How Many Babies Do Squirrels Have at a Time?

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Learn how often squirrels have babies—and how many babies are in each litter
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Squirrels are everywhere in cities and suburbs these days, and for one simple reason: they have multiple babies at a time. But how many babies do squirrels have exactly? What’s the benefit of having so many at once? The reality is that having many offspring makes a lot of sense for squirrels. And as we’ll explain, their short lifespans and challenging day-to-day lives leave them no other choice. Keep reading to learn how many babies squirrels have at once, why they have so many, and what to do if a family of squirrels is wreaking havoc in your home or garden.

Things You Should Know

  • Squirrels have 2-4 babies at a time on average, but they can have up to 8. A baby squirrel is called a “kit,” and a group of kits is called a “litter.”
  • Female squirrels can have 2 litters per year. Baby squirrels leave their mothers after 12 weeks, and can start having babies of their own after 11 months.
  • Female squirrels mate in early spring and mid-summer. Pregnancies last around 44 days, and litters are born in early summer or fall.
  • Since squirrels live up to 8 years, a single female squirrel can have hundreds of babies during her lifetime.
Section 1 of 5:

How many baby squirrels are in a litter?

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  1. However, they’re capable of having as many as 8 babies at a time. The baby squirrels are called “kits,” and each group of kits is called a “litter.” A female squirrel can have up to two litters per year.
    • Squirrels can live up to 8 years in the wild. This means a single female squirrel can have over 100 babies over the course of her life, if their litters are large enough.
    • These statistics apply to most species of squirrel, including the gray squirrel, fox squirrel, and red squirrel. If you see a squirrel in your backyard and you live in a city or suburban area, it’s probably one of these. [1]
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Section 2 of 5:

How Squirrels Develop and Breed

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  1. Females mate twice per year—once in early spring and again in mid-summer—and a typical pregnancy lasts about 44 days. [2] Towards the end of her pregnancy, a female squirrel will build a den made of sticks and leaves, called a “drey,” where she’ll raise her kits.
    • Male squirrels can mate year-round. Unlike females, they don’t participate in raising their young.
  2. The newborns are hairless, toothless, blind, and deaf. For the first few weeks, the mother squirrel nurses her kits with milk, just as human mothers do with their babies. After that, the kits are weaned off of milk and begin leaving the drey with their mother, following her around on the ground and practicing living on their own. [3]
    • After 10 days, their hair begins to grow.
    • After 3 weeks, their ears open and their lower front teeth start growing.
    • After 5 weeks, their eyes open and their upper front teeth begin to grow.
    • From 7-12 weeks, the kits are weaned off their mother’s milk and begin eating solid food, especially acorns.
    • After 12 weeks, the young squirrels leave their mother and set off on their own.
  3. Female squirrels mate twice per year—once in early spring and again in mid-summer—though males can mate year-round. A typical pregnancy lasts about 44 days. Towards the end of her pregnancy, a female squirrel will build a drey where she’ll raise her kits. [4]
    • Once young squirrels are 7 weeks old, they begin leaving the drey with their mother. They follow her around on the ground, eating solid food and practicing living on their own.
    • Male squirrels don’t participate in raising their young.
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Section 3 of 5:

Why do squirrels have so many babies?

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  1. Unlike larger animals, squirrels are small, vulnerable, and short-lived. They face constant dangers from predators and diseases. Having many babies, instead of just 1 or 2, helps ensure that at least some of their offspring will survive into adulthood and produce more babies. [5]
    • Many other rodents, like mice, rats, and rabbits, also have multiple babies at a time. Like squirrels, these animals tend to be small and vulnerable to predators, so producing lots of offspring helps protect their species from extinction.
Section 4 of 5:

How do you know if you have squirrels living in your home?

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  1. Pay close attention to sounds coming from your attic or chimney (if you have them), or from within your walls. Squirrels will usually make a lot of noise when they’re inside your home, especially in the winter or during rainy days when they’re more likely to seek shelter indoors. [6]
    • Squirrels often make nests in attics and chimneys, where they can easily find their way in from the outside.
  2. Squirrels may get trapped indoors and die. When this happens, their bodies will begin to decompose, creating an awful smell that you’ll easily recognize. If you notice a rotting smell in your home and you can’t identify the source, it’s possible that a squirrel died in your attic or walls. [7]
    • A rotting smell can be caused by other dead animals too, including mice, rats, raccoons, and other pests.
  3. Squirrel droppings are usually dark and shaped like raisins. They can look similar to rat droppings, except that rat droppings look more tube-shaped. Droppings can carry bacteria and other pathogens, so be sure to avoid accidentally touching them with your bare hands. [8]
    • You can also look for droppings near your house, outside, since squirrels have to go outdoors to search for food.
  4. Squirrels will eat and destroy plants, vegetables, and fruits growing in outdoor gardens. They’ll also chew on outdoor furniture, wooden siding, and bird feeders. Look for chew marks and signs of damage in areas like these. [9]
    • Squirrels will enter your home through holes in your roof or siding. Check for tooth and claw marks on the outside of your home, especially around any holes or gaps.
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Section 5 of 5:

What should you do if you find squirrels?

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  1. Squirrels are difficult to get rid of on your own. Unlike mice or rats, they don’t explore your house looking for food, so they’re unlikely to get caught in a trap. A licensed pest control expert can assess a squirrel infestation and determine the best method for removing them. [10]
    • Pest control services will likely advise you to patch up any holes that squirrels may use to enter your home, such as gaps in roof shingles or siding.
    • Squirrel traps are a valid option, but they risk trapping other animals, including pets.
    • Small outdoor gardens can be protected by enclosing them completely in mesh fencing. [11]
    • Trees and larger gardens are almost impossible to protect since squirrels can easily climb and jump over fences.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/types-of-squirrels/
      2. ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/forestry-wildlife/gray-squirrel-management/
      3. ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/forestry-wildlife/gray-squirrel-management/
      4. ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/forestry-wildlife/gray-squirrel-management/
      5. ↑ https://mason.gmu.edu/~klargen/110lectpopulationspopulationecologyfall03.htm
      6. ↑ https://wildlife.unl.edu/pdfs/control-tree-squirrel-damage.pdf
      7. ↑ https://dynamix-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/bredapest2019com/bredapest2019com_157731587.pdf
      8. ↑ https://dynamix-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/bredapest2019com/bredapest2019com_157731587.pdf
      9. ↑ https://dynamix-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/bredapest2019com/bredapest2019com_157731587.pdf
      1. ↑ https://wildlife.unl.edu/pdfs/control-tree-squirrel-damage.pdf
      2. ↑ https://acmg.ucanr.edu/Over_the_Fence/Protecting_Seedlings_and_Seeds_from_Wildlife/

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