Squirrels at the Feeder

Chipmunks are the smallest members of the Sciuridae family and there are 25 different species of this cute animal.  Chipmunks have much in common with their slightly larger cousins, Ground Squirrels and Tree Squirrels, but their smaller size makes them quite different in many aspects of their lives.

One difference between the different members of the Sciuridae family is lifespan.  Some species of Tree Squirrels have been reported to live up to 18 years (see How Long Do Squirrels Live for more information).  But what about the small guys?  How long do chipmunks live?

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Chipmunks, like other animals, can be carriers of pests and diseases. Some of these are common, such as lice and mites. Other may be more dangerous. But before we get to that, let’s take a look at the matter at hand: Do chipmunks carry rabies? Are there any other diseases carried by chipmunks?

Let’s find out!

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The chipmunk is among the few rodents in the world whose presence is largely limited to North America (Except for the Siberian chipmunk). Of course, this does not make them any less diverse amongst their other rodent friends. As I have mentioned in my earlier articles, you’ll find 25 different species of chipmunks in North America.

These members of the chipmunk family can be distinguished from each other in several ways. One of these is their breeding cycles, which is precisely the reason for this article!.

One of the questions people often ask about these animals is, “When do chipmunks have babies?”   I will give you the best response that I can but there is no one single answer to this question.  The breeding cycle of chipmunks varies according to the type of species you are dealing with. Some chipmunks will only have one breeding cycle a year, while others will have two. And, regardless of whether the species has one or two breeding seasons per year, there is still tremendous variability between them based on numerous environmental conditions.

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If you haven’t noticed it before, chipmunks tend to disappear as the temperatures drop, and we enter into the cold months. They then resurface during March or April when it is spring again. If a particular animal disappears for the winter then you might think that it is hibernating. But what about these guys…Do chipmunks hibernate?

Chipmunks are not true hibernators but they do enter states of torpor.  Chipmunks retreat to their burrows and enter a hibernation type state but wake up every few days to eat and defecate. So, instead of hibernating, you can term chipmunks as ‘light sleepers’.

Of course, this brings up another question: How do chipmunks survive in winter?  Surprisingly enough, chipmunks will use a variety of survival tactics to make it through the cold months. Let’s take a look at what these are and how they help chipmunks survive in the winter.

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If you ever find yourself in Japan and you want to have a little squirrely fun, then head out to the woods and see if you can spot the flying squirrels!  It turns out that Japan has two types of flying squirrels, the Dwarf and the Giant, and I think they both are pretty interesting.

Let’s take a look at some facts about Japanese Flying Squirrels and see what makes them special.

Japanese Dwarf Flying Squirrel Facts (Pteromys momonga)

Let’s get the obvious stuff out of the way….These things are cute as heck!

The Japanese Dwarf is found in the forests of Honshu and Kyushu islands in Japan.  These animals grow to a length of about 8 inches and a weight of 150-220 grams (less than half a pound). [Read more…]

I have been interested in flying squirrels ever since watching the Rocky and Bullwinkle show as a kid.  I did a little research and discovered  that there are 43 species of flying squirrels in the world. Most of these can be found in Asia, and only two (Northern and Southern) are native to the United States of America.

Flying squirrels are fascinating creatures and are distinct from their non-flying family members in several ways.  Let’s take a look at some interesting facts about flying squirrels!

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Sugar Gliders and Flying Squirrels are both cute little animals that are popular pets.  Sugar gliders looks remarkably similar to the flying squirrels found in the US but in reality, these two animals are extremely different.  Let’s take a quick look at the differences between these two species.

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When I first started writing these squirrel articles I kept getting confused when I was reading about red squirrels.  I was seeing contradictory information about these things and was having a hard time understanding why some people are highly passionate about them.

And then I figured it out.

It turns out that there are three different types of squirrels that are commonly referred to as “Red Squirrels” and there are significant differences between them. [Read more…]