the essentials in brief
- squirrel hold none Hibernation, but reduce their activities in order to use as little energy as possible
- In winter, squirrels go looking for food about every two days
- In the fall, squirrels collect supplies and dig them in for the winter
- If you want to help squirrels survive, you can offer them food in winter
Do squirrels hibernate?
Winter is often a challenge for squirrels. The animals prepare for the cold season during the summer and autumn months. Despite good precautions, their survival is not always guaranteed. They have to leave their kobel about every two days to eat and to defecate.
also read
- Feeding Squirrels - All You Need To Know
- Why, when and how do hedgehogs hibernate?
- Squirrel Kobel in the garden - tips and interesting facts
How squirrels survive winter:
- Body temperature in winter: 37 degrees Celsius
- thick winter fur protects against frostbite
- curl up so that the body is covered by the tail
- waterproof Kobel is insulated with moss, leaves and feathers
Squirrels only sleep for a day or two, then they have to eat
Rigid hibernation, hibernation or hibernation?
Behind the Numbness hides the automated shutdown of metabolic processes. This is caused by the drop in temperatures in winter and occurs in cold-blooded animals such as fish and reptiles. These organisms adapt their body temperature to the temperature in their environment. In winter, this causes the body temperature to drop and the animals freeze.
Some creatures of the same temperature such as bats, hedgehogs and marmots go into hibernation. They also slow down their metabolic processes. The body temperature drops and the heartbeat and breathing also become slower. It can happen that the animals wake up briefly in winter. However, they do not consume food during hibernation.
Squirrels are also active during the winter months. However, they keep their activity to a minimum so that they don't waste too much energy. This hibernation is a form of hibernation that is interrupted by short periods of wakefulness. The metabolism is reduced during these periods of rest, but the body temperature is maintained. This leads to an increased energy requirement, so that the rodents have to eat food in winter.
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When do squirrels hibernate?
When the animals go into hibernation depends on the weather conditions. When frosty temperatures and snowfall occur as early as November, the animals retreat to their sleeping nests. This can shift to December or not happen at all. In the mild winter months, when the ground is neither frozen nor covered by a blanket of snow, the animals do not have to reduce their activity. The hibernation lasts until February in severe winters. Usually the first mating activities can be seen as early as January.
Food in winter
In autumn, squirrels build up their supplies for the winter. If they cannot find enough food, the animals can starve to death in the harsh winter months. The burying of supplies is predominantly observed in squirrels living in Central European deciduous and mixed forests. Squirrels in boreal coniferous forests do not show this behavior, because there are enough pine and spruce cones available for the animals to feed on.
Create hiding places
In Central Europe, the rodents hide their collected supplies in the ground. Often times they choose a place near by Tree rootsto find him better in winter. Sometimes they also use cracks in bark or forks as a pantry. In contrast, food is never stored in the Kobel. The sense of smell plays an important role in finding hiding places. However, it often happens that the squirrels do not find all the hiding places. The seeds germinate in the coming spring.
This is how squirrels bury their food:
- Paw hole
- Put nuts and seeds in it
- Cover the supply with soil
- press with paws and snout
Squirrels bury their food
Food spectrum
Squirrels are omnivores that do not specialize in any particular food. They eat both vegetable and animal food. If they cannot find their hiding place again in winter and no other cones can be found, they eat the shoots and buds of trees or mushrooms. Squirrels can digest many mushrooms that are poisonous to humans.
Digression
Dentition and food intake
Nuts are opened within a few seconds by the rodents drilling a hole in the shell with their lower incisors. As soon as this is big enough, they set the lower incisors like a lever and blast off a piece of the shell. This behavior is not innate, so young animals must first learn to crack nuts.
This is how you can protect squirrels
Great fun watching squirrels in the garden. You can offer the animals a place to sleep and raise their young and set up a feeding station. The more dwellings the animals find, the more comfortable they feel.
| Kobel | Feeding place | |
|---|---|---|
| height | at least five meters | two to three meters |
| function | Protection from enemies, rest | convenient cleaning |
| suitable locations | higher Tree trunk, Branch fork | Balcony, hedges, tree roots |
| Alignment | Escape hole points to the trunk | Food platform with a clear view |
Build Kobel
If you want to specifically offer the animals a place to sleep, you can build a goblin yourself. It is important that the dwelling is made of untreated and robust wood. Natural Glazes(€ 65.00 at Amazon *) protect the wood from the weather and make it more durable. A Kobel must be waterproof and offer protection from wind and cold. Nevertheless, the material must be able to breathe so that moisture that has penetrated can escape again and does not go moldy.
To feed
Squirrels can be with nuts in the winter
Squirrels like to accept feed mixes that are actually intended for birds. So that there is no competition, you can support the animals with a varied range of food. Acorns, Beechnuts, Sunflower and pumpkin seeds are gladly accepted. Raisins and other dried fruits or carrots and corn are not spurned.
You should not offer fresh fruits and vegetables in winter, as the food can overwhelm the digestive tract. Avoid salted or spiced nut and dried fruit mixtures, because these are not tolerated. Peanuts are also unsuitable because of their ingredients.
Tips
Always put food in the same place under a tree, or offer nuts and fruits in food boxes. A plate in front of the window is also suitable as a dining table.
Why feeding makes sense
If agriculture is intensified and private gardens are tidied up, the food supply for rodents is drastically reduced. Due to the lack of habitats, the animals are pushed into urban areas, but here too there is a lack of food. It therefore makes sense to support the animals with food.
Per winter feeding:
- December January: high snow cover and frost prevent access to hiding places
- January February: high energy requirements of pregnant females
- March April: first young animals are in search of food
water
The rodents also have to ingest water in winter, but this is difficult to manage in asphalt urban areas. Therefore place a bowl filled with water next to the food so that the animals do not die of thirst on dry and sunny winter days. The container should be cleaned daily, otherwise bacteria and viruses will spread quickly.
Secure possible sources of danger! Rain barrels(€ 3.68 at Amazon *) often pose a deadly trap and should be covered.
The squirrel year
Squirrels live in the canopy and are diurnal. They build several goblins, which they use to rest and sleep, as a refuge and nest for raising young. The squirrel year begins in January or February, when the males make their first attempts to get closer and look for females willing to mate.
The young are born early in the year after a gestation period of 38 days. The mother sometimes nurses her offspring until they are eight weeks old. Then the animals have to take care of themselves, because squirrels are loners. In rare cases, social behavior can be observed. When winter is just around the corner, the animals retreat to their protected and warm kobels.
Design the garden close to nature
If you have the opportunity, consider leaving some areas of the garden to nature. In this way, wild corners can develop and diverse habitats can be created in which squirrels feel comfortable. They need old trees and densely branched hedges that provide nest building material and food.
Tips
Squirrels like to snack on berry bushes or strawberry plants.
| Resting phase | Activity phase | |
|---|---|---|
| vegetation | Hazel and walnut trees | Fruit trees, berry bushes, wild fruit hedges |
| Dwellings | Sleeping area | Feeding station, drinking trough |
| miscellaneous | Woody and Lawn care fail | Provide moss, leaves and pieces of bark |
frequently asked Questions
Do squirrels hibernate?
Squirrels are warm animals that do not hibernate. Only in the severe winter months do they reduce their activity and go into hibernation. The body temperature is not lowered here.
Where do squirrels hibernate?
The rodents use nests as a retreat. These pebbles are built watertight and equipped with warming insulation. They are high up in the treetops and offer safe protection from predators.
Why don't squirrels hibernate?
The animals cannot shut down their metabolism so much that the body goes into hibernation. Squirrels need to eat even in winter because maintaining their body temperature requires energy.
How long do squirrels hibernate?
The duration of the hibernation depends on the weather. If the first frosts and snowfall appear from November onwards, squirrels will retreat. As soon as the temperatures rise again and the snow melts, the rodents are active again.
