Meet Sammy the Squirrel
“Quick, grab your camera!” My husband peeks his head in the front door and calls to me in a low voice. There must be something fascinating going on outside. I grab the camera and quietly follow him out the door. Sure enough, a terrified California Ground Squirrel is dashing around the yard looking for a place to hide or escape.
These beautiful little creatures are timid and dart nervously, even when there is no one nearby. They have a thick brown fur with a collection of spots and a thin bushy tail. You can identify them by the white eyeliner around their eyes. There are two kinds of squirrels here in Southern Oregon. I will tell you about the other one a little later.
What Do Squirrels Tell You
Spotting a ground squirrel is a message that we need to have more fun. Sometimes humans get so busy with everyday life and take it way too seriously. We forget that play is important too. The squirrel also reminds us to prepare for the future and lighten our load of unnecessary things.
Cool Facts About California Ground Squirrels
California Ground Squirrels live up to 6 years in the wild
They create homes for other animals like snakes or other rodents who take over empty burrows
They can smell food beneath five feet of snow.
Their front teeth never stop growing
Where Do California Ground Squirrels Live?
California Ground Squirrels live in communities with 2 to 20 members. They all work together to build a huge underground burrow that has several openings. Usually, each resident has their own front door and they all stay fairly close to home. Their burrow is a safe space where they can sleep, hibernate, raise their babies, store food, or hide from threats.
What Do California Ground Squirrels Eat?
Ground squirrels have a varied diet. They feed on green vegetation in the spring but will later switch to fruit and seeds in early summer when the vegetation starts to dry up. They have little cheek pouches where they store extra food that they cannot eat in one sitting. My hubby and I like to leave out nuts for them and attract them into our yard.
How Do California Ground Squirrels Communicate?
Ground squirrels communicate in a variety of ways. A high-pitched squeal can warn others when they are feeling threatened. The sound can last several minutes. They use a variety of tail signals, sounds, and scent production to talk to each other.
How Do California Ground Squirrels Breed?
The female squirrels become pregnant by several males in the early spring. She will be pregnant for about one month and then will have one litter during the spring with about 8 babies. The youngsters will hang out in the burrow until they are around 6 weeks old.
My Recommended Product
Yes, for each article I like to recommend a product from Amazon, partially because it helps me generate a little income to help pay for this site and because I hope it will foster your interest in this subject.
If you love these squirrels as much as I do, check out this book designed especially for kids so you can get them interested too!
