Squirrels in the Springtime

It’s not just you that feels friskier during the springtime. Squirrels, both red and gray, feel the same way. If you’ve got a squirrel family living in your home, spring is the time where that population will expand. Here is a look at the breeding habits of these two species:

What are the two-common species around Atlanta?

The two-main species are the Red squirrel and the Eastern Gray Squirrel. Gray squirrels are larger and tend to live in group settings; they are commonly found in the suburbs. Red squirrels are smaller and redder with thinner tail fur. They are more likely to be found in wooded settings.

Red Squirrel:

If you have a red squirrel in the area, there is good news. These rodents are territorial and will keep other non-family members away from their territory of 2 to 5 acres. They are smaller but more aggressive than gray squirrels. The breeding seasons are between March and May and between July and September. Females will leave their territory during mating, looking for males to mate with. Pregnancy lasts between 30 and 40 days, and females have a litter of 3-4 babies. They can have either one or two litters per year. Mothers will raise their young for about 70 days.

Eastern Gray Squirrel:

These fuzzy, gray, large-tailed rodents are commonly found in larger population groups. Young mothers will breed once in the spring, and older mothers have two breeding seasons lasting between December and February and from May to June. Pregnancy lasts 44 days, and 1-4 young are born in a litter. The young leave the nest at 12 weeks and can give birth at one year of age. Gray squirrels can be group or family nesters, which means that many families can be raised in the same territory.

If you have your own squirrel trouble and live in the greater Atlanta area, give us a call. We can help you to troubleshoot your problem and find effective solutions.