Family counseling 

Common squirrel - characteristic features of the common squirrel. Brief information about the common squirrel The value of the common squirrel in nature

All squirrels are quite dexterous and fast. Being a mammal and a rodent, it contains more than 45 species of similar animals from the whole variety of the squirrel family. This genus of squirrels lives in Russia, America (north and south), Europe and in the temperate latitudes of Asia.

The constitution and life of squirrels in different conditions

The common squirrel is medium in size, slightly squat and has a triangular body, slender and elongated. It has a well-developed musculature, akin to that of dogs of approximately the same constitution. The length of the tail, body and weight are the same for males and females. If we compare life expectancy in the wild and in captivity, then in the second case, the protein common lives longer: 10-12 years. Independent and free life in nature is short: 3-4 years.

The nature of the squirrel

Due to the fact that squirrels quickly find seeds and nuts, and even hide the finds, they are considered quite smart and quick-witted animals. They quickly learn to eat with human hand because they understand that a person can be a source of their food. However, she does not go into her arms; it is impossible to tame and cuddle her. They are aggressive among themselves. Often this results in a real quarrel and squabble. When living conditions change (from nature to captivity and vice versa), young individuals adapt faster than old ones.

The ratio of squirrels to children and pets

It is better not to leave small children alone with a squirrel, because when you try to grab them (and kids always want to do this), defending themselves, it can bite. However, if children are taught proper handling with this animal, then no problems arise: you can easily feed it with seeds or nuts from your hand. As practice shows, relationships with domestic cats and dogs are good for squirrels. However, when meeting with them, you need to carefully observe the behavior of animals, since a cat bite is fatal for a squirrel. It is hard for a squirrel to live with a poultry, it will want to catch it.

Regular protein diet

The common squirrel must have constant access to clean (boiled or filtered) water. It is better to give nuts and seeds with a shell, since she must clean it herself, only in this way the front teeth are ground down, which is necessary for this animal. In the diet of any protein should be: pine nuts, dried fruits, hazelnuts, dried mushrooms(but not champignons and oyster mushrooms), pumpkin seeds, apples and pears, raisins, apricots, dried apricots, dried carrots and zucchini, wheat, oats, spruce and pine cones along with seeds. It is enough to feed the squirrel twice a day: in the morning and in the evening.

The common squirrel is not listed in the Red Book, however, there are its relatives, for example, the flying squirrel.

Sciurus vulgaris

3,000 - 15,000 rubles

Squirrel ordinary, or veksha (Sciurus vulgaris)

Type - chordates
Class - mammals
Detachment - rodents
Family - squirrels

Genus - squirrels

IN colloquial speech And fiction often referred to as the "red squirrel", which leads to confusion, since in the United States and Canada the same term refers to the red squirrel - a member of the genus Tamiasciurus.

On the territory of Russia, the following subspecies of the common squirrel are common:

    northern european squirrel, S.v. varius Brisson, 1899. Light bluish-gray coloration with brown tail is common in winter. There are many red-tailed (up to 30%) and red-eared specimens. Spreading: Kola Peninsula, Karelia.

    Belka Formozova, S.v. formosovi Ognev, 1935. Pure gray winter fur, back with dark gray ripples. Browntails are common. Distribution: northeast of the European part of Russia south to Novgorod and Perm, Northern Dvina and Pechora basins.

    Central Russian squirrel, (veksha) S.v. ognevi Migulin, 1928. The color of the winter fur is from gray with an admixture of fawn tones ( firs) to ash gray ( pines); summer - from brown-brown to ocher-rusty. Redtail not less than 25-30%. Distribution: in the north - to Novgorod, in the west - to Pskov, Velikiye Luki, Torzhok, Vyazma and Kaluga, in the south - to Tula, Penza, Syzran, Yelabuga, in the east - along the river. Kama to Perm.

    Squirrel Fedyushina, S.v. fedjuschini Ognev, 1935. The fur is coarser than that of the Central Russian squirrel, the winter coloration is darker and more dirty brown. Distribution: northern Belarus and western regions Russia, north to Velikiye Luki, east to the line between Smolensk, Vyazma and Roslavl.

    Ukrainian squirrel, S.v. ukrainicus Migulin, 1928. It differs from the Central Russian squirrel in its larger size and the predominance of brown-rusty tones in winter fur. Redtail up to 70%. Distribution: northern Ukraine (Poltava and Kharkov regions) and adjacent regions of Russia (Smolensk and Voronezh regions).

    bashkir squirrel, S.v. bashkiricus Ognev, 1935. Winter fur is light, from fawn-gray to bluish-gray with gray ripples; summer - ocher-reddish-gray. Distribution: Orenburg region, Bashkiria, Middle and partly Northern Urals.

    Teleut squirrel, S.v. exalbidus Pallas, 1778. The largest subspecies with very dense fur. Winter fur is very light, silver-gray with grayish ripples; the tail is pale gray with an admixture of blackish and yellowish-rusty tones. Graytails predominate, browntails are absent. Distribution: ribbon pine forests along the Irtysh and Ob rivers north to Novosibirsk. Acclimatized in the Crimea and in the island forests of Northern Kazakhstan; published many times in pine forests Central Russia and Lithuania.

    West Siberian squirrel, S.v. martensi Matschie, 1901. Winter fur light fawn with slight grayish ripples. Browntails and blacktails predominate; redtail about 3%. Distribution: Central Siberia - from the lower and middle Ob region to the east to the Yenisei, to the south to Tomsk and Novosibirsk.

    Yenisei squirrel, S.v. jenisejensis Ognev, 1935. Coloration is very variable. In winter, bluish-ash-gray with small dark gray ripples prevails, the tail is reddish-rusty, with an admixture of black tones. Summer fur from reddish-buff to black-brown. Distribution: left bank of the Yenisei, approximately from the line Krasnoyarsk - Irkutsk to the north to the watershed of the Yenisei and Lena.

    Yakut squirrel, S.v. jacutensis Ognev, 1929. Winter fur is dyed in intense gray tones. Spreading: mountainous areas between the upper reaches of the Lena, Vitim and Aldan, the middle part of Yakutia, the basin of the upper and middle Anadyr. Apparently, this subspecies inhabited Kamchatka.

    Anadyr squirrel, S.v. anadyrensis Ognev, 1929. Differs from the Yakut squirrel in a greater admixture of a dull, brown-gray shade in the winter fur. Distribution: Anadyr Peninsula.

    Altai squirrel, S.v. altaicus Serebrennikov, 1928. Similar to the Yenisei squirrel, but brighter colored. In summer, black and black-brown individuals predominate. Distribution: mountains and foothills of Altai, Sayan and Tarbagatai. Acclimatized in the Caucasus.

    Kalbinskaya squirrel, S.v. kalblnensis Selevin, 1934. Similar to Teleduck, but somewhat darker in winter fur. The tail is bright red, rarely brown. Distribution: pine forests of the southern slope of the Kalbinsky Range (Altai).

    Transbaikal squirrel, S.v. fusconigricans Dvigubsky, 1804. Dark gray winter fur with gray-black ripples; in summer, black-backed or black-brown-backed animals predominate. Distribution: Transbaikalia, Northern Mongolia.

    Manchurian squirrel, S.v. mantchuricus Thomas, 1909. Similar in coloration to the Transbaikalian squirrel, but generally lighter. Most squirrels are blacktails and browntails. Distribution: southern Primorye, Khabarovsk region, as well as northeastern China; in the north it reaches 48-49 ° N. sh.

    Sakhalin squirrel, S.v. rupestris Thomas, 1907. Similar to the Manchurian squirrel, but smaller and with thicker fur. Blacktails predominate. Distribution: Sakhalin, Shantar Islands, Amurskaya Oblast, South part Khabarovsk Territory.

Appearance

This small animal typically squirrel-like, with elongated slim body and a fluffy tail with a “comb”. The length of her body is 19.5-28 cm, the tail is 13-19 cm (about 2/3 of the body length); weight 250-340 g. The head is rounded, with large black eyes. The ears are long, with tassels, especially pronounced in winter period. Sensitive vibrissae grow on the muzzle, front paws and belly. The hind limbs are noticeably longer than the forelimbs. Fingers with tenacious sharp claws. The hair on the sides of the tail reaches a length of 3-6 cm, which is why the tail has a flattened shape.

The squirrel's winter fur is high, soft and fluffy, while the summer fur is stiffer, sparse, and short. In terms of color variability, the squirrel holds one of the first places among the animals of the Palearctic. Its color changes seasonally, by subspecies, and even within the same population. In summer, red, brown or dark brown tones predominate in it; in winter - gray and black, sometimes with a brown tint. The belly is light or white. There are melanistic squirrels with completely black fur and albinos, as well as piebald squirrels, whose fur is covered with white spots. According to the winter coloration of the tail, squirrels are divided into "redtail", "browntail" and "blacktail". Greytail squirrels are found in the steppe forests of Western Siberia.

Proteins decrease in size from mountainous areas to plains, the dimensions of the skull are from south to north, and the coloration brightens towards the center of the range. The black and brown tones of winter fur in the Carpathian, Far Eastern and Manchurian subspecies are replaced by bluish and ash-gray, which are most pronounced in teleut squirrels. At the same time, the area of ​​the white field of the abdomen increases in the same direction and the percentage of red tails increases.

In general, squirrels inhabiting European part Russia and Western Siberia, in the summer fur red color prevails, and in animals from Eastern Siberia and the Far East - brown or almost black. In winter, gray and silvery tones with brown hues predominate in the coloration of the first squirrels, and the spine often remains red (hump-haired). In the latter, dark brown and dark gray tones predominate in winter coloration.

Habitat

The only representative of the genus of squirrels in the fauna of Russia.

The common squirrel is distributed in the boreal zone of Eurasia from the Atlantic coast to Kamchatka, Sakhalin and Japan (Hokkaido Island). Successfully acclimatized in the Crimea, the Caucasus and the Tien Shan. More than 40 subspecies of the common squirrel have been described, differing from each other in color features.

In nature

The squirrel is a typical forest dweller. Since the basis of its nutrition is the seeds of tree species, it prefers mixed coniferous-broad-leaved forests, which provide the best forage conditions. He also likes mature dark coniferous plantations - cedar forests, spruce forests, fir forests; they are followed by larch forests, thickets of elfin cedar and mixed pine forests. In the north, where mainly pine and larch woodlands grow, the density of its livestock is low. In the Crimea and the Caucasus, she mastered cultural landscapes: gardens and vineyards.

The lifestyle is predominantly arboreal. The squirrel is a living, moving animal. It easily jumps from tree to tree (3-4 m in a straight line and 10-15 m in a downward curve), "steering" with its tail. During the snowless period, as well as during the rut, it spends considerable time on the ground, where it moves in jumps up to 1 m long. In winter, it moves mainly “on top”. When threatened, it hides in trees, usually hiding in the crown. It is active in the morning and evening hours, spending 60% to 80% of this time in search of food. At the height of winter, it leaves the nest only for feeding, and in very coldy and hides in the nest in bad weather, falling into a half-drowsy state. Not territorial; individual areas are weakly expressed, overlapping.

Large migrations (migrations) of squirrels are mentioned in ancient Russian chronicles. Sometimes they are caused by drought and forest fires, but more often by crop failures of the main feed - seeds. coniferous trees and nuts. Migration occurs in late summer and early autumn. Most often, squirrels migrate not far - to another forest; but sometimes they make long and long migrations - up to 250-300 km. A nomadic squirrel moves along a wide front (sometimes 100-300 km) singly, without forming significant flocks and clusters, except at natural obstacles. During migrations, it enters the forest-tundra and tundra, appears in the steppe regions, swims across rivers and even sea ​​bays, penetrates the islands, crosses the bare peaks of the mountains, even enters settlements. At the same time, many animals drown, die from hunger, cold and predators.

In addition to mass migrations, the squirrel is characterized by seasonal migrations associated with the gradual maturation of food and the transition of young animals to an independent lifestyle. Young growth settles in August-September and in October-November, sometimes moving away by 70-350 km from nesting stations. With lack of food, seasonal migrations can turn into migrations. At the same time, part of the adults remains in place; they switch from their usual food to low-calorie foods with a high fiber content (buds, lichens, needles, bark of young shoots). It is due to this group that the local population is then restored.

The diet of the squirrel is very diverse and includes more than 130 types of feed, among which the bulk are the seeds of coniferous trees: spruce, pine, cedar, fir, larch. In the southern regions, where oak forests grow with hazel undergrowth, it feeds on acorns and hazelnuts. In addition, protein consumes mushrooms (especially deer truffle), buds and shoots of trees, berries, tubers and rhizomes, lichens, herbaceous plants. Their share in the diet increases markedly with a crop failure of the main feed. Very often, in starvation, the squirrel intensively eats the flower buds of spruce, causing damage to these plantations. During the breeding season, it does not disdain animal feed - insects and their larvae, eggs, chicks, small vertebrates. After wintering, the squirrel willingly gnaws the bones of dead animals, visits salt licks. The daily amount of food depends on the season: in spring, during the rut, the protein eats up to 80 g per day, in winter - only 35 g.

For the winter, the squirrel makes small stocks of acorns, nuts, cones, dragging them into hollows or burying them among the roots, and also dries mushrooms by hanging them on branches. True, she quickly forgets about her warehouses and finds them in the winter by accident, which is used by other animals - birds, small rodents, even Brown bear. At the same time, the squirrel itself uses the reserves of other animals (chipmunk, nutcracker, mice), which it easily finds even under a 1.5 m layer of snow.

reproduction

Squirrels are very prolific. In most of the range they bring 1-2 litters, in the southern regions - up to 3. The Yakut squirrel usually has only 1 brood per year. The breeding season, depending on the latitude of the area, feeding conditions and population density, begins in late January - early March and ends in July-August. During the rut, 3-6 males keep near the female, which demonstrate aggression towards competitors - they purr loudly, beat branches with their paws, and run after each other. After mating with the winner, the female builds a brood nest (sometimes 2-3); it is neater and larger.

Pregnancy lasts 35-38 days, in a litter from 3 to 10 cubs; less in the second litter. Newborn baby squirrels are naked and blind, weighing about 8 g. Their hairline appears on the 14th day, they begin to see clearly only on the 30th-32nd day. From this moment, they begin to leave the nest. Milk is fed up to 40-50 days. They leave their mother at the age of 8-10 weeks. Sexual maturity is reached at 9-12 months. Having grown the first litter, the female fattens a little and mates again. The interval between broods is about 13 weeks. In October-November, the squirrel population consists of young squirrels by 2/3, and sometimes by 75-80%.

In captivity, squirrels live up to 10-12 years, but in nature, a squirrel older than 4 years is already old. The share of such animals under the most favorable conditions does not exceed 10%. In areas with intensive squirrel hunting, the population is completely renewed in 3-4 years. The mortality of young animals is especially high - 75-85% of baby squirrels do not survive their first winter.

The enemies of the squirrel are owls, the goshawk, the pine marten in the European part of Russia, the sable in the Asian and the marten on Far East. On the ground they are caught by foxes and cats. However, predators do not have a significant impact on the state of populations. Feedlessness and epizootics have a much stronger effect on the number of squirrels. Epizootics usually occur in late autumn and are most developed in spring. Proteins die from coccidiosis, tularemia, hemorrhagic septicemia; they usually have worms, mites and fleas.

The squirrel molts 2 times a year, with the exception of the tail, which molts once a year. spring molt flows mainly in April-May, and autumn - from September to November. The timing of molting is highly dependent on food and meteorological conditions of this year. In good years, molting begins and ends earlier, in bad years it is delayed and stretched. The spring molt goes from the head to the root of the tail; autumn - in reverse order. Adult males begin to molt earlier than females and underyearlings. Molting in squirrels, like in all other mammals, is caused by a change in the length of daylight hours, which affects the activity of the pituitary gland. The thyroid-stimulating hormone secreted by the pituitary gland affects the activity of the thyroid gland, under the action of the hormone of which molting occurs.

Captive

Approximate dimensions: height 60 cm, length and width - 50 each. The frame must be metal, covered on all sides with a metal net with meshes of 10-15 mm2. A gable roof is made of tin over the cage. The attic serves as a resting place, where a round hole leads. When cleaning, the hole in the nest is covered with a flap so that the squirrel does not jump out of the cage.

Spacious and other favorable conditions for keeping squirrels are a guarantee that they will readily breed in captivity and will be able to bring quite viable offspring up to two times a year.

Squirrels usually have two litters a year.

For mating, you need to choose equally strong individuals who are accustomed to each other. Only one pair should be kept in the aviary, she needs to be provided with peace and privacy.

The rut period falls at the end of February, the beginning of March.

The duration of pregnancy is 32-34 days.

Newly born cubs are so small that you will not always be able to detect them yourself - they will give themselves away with a weak squeak and squeal. At this time, it is not recommended to often look into the house, so as not to disturb the mother squirrel.

Feeding

The squirrel can be safely attributed to "omnivorous" rodents, the main part of its diet is a nut mixture, which includes: hazelnuts (hazelnuts), pine nuts and walnuts, as well as a small amount of peanuts. Sunflower, pumpkin, watermelon and melon seeds are also an integral part of this mixture. All components of the mixture must be necessarily not fried, not salted, and the nuts are not peeled, but with a shell.

An exception may be Walnut, it can be slightly broken. If possible, spruce and pine cones should be given; in spring, squirrels are happy to eat buds and shoots of deciduous trees.

In nature, a squirrel is by no means a vegetarian; it also eats animal feed with pleasure: small birds, their eggs, various insects, small invertebrates. In captivity, animal food can be treated more humanely: let the squirrel quail eggs both raw and cooked. Include mealworms and ant eggs in your diet, dry beef and fish bones are a source of calcium and phosphorus.

From fruits, squirrels prefer apples, pears and bananas, vegetables are neglected.

In no case should you give almonds to squirrels - it acts on them like the strongest poison !!!

There should always be clean water in the location of the squirrel.

The drinker must be installed so that the animal does not turn it over while moving around the cage.

REMEMBER!!! Squirrels should not be pampered with food, they must be in constant arousal caused by the search for food, otherwise, squirrels often have a brain hemorrhage, from which they naturally die

Remember: proteins are very sweet and you can add various medicines to sweet solutions (for example, milk with honey), if necessary.

During pregnancy, as well as from the moment the babies appear, in addition to the usual food, milk and cottage cheese are included in the protein diet.

Be sure to monitor the freshness of these products, after eating, excess food should be removed.

As soon as the squirrels begin to show interest in the world around them through a hole in the house, and this will happen a month and a half after birth, they can be fed with their own hands. This activity will require a lot of patience from you, but the work will not be in vain, and you will get an ideally devoted friend who will relentlessly follow his master wherever he goes.

The best option for feeding young animals is the use of baby milk formulas such as Malysh, etc.

It is necessary to feed the squirrel with milk or milk mixtures until about 2 months of age, and then it is necessary to methodically transfer to real squirrel food.

From this time on, your pet is already becoming an adult and you need to feed it, as an adult animal should be.

redhead beauty squirrel- one of the most popular inhabitants of European forests and parks. This fluffy agile animal has long enjoyed the sympathy of man.

HABITAT

The common squirrel lives in temperate climate zone Asia and Europe. Its original habitat is coniferous forests. In Asia, squirrels are widely distributed in pine and larch massifs, and in Europe they also settle in mixed forests. Many squirrels have adapted to life in large urban gardens and parks, where people regularly feed them.

SECURITY

An ordinary squirrel is not only a beautiful, but also a useful animal: by arranging underground seed storage, it contributes to the spread of many plant species. Unfortunately, in some places squirrels harm forests by nibbling the bark from trees and branches. Most often, trees aged from 10 to 40 years are subjected to squirrel attacks, which is why in some countries foresters try to control the number of furry rodents. In France, the common squirrel is protected by law; to prevent its excessive reproduction, branches are regularly pruned in the forests big trees, they cut down part of the coniferous forest, where squirrels like to settle, and instead they plant deciduous trees. A serious threat to the common squirrel is the importation and resettlement of other types of squirrels in the territories they occupy. For example, in the UK the American gray squirrel drove out local squirrels from Wales and almost all of England. A similar phenomenon is observed in France, where the presence of an Asian squirrel from the genus Callosciurus. Overseas guests have perfectly settled down in a new place, multiply rapidly and displace local squirrels. In Russia, the common squirrel is commercially hunted for its beautiful fur.

LIFESTYLE

The common squirrel leads a solitary lifestyle. The size of the home plot (from 2 to 5 hectares) depends on the availability of food - the more food on it, the smaller the area occupied by the animal. The male's territory is usually larger than the female's. Each squirrel builds several dwellings in its lands. The squirrel's house, built of branches and leaves, is placed high in the crown of a tree, has the shape of a ball with a side entrance, and is lined with moss and dry blades of grass from the inside. Sometimes squirrels settle down to live in hollows. There are known cases of the construction of squirrel shelters in birdhouses and buildings. A self-respecting rodent has several nests in which it rests or hides from the cold and bad weather. The squirrel hibernates in the warmest and most comfortable nest. Males tolerate the presence of females in their areas and do not start fights when meeting with them. Squirrels spend a lot of time searching for food. In spring and summer they eat buds, thin twigs and bark of young trees; in summer they catch insects, feed on berries, mushrooms and cone seeds. With its strong teeth, the squirrel easily gnaws acorns and hazelnuts, and sometimes destroys bird nests, dragging eggs and chicks. The squirrel is an unsurpassed climber: sharp eyesight and excellent orientation in space allow it to easily jump from branch to branch and travel through the crowns of trees. The animal goes down the trunk head down, and runs along the ground with extraordinary agility. On his site, the squirrel arranges several underground pantries, where he hides stocks of cones, nuts and acorns for the winter. IN hibernation it does not run into and only in a strong blizzard or frost sits in a warm nest. Having many natural enemies, an ordinary squirrel is very sensitive, cautious and ready to take to its heels at any moment. Squirrels are preyed upon by martens and raptors, including owls and hawks. In addition, squirrels often become victims of domestic cats.

BREEDING

The breeding season for common squirrels begins in January. At this time, the female in estrus places odorous marks on her territory - invitations for gentlemen. Usually these messages are received by several addressees at once, and fights break out between males for the favor of a partner. Having won, the strongest male disperses his rivals and starts courting - relentlessly circling around the lady of the heart and headlong chasing her along the branches, announcing the forest with loud cries. In the end, the female succumbs to his pressure, and after spending two days in love pleasures, the partners part. After a pregnancy lasting 38-39 days, the female brings 3-5 naked and blind cubs. In the second week, they develop fur, which turns into a warm coat by 20 days of age. A month after birth, the squirrels begin to see clearly, and two weeks later they begin to take solid food.

At 2 months, milk feeding stops, and the grown juveniles leave the nest to acquire their own territory. In May, the female comes into heat again, and if fertilization occurs, in July she brings a second offspring, which by August has time to grow and get stronger. Juveniles of both broods start breeding next year. Ordinary squirrels live for about 12 years.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Taking hold of the cone, the squirrel breaks off the scales one by one and takes out the seeds hidden under them. Having obtained a nut, the animal holds it with its upper incisors, and the lower ones, moving like levers, crush the hard shell.
  • The common squirrel molts twice a year: in spring and autumn. The spring molt begins with the muzzle and moves towards the hind thighs, and during the autumn first sheds the hair at the base of the tail. The tail and ear tufts shed only once a year, begin to grow in the summer, and this process lasts until winter.
  • Possessing an extremely sharp sense of smell, the squirrel searches for a supply of seeds buried in the ground to a depth of 30 cm by smell. True, the animal forgets about many of its pantries, and in the spring the seeds germinate, giving rise to a young growth of trees.
  • The common squirrel has 22 teeth. The incisors are worn out when eating solid food, therefore, throughout the life of the animal.
  • Sometimes an ordinary squirrel settles in an abandoned crow's nest.
  • A constant temperature of about 20 ° C is kept in the squirrel's nest, even if it is not more than 0 ° C outside.

RELATED SPECIES

The squirrel family unites about 260 species of small and medium-sized animals, divided into two subfamilies. The first subfamily includes earth and tree squirrels, and the second includes flying squirrels. At ground squirrels the tail is shorter than that of trees, and the flying squirrels have a flying membrane that allows the animals to glide in the air. Representatives of the family inhabit all continents except Australia and Antarctica.

( Callosciurus rge vosti ) lives in Southeast Asia and on the islands of Indonesia. Leads mainly an arboreal lifestyle.

gray squirrel( Sciurus carolinensis ) common in the eastern part North America. At the end 19th century was brought to England, where it quickly replaced the local common squirrel.

The squirrel is a wild animal known to all of us since childhood.

This cute little one lives in Europe, America, in the north of Asia, in the Crimea and Transcaucasia. Prefers to live in the forests.

Their body is slender, the paws are elongated and, of course, a fluffy tail, the size of which is equal to the size of the body.

Body length from 20 to 40 cm (depending on the species). The animal weighs no more than a kilogram.

The ears are small with tassels at the end (the tassels are especially pronounced in winter, in summer they are almost invisible).

The tail has a responsible function, it is the steering wheel, so to speak. When jumping or falling, with the help of a tail, a squirrel can change direction. The animal can jump up to 4 meters. When jumping, the animal seems weightless, grace, and nothing more!Of course, it is great for climbing trees.

squirrel photo

At the squirrel sharp teeth, which quickly wear down, as they gnaw something all the time. But it does not matter, new teeth will grow quickly. Rodent teeth grow throughout their lives. Well developed. When in danger, it makes a piercing sound, warning other relatives of the danger.

Her fur coat is red in summer, and gray in winter, to a bluish tint. In summer, the coat is coarse and short, but in winter it is fluffy and soft. The Far Eastern and Carpathian squirrels have black or dark brown “clothes”. In such squirrels, molting does not occur. Animals live in hollows, where they arrange a cozy nest of branches, leaves and soft moss.

They eat plant foods (nuts, seeds, mushrooms and berries), but they will not refuse eggs, insects and frogs either. They love mushrooms and berries, one squirrel can collect 2 thousand eggs over the summer. mushrooms. Mushrooms puts on the branches of trees. Collecting nuts for the winter in reserve, the squirrel hides them in the ground, in hollows. He can forget about provisions in the ground, and then a tree grows. What are the benefits of forestry.

Winters are cold, so to keep warm, several squirrels sleep in one hollow. They close the entrance with moss, it turns out warm, and the temperature difference between the street and the house can be 40 degrees. In severe frosts, the animals do not leave their homes.

squirrels with squirrels photo

The female's pregnancy lasts about 5 weeks. Naked and blind squirrels are born into the world. Usually they are from 3 to 10 kids. They are cold all the time, my mother is forced to warm them. But you have to get food. Leaving the nest, the mother hides them in a soft bedding. At the age of two weeks they become covered with wool, at four weeks their eyes open.

squirrels photo

For six months, squirrels eat delicious mother's milk. At first, the babies sit quietly in the nest, they are afraid of heights. But already in two months they rush and jump on the branches of trees. At the same time, they begin an independent life. Twice a year the squirrel brings offspring - in April and June.

Squirrel is one of the most popular hunting objects. Especially considering that the world is inhabited by a number of varieties of these fur-bearing animals, which have been learned to be hunted everywhere. However, every hunter will say that a good knowledge of the habits of these animals is necessary for the success of his event.

Squirrel is a small animal of the class of mammals, a rodent. The common squirrel is also called veksha. In addition to it, there are other types of squirrels, for example, red, palm, flying squirrel.

On the territory of the European, Asian part of the world, including in our country, they hunt most often for an ordinary squirrel, so we will talk about it.

Appearance

The peculiarity of the animal is a large tail, which can be even longer than the body of the squirrel itself. In general, the body length is 20-30 cm, the weight of the animal is an average of 300 grams. The hind legs are noticeably shorter than the front.

The muzzle is extended forward, black shiny eyes. Squirrels are known for tassels on rather large erect ears.

In winter, the squirrel has fluffy thick fur of a grayish color. IN warm time the animal is covered with sparse and coarse hair of dark brown, orange, yellowish, red colors. The belly is usually lighter. Differences in the color of the main fur are associated with the habitats of the squirrels. Twice a year, in spring and autumn, the squirrel molts. The tail is shed only once a year.

The animal has good claws and strong teeth, which help in the extraction and chewing of food.

Where do squirrels live

The most suitable place for a squirrel to live is a forest, especially a deaf one, with tall trees, with hollows. What squirrels don't like is bright, straight sunlight and at the same time dampness. Therefore, they choose places where there is neither one nor the other. If there is a forest, then most likely there will be squirrels there, unless it is Australia. And so squirrels live throughout Europe, most of Asia: in Siberia, Altai and the Urals.

Squirrels like to build their nest in hollows of trees, but if the animal is not lucky enough to find such a place, it builds a nest open type. Usually in a fork between branches. The nest looks like a bird's nest, only covered with a flat roof from above to shelter the animals from snow and rain.

Hunters should be aware that the exit from the lair usually faces east and is slightly off center. However, near the trunk, the squirrel also makes an emergency move, suddenly an enemy tries to climb into the main hole. The bottom of the nest is often bonded with earth, clay - this is an inheritance from crows, whose nests squirrels often take as a basis. Inside, everything is lined with moss, it turns out soft and dry.

Squirrels feed mainly on plant foods. They eat:

  • tree buds;
  • shoots;
  • mushrooms - fresh and dried;
  • berries;
  • fruit;
  • seeds;
  • nuts;
  • acorns;
  • grains;
  • bark.

A favorite food is the seeds of coniferous trees, which squirrels skillfully extract from cones. They will not refuse the eggs of a bird, and if there are chicks in the nest, they will also go to food. In the spring, when the seeds germinate, there is not enough food for the squirrels and they can eat insects, frogs, and small birds.

Interestingly, proteins cannot digest fiber. In general, their diet is quite rich in fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

Many interesting habits of squirrels are related to nutrition. Since childhood, we have all heard that animals can make stocks of mushrooms and nuts. And indeed it is. Squirrel mushrooms eat both fresh and dried. He drags off excess mushrooms, clings to branches in the hope of using them later. In addition, they are especially active in hiding various nuts, as well as fruits and seeds. On the ground, in hollows, stumps, between stones, old nests and various other secluded places. Moreover, it cannot be said that the squirrel has a directly human memory. Rather, it is an instinct to hide and seek. Therefore, she does not find everything that she hid, and she can also find and use the supplies of her neighbors.

Another sign associated with the nutrition of squirrels: in winter they look for food on trees, get cones, peel and get seeds. Broken branches, parts of cones on the snow - evidence that the squirrel made its way along the top. And perhaps somewhere here and is. In the spring, squirrels have to go down in search of food. With a lack of food, animals can roam from place to place, sometimes their transitions exceed 300 km, but in favorable conditions they live settled. During migrations, they move not en masse, but one by one, but in a wide line.

In the warm season, in the morning, the squirrel leaves its shelter and goes to feed. Moreover, it is known that a strong wind awakens the animals earlier, at dawn. And in calm weather, squirrels can sleep longer. This information will also help hunters.

Squirrels quickly get used to taking food from a person and cease to be afraid of him.

Squirrel habits

By the nature of the squirrel, despite the cute appearance, moderately aggressive and suspicious animals. However, they are quite smart and cunning.

A hunter who is learning to read the tracks of animals needs to know about squirrels that squirrels follow old tracks, forming real paths. The path leads from the tree where the animal left the lair to the feeding grounds. The further the winter, the longer the transitions of squirrels in search of food. It is noteworthy that a hungry squirrel, going in the morning for fattening, makes long jumps, placing its hind legs side by side. A narrow trail is formed. The squirrel that has eaten is heavier, lazier, does not jump so far, and puts its paws farther apart. So in the footsteps you can understand where the squirrel went - to feed or to rest.

In general, squirrels have many interesting habits. For example:

  • After the morning feeding, the animals return to their shelters and sleep, hiding from sun rays. They are good swimmers but will do their best to stay out of the water because they don't like dampness. It is hardly possible to see a squirrel voluntarily caught in the rain. In addition, they are afraid strong wind and especially snowstorms;
  • In case of a possible danger, the squirrel stands on its hind legs, looking around the surroundings in order to detect the enemy. In parallel, she can make shrill sounds to warn her comrades;
  • It is not for nothing that the squirrel prefers nuts to other foods. They contain quite a lot of nutrients, and the anatomical structure of the jaws contributes to the extraction of nucleoli. The lower jaw of the animal is divided into two parts, between which there is an elastic muscle. The squirrel pierces the place where the nut is attached to the branch with its lower incisors and brings the parts of the jaw together, causing the teeth to diverge and, like a wedge, divide the shell into two parts.

reproduction

The female usually brings cubs twice a year. First mating season occurs in February-March, the second occurs in the summer. At this time, up to a dozen males gather around the squirrels, who sort things out with the help of teeth and claws. After mating, the babies appear a little later than a month later.

Males do not take care of offspring, and females are very caring mothers. They can bring from two to twelve babies. Baby squirrels are born blind and naked. If the mother leaves the nest, she covers the children with moss.

After about two weeks, the hair grows, later the eyes open, the teeth grow. The babies begin to look out of the nest, they are very curious and may suffer because of this - fall out of the den, become prey to predators. Grown up squirrels themselves often get out of the nest down the trunk, making sounds like a clatter. At forty days, the young can already look for food on their own, moving from mother's milk to the usual diet for an adult squirrel.

When the second, summer brood grows up, the parents unite the whole family and settle in one part of the forest. Puberty young growth occurs at 5 months. In captivity, a squirrel can live up to 15 years, but in natural conditions this figure is less.

In our online store you can, in the catalog there are many high-quality and detailed photographs of stuffed animals from different angles, in order to the best way you could appreciate the finished product.