When the cold weather comes around, they stay indoors and feed on the stored-up food during the warm weather. Squirrels understand this and that is why during the summer and fall, they start building up their stores of food. Staying in a warm environment is one of the several methods available to avoid being exposed to freezing temperatures. Gray squirrels are fond of doing this as it helps generate heat. How Do Squirrels Survive Cold Weather?įor squirrels, surviving the cold weather is a matter of deploying the following tactics: Shiveringįor humans, shivering might be an indication of the cold, but for squirrels, it is a method of warding off the cold. As a result, these long-forgotten fruits and seeds dry up, enter the soil, and germinate into new plants. However, not all these storage locations will be remembered by the squirrels in future. Therefore, to survive, they store up food in a shallow hole around or within their dens. Squirrels will spend more time in their dreys rather than out of it. The reason for the hoarding is because movement during the winter will be restricted. Prior to the winter season, squirrels start to hoard up food. The added weight helps their body produce more heat thereby keeping them warm. Here, the squirrels maximize food consumption to gain body mass. The same way humans put on more layers to keep warm during winter is the same way squirrels’ “layer” by fattening up. To prepare for the winter season, squirrels do the following two (2) things: Layering They also enter a state of hibernation for as long as five or six months, only waking up occasionally to forage for food before going back to sleep. For one, they live and sleep in burrows dug into the ground. However, for ground squirrels, their winter night sleeping habits differ. During the winter, the squirrels will gather up in great numbers in nests to keep warm alongside the pieces of pinecone they have stored. Pine cones are known to be the favorite food of this specie of squirrels, and they accumulate them in great numbers wherever they reside. If you want to know whether your home serves as an abode for red squirrels, simply look out for the remains of pine cones. You are most likely to see the nest built between the branches of a tall tree or in the attic of a house. The drey is made up of sticks and twigs and then lined up with grass, leaves, bark and moss. The red, fox, and gray squirrels during the winter sleep in their nest which is called a “drey”. Where Do Squirrels Sleep at Night in The Winter? This is why you rarely see squirrels in winter causing many people to assume that all squirrels hibernate. They huddle in tight groups to keep each other warm. They may venture outside during warmer days or mild winters but otherwise prefer to stay inside. Squirrels stay in their nests for most of the day during winter and sleep for 18-20 hours. The squirrel will use the extra material for the dray during winter and can nest up to 30 feet high in the tree. These also build dreys which are sturdy nests made from tree branches and twigs, similar to the typical bird nest. These species make dens in tree trunks to hide from the cold weather. They maintain roughly the same body temperature throughout the year. Some species such as the Richardson’s ground squirrel (native to Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Southern Alberta) can hibernate for up to nine months.įlying squirrels and tree squirrels do not hibernate. They may wake up a few times during this period to forage especially if they have stashed away plenty of food. Ground squirrels hibernate for the winter. They prefer to burrow on the sloped ground to prevent their enclave from flooding and under rocks or logs to protect them from predators. Ground squirrels dig burrows in the ground where they bunker-in for the season. There is a lot of debate on whether or not squirrels hibernate but most experts agree only some species of squirrels hibernate. Where the squirrels go exactly depends on the species. They bulk up significantly and this process helps with sustenance and to keep them warm. The critter may eat up to its own body weight in food in a week in preparation for the cold months ahead. The squirrels also begin to feed aggressively as winter approaches to store body fat.
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