There are more than 240 species of squirrels on the planet, there are many kinds, sizes, colors and behaviors, since not all of them are wild and there are some that can be tamed to have at home as pets under certain conditions. Discover the types of squirrels best known! Just here.
Squirrel Characteristics
La Chipmunk It is a very curious and tender rodent, which originally corresponds to being a wild animal, however there are also some types of squirrels that can be adopted as a pet, it is even proven that most of them are better for the longevity of the animal, since it has an average lifespan of approximately 3 years, but can reach 9 years of life in captivity and being raised as pets.
They are very small animals with a height that is between 15 and 45 centimeters and their weight ranges between 260 and 340 kilograms, they can be found in all parts of the world, in the different forests, abundant with vegetation and animal life. Each part of his body is highly developed, such as his sharp nails that help him climb to great heights, or his teeth, which never stop growing because of the hard materials they bite.
Their tail is a very important aspect of their physical structure, since it allows them to keep their balance when moving at great heights. The cheeks of these animals are a primary mechanism that allows them to store food and save it for the future, those who use them the most are those that are in cold habitats and need to protect food for the hibernation season.
On the other hand, you have to know that this animal has naturally wild instincts, although that does not mean that it is aggressive, but rather that it is easier for it to get used to the wild lifestyle and not to the domestic one. They are very observant species, in addition to the fact that they like to explore everything around them, they sleep a good number of hours a day, but when they are awake their activity is constant.
They are not creatures that can be kept locked up, they have a free spirit that wants to go out to discover, explore and investigate, which is why they do not deserve to be caged at all times, in this way they will only feel bad emotionally, being an aspect that will influence on your health and quality of life.
Conditions to adopt a Squirrel
To keep a squirrel, some specific conditions are necessary that allow the animal to have a healthy and calm life, they are not like some rodents that are still all day and they need a more spacious place than most pet rodents, that is why that having a large piece of land is the first aspect to consider.
These species are extremely susceptible to any treatment that is given to them, not only sentimentally, but also because of their small and delicate physical structure that we could hurt with any bad movement. Time and patience are two very important elements that a squirrel owner must have, since training and maintaining the animal will not be easy tasks, but it may be completely worth it.
It is not at all recommended that these species coexist with children or older adults, on the one hand because, as we have already said, they are very susceptible and if they are disturbed too much, they are very likely to adopt defensive measures, harming anyone who tries to approach them. they.
One of the main recommendations is that the animal be adopted from when it is small, in this way the training will be made simple and there are more possibilities for the squirrel to acquire a more docile attitude, otherwise if you want to obtain a large and adapted to wildlife, there will be little chance that the animal will feel happy and content in a home.
After a long training there will be no problem letting it go out into the house to search, discover, isolation is not healthy and not a valid option either, don't worry about the animal getting lost, squirrels are very intelligent and will know how to return to their home. space when they want it, but if you have to be very careful when moving.
All types of squirrels they can emit different sounds with the intention of communicating and transmitting some type of information, both with other species and with their guardians, that is why it is important that each owner and caretaker of these animals learn to identify the different sounds that squirrels emit, to be able to know what they are trying to convey and with that, to be able to solve any need they have.
They tend to be very clean animals both at home and in the wild, since they keep their body clean enough and place their waste in a far away point in their home where they do not pass unless they are going to throw away their food waste. or to relieve themselves, that is why it is very important that the owners continually take care of keeping their spaces very clean.
Types of Squirrels
Squirrels are very territorial animals, although when they are in the wild they stay with each other forming small groups of families, the truth is that being in captivity it is almost impossible for them to live fully with another individual of their own species.
This only makes us see that all the different races of this species are unique, although they all share similar characteristics, habitats, customs and spaces, the truth is that each one has many aspects that do not agree or differ greatly from the others.
Studies show that there are more than 240 different species of squirrels, which not only differ in physical appearance (fur color, size, particularities in legs, tail, teeth and other things), but also have different behaviors, customs and different routines, some may not even be a possible pet since their behavior is totally wild and they are almost impossible to adapt to home life.
Types of Pet Squirrels
Below we will indicate in a short list the types of squirrels which can be the best options for the home and which could result in an incredible pet:
- Richardson Squirrel: This species can be tamed with remarkable ease than the others, however they do not like to be alone, the best thing that could be done with this breed is to acquire two identical individuals, preferably of different genders to avoid rivalries for right in the territory.
They have brown fur and are mostly small, since the largest they can reach is 30 centimeters in height. They maintain wild customs, such as storing food in their cheeks, so it is normal for them to take all the food you offer them even if they don't need it.
They are not very affectionate, but they tend to become very attached to their owners and that is why it is best that they spend their whole lives with the same family, otherwise their behavior could change significantly, such as becoming more violent and impulsive.
- korean squirrel: This type of squirrel is located in several regions of Asia and Europe, they are even smaller than the previous specimen, reaching a height of up to 25 centimeters and weighing up to 100 grams, between 50 and 150 grams. They have five characteristic stripes located on the back.
In the event that this breed is going to be domesticated, its space must be as similar as possible to a forest habitat, including some items such as thick branches, leaves, plants, tunnels, among other things, all this in order to make the animal feel comfortable and calm.
Their habitats have a lot of territory, since they usually live alone and have their individual space that is very limited to the space of the others, but since they all live together in the same area, then a large amount of land and trees are needed to solve their need for housing and food.
- Tamias: Also called chipmunk and among all the types of squirrels This specific one is the most popular, as it is the source of inspiration to illustrate and represent the entire species in stories, drawings, television programs, movies, among others. Its fur can be copper or it could also take on a redder hue.
The highest percentage of this breed is located in the north of the American continent, when they reach adulthood, the smallest size they have can be 15 centimeters, and they do not grow more than 5 centimeters from that scale, in addition to having a weight that exceeds 100 grams and remains below 120 grams.
They are very clean and when they live together with other specimens of the same caste, they are in charge of marking their space very well, with the intention that there is no confusion with the space of the others, they are also very protective and in the event that someone tries to invade its space, then it will defend itself with everything it has.
- common squirrel: Also known as Red squirrel Due to its particular reddish-colored fur, it can be found in the beautiful forests of Europe and has a very adorable appearance, with a hairy and dense tail like its entire body, it has ears whose fur rises when the cold season arrives , which gives them a funny resemblance to small brushes.
It has some peculiarities that make it special among the others types of squirrels, like the fact that they can last a good amount of time without breathing underwater and that it is also easier for them to see in it thanks to their amazing vision.
There is also the fact that they do not sleep for long periods of time, as the others usually do and this does not happen even when winter arrives, although they still gather food and prepare in case the cold seasons have extreme temperatures.
Types of Wild Squirrels
In the following list are the types of squirrels most emblematic of this species that can be located throughout the planet earth:
- Giant Gray Squirrel: As its name indicates, it is one of the largest breeds of this species since it can reach heights of up to 45 centimeters, although the largest extremity of its body is the tail, which in the largest specimens can reach 90 centimeters long.
It can be found in several countries of the Asian region, it has few defense measures, since they cannot hear very well and when they are young the tail hinders them when moving, either by land or by air, on the other hand they have a outstanding sight and is the means they use to warn themselves of any possible threat.
Sadly it is one of the types of squirrels that are in danger of extinction, thanks to the conditions in which they usually live in these regions, such as massive capture by humans or the deterioration of their environment due to industrial activities.
- malabar squirrel: It is located in India, which is why it is also called the Indian giant squirrel or purple squirrel, it is one of the few breeds of this species that have an interesting combination of colors in its fur, in this mixture can be found various shades of brown, from the lightest such as beige, to the darkest brown pigments.
They can exceed 35 centimeters in height and their tail can reach 60 centimeters, their weight ranges from 2 kilos.
They remain in the trees for most of their lives, and use a large space of the territory in which they are located to make their shelters, their defense method is very poor, since when they see a predator approaching, their body tense preventing them from moving and the only hint of protection they perform is to get close to a tree looking to mislead the other animal.
- Malayan Giant Squirrel: Also called black squirrel, it can be found in several regions of the Asian continent, the surprising thing about this species is that it can exceed 55 centimeters in height (which is the height reached by the average giant squirrel), as incredible as that, is that the tail can reach 117 centimeters in length.
Its neck, chest and belly are light shades, such as beige or brown, while the rest of its body is black or very dark brown. Many of the territories where this breed is located are protected by law and people are prohibited from settling or hunting in these areas, however, a large part of this specific species has been really affected by human activities.
- Mountain Pygmy Squirrel: Of this specific type there is little information thanks to the fact that the experts did not have very few specimens registered, so they did not want to rush the investigations of a species that could be in the process of extinction. The only regions where they are known to be found are in the countries of Panama and Costa Rica located in Central America.
They prefer to live in forests that are high above sea level and the most beneficial aspect that can result from this is that their habitats are far from human reach and almost no man ventures to reach these spaces.
Their tail is a little smaller than the body and they can reach a size of up to 15 centimeters in height, their fur is brown on the back, while on the front they acquire an orange hue, almost reaching red. Among the information we have about this animal, is that they are very trusting and not very aggressive, they stay in a duo and in this way they move and evolve.
- Neotropical Pygmy Squirrel: This squirrel is emblematic in the south of the American continent, it is one of the smallest in its subspecies, reaching only 10 centimeters in height, being exceeded by its tail, only by a few centimeters. They tend to weigh about 30 to 50 grams and their fur has different shades of gray, except for the head, where soft red predominates.
They have long arms that allow them to climb trees with greater speed and ease, quickly escaping any ground predator that may be on the prowl. They live in different regions of South America, they are Forest animals from at least 5 different countries, although some experts have the assumption that its range is larger than just this.
- Siberian Flying Squirrel: This specific breed is found in the European region and in fact, in the flying family it is the only one that lives on the continent. According to the authorities responsible for the territory where this species is distributed, the Siberian flying squirrel is under threat and heading to be part of the animal species that are in danger of extinction.
Of all the types of squirrels, in this species there is sexual dimorphism where the female is usually slightly larger in height and weight, the adults reach a height between 13 and 20 centimeters in length in the head and body, the tail is shorter by a few centimeters and they have eyes that stand out a lot for being more extensive than in the average of these rodents.
They have a stripe that goes from the tail to the throat, their fur is grayish in color, being a little softer in some specific areas. The excess of skin or epidermis that forms a union between the upper and lower legs allows them to cover great distances in a jump between the vegetation.
- Humboldt's Flying Squirrel: Like the previous species, this is the only flyer found in its region, more specifically in the north of the American continent. For a long period of time it was confused with another species of northern flying squirrel, and after several studies the two species were separated into types of squirrels different.
They are experts jumping from the trees and gliding through all the existing vegetation, however they do not usually move for a long time on the ground since they get entangled very easily with their own legs, so at that time they are defenseless species that can be at the mercy of any predator.
- Finlayson's squirrel: This squirrel is common in Asia and is one of the species that are not only frequent in leafy forests, but also in squares and parks in some urban areas that are populated with many trees and colorful vegetation. They reach a height of up to 22 centimeters in their entire extension from tip to tip, although this length is slightly exceeded by their tail.
The tonality of their hair can be very different in all subspecies, however curious as it may be, it is exactly this aspect that characterizes them and exposes their differences from other species. They prefer to live in the highest point of the trees and they relate very well to each other, compared to other types of squirrels.
- Borneo Black-Banded Squirrel: As their name specifies, they are inhabitants of the huge island in Southwest Asia called Borneo. They have a good distribution throughout the island, and although many experts have intended to classify them as species that are under threat, the truth is that this is not possible thanks to the large number of specimens that are in existence.
They are easily identifiable by a light-colored mole located on the back of their ear, in addition to the fact that the color of their fur on the back is a spotted and nuanced brown in different shades, generally lighter. Its name is also given thanks to the black and white stripe that extends to each side of its physical structure, its belly and neck is gray, ending in some shades of soft red.