You may not have been aware of this, but squirrels belong to the same class of animals as mice, rats, and raccoons. This is the rodent class. Also included in this class are such animals as chipmunks and prairie dogs. Because of this, it should be quite easy to figure out many of the characteristics of a squirrel. Let's see what you know.
Appearance
The adult squirrel can range anywhere from 4 inches long all the way up to 29 inches long. The larger breeds of squirrels are found in mountain regions, with many weighing as much as 29 pounds. However, squirrels can weigh as little as eight or nine ounces.
The front legs of the squirrel are shorter than the hind legs. Because of this anatomy, squirrels don't actually walk in all – they hop. The hind legs are used as the means to move the squirrel along, as they push themselves forward in a hopping motion. In this way, the front legs become more of a guiding apparatus, guiding the squirrel in the direction it wants to go.
Oddly enough, some squirrels actually have a web like feature between their front legs and their body. These animals are known as flying squirrels, and are able to glide out of trees or off of boulders or rooftops down to the ground below.
Behavior
Squirrels are incredible climbers. They are one of just a few animal species better able to climb down a tree had first and do so safely. There are pads on the bottom of their feet that make it so they are able to firmly hold position on a tree. This enables them to easily climb down, or to stop and watch below to see if any potential predator or danger lurks.
Diet
The squirrel primarily eats such things as seeds and nuts. They have huge incisors, which enable them to be able to gnaw at the outer shell of nuts, easily breaking them open. Their site teeth are then used to grind food, making it easier for them to digest.
Because nuts do not spoil, they become the perfect food source for squirrels. This is why they are the choice food for long winters. Squirrels are known to store food in several locations, ensuring that they have a ready supply of food available to them all winter long.
Habitat
Squirrels are found on every continent on earth with the exception of Antarctica and Australia. This is because they can live in just about any habitat. Squirrels have been found as far north as the Arctic tundra near the North Pole, but they also live in such areas as wetlands, deserts, and rain forests. You can now find squirrels and Oceania, but this is because people have brought these animals to the land.
Squirrels live in nests or dens that are usually built in the ground. However, they have been known to live in the hollowed out part of a tree and some build nests inside trees. In areas where the weather is quite cold, squirrels are more commonly known to have their den underground.
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