Squirrels are cute little creatures to have around you. But sometimes they might do funny things or act out. And if you are a pet squirrel owner you may see your female squirrel do weird things maybe she got pregnant.
Here are some signs of a pregnant squirrel to look for.
Signs Of A Pregnant Squirrel
Chubby Belly
Just like other mammals, you can look at the belly of the squirrel to see whether it is fat or not. If the stomach is fat and the belly button is more prominent by looking at it, there is a chance that your squirrel will give birth to babies.
As the squirrel increases in size and weight, you can notice that its belly touches the ground during pregnancy.
Nipples Are Notable
Mostly female squirrel nipples are more visible during pregnancy time. In the squirrel, males don’t have nipples. When a female gets pregnant, their nipples become more visible, and you can tell she’s pregnant by looking at them.
Change In Behaviour
When the squirrel is pregnant, you can note that its behavior is changing from the normal routine.
Whenever she is pregnant, you can see her behavior is more aggressive. She often eats and drinks more than usual. That might be an indication of their pregnancy.
Furthermore, As squirrels are good moms, you can note that they gather leaves and other useful items to build nests for their future babies.
Another behavior change in pregnant squirrels is that she spends more time in nests than in routine.
How Long Are Squirrels Pregnant?
When it comes to the pregnancy period of the squirrel, it depends upon their type. So let’s dig into how much period female pregnancy lasts according to the kind of mammals.
Alpine marmot
Marmots are the wild type of squirrel and are usually illegal to keep as pets in the US.
They are pregnant for nearly 33 to 34 days.
Chipmunks
Chipmunks are also wild animals, but some people still acquire them as pets, requiring a lot of effort to keep them as pets.
Their pregnancy period is nearly 30 days.
Red Squirrels
Forests like Alaska, the Georgia coast, and the Rocky Mountains are home to red squirrels. The pregnancy period can last up to 38 or 39 days.
Gray Squirrels
Grey squirrels are very popular in the US. They are usually pregnant for around 44 days.
Flying Squirrels
Flying squirrels can be one of the best pets. They have the baby within 40 days of their pregnancy.
Average pregnancy time for squirrel
These species have different types, and their period depends on the abovementioned types. Overall you can say that average of 40 to 44 days is the period when the female individual is carrying the babies.
When do squirrels have babies?
Squirrels usually give birth to babies twice a year. There is twice a year; their birthing season occurs in which they give birth to babies.
Birth giving period
These females usually give birth in the late days of the summer, from (august to September) or the early spring (Feb to April). They typically have 38 to 46 days when they will have their period of giving birth.
When do squirrels mate
In the summers, when it’s warm weather outside, these are the day when you can see squirrels in the couple. They prefer the summer period to reproduce, as mentioned above.
You can experience that in summer; you might see squirrel mating and males running after females.
The mating process of squirrels
The way female squirrel interacts with males is quite interesting.
Female squirrels emit pheromones and produce chirping sounds by which the males are attracted and come after the females.
Now multiple males show interest in reproducing the female, and they battle each other. The more dominant individual gets the chance to make out with the female.
How many babies do squirrels have?
Regarding giving birth to babies, as we know, squirrels have two breeding seasons, and they have litter size in which they give birth to the babies.
Each litter can give 3 to 4 babies at a time.
Some squirrels can give up to eight babies per litter, the maximum number of babies they would have.
The birth of the babies depends upon the availability of food. Squirrels mostly prefer the summer season to have babies. During their two breeding sessions, the mother squirrel will start making the nest for the new individuals and gather the necessary food.
FAQ’s
Most female squirrels have more weight during pregnancy, and their belly becomes chubby and starts touching the ground. Their nipples and butt are more prominent than on normal days.
During the female pregnancy period, they often eat and drink more than normal days. Squirrels eat both plants and animals since they are omnivores. You can serve them high-calcium vegetables and small animals for protein.
Furthermore, you can feed them with seeds like sunflower seeds or cucumber seeds.
For protein sources, they can also consume scrambled eggs.
When the baby squirrel is born, keep them in the nest, a darker and quiet place where they feel more comfortable and grow in a good environment.
Serving baby squirrels with cow milk is not a good idea as it is stronger for them to digest, leading them to dehydration or diarrhea.
It is best for them that a mother squirrel feeds them.
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Very informative and well written thanks for the detailed information