Squirrels are pretty adorable, tiny creatures that entertain us with their acrobatic antics and bushy tails, though. These charming rodents can become serious pests when they decide to raise their families inside your home.
Knowing when do squirrels have babies helps homeowners anticipate and prevent unwanted nesting inside attics, walls, and soffits before these areas become nurseries. Squirrels choose human structures for the same reasons they prefer natural tree cavities, obviously for warmth, safety, and minimal disturbance from predators.
In this squirrel breeding guide, we’ll explain squirrel mating habits, their gestation periods, and birth timing. This would, in turn, help you take preventive measures prematurely.
Table of Contents
When Do Squirrels Have Babies?
The answer to when do squirrels have babies generally varies slightly by species depend on which category it is from, and obviously, climate and habitat do make a difference.
Most squirrels follow a predictable breeding schedule. They have babies twice a year, once in winter (December – February) and then again in late summer (June – August), though. There are some species like for instance, ground squirrels, that typically have babies once a year in spring.
There are more or less 270 to 285 recognized species of squirrels worldwide. They belong to the family Sciuridae. This diverse group includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, flying squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, and prairie dogs, with over 65 species found in North America alone.
Signs of Squirrels In Your House
Before moving to squirrels’ breeding season, let’s take a look at what signs squirrels give when they nest in your home.
- Scratching noises in walls or attic spaces
- Roofline damage where squirrels chewed through fascia, soffits, or roof edges to gain attic access
- Damage to your insulation
- Electrical wires showing chew marks
- Droppings in attic spaces or along travel routes that squirrels use regularly
- Strong odour from urine accumulation in areas where squirrels nest and raise babies
Squirrel Breeding Season
Like we said earlier, how often do squirrels have babies depends on the species and environmental conditions. Most tree squirrels breed twice a year. The squirrel breeding season occurs once in winter from December through February, and again in late summer from June through August.
Why the follow these patterns is because spring and fall provide the best optimal conditions for raising vulnerable young. Spring offers abundant new plant growth and emerging insects, while fall allows babies to mature before winter scarcity.
The squirrel gestation period lasts approximately 44 days from conception to birth. Following the winter squirrel breeding season, baby squirrels are usually born between March and April when conditions start warming. After the summer breeding period, mothers give birth to a second litter around August and September.
How Many Babies Do Squirrels Have?
A typical squirrel litter contains 2 to 5 young, commonly called kits or pups. First-time mothers often produce smaller litters of just 2 or 3 babies. Experienced females however regularly birth 4 or 5 kits per pregnancy.
How many babies do squirrels have per year totals between 4 and 10 when you account for both spring and fall litters. The babies are kept safe by their mother and will stay with her for 10 to 12 weeks before they venture off on their own. In that particular meantime, females can overlap caring for older kits while pregnant with the next litter.
Do All Squirrel Species Have Babies at the Same Time?
Tree Squirrels
Grey squirrels, fox squirrels, and red squirrels all follow similar breeding patterns with two annual litters. The squirrel breeding season timing varies slightly by latitude, with southern populations breeding earlier than northern ones.
Interestingly, there’s a theory that the darker the squirrel, the better equipped for cold climates it is, which might influence specific breeding timing. Tree squirrels maintain this twice yearly pattern consistently across most of their range.
Fox squirrels tend to breed slightly later than grey squirrels, with spring babies arriving in April rather than March. Red squirrels in colder climates sometimes skip the second summer litter if food resources are insufficient to support another round of babies.
Ground Squirrels
Ground squirrels like chipmunks and prairie dogs breed just once annually in spring. Their squirrel breeding season aligns with their hibernation patterns since they spend winter months underground in dormancy. Ground squirrels emerge from hibernation in late winter or early spring and immediately begin breeding. Females give birth 30 to 35 days later, producing their single annual litter in April or May.
Where Do Squirrels Have Their Babies?
- Tree cavities in mature trees
- Leaf nests called dreys
- Underground burrows
- Attics in homes
- Sheds and outbuildings
- Wall voids in houses
What Do Baby Squirrels Look Like at Birth?
Baby squirrels are born completely helpless, blind, and hairless with pink skin. They weigh less than an ounce at birth and measure just a few inches long. The kits remain entirely dependent on their mother for warmth and nutrition during their first weeks. They open their eyes around 4 to 5 weeks old.
Fur begins growing within the first two weeks, and by week 6 they start exploring their nest environment. The babies don’t leave the nest until around 10 to 12 weeks old when they’re fully furred and capable of coordinating their movements well enough to navigate tree branches or ground terrain safely.
Final Thoughts on When Squirrels Have Babies
The question of when do squirrels have babies has a clear answer: most species breed twice annually with babies born in spring and fall. This predictable squirrel breeding season timing allows homeowners to seal entry points before pregnant females seek nesting sites in attics and walls. Waiting until babies are present makes removal complicated because you cannot legally seal adults outside while leaving helpless kits trapped inside. We do hope now you are clear about all aspects related to squirrels gestation periods, the number of babies she might have in a year and how the kits look like. If you still have any questions, the comment section below is always open. You can leave your query, and we’ll respond as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if you disturb a squirrel nest?
Disturbing a squirrel nest with babies inside causes significant stress to the mother and can lead to nest abandonment in extreme cases. The mother squirrel might relocate her babies to a backup nest if she feels the current location is compromised. This relocation process is risky because babies could be dropped or left behind during transport.
Do squirrels go back to the same nest every year?
Squirrels often reuse successful nesting sites across multiple squirrel breeding seasons if the location provided good outcomes previously. A squirrel might use the same attic space or tree cavity for several years, particularly if predators never discovered the nest.
Why don’t we see baby squirrels?
Baby squirrels remain hidden in nests for their first 10 to 12 weeks because they’re born completely helpless. By the time kits venture out, they’re nearly full sized and closely resemble adults.
What Should I Do If I Find a Baby Squirrel?
If you find a baby squirrel on the ground, first determine if it’s injured or truly orphaned. Healthy babies are often temporarily separated from mothers who will return once humans leave the area. Place the baby in a shallow box near where you found it and observe from a distance for several hours. If the mother doesn’t retrieve her kit by nightfall or if the baby appears injured, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Never attempt to raise a baby squirrel yourself because they require specialised care and diet that’s difficult to provide properly.
Where do squirrels have their babies?
Squirrels may have babies in tree cavities, leaf nests, burrows, attics, wall voids, sheds, and other sheltered spaces with warmth and protection.
How long is a squirrel pregnant?
The squirrel gestation period is usually around 44 days for many common tree squirrel species, though timing can vary a little by species.
How often do squirrels have babies each year?
Many tree squirrels can have two litters per year, while some ground squirrel species usually have only one annual litter.
