Where Do Squirrels Go In The Winter?
City squirrels familiar with attics often seek shelter there during winter, using human homes as warm refuges from the cold. These urban squirrels may enter roof spaces to build nests where they can stay insulated and safe from harsh weather. In addition to finding shelter in attics, squirrels prepare for winter by storing food, growing thicker fur, and reducing their activity levels to conserve energy.
If you have squirrels living in your attic and winter is approaching or already here, you might be wondering about hibernation and the removal process.
The good news is the squirrels that live in attics don’t hibernate, so hiring a squirrel removal service is effective for eviction even in the winter. Still, you should hurry before the springtime baby season starts.
What is Hibernation?
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in endotherms. Lowering their body temperature and slowing their metabolism allows animals to survive periods of reduced food availability, surviving the cold months until spring arrives to provide food for them.
Hibernation vs. Torpor
While hibernation is a prolonged state, generally lasting all winter, torpor is different, it’s a short-term sleep with a reduction in body temperature and metabolic rate. Some animal species, including certain squirrel species, enter torpor to conserve energy and keep warm with other grey squirrels during cold nights, without fully hibernating. Grey squirrels and flying squirrels can still emerge when it’s mild out.
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Understanding Squirrel Species – The American Red Squirrel vs. The Eastern Gray Squirrels
As a homeowner, it’s useful to understand that some squirrels are different from others. They’re not all the same; a red squirrel can do things that ground-dwelling squirrels cannot and vice versa. There are various species, each with unique characteristics and behaviours.
Tree Squirrels (Sciurus Carolinensis) vs. Ground Squirrels (Sciurus Vulgaris)
Tree squirrels (Grey Squirrel/Red Squirrel) are the ones that we’re most familiar with—a grey squirrel, a flying squirrel, and a red squirrel are all agile climbers, darting up and down trees, jumping with their hind feet onto your roof from overhanging branches. Grey squirrels and red squirrels can also get in to your attic. Ground squirrels (chipmunks, marmots) on the other hand, spend more time on the ground or in your garden, digging holes and burrows into the earth. They do things that a red squirrel would not. This distinction is crucial because it influences whether they hibernate.
Squirrels’ Survival Mechanisms
Squirrels have developed various strategies to sustain themselves during the harsh conditions of winter.
Food Storage Habits – What Squirrels Eat to Survive the Harsh Winter
A squirrel is notorious for hoarding food. They invade urban areas during the warmer seasons – your flower beds, your garden, or any fruit baring trees you may have, to gather chestnuts and seeds and they store them in hidden caches that will provide substance for them to pull through in the colder weather. Prior to winter coming, they build up fat stores in their body so that when there are no bird eggs to devour or no seeds or bulbs in your garden for a quick meal, when food is so scarce that they can’t full their little white bellies, this species can remain alive until the weather gets warmer.
Nest Building Techniques
Squirrels will build a nest, they’re called dreys, high up in trees or burrows underground in your garden. Look to the top of the trees in Autumn, after the leaves fall you may see them attached to the highest branches. These nests are insulated with leaves and moss to keep them warm during cold spells. A squirrel may also nibble and chew small entry points into your roof or attic. Having red squirrels in your attic may mean you require more prevention screening, as they can get in to such smaller holes. During breeding season, adult female squirrels will break in, to have a nice warm nest in your home to raise their baby squirrels. Humans have long had to put up with the lack of sleep and the scampering and scratching in their attic areas from various rodents. Brampton Wildlife Control can evict the squirrels, even red squirrels, that get into human homes and we will get them back out to the tree cavities where they belong. They will prevent squirrels from getting back in, before any electrical wires are chewed and your insulation is tossed about. There are two breeding seasons per year, one occurs in early spring and one in late summer, and during these times the squirrel removal industry experiences more activity.
Does a Squirrel Actually Hibernate?
The answer varies depending on the species of the squirrel. There are many different species of squirrels found in Ontario, for example the chipmunk, the flying squirrel, the American red squirrel, and of course the most common tree species – the Eastern grey squirrel.
Ground Squirrels and True Hibernation
Ground squirrels do hibernate. They dig burrows and retreat underground. These smaller squirrels live in their burrows and enter a deep sleep-like state, lowering their body temperatures significantly to conserve energy.
Tree Squirrels and Winter Behavior
Tree squirrels, such as the eastern gray squirrel, do not hibernate. Instead, they remain relatively active throughout the winter, having to come out of their den for water and any food sources they may need. Although they do sleep more during the very coldest times, and they will even begin sharing a nest with other squirrels to stay warm.
Activity Levels During Cold Months
The Eastern grey squirrel reduces its activity during extreme cold weather but will still venture out on milder days to find food.
Energy Conservation Strategies
Most squirrels may rely on their body fat and any stored food. By minimizing movement and staying in their nests during the coldest periods, these animals conserve energy.
Environmental Impact on Squirrels
The environment plays a significant role in determining squirrel behaviour during winter.
Climate Influence on Behaviour
In milder climates, many squirrels remain more active year-round. In colder regions, squirrels may spend extended periods in their nests.
Urban Gardens vs. Rural Habitats
Urban squirrels might have easier access to food due to human activity, from garbage bins, pet food left outside, bird feeders, etc., which can affect their need to hibernate or enter torpor.
Seasonal Adaptations
Squirrels adapt physically and behaviorally to survive the winter months.
Physical Changes in Winter
They grow thicker fur to provide extra insulation against the cold. They bulk up their weight to live off their fat during the winter.
Dietary Adjustments
Their diet may shift based on availability, sometimes including tree bark or buds when nuts are scarce.
Human Interaction with Squirrels
Our actions can impact squirrel survival during winter.
Feeding Squirrels in Winter
Some people choose to feed squirrels, providing them with nuts and seeds. While this can help, it’s important to offer appropriate food to prevent health issues.
Impact of Human Activity on Squirrel Behavior
Urban development can disrupt natural habitats, forcing squirrels to adapt to new environments and potentially affecting their winter survival strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Squirrels Hibernate in All Regions?
No, squirrels do not hibernate everywhere. Ground-dwelling squirrels will hibernate in colder regions, but the eastern gray squirrel (the most common type of tree squirrel) typically does not hibernate, regardless of location.
How Can I Help Squirrels During Winter?
You can help by providing food and shelter. Planting native trees and shrubs can offer natural food sources and nesting sites for them to seek shelter and allowing them to stay warmer.
Are Squirrels Active at Night in Winter?
Squirrels are diurnal and are less active at night, especially in winter when they conserve energy. Most squirrels will be sleeping at the same time as us humans.
What Should I do if Squirrels get into my Roof?
If squirrels, like grey squirrels or American red squirrels, get into your roof, it can quickly become a serious issue. Certain times of the year make them particularly determined to gain access to attics, especially when preparing to have babies or as the weather turns cold. During baby season, mother squirrels will nest inside with their young until they’re big enough to start venturing out on their own. Since a squirrel can have two litters per year—usually in early spring and late summer or early autumn—humans frequently hear scratching and running noises from their attic as these rodents make themselves at home. At Affordable Wildlife Control Services, we can get a squirrel out using humane techniques, and we’re happy to provide quotes over the phone. As winter sets in, squirrels are even more desperate to escape the cold and will create cozy nests in your insulation, relying on fat reserves and whatever materials they find. Our company specializes in effective, humane squirrel removal to restore peace to your home.
What Does a Squirrel Eat When Food is Scarce?
In the autumn they start to “squirrel away” food in their dens or by burying it in the ground to eat later. Adult squirrels have the remarkable ability to remember various places where they bury their loot. They rely on these stored food caches to sustain them, but a squirrel will eat whatever can assist them, including bark, buds, or even mushrooms.
Do Squirrels Share Nests to Keep Warm?
Sometimes an adult grey squirrel will share a nest in tree cavities with other squirrels to contribute to body warmth and conserve heat, especially among family members.
How Long Can a Squirrel Survive Without Food?
Most species of squirrels can sustain several days without any food, not even seeds or nuts, and instead, rely on fat built up. However, prolonged scarcity can be fatal to these animals.
Conclusion
So, do squirrels hibernate? The answer depends on the species. Ground squirrels enter true hibernation, while Eastern gray squirrels employ other survival strategies like food caching and nesting. Understanding these behaviours enhances our appreciation for these adaptable creatures and highlights the importance of conserving their habitats.
