddie!

The squirrel will remain motionless in it's den to preserve energy. It will stay that way until it either gets better or dies.

Bill

Reply
A curious biologist
8/16/2015 11:01:33 pm

That's what hibernating is! No animal hibernates for the whole winter, that only exists in cartoons. Hibernation can last from a few days to a month, then the animal wakes up, eats, defecates, and if it's still too cold, they "sleep" again. Squirrels do hibernate, usually for around a week, maybe a little less. If they're kept inside a house, wich is warmer than it is outside, they're going to sleep less or not sleep at all.

Reply
Ester
9/22/2015 05:40:52 am

Reply
Christina
9/27/2015 05:53:46 pm

My baby is about 8-9 weeks old. I plan on taking care of her through the winter and releasing her in the spring. We just built a larger cage that we put on our front porch that is mostly closed in but not heated. We have not moved her to the cage yet. Any tips on how to care for her to make sure she makes it through the cold adjustment? What can we provide for bedding in her nesting box? Temperatures here will be dropping to 50 at night and 60s in the day by the end of the week. She is currently in a small cage in the house

Reply
William Sells link
9/27/2015 07:22:12 pm

Hi Christina!

If you move her out now, she will be able to adjust to temperature changes.

We don't recommend putting any cloth in the squirrel box that can draw moisture. Synthetics, like old pantyhose are OK because they won't draw moisture.

The only other consideration is to make sure her water bowl does not freeze.

Dry leaves and dry grasses are what squirrels use to make their nests, so you might want to put some of that in the cage so she can make the nest the way she wants it.

Bill

Reply
Christina
9/28/2015 06:44:27 am

I read on other sites to move her outside during the day for two weeks before leaving her out overnight. So u do not need to do that?
Is fleece ok? Or the squirrel pocket you sell?

William Sells link
9/28/2015 08:22:25 am

Hi Christina!

Yes, intermittent outings for a couple weeks is great, because they are scared to death the first times you take them outside. Fleece and even our squirrel bags will draw moisture. Dry leaves and grasses are much better and the squirrels know instinctively what to do with them and exactly how to build their nests.

Bill

Max
9/29/2015 06:45:22 am

SQUIRS HIBERNATE IDIODS

Reply
William Sells link
9/29/2015 08:33:53 am

Not necessarily, Max!

It all depends on their Nutrition status. A squirrel will enter "Torpor" or hibernation to conserve energy because of the scarcity of food. But, they are more than equipped to handle cold weather without hibernating if they are fed well.

They have a blood valve at the base of their tail that can limit blood flow through through the tail keeping warm blood in the central part of their body.

During September and October they gorge on green acorns to put on an insulating layer of fat in preparation for cold weather.

They also have the ability to crank up their metabolism to 4 times normal. If you and I could do that, we could shovel snow in shorts and a t-shirt!

I have release squirrels that show up at my door everyday, even when the temperature is well below zero here in Northern Ohio. If they were hibernating, they wouldn't show up, they would be in their den conserving energy.

But, because they are being fed on a regular basis, quality high energy foods like Avocado, they have no need to hibernate.

One more thing, I don't appreciate you coming on my Blog and insulting the intelligence of my readers by calling them "IDIODS!"

I assume you meant "idiots", and the correct spelling for squirrels is S-Q-U-I-R-R-E-L-S, not SQUIRS.

Reply
Deana
10/2/2015 09:52:32 am

Glad to see I'm not the only one to get attached to "my" squirrels. Inga and Elka come around daily for peanuts, and I'm happy to oblige!

Reply
Aaron
9/18/2019 12:56:29 pm

you are weard

Reply
helen
10/6/2015 07:11:11 pm

My neighbor just evicted a family of squirrels from her attic.They are very upset and are sleeping on the drain pipe.What can I do to help them!Do I need to do anything,or will they adjust?

Reply
William Sells link
10/6/2015 07:46:08 pm

Hi Helen!

Do you have any idea how old these squirrels are? Because, if they are babies, they won't make it through the Winter. If their mother is with them, she should have a back-up nest somewhere. If they don't have their Mom, they are doomed unless someone intervenes.

Bill

Reply
helen
10/6/2015 08:10:24 pm

Hi Bill,
They look fully grown.Should I get them a house?

Reply
Sara S
10/13/2015 10:27:30 am

I really hope I don't upset anyone by asking this but I am trying to prevent it from happening again.

We live in SC, where it had recently flooded. We have tons of squirrels in our yard and nest in our trees. We have been stationed here for over a year. My dogs have always chased the squirrels but never been successful...until right after the flood. Within the last week my dogs have sadly caught and killed 3 squirrels. I really don't think they are trying to kill them b/c they just lay beside them in the yard once the squirrel is dead, but none the less I don't want to see it happen again.
Are squirrels a little slower this time of year from fattening up before the colder weather or could the flooding have done something to them? I just don't understand why all of a sudden they are slow enough for my dogs to catch. Any insight and/or advice would be helpful.

In the meantime I am trying to go outside and look around before letting my dogs out, but our yard is so big that that doesn't always work.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Reply
William Sells link
10/14/2015 03:25:55 pm

Hi Sara!

No, squirrels are not slower at this time of year. They are probably weak from not being able to feed as they normally do because of the torrential rain, and probably can't get the traction they need to evade due to the super saturated ground.

Bill

Reply
Jaime
11/27/2015 01:44:08 am

I love my squirrels and have had so many reproduce, I guess i don't have a question I am just happy there are other people like me that love their squirrels lol...I was wondering if they hibernated I am in Northern Calif and have seen them lately mad dash for peanuts and sunflower seeds I put out and makes sense since I read on here they are gathering, but they are just babies and I used to wonder where are their parents....I am slowly learning but after years I know the parents leave them to be after a few months...anyway just wanted to say hi nice to meet other ppl who treat these animals with love as I do

Reply
William Sells link
11/28/2015 11:25:02 am

Hi Jaime!

Squirrels being mammals are capable of Torpor, (hibernation,) but it has been my observation that well fed squirrels do not hibernate. I've had many of my well fed release squirrels show up at my door on below zero days. If hibernation were the rule for all squirrels, those squirrels would be hibernating during those bitter cold days!

It has also been my observation that I have never seen a skinny squirrel out on really cold days, so it would follow that nutrition status plays a key role in whether a squirrel hibernates, ( to conserve energy,) or stays active during really cold weather due to being well fed.

It's true all the way up the food chain. Bears enter Torpor after gorging on all the food they can before the onset of cold weather. It's because they would starve to death if they remained active in the dead of winter when there would be no food for them.

That is my common sense interpretation of squirrels and hibernation, but I'm sure you could find some hard headed and opinionated animal biologist who is book smart, but never spent a day out in the wild actually observing and studying the habits of wildlife who would say I'm full of crap!

I know, because I have gone head to head with a bunch of them over the years! :>)

Bill

Reply
Stacy
12/29/2015 08:32:47 am

Hi Bill. I was just wondering about squirrels and unseasonably warm weather, like we are having in the northeast. I realized that it is December and warm out and all the trees have dropped their acorns. I saw a squirrel in my backyard, digging and acting differently. I then looked up and realized the trees were bare. Will the warm weather in winter effect their survival?

Reply
William link
1/14/2016 09:08:13 pm

Hi Stacey!

Don't worry about your squirrels, an adult squirrel finds and hides approx 3 years worth of food every Spring, Summer and Fall. As long as the ground stays where they are able to dig, they will find food from their stash.

When it gets bitter cold, and the ground is frozen, that's when they need help. If your squirrels are under nourished they will conserve energy by staying in their dens or drays and enter torpor or hibernation during really cold spells. If your squirrels are well fed and have a good layer of winter fat, the cold won't effect that much and they will show up to eat, even on really cold days. So, their Winter activity is directly proportional to their level of Nutrition.

Thanks for writing!
Bill

Reply
Julie Fiorito
2/24/2016 04:47:36 pm

So happy to have found this site!! Have learned so much from reading previous posts . I live in Chicago and love to watch the squirrels. Today was very windy and snowy and I too was wondering how the squirrels manage

Reply
Sue Murphy link
3/18/2016 04:43:54 am

I have been feeding the squirrels outside the apt bldg. For most of a year, my guys just seemed to have disappeared as they were litle chubbies and now are replaced with skinny ones I don't recognize. What has happened here? It has gone on for about 3 days now, and the weather is mild outside?

Reply
Ginny
4/5/2016 08:27:48 am

I live in Miami, Florida and I have just started enjoying my squirrels. I put out a bird feeder and the squirrels have been ravenous to eat all the bird seeds. I"m sorry for the birds, but I do enjoy watching and feeding the squirrels. I used to dislike them because they would eat all my mangoes, avocados, lychees, and bananas. It still bothers me about my fruit, especially since sometimes they take a bite or two and leave the rest to rot because the fruit is not quite ripe. My questions is - a friend of mine shoots his squirrels with his gun because they eat his fruit - is that illegal? Can I report him so he will stop doing it? It makes me sick to think he is killing poor innocent squirrels.

Reply
William link
4/5/2016 05:59:51 pm

Hi Ginny!
If your friend is shooting squirrels inside city limits, it is against the law. If he is doing it without a license, it is also against the law. You can report him to the local game protector.

Bill

Reply
Ginny
4/6/2016 01:32:07 pm

Thanks. That's what I thought. I will have to wait until mango season comes around again (this summer) to see what he does. I don't have proof, only what he tells me he does. And if I do report him - he will probably think it was I who reported him.

Jaime
4/9/2016 12:13:36 pm

I have a question, an adult squirrel got his paws stuck on a pole that a feeder was hanging from. I was able to free him but his paws were really wedged in and he was in the process of chewing at the front one. He ran up a tree and hasn't come down. He's really high up so there's no way to reach him. I put a pile of seed and a bunch of other food on the ground below the tree but he hasn't come down to it. It's been about three and a half hours and it's about 28 degrees and snowing and he's still just sitting in the tree. I've seen him turn around like he wants to come down but then just sits back down. Do you think he's unable to climb down due to the injuries to his paws? Or in shock? I feel horrible for him and don't know what to do. When I got his paw freed he took up across the yard and up the tree so there was no way I could've held him and caged him, he was fighting and biting the whole time.

Reply
Shannon Stram
6/8/2016 05:45:53 pm

Hi Bill,

I live in Florida, about an hour north of Tampa, we rescued a squirrel at 3 weeks old, we named him Twix, I took care of him till he turned around 13 weeks, he was getting so antsy to be outside, we would take him out a couple of hours a day, and he was ready, we put his crate in "his" tree and he did great, every day he comes to me when I call to him, he had since went a little further on our 3 acre property, 2 weeks ago he brought a friend, she ate but stayed away while he ran all over his momma, our daily routine, but it has been 2 1\2 weeks since I have seen him, but his little friend comes when I call, he has been on his own for about 6 weeks, I don't want to think the worst but I am so heartbroken is there any thing that could be a behavioral thing? He also had a warbler that was ready to leave the nasty home it made on his back. I'm sorry to sound so silly but he is such a good boy, very sweet and playful.

Reply
ellen rogers
6/11/2016 07:35:21 pm

Hi, I had a very strange experience in my yard a coupe days ago. It seemed like a couple sets of squirrels were chasing each other around my yard for about 10 minutes. then all at once many mores squirrles started to appear and all were running around/chasing each other like crazy, about 12 - 15 .squirrels altooccurance. Do you feel they will be back or were they just passing thru?

Reply
William link
6/11/2016 08:38:03 pm

Hi Ellen!

What you witnessed means that there will be some squirrel babies born in about 42 days. June is the month of the second mating season, and what you witnessed was a mating chase. A female went into heat, and every male in your neighborhood came running, The chase has a part in getting the female to ovulate, and all the males are in a hormone induced frenzy. The female selects one or two of her suitors to mate with, so she can have a litter with different daddies.

I had one of the chases happen this morning in my backyard. I had about 20 to 30 males chasing a couple females. It's really hard to determine who is who until you actually see several chasing one squirrel. The female is always in the lead!

The same craziness will take place in late December, with babies starting to be born starting in February!

Thanks for writing!

Bill

Reply
ellen
6/12/2016 11:38:47 am

thanks Bill, very strange to watch especially when you do not know what is happening, I thought my yard was being invaded! Now that i understand what was happening, i would love to see it again. I have an ongoing healthy battle with my squirrels trying to out guess them as how to keep them from eating all the bird food from the feeders.
I have used baffles, they just keep jumping higher than the baffle, bird feeders with outer cages so they cannot get into the food directly , they just hang upside down and shake the food out, so right now the score is squirrels 2, ellen 0. can you or anyone give me the winning solution to keeping them out of the feeders, I do feed the squirrels their own food.
thanks again for the info

momcatjones
9/1/2016 02:53:53 pm

hey ellen -
i'm no 'expert' but back when i had 12 feeders at my old house, i also built a simple table w/a screen 'floor' and put cracked corn in it and some sunflower seeds. i also had a whirly-gig [think that's what it was called...] that attached to a tree and had spikes to put whole corn w/cobs on. it was so much fun to watch as whatever cob the squirrel went after caused the wheel to spin a bit and he'd wind up on the bottom of the thing - when 2 were on at the same time, it was so cute! did all this after the baffles and wire feeders etc - didn't COMPLETELY stop feeder invasions, but really cut back on them a lot! oh! some peanuts on the table attracted them even more than the seeds, too =^..^=

Reply
Katie
9/3/2016 04:50:18 pm

This is great information.. I am a huge animal lover! :) My boyfriend and I have a squirrel living in one of our pillars that is attached to our deck. It has a crack at the top of it so she made it into a home. We noticed her in one of our trees in the back yard when she was just a baby. She found her way to the front, where our deck is and found her way to that hole in the pillar.. Amazing if you ask me! We have been leaving her peanuts and water everyday. We can feed her by hand and she will come look in our window sometimes. Its so cute! She's kind of become part of the family. :)

Reply
Ribin
11/5/2016 05:47:00 pm

we rescued 2 baby squirrels sept 10...they are about 15 weeks old. we've been bringing them outside in a larger cage the last 3 weeks and let them explore our backyard. today, Squeaky ran on the fence and up a tree...he hadn't come back yet. I think he should be ok but am worried...it will be 57 tonight. Will he be ok? we feed the local squirrels so there are others around and I know they are territorial. worried....

Reply
Frank
12/6/2016 12:43:28 pm

I have 15 acres in northern Minnesota and have a few Fox, many Greys and in the past few years a few Black squirrels. They are doing well and total population of 15 or more. In the past month I have not seen any of the black ones who usually raid my bird feeders with their buddies. Walking the woods, I don't remember see them, is there a real behavior difference, I thought the only difference was color.

Reply
Cara
12/6/2016 06:38:26 pm

Hi,
I rescued a squirrel in early October, and took it to the wildlife rescue. They asked if I would like to accept some squirrels in a few weeks for relocation, possibly even the one I rescued. I said yes. Last week they brought the squirrels in a wooden squirrel house to put in a tree. They mounted it and left me with some seeds and nuts. I have been feeding them all week. They are so cute, but a few of them are still small. Tonight it is only supposed to be 7 degrees out! There is some fleece that the rescue team put in their house, but there are 2 doors and the cold air goes right in. I am a little worried about them. Should I be? I want to go cover their house with a blanket : ) Any advice?

Reply
Elvis Presley link
12/16/2016 08:47:50 am

My two resident rodents, Lefty & Minnie; often intently look in my trailer window at me for long periods of time...this makes me feel kinda "squirrelly"/drives me "nuts."...

Reply
William link
12/16/2016 09:00:47 am

Hi Elvis!

Simple answer: They want fed, and they want it now! :>)

Bill

Reply
Debbie
12/16/2016 06:35:26 pm

We have 2 rescues that are inside in separate, large cages that are beside each other. The male has made a nest in an old pair of shorts & will not come out. He clicks his teeth & growls. He's been like this for 3 days. We're concerned about him not eating or drinking. We took him to the vet & he seemed to think he was OK. Should we be concerned? His sister is acting normal & no changes to their diet.

Reply
William link
12/16/2016 08:18:27 pm

Hi Debbie!

You didn't mention how old your boy was! This is normal behavior for males at this time of year, because this is the start of the breeding season. Males get moody, and stop eating. They can also get rather nasty. That clicking of the teeth is a warning to give him his space. The cure is to neuter. Because it will happen twice a year and the more testosterone he produces, the more aggressive he will become.

Bill

Bill

Reply
Debbie
12/16/2016 11:29:56 pm

Parker is 11 months old. We had a single male before & did not have this behavior. So, we have been concerned about Parker not eating or drinking. About how long will he do this?

Mary Atkinson
1/17/2017 05:43:23 am

Hi, I have a major problem with squirrels they have destroyed my plant's they're digging up my pulps, could you please tell how to keep them out of my garden before I do something drastic thank you

Reply
William link
1/17/2017 08:19:35 pm

Hi Mary!

They're digging up bulbs because they are hungry. Don't know where you live, but there is two solutions.

#1. Provide enough food to satisfy their hunger, but, that won't necessarily stop all digging because they eat certain things at different times of year to meet nutritional needs.

#2. Get a live trap, or hire a professional to trap and move them at least 2 miles away. If you live where it is really cold, this could be signing their death warrant, because they have dens or drays to live in, and they could freeze or starve to death.

Many of them at this time of year are pregnant and tend to have the pregnancy phenomenon of certain food cravings. It's not just unique to humans because pregnancy produces weird cravings to provide nutrients that are not normally consumed.

Sorry I don't have a better solution for you!

Bill

Reply
Debs
1/19/2017 02:30:56 am

Mary,
Please don't do anything, the squirrels are hungry that's all. The female is probably pregnant at this time of year. I don't know where you live but it's pretty cold in the UK at the moment. I feed birds but I'm fairly certain my rather fat squirrel is eating most of it :)

Reply
Shah link
2/24/2017 08:40:48 am

Squirrel in the spring damaged a lot bulbs of my backyard when they are hungry. Hunger is always painful for any creature. I used to provide foods also similar to bulbs to squirrels which helped my tulips to grow. Besides putting more mulch around the growing plants may help too. Destroying any creature is nothing but animal cruelity. Let us find help to ptotect our garden and the amazing tiny lives too.

William link
6/15/2017 07:36:31 pm

NEWS FLASH!

I've gotten enough feedback on this technique to keep squirrels out of your flowers and bulbs, that I'm going to publish it as a workable tool for people who hate squirrels digging in their flower beds and gardens.

Get a bag of blood meal at your local garden store and sprinkle it liberally around anything you don't want them digging. They apparently hate the smell and will avoid those areas!

Give it a try, and let me know!

Bill

trish tyrrel
7/1/2017 11:30:33 pm

Im so sad today in whittier ca.iv been feeding a beautiful boy squirrel black oil sunflower seeds he loved them and i put out a dish of water.for two weeks im visiting my daughter from northern ca.today i found him dead.im extremely sad crying..i dont know what happened.i keep hearing firecrackers ever so offten loud bangs makes me jump !!! is it possible this can cause this lively happy fox squirrels demise.so quickly !!! im so shocked to have found him, with his paws up too his face like in a prayer..one eye closed.big fluffy tail.laying there..on the ground..Did he choke ? or have a heart attack!!!no injuries to his body..still soft and warm..no blood..mouth closed..oh my!!! i know i will see him in heaven..Jesus is real.I loved him. Precious beloved wild pet.i pray for all animals and ppl when i drive for our heavenly Father to protect them with his mighty armed angels..and our Holy Spirit. Yhwh and Yashua..and Thank him everyday for my life and my families and friends and the world..true enlightment .He loves all of us..he paid the price for our salvation to have eternal life in Heaven.we must forgive all and repent of our sins and ask him to forgive us of our sins..we are incarnate humans with a never dying spirit.proof why do we sleep and than wake up..peace and love TT

Reply
William link
7/9/2017 03:12:13 pm

Hi, Trish!

So sorry to hear about your loss. It's hard to say what may have killed him. Often, sudden death in squirrels can be attributed to Metabolic Bone Disease,

This is a condition that develops over a 4 to 6 month period of time and is cause by chronic calcium deficiency. Their incisors teethgrow continuously at a rate of 1/4 to 3/8 inches per month. This requires a tremendous amount of calcium. If a squirrel does not get 20 to 40 mg of calcium per day, they can develop this problem because their body will start pulling calcium from their bones to support tooth growth.

Squirrels with this condition develop symptoms suddenly. They can be fine one day, and wake up the next unable to use their hind legs. Often they fall from their nest and fracture their spine or pelvis.

Sometimes they just have a seizure and die of sudden cardiac arrest. ( Calcium plays a key role in the repolarization of heart muscle between beats.)

That would be my guess as to why he died.

Other possibilities are that he may have been poisoned.

If you send a request to SquirrelNutrition @Yahoo.com, and request our food lists and recipes for squirrels, I'll send them to you. Our Squirrel Nut Squares contain the right amount of calcium to keep a squirrel healthy.

Bill

Reply
Carol Fox
7/29/2017 12:27:06 pm

We had many squirrels in our yard the past years. This year, 2017, I have not seen any squirrels at all. How is it possible to go from about 30 squirrels to 0 over one winter. We live in north central Minnesota on the north shore of Mille Lacs Lake. I can find no information on the web about squirrel population decreases. What would cause this? I enjoyed watching them all over our deck and playing in the yard, and trying to get into our bird feeders. I have also seen a decrease in the number of birds. We always had every kind of woodpeckers at the feeder, from the Pileated to the Downy and all in between. This year, none. Anyone have any idea about what happened in Winter 2016-2017 to cause such a decrease in population? Thank you.

Reply
William link
7/29/2017 08:02:55 pm

Hi,Carol!

If your winter was extra cold and you had a lot of snow, ice and frozen ground, my guess is that there was a mass die-off of squirrels due to starvation. If the mast crop was in an off year there was not a lot of natural foods for them to bury, A good acorn crop is very important because acorns are easy to open and high in carbohydrates. A poor acorn year+ a hard cold winter spells disaster for squirrel populations. Hard nuts burn more calories to open than a squirrel gains from eating them. When squirrels are starving they enter torpor, (hibernation,) and never wake up. When a squirrel is well fed they will show up to eat every day no matter how cold it gets. I've had my release squirrels show up for their daily avocado when it is well below zero and all the other squirrels are hunkered down in their dens keeping each other warm.

It will probably take a year or two for your population to recover. Females can get pregnant twice a year and have up to 6 babies. It's important to keep these females well fed and keep their calcium levels up so that they don't die of Metabolic Bone Disease caused by low blood calcium.

I give my pregnant and lactating females all the Nut Squares they want because babies both gestational and nursing take massive quantities of calcium out of their mothers!

Bill

Reply
Carol Fox
7/29/2017 08:44:48 pm

Thank you Bill.

We did have a lack of acorns. The trees around us did not produce any this past year. I had heard the deer population was affected by this. I did not realize that the squirrels needed the same thing. Your information explains why I have not seen any squirrels. All 3 of the colors we had are gone. We had gray, red, and black squirrels.

If we have this problem again in the future, we will put out corn cobs or whatever we can to try and help some of them get through the winter.

Thanks again.
Carol

Cam
8/16/2017 07:42:54 am

So..... Squirrels do hibernate. Not all of them do because they live in warmer climates (such as the ones farther south in the states) but some species of squirrel that are found in the US and Canada (ground squirrels for example) DO HIBERNATE and there is so much research to support this. They don't HOARD food, they eat a lot of fatty foods to get fatter in the summer and fall months before the winter. Then, once temperatures start to fall, they begin to suppress their metabolism and enter a full blown state of hibernation where they breathe a lot less, their hearts beat a lot less, their body temperatures drop, and so much stuff gets rearranged at the cellular level. This is actually NOT a state of sleeping. Because their brain activity is also reduced, it's a state called torpor, they actually have to "warm back up" every couple of days for a few hours to actually sleep, pee, turn important cellular stuff back on so they don't die.

Please do your research before making posts like this.

Please look up "thirteen-lined ground squirrel + hibernation" or "Arctic ground squirrel + Hibernation"

Cheers!

Reply
William link
8/16/2017 01:08:09 pm

Hi, Cam!

You are taking me out of context. I don't deny that a squirrel is capable of entering Torpor. My remarks and observations are based upon my own research of squirrels that I have hand raised and released, ( at present almost 50 squirrels over the past 10 years.) I have no problem going back on this 4 year old post and rewording it to read that they are capable of entering hibernation or Torpor, BUT they don't have to. None of the squirrels I release have ever hibernated. They show up everyday like clockwork whether it's 98 degrees in the shade, or 10 below zero for their food. Therefore, a squirrel does not have to enter Torpor just because the weather gets cold.

Squirrels have multiple systems for keeping warm in the Winter including a blood valve at the base of their tail that can keep warm blood in the main part of their body in Winter.

They also can increase their metabolism to 7 times normal. If I could do that, I'd be comfortable shoveling snow in shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops.

They also revert to their childhood instinct of sleeping together during really cold weather. But, all of this requires a tremendous amount of energy, and that's what SquirrelNutrition.com is all about!

You were wrong about squirrels putting on weight during summer. They put on their Winter layer of insulating Winter fat during the months of September and October by gorging on acorns, which are high in carbohydrate.

An active squirrel can eat its body weight in food every week during the summer and not put on an ounce of fat. (I'm not talking about the squirrels in Central Park in New York City. Those squirrels eat junk food that people in the park feed them, and are fat as pigs!)

Yes, squirrels do hoard food to eat during Winter. For tree squirrels such as the Eastern Gray and Fox Squirrels, it's called "Scatter Hoarding." For the ground squirrels that you cited, they do what is called, "Larder Hoarding." By the way, ground squirrels do hibernate.

My research is focused on feeding squirrels the right way, and keeping them disease free. A lot of my stuff is going to differ from a lot of the stuff you've read about, ( and I've read it all too.) The difference being that most of what is written is based on squirrels observed in the wild. I'm sure there is a fair number of those who spend most of their winters in torpor to conserve energy.

My observations are based on hand raised and released squirrels that are well fed on the healthiest of foods. My audience is mainly people who have found orphaned squirrels or who have raised a baby squirrel and want to know how best to feed it and extend it's life.

I think I'm qualified to fill that position considering I still have my first squirrel who is almost 10 years old and has lived 3 times longer than her wild counterparts, and is in excellent health!

Thanks for writing!

Bill

Reply
Linse
10/25/2017 09:47:50 am

I have a baby squirrel I just found maybe a week ago outside my window the other night crying, it must be about 9 weeks old, the nest fell out of he tree and there were no other baby squirrels around. I have been feeding him pedialyte and corn flakes, bran flakes as he just over the last few days started eating real food. My question is I’ve never had a baby squirrel over the winter, he must have been a very late birth. He has no prep for winter, right now I’ve been keeping him in a rabbit hut in my back yard after initially keeping him in a bin in my home, once he started eating I put him out in the hut. It’s starting to get colder, the bottle out there will eventually freeze and he’s gaining weight as of now but what are my options with him? I also have two little boys and a Labrador pup that I bought the day before the squirrel appeared. The pup will be here in a couple weeks so I can’t keep the squirrel in the house I don’t think. I don’t want to surrender him if he will be put down but I don’t want to put him out just to get attacked by a cat or animal or freeze or starve either? Does he have other options? I don’t have a heat pad, but I’ve been checking on him and he’s been warm, once a day I put a towel in the dryer and cuddle him back up after checking on him and put him back in all his blankets and my old bath robe in his hut. He’s growing nicely and apears healthy and so darn cute. He follows me around and when I let another person hold him, if he smells me he jumps over to me. It’s pretty adorable.

Reply
William link
10/25/2017 12:07:30 pm

Hi, Linse!

Call around to wild animal rehabbers in your area and ask them point blank if they would winter it over for release in the Spring.

If that doesn't pan out put an ad on craigslist for someone with squirrel rehab experience who would be willing to raise and release it.

Bill

Reply
Greg
10/28/2017 01:01:22 pm

Hi Bill,

I live in SW Ontario. Our neighbour has a nest of black squirrels in their tree that we've been watching since August. A week ago we discovered one of the young squirrels limping across our yard. She hid under a low bush and has been venturing out occasionally during the day. We've been giving her water and some nuts which were being eaten up daily. Yesterday when approaching her hideout, I noticed that she was not moving or responding. I peaked into her nest and found her curled up in a hollow partially covered in dead leaves and her tail wrapped up over her head. She did not respond to my investigation. Today i approached the nest and found her in same position and still not responding. I pulled her from the nest and was not sure she was completely stiff, but her eyes are partially open and fixed. It has been rainy and colder here the past week dipping down to 2 degrees at night. I am unsure if she has now died or just hibernating. Although all the other squirrels are out and about. How do I know if she has died? We are sure that she was injured as she limped around when visible and once tried to climb the tree to the nest and ended up falling back down. Not sure what to do. Thanks so much.

Reply
William link
10/28/2017 06:05:30 pm

Hi, Greg!

Sounds like she is dead. If you were able to pull her from the nest she's is definitely dead. A badly injured squirrel will seek a quiet protected area and stay inactive until they either heal or die. So, it's time to bury her.

Bill

Reply
tina
12/15/2017 04:01:26 pm

hi live on 8 arcers land on my driveway i came across masked fox squirrel. acting like he was blind walkin slow not moving away from my car he had one little drop of blood coming from his nose check on him a hour later in same spot so i picked him or her up put him in cage w hay food water. in my basement to protect it we have coyotes out here this happened yesterday. so today i took cage out side left open he didnt no leave cage so i brought him back into my basement he breathing but i dont think he eating any suggestions oh its about 23 degress outside all he does is sleep should i make him leave cage or give hin a few more days 2 get better

Reply
William link
12/16/2017 02:58:09 pm

Hi, Tina!

Blood coming out of the nose is never a good sign. He/she could have been hit by a car or fallen out of a tree, but, blood out the nose usually means some blunt trauma to the head. Is it moving all extremities? Walking? Laying in one position? If legs are moving, try putting some pedialyte in its mouth with a dropper. If it drinks, that's good. They can go a long time without food, but not water. If it refuses, it will eventually die. I get people who bring injured squirrels to me all the time and the outcome is usually not good

Keep it in a warm, quiet, dark place. Squirrels that injured find a place to hide and will stay motionless until they either recover or die. If it survives for more than a few days, try putting something like a small amount of mashed avocado in it's mouth. It probably can't smell food with the blood in its nose, so hopefully if it's has something introduced into its mouth, it may start eating.

A hard blow to the head can detach retinas, so blindness is possible. It may regain partial sight as it heals, if it survives. My main computer is down until Tuesday. I'm writing from an old laptop that doesn't have my swipe file of squirrel info.

You can always reach me at SquirrelNutrition@Yahoo.com.

Bill

Reply
Julie
12/31/2017 09:59:47 am

Wonderfully informative! My children and I were just looking out the window at our backyard squirrels on this bitterly cold Massachusetts weekend, and the kids started asking questions about how the little animals stay warm. I googled the question and came upon this site and your video. Thank you for posting such great information!

Reply
William link
12/31/2017 03:40:51 pm

Hi, Julie!

Thanks for writing and liking my Blog and video!

I know all about Massachusetts winters! My wife and I were married in Greenfield, MA. and we own the small farm my wife's folks lived in in Old Deerfield, MA. I got my first degree in Nursing at Greenfield Community College in 1975.

We left Greenfield in 1975 to go to Columbia, Mo where I was accepted into a Physician's Assistant program at Stephens College.

We settled in my hometown in Ohio and raised our 4 kids here. My oldest two girls and a granddaughter are back in Springfield, MA. and my youngest daughter lives in Idaho. Our son is he only one who stuck around and lives in a small town about 5 miles from us.

Thanks again for writing@ If you or your kids ever have any questions about squirrels let me know!

Bill

Reply
Julie
12/31/2017 10:38:32 pm

Ah, so you remember the cold! It’s been brutal here the past week or so (we are in Dedham, right on the Boston line). My kiddos were very worried about the squirrels, but after reading your blog we did notice that they are definitely spending most of their time in the large nests up in the trees. It gave us comfort to know that they’re snuggling tight with their buddies!

Thanks again for running such a fantastic site. I plan to also share it with my fifth grade students!

Kathy
1/5/2018 02:08:10 pm

Hi Bill I was so curious about all the squirrels i feed peanuts to and how they survive cold windchills here in Canada so I watched your video. Thank you for sharing and for your care for these beautiful guys...i was wondering how you get them to come so close to you? Mine will come in my back door in the summer to the peanut pail and help themselves if the dish is empty but not as close as you get to yours...

Reply
William link
1/7/2018 04:08:47 pm

Hi, Kathy!
One thing that helps is to have hand raised a bunch of squirrels. When you release them, they usually stay relatively friendly with you, depending on their sex and personality. Females are usually the more friendly with people while males seem to be more aggressive and standoffish.

I did do a Blog about this subject also: http://www.squirrelnutrition.com/blog/january-17th-2015

Bill

Reply
Virginia
9/15/2018 11:36:30 am

Hi,
I was wondering if you could help with my squirrel situation. We have three squirrels living in our attic, a mother and her two young squirrels. We need to move them out of the attic. I would love them to live there throughout the winter but worry about the damage they are doing. It is suggested to trap them and move them up to 10 miles away. My concern about this is that we would be moving them far away from their back-up nest. How long does it take for a squirrel to build a new nest? It would also mean that we would be moving them away from all the food that they probably hid around our yard. We plan to cover up all their entry points so they could not get back to the attic.

Reply
Kim Morrison
10/12/2018 04:17:47 pm

I befriended a squirrel this summer and have been hand feeding him shelled peanuts. He's very respectful and responsive and I've been careful to only feed him when I'm outside, haven't just left peanuts lying around for him to assume there's a source without effort. I'm very happy to get this info from your blog, because I've seen him less since I've been around less during lit hours (time change and I work full time). So glad to know that this behaviour is normal and I didn't encourage anything abnormal :)

Reply
Sherry Jones
11/5/2018 02:07:01 pm

[unsubbed by mistake...just adding myself back in!]

i switched to unshelled peanuts this summer cuz oddly they were actually less expensive. but i'm wondering if i need to switch back to the usual shelled peanuts, since squirrels bury so many of them?

also are raw peanuts better to use, or just the regular, unsalted ones you'd find in the grocery stores? =^,,^=

Reply
Brandon
11/27/2018 06:09:31 pm

Thank you for putting up the site, information and stories you share. I found site by the big search engine asking do squirrels hibernate. I moved into an older heavily treed mobile home community with my travel trailer after buying a mobile home that needs some tlc in the park. I recoated the roof on my rv and watered the squirrel that seemed to be around in the afternoon. I found he or she responded better to water dripping off near branches or leafs instead of spraying the hose up and making it like rain in his / her area. The mobile home has an attic, actually it’s more of a insulated access space. Wiring and insulation above ceiling, joists and metal roof above that. So from ceiling to roof there’s probably 8 to 12 inch crawl space, plenty enough for a squirrel. We’ve recently had a few days of cold snaps down here in Texas. And I’m pretty sure it’s a squirrel that’s made it his winter shelter. I’ve found a hole at the front top that he probably makes it in and out of. With 7 foot ceilings he is easy to hear rustling around which is not that often. He was initially camped out above the living room / kitchen corridor. However one particularly cold morning and it was cold in the bathroom, I turned on the bathroom heater that’s in the ceiling while I used the bathroom. Heater brought nice warmth to the cold while on the toilet. After 5 minutes or so I heard rustling above me and heard him move. The heater box must have gotten warmer than he like I figured. The temps have been yo yoing lately so I’m guessing he is in and out. Seems like below 40 and he’s in. I hear him getting situated every once in awhile, usually in the morning or afternoon. His new spot is above living room not far from where front door is. He’s not a bad upstairs roomie to have at all. I’m hoping he’ll not get the wise idea to start chewing wires and get himself electrocuted. If he’ll stick to that I won’t start charging him rent. Hopefully he’s got it all warm, cozy and comfortable so that it’s a good place for him to crash out during winter.

Reply
William
12/21/2018 08:45:31 am

Hi William do you like to play with bushy

Reply
April
1/26/2019 12:14:20 am

Well! Willy Boy I have learned a lot here. Love my squirrely's too but they are so smart they have gone into my attic. I rent and they've affected the heat loss in my home nesting. So sadly I had to report to my mgmt. co....who now wants to trap/relocate them and from all the research I've done I now know they've no chance of surviving in mid-winter here in Minnesota. Any suggestions? I'd like to help save them if I can...please offer your best offers for them please. I do care...

Reply
Celine Tejeda
10/19/2019 02:32:06 am

We have a squirrel family living in our backyard, one of them is nursing. We want to know what’s best to feed the nursing mother. Also, what kind of house can we build them for the winter. We know it must be off of the ground, there are a lot of Opossums in the neighborhood and some stray cats too, we just want them safe

Reply
Katika link
9/12/2020 08:31:12 am

I admire squirrels so much. They are adorable and funny. They are fun to watch from our living room window. I love squirrels so much that one day I asked my mom if she could buy me a sweater with a squirrel on it from online. She couldn’t find one, but she did find me a sweater with a chipmunk on it. I also admire chipmunks an extremely whole lot. They are also adorable and funny. We don’t get any chipmunks in our area though, I wish that we had chipmunks in our area. I was happy with the my chipmunk sweater though. I wore it almost everyday to school and I also wore it whenever my mom and I went out to go grocery shopping or whenever we would go out for dinner.

Reply
Juan
2/2/2021 12:37:51 am

After rescuing a baby squirrel and trying to put it so that the mother would see it. She never came back. Started feeding it. Now it’s 10 months old. Will it ever survive on its own?

Reply
Texas Girls Instagram link
3/26/2021 05:58:30 am

Hi great readingg your blog

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    William Sells is a Registered Nurse turned Squirrel Rehabber and Nutritionist. His passion is raising healthy, disease free squirrels through feeding them the right way and the treatment of common squirrel diseases. He's always open to questions and comments regarding Squirrels and their care and feeding.

    Archives

    September 2022
    December 2019
    August 2019
    August 2018
    June 2018
    November 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    July 2016
    February 2016
    January 2015
    November 2014
    May 2014
    August 2013
    May 2013
    February 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.