![]() ![]() Squirrels also grow thicker fur to help them survive the harsh weather and retain heat from the winter sun. They also build nests in different locations as a survival technique against predators. Squirrels tend to build more nests during the warmer seasons and stay in them during the winter to conserve their energy. They use lots of leaves, twigs, and moss to thicken and keep their nests well-insulated. However, during the winter, squirrels make a thicker version of their summer nests. So what do squirrels do during winter? Well, squirrels have to do a lot of preparation to ensure they survive the cold winter months. What do squirrels do during winter?ĭuring the winter season, food supplies are scarce, and weather conditions are harsh. Cleaning your gutter of nuts, acorns, and leaves is a good way to ensure squirrels stick to trees and prevent them from scampering around your garage or attic. You can find squirrels nesting on tall trees, attics, and garages. Squirrels typically nest alone unless they have their young or are caring for their litter. Also, they build multiple nests as a backup plan. They work to make sure their nest is warm during cold temperatures. Generally, squirrels build themselves a drey using branches and twigs for shelter. The ground squirrels live in burrows and dens deep in the ground, while the tree squirrel lives in dreys on trees. Where do squirrels live in the winter? Photo by Tj Holowaychuk on Unsplashĭuring the winter, squirrels live in what is called dreys. Thanks to their photo-neuroendocrine system, a squirrel simply knows when the autumn season is wrapping up and begins to prepare for the winter. ![]() A squirrel simply prepares for the coming winter, gathering enough to last them the entire winter season. Most squirrels do not hibernate because they don’t need to. Other squirrel species will need to eat, pee and carry out metabolic functions at some point during the cold seasons. Other squirrel species don’t have the same body mass as ground squirrels and cannot hibernate. This will enable the ground squirrel to survive without eating, drinking, urinating, and carrying out other body functions during winter. They can reduce bodily functions like heart rate, breathing, and other metabolic activities by modifying their behavior. Ground squirrels are the only real hibernating squirrels. However, as the temperature begins to dip, we see fewer squirrels around.Īs we mentioned earlier, not all squirrels hibernate during winter. Like the eastern gray squirrel, other squirrels prefer the sunset to the sunrise. Some tree squirrels are also early risers. They are more active during daylight hours. We get to enjoy the playfulness of tree squirrels running around during the summer and autumn seasons. This is an extended period of extreme inactivity which could last for years. For example, insects go through what is called diapause. ![]() In the animal kingdom, hibernation means different things. Hibernation could take place for a few days and even months. They also don’t need to get rid of waste. This way, the animal doesn't have to search for food and water. They then rely on fat reserves for the energy they need to continue to breathe and stay alive and warm. The animal’s body shuts down, reducing the animal’s metabolism. In this state, temperature, breathing rate and heart rate, and other metabolic activities drop to allow animals to conserve energy and survive during colder weather. Hibernation is an animal survival mode that involves a state of dormancy for warm-blooded animals. When exploring if squirrels hibernate, let's first look at what hibernation means. ![]() What does hibernation mean? Photo by Josephina Kolpachnikof on Unsplash In this article, we will dig into the world of squirrels to find out why they don’t hibernate and what exactly these little creatures do during winter.įor more reading, check out our list of 19 squirrel facts, some of which might surprise you. So what do most squirrels do during winter? Squirrels are less active during colder months, and you may ask the question: Do squirrels hibernate during winter? The simple answer is no. We see squirrels sitting on trees, raiding the bird feeders and gardens, and digging up holes to store nuts for the winter. ![]()
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