Squirrel Facts 2

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These little furry critters may be your friend or your foe, but after reading these fascinating facts about squirrels, you will have to admit they are very interesting!

 

1. Did you know that there are more than 365 species of squirrels in the world?

 

2. 40% of all the mammals in the world are in the squirrel family.

 

3. The smallest squirrel is the African Pygmy. They are 5 inches long from their heads to the tip of their tails. They are found in Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon.

 

4. The largest squirrel is the Ratufa. It can be as long as 3 feet in length. This beauty is found in Asia and Nepal.

 

5. Squirrels have been known to live as long as 20 years in captivity. Our Common Gray squirrel lives an average of 5 years in the wild, if they are lucky enough to survive their first year.

 

6. The squirrel has a brain about the size of a walnut.

7. Squirrels can run as fast as 20 miles per hour.

 

8. The oldest known squirrel skeleton is over 50 million years old.

 

9. Lafayette Park in Washington, DC has the largest concentration of squirrels in the United States.

 

 

10. President Ronald Reagan loved the squirrels at the White House so much that he commissioned an artist to paint a squirrel running across the White House lawn for the Presidential Christmas Card.

11. If a squirrel's nest is high in a tree, it is called a drey. A squirrel's nest in a hollow tree is called a den.

 

 

As you can see, these little creatures have been a part of our world for a long time and being the adaptable animals they are, will surely survive well into the future. So, we must learn to live with them, laugh at them and love them for what they are!

 

My Husband and I feed the Squirrels whole peanuts on our high deck. WE enjoy watching them and so do our two cats. When they run out of peanuts they will line up and stand up to the sliding glass door till we notice them. We also have a black squirrel we hand feed and just learned about peanuts. They don't bother our feeders since we feed them.
Beverly Smith

Posted by Beverly Smith on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 02:33 PM

Years ago my husband cut down a tree and discovered a squirrel's next in it. We took two of the babies and put them in a hat box in our bathroom where it was kept warm. When they got older they ran around the house but never made a mess except in their box. Audobon told us not to keep them more than three months in captivity. It was fun.

Posted by Helen Holden on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 10:12 AM

Last summer I encountered a far more destructive critter than the usual squirrels. Racoons literally tore apart almost every feeder I had. Any suggestions on how to discourage racoons??

Posted by srej@bis.midco.net on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 11:21 AM

I had a healthy hairless ground squirrel that would gather the seed that fell from my tree hung feeders. It was hard not to love a naked squirrel with only a few hairs on his tail.

Posted by Jean Reinys on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 11:33 AM

Yes they are both entertaining and destructive- We feed them along with the birds. Now, tell us how to flumox the racoons and the deer that stand and bump the feeders til they fall. Deer stamped a wire peanut feeder flat! luckily, we were able to sort of round it back out!

Posted by Ann Cole on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 03:51 PM

My Father & I built squirrel houses and feeders. We both love to watch them. I found that one house is no good. They all want to own it and fight like crazy to be the one in it. So with that we are planning on building 4 more houses for each of us and 2 more feeders. We enjoy the circus in our yards.

Posted by Nancy on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 04:26 PM

I live in the country so I have the fox squirrel not the gray. They are just as fun to watch and they always chase each other around the woods. We have built a house for one and the other invaded my owl house. Oh well it's okay with me because I enjoy them.

Posted by Michelle on Thursday, January 10, 2008 06:02 AM

We have been fortunate to attract flying squirrels, built several special squirrel and coon proof feeders,both on our deck and hanging ones, and enjoy these creatures very much. They consume pecans, raw nuts, peanuts and sun flower seeds.

Posted by Terry McFarlane on Thursday, January 10, 2008 11:44 PM

terry mcflane is a gay name she is a bitch white pussie

Posted by gregory on Thursday, January 24, 2008 08:49 PM

jean rheinys is a bitch u orangorrilla

Posted by gregory on Thursday, January 24, 2008 08:51 PM

gregorii is out of line, and Duncraft should boot him and his squirrel brain off of this site.

Posted by Terry McFarlane on Friday, January 25, 2008 05:30 PM

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