When do Squirrels have babies ?

When is squirrel mating season ?

The five most common squirrel species in America are the Eastern gray, the American red, the Fox squirrel, Northern flying, Southern flying, and Ground squirrel. You can identify each by sight, and they each have slightly different mating habits, and squirrel nest.

Eastern gray squirrels are gray or silver with a white belly. They are about 18-20 inches long, including their tail. Some are all white (albino) and others are all black. They are common in the Eastern United States, meaning east of the Mississippi River. They like to live in nut-bearing trees and will build their nests out of sticks and other materials on tree branches or in hollowed cavities of tree trunks. . Eastern gray squirrels commonly breed in late winter or early spring, and then again in the middle of summer.

American red squirrels can be found all over the United States. They are smaller than gray squirrels, about 9-10 inches long, with reddish-brown fur and a white underbelly. They grow tufts of fur on their ears in the winter and like to make their nests in conifer (evergreen) trees rather than leafy deciduous trees. They mate twice per year in late winter and mid-summer. The male who mates with her will do so multiple times in a row to ensure that she becomes pregnant on that one day.

Fox squirrels are very similar to Gray squirrels but have spread from the eastern to central states. The difference in appearance is that Fox squirrels have reddish-gray fur with orange-tinted bellies. They mate most often in January and only bear one litter per year.

Flying squirrels are nocturnal while others are active during the day. They are 8-10 inches long, the same size as Red squirrels, and have grayish-brown fur with white undersides. You can tell if you have Flying squirrels by tapping on the trunks of your trees with a stick. The sleeping fliers will poke their heads out of the nests to see what all the racket is about and to determine if they need to escape to a safer location. Southern flying squirrels breed in late winter or early spring and then again during the summer months. Squirrels of the Northern variety only breed during the first period.

Ground squirrels This family of species includes marmots, prairie dogs, groundhogs, and chipmunks. They burrow in hidden holes in the ground and live in a broader community than other species. Squirrels that often rise up on their hind legs are most likely ground squirrels. They breed in the early spring.

Males (boars) and females (sows) look almost identical, with the only visible differences being in their reproductive organs. During the breeding season, these differences become quite obvious as increasing testosterone levels cause the male parts to swell. At other times of the year, the sexes can only be distinguished at close range.

Although both sexes have multiple partners, the first male to mate with a female is usually the one to sire the babies. This occurs because males can insert a waxy plug into females, creating a barrier to other males' sperm. Females can remove this plug, however, if they wish. Interestingly, genetic tests have shown that most babies in an area all share the same father, even when their mothers have mated with multiple males.

Squirrel Gestation Period

Larger tree and flying squirrels (like fox and gray squirrels) usually have gestation periods of anywhere between 38 and 46 days, while smaller species often gestate for less than 38 days. Tropical and African species of squirrel have been known to gestate up to 65 days. In turn, ground squirrels usually gestate between 29 and 31 days.

Litter Size Varies

Female squirrels birth between one and five babies at a time, though some reports have noted up to nine young squirrels in a single litter. Birthing takes place in the female's nest, which has usually been nestled into a tree or burrow, depending on the species. Newborn squirrels are hairless, helpless with eyes closed and ear flaps folded toward the skull. They will nurse for up to nine weeks.