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Where Do Squirrels Sleep At Night?

December 28, 2018 By David

During the day, you may see squirrels running just about everywhere. They run through yards, along power lines, and up trees. But, in the night, after they burn up all of that energy they need to catch some serious sleep.  It begs the question, “Where do squirrels sleep?”

Where a squirrel sleeps and lives depends on the type of squirrel, the time of year and the region of the country they live in.  In general, Gray and Red squirrels sleep in tree nests called dreys while ground squirrels sleep in underground burrows consisting of tunnels up to 30 feet in length.

Let’s take a look at some more details for the different types of squirrels and where they nap and snooze.

Ground Squirrels Sleep in Different Places Than Tree Squirrels

Most species of squirrels belong to one of two categories — tree squirrels and ground squirrels. The Eastern gray squirrel, red squirrel, and flying squirrel are tree squirrels. They sleep in nests or dens that they create or find in trees. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Squirrels!

Why Do Squirrels Chase Each Other? Are They Fighting?

December 28, 2018 By David

If you have looked out in the yard and seen squirrels chasing each other, they may not be fighting or playing. The chase may be part of the courtship process.

Squirrels chase each other for a variety of reasons. Young squirrels chase each other for fun while older squirrels chase each other to assert dominance in the mating process.  When a squirrel population gets too crowded then they will chase each other to protect the limited food supply. 

[Read more…]

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[WHAT?!] Do Squirrels Eat Bird Eggs and Baby Birds?

December 28, 2018 By David

Most people know that squirrels like to eat peanuts and acorns but what about bird eggs? Squirrels are omnivores, which means that they eat both plants and meat.

Squirrels will absolutely eat bird eggs and baby birds!  Squirrels are routinely seen raiding birds nests in trees and even stealing eggs from chicken coops.  Eggs are a natural part of a squirrel’s diet but squirrels have not been shown to significantly impact bird populations.

If you are worried about squirrels in your neighborhood dining on bird eggs, take a moment to learn more about the typical squirrel diet.

Squirrels Eat Eggs and Almost Anything Else

Squirrels naturally look for nuts and native plants to fill their bellies. However, squirrels eat almost anything. The foods that they tend to look for include acorns, tree bark, flowers, fruits, vegetables, insects, and various plants.

Read all about it here: What Do Squirrels Eat? Two Big Surprises!
[Read more…]

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Can Squirrels Swim? Why Would They and Where Are They Going?

December 28, 2018 By David

Squirrels are agile animals. They can easily scurry up a tree or fence. Flying squirrels can even leap great distances through the air.  While squirrels can perform many amazing feats their ability to swim is something that doesn’t get much publicity.

Squirrels are not great swimmers but can swim when needed.  Gray, Fox and Red squirrels can swim a doggy paddle stroke using their tails as a rudder.  Flying squirrels are much weaker swimmers as their gliding webbing is a hindrance in the water.

Squirrels Can Perform a Doggy Paddle

Similar to most land mammals, most squirrels can dog paddle through the water. Sometimes they use their tails to help steer.  While squirrels are not efficient swimmers you can often spot them swimming across lakes and other large bodies of water.


Performing the dog paddle requires a lot of energy to travel a short distance.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Squirrels!

Five Steps for the Ultimate Squirrel Proof Feeding Station for Cardinals

May 31, 2018 By David

Many a backyard birder has been driven batty in their attempt to keep squirrels out of their bird feeders.  I thought some folks might find it interesting to see the five step approach I use that is highly effective.

Ultimate Squirrel Proof Feeding Station

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Woodpeckers!

Seven Ways Squirrels Can Help You Increase Your Productivity

April 30, 2018 By David

Admittedly, watching squirrels is not something that is usually thought of when it comes to productivity. The thing is, though, that observing these entertaining little critters is a great way to learn more about how to make yourself more productive.

Don’t laugh – I’ve learned plenty from squirrels. If you are willing to take a few minutes to consider how they live, you can learn a lot.

Relaxed Squirrel

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Squirrels!

Squirrel Houses for Sale: Three Great Nests for Use as Dreys or Dens!

April 11, 2018 By David

I started looking at Squirrel Houses for Sale for my backyard friends and found three great options that I wanted to share with folks.  We do not make these at our wood shop yet but they are on our “to do” list 🙂

Squirrels Need Houses and Nesting Boxes

Squirrels are perfectly capable of building nests in trees so the idea of a putting up a house for them might seem silly.  It turns out that there are two very good reasons to put up a nest box for your backyard squirrels.

Putting up a nesting box for squirrels can help protect your house.

Squirrels breed and have litters twice per year.  One breeding season is in the early spring while the other is typically mid summer.  The open nests that squirrels live in for most of the year are exposed to predators and a mother squirrel will often tear her way into houses to find a more secure area to raise her babies.

By putting up a box that can be used as a squirrel den you can encourage Momma squirrels to stay outside instead of gnawing their way into your attic.

Squirrels will also try to invade your home in the late fall to early winter if they cannot find an enclosed cavity to protect themselves from cold, winter weather.  Your squirrels need a safe place to nest and sleep.

Putting up a nesting box for squirrels is FUN!

It is a blast to watch squirrels scurry around their new home and raise a litter of babies.  When you see the baby squirrel stick its head out of the nest box hole for the first time you will be hooked and want to put up more!

The youngsters will begin to chase each other as they develop their strength and coordination.  If you have a keen eye then you learn to tell the babies apart as they scamper and play.

Don’t miss this: Why Do Squirrels Chase Each Other? Are They Fighting?

Most Popular Nest Box: “Squirrel Condo” by Chuck-a-Nut.

Squirrel Condo

The Squirrel Condo is a simple cedar box with dimensions of 12 x 8 x 8 inches that has a three inch hole on the side for squirrel entry.

The box is highly functional and squirrels are quick to move in to their new home. This house is the most popular on Amazon because it has a cute name and is the lowest priced option. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Squirrels!

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