(c) Andy Jackson
The Life of a Red Squirrel
In the wild, Red Squirrels live in mixed woodland and conifer forests. They make their home in trees, in nests known as dreys made from twigs, moss, fir and grass. Look for them here.
Red Squirrels are solitary for much of the year, coming together to breed once or twice a year in the spring and summer. They give birth to two or three kittens in each litter. Their young leave the drey from four weeks of age and are usually independent by 10 to 13 weeks.
In the wild Red Squirrels feed on pine and spruce seeds, hazelnuts, acorns, berries, fungi and green shoots. In autumn, when their food source is most plentiful, they eat more and gather food for the colder months. They do not hibernate in winter but are less active, surviving on food stored underground or in tree crevices.
Here their food is a mix of many different seeds, supplemented with fruit and vegetables such as carrots. Hazelnuts and walnuts are given as treats.
Red Squirrels are solitary for much of the year, coming together to breed in spring and summer. They give birth to two or three kittens in each litter. Their young leave the drey from four weeks of age and are usually independent by 10 to 13 weeks.
