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Gray Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel ~ Cat Squirrel

Family: Sciuridae"Rocky"Sciurus carolinensisPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Jerry Donaldson

   The Gray Squirrel is perhaps the most familiar of all squirrels!

   Gray Squirrels are primarily forest dwellers, but have adapted to the encroachment of humans by becoming part of large city parks. You can often see them scurrying about, foraging for seeds, buds, and nuts.

For more information about the care of Gray Squirrel see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Squirrel

Geographic Distribution Sciurus carolinensis Data provided by GBIF.org Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae

Scientific name: Sciurus carolinensis

Background:
   Gray Squirrels are native to North America, found mostly in the Eastern United States. They were also introduced to other areas of the world, such as Ireland, South Africa, and Great Britain.
   Their homes are in tree cavities or in bulky water-proof twig and leaf nests built in tree branches. They also dig burrows in the ground, but these are for food storage.
   They are generally a quiet little creature, but if alarmed will emit a harsh guttural "bark", flipping its tail with each squawk.
   Gray Squirrels eat acorns and hickory nuts throughout the year, though they may eat buds, tender twigs, seeds, and insects when the weather permits. Unlike their very active smaller cousin the American Red Squirrel, which needs large amounts of seeds and nuts to see it through the winter, the Gray Squirrel can subsist on a rather small quantity of buds and nuts, and will often sleep soundly through periods of stormy weather.
   They are not quite as fearless as the American Red Squirrel in the presence of humans, but will soon overcome their caution and come out to visit if you sit quietly.

Description:    Eastern Gray Squirrels are 17"-20" long, and 8 1/2" - 9 1/2" of this length is their bushy tail! There are marked color variations in this squirrel, so at one time they were described as four different species, but today they are all contained in one valid species.

Interesting Facts:    - Gray squirrels are so plentiful that they often have to regulate their
      populations by shooting them for sport, or poisoning and trapping them.
   - They are not nocturnal, and are most active at dawn and at dusk gathering
      food. They will generally spend the late morning and noon hours in the nest,
      coming out in mid afternoon, and then retiring for the rest of the night an
      hour or so before sunset.

Author: Jasmine Brough

Lastest Comments on Eastern Gray Squirrel View all 95 comments on Eastern Gray Squirrel Add Your Comment

Heather Arnold Scott - 2012-05-13 My husband request 2 baby gray squirrels about 2 months ago. Both are healthly & doing GREAT! Today I was getting ready to take them out of their cage & the smallest one started growling and throwing up her two front legs as in she was going to attack me. This is very unusual for either of them. I know they become territorial at one time over there food & so on but now she won't let me hold her. Any ideal as of why? Please get back to me when you can. Thanks Reply

stella74 - 2012-05-10 Hi, Im so glad I found this sight. I rescued my female gray squirrel late last fall, she is about 9 months old now. I have raised several before but this one "Twitch" I'm not sure that I can release her. She was probably only 5-7 days old when she was brought to me. There were 2 but I lost her sister "Flick" at about 2 months old :(. Twitch is still handlable but very protective of her cage. All in all a very healthy squirrel. A friend made me feel guilty for not releasing her yet, but I live in Wisconsin & it just started to warm up. I also have a little 2 month old female that fell from her tree a a kind lady brought her to me to raise she is doing well & starting to wean from the formula. She already seems more wild than Twitch. I plan on releasing her later in the summer. Thanks Charlie Roche - 2012-05-11 Release her gradually - ie make sure she has food outside. You can taker her outside in her cage and leave the cage on the porch and let her go in and out. Put food in the cage or right in front of it. Make sure she can find food etc on her own and just keep on feeding her. She might one day bring the babies back and introduce you. Reply

James Peter - 2011-11-29 My squirrel Zosi 'Zosimos for survivor' is my best friend and beloved companion. He was rescued on freezing Octorber night when I heard a presistent crying outside my window. He was no bigger than my thumb with eyes still closed. He couldnt move on his own and was 20 feet from the tree canopy and 2 feet from his mothers remains '1 paw and a tail' It's clear that she had been fleeing with Zosi in her mouth when she was caught. 'I think a red-tailed hawk was responsible' because she fled the tree. Zosi is 3 years old now and our bond is stronger than titanium. He sleeps with me every night and we spend nearly 24/7 together. We go on walks and bike rides 'where he rides on top of my head' already he's warmed the hearts of hundreds of people and children that he meets while were out and about. Even for a raised squirrel, he's unusually affectionate and loyal. I have had dozens of previous squirrel owners that have expressed amazement in Zosi and often ask me what my secret is. 'You'd have to ask Zosi that one.' :) If you want to see Zosi, you can see some videos I posted on youtube 'search Zosi squirrel.' I wanted to share this for any squirrel lovers out there and anyone that has rescued one and is wondering what it's like. I'll be more than happy to answer any questions or give advice on these matters. :) Charlie Roche - 2011-11-30 That is awesome. I didn't know they could be that tame. My grandma had one and you could pet and hold it. Hung out in the house and then would go out the window but not ride on my head on a bicycle. Wish I had known. Thank you. sarah - 2011-12-11 Did Zosi ever play too roughly? My squirrel has my arms all scratched up fromo rough play. He's only four months old. I'm hoping maybe he'll outgrow it? Thank you! James Peter - 2011-12-16 As for the scratching, you'll probably just have to get used to that one :) if i wear a thin shirt, it hurts like a sob when he climbs up my back and such, don't ever get caught without a shirt on, lol that SUCKS. the scratch marks I get from zosi are always minor and usually on the back of my neck. James Peter - 2011-12-16 Nope, He plays very energetically but NEVER over does it, he's very conscious about how hard he bites HOWEVER he jumped on my face once while I was laying down watching a movie and scratched my eye and put a long scratch on my forehead because of my reaction. He can annoying though when he wants attention because he'll relentlessly bite and tug gently but it can hurt when he grabs the underside of my forarm or something. He'll also bite at my feet while I'm walking thru the house if he's in a real playful mood, this can be a little annoying too and also makes me a bit worried about stepping on him. I've heard of MANY of people with squirrels that had serious problems with aggression toward other people, even others that shared the same household. I've come to believe that this behavior is more common among females, especially when they consider their caretaker to be their nest. One women I met, her squirrel had nested in her cleavage and would attack anyone who got near her. Kathy Lee - 2012-02-22 Rescued a baby eastern gray squirrel when he was about a month old. Bottle fed him until he could eat on his own. He's about 7 months old and seems very healthy and happy. He is very tame and rides around on our shoulders. Curious about one behavior of his, moving his bed around his cage. He has a HUGE cage and has a bed in his hammock, his house and in each corner. We tore up t-shirts and he moves the strips around to a different location weekly. We have noticed that he stashes his pecans in his beds. Any reason he moves around? Charlie Roche - 2012-03-02 In the wild, squirrels move around. They move because of weather changes, to keep their young safe, to keep themselves safe. They can change nests quite frequently. I think, even though, your little guy is safe in your home and probably not major storms and rain inside the house, they sense a storm coming or seasons changing. Just their nature to move and remain safe from predators and sheltered. Because they are indoors, some of this innate behavior would go away but not all of it. James Peter - 2012-03-02 I don't know why he moves around, but I can tell you that my squirrel does the same thing. I've tried to 'designate' his nesting location, but that never worked. He chooses where it will be. So far he's changed nests 3 times averaging every year Nickie - 2012-04-30 I rescued a gray squirrel, we named her Figit. There is not many people around where I live that know alot about keeping her as a pet. How much exercise does she need a day? She is about 12 weeks old now, we have had her since she was 5 weeks old. She loves to climb me and my husband, but if you don't have long sleeves on it tends to hurt!! She eats apples, lettuce, broccoli,carrots,mice food mix and nuts. I give her branchs to chew on and dirt to play in. I let her out of her cage twice a day for about an hour each time, she has branches to climb on and she loves to look out the windows. Is all this okay? jason - 2012-05-06 yes are u allowed to keep a squirrel in pa, if so how do I go about it. I DONT WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE OR ANY THING. I was thinking on getting one for a pet if it wasn't to much trouble Reply

phillipa stockwell - 2011-04-22 Hey. I just recently aquired a baby squirrel aged about 5 weeks. One of two found in my street. One of which was taken to an squirrel sanctuary . Very friendly yet a bag of bones. No sign of the mother and I am just wondering if you have any tips that will help me at all? please thanks Charlie Roche - 2011-04-22 First basic step is keep it warm. Do not put it on a towel or anything else that can ravel. Use a soft blanket, cloth diapers, flannel etc. Have a soft bottom with the ability for the squirrel to curl up. You can put the squirrel in some sort of a box with the cloth inside and a heating pad under 1/2 the box. That way if the squireel needs more heat he can go toward the heated end. Make sure the squirrel is hydrated before you attempt to feed him You can give him pedialyte (found in grocery stores) heated using a small syringe that can be purchased at a pet store. You do not SQUIRT. You just lay the pedialyte on his tongue and let him drink it. Do not SQIRT. Once that is done and he is hydrated you can mix the pedialyte with Ebsilac (doggy formula) adding a little yogurt. Add the yogurt to avoid diarreah. Again warm the formula and feed using the syringe (usually 6 cc) every 4 - 6 hours. More if he will take it. Do not SQUIRT. Lay the formula on his tongue and let him swallow. Now you can make up some food. Use a baby rice cereal and then you can blend (using a blender) some nuts or baby apple sauce or vegatables which will have the consistency of a yogurt. Put some on your finger and let him lick it off your finger till he gets the idea of eating from a dish. Stop the Ebsilac formula when he doesn't want it and let him eat as much of the blended food mix as he wants. Gradually introduce things like bananas, apples, vegatables etc. Good luck. It is work but it is a nice work. Anonymous - 2012-04-12 Keep hydrated with pedialite and once that is maintaioned you can start giving it Science Diet dog food!!!!! Very important to not just feed nuts!!! Or pecans, this will cancel out any Calicum taken in and do the baby great harm!!!! Remove all nuts and don't use anything that reads for squirrels that they sell in wal-mart!!! Untill you get the Science Diet, I suggest you remove any nuts from the cage and replace with cut up pieces of fruit!!! A nut diet will cause this baby much pain!!!! Reply

Dollene Davidson - 2011-07-15 I need help fast...by baby, Munson, who is about 7-8 years old, suddenly became ill. I found him in his cage, which I keep in my room, stiff on the bottom. I immediately got him out and began giving him Pediolite. He drinks it thru a baby bottle. I have been doing this every two hours, along with various fruit juices and a mixture of nuts, mixed in a blender. He seems to be tender in his body, but lets me scratch him and responds to me. I have read all of the comments, and am going to give him some milk in a minute. I love this little guy. My cat brought him to me years ago, with no fur and his eyes were not open. I will do anything to save him. I live on Amelia Island, FL, just north of Jacksonville, FL. Please, someone help me. I simply don't know what happened as we were playing just Thursday. I took photos of him and he was happy. He gets plenty of fresh veggies and nuts in the shell, fresh figs from my fig tree. He wasn't hurt while we were playing. My heart is breaking. Thank you, Dollene Davidson Amelia Island, Fl Jasmine Brough Hinesley - 2011-07-15 Is there a vet nearby who will look at squirrels or other exotic pets? If there is, they may have emergency services over the weekend (although expensive). My best advice would be to get him to a vet as soon as possible - he doesn't sound well at all. It sounds like what you are feeding him is adequate, and the fact that he is eating at all is a semi-good sign. Depending on where his body is tender, and if he will tolerate it, try putting either a heat pack (not too hot that it will burn or raise his core body temperature) or an ice pack on it. This may at least help to make him more comfortable for the time being. Charlie Roche - 2011-07-16 I am so sorry. I know you love this little thing and just how attached you must be. I doubt there is anything you can do except be there - and I know you are. The Pedialyte will help and do keep him warm. Place a heating pad, wrapped in a towel, on low under 1/2 his enclosure or just hold him. I know you must be upset, but you were kind and wonderful enough to give him all he needed and wanted for many years. You could try mashing up sunflower seed or even try banana and feed him with your finger. Animals are funny things --- they act healthy, healthy, healthy until they can't be. They can't show weakness in the wild so they don't show weakness to us humans. I am sorry. She has just gotten older and the life span for an eastern grey is 3 - 6 years - less for a male. She had a wonderful life and a loving human. She is tired. Anonymous - 2012-04-12 Science Diet dog food!!!!!!!! If you can get him hydrated then start feeding him Science Diet Dog food, even if you have to crush it up and mix with WATER, no pediolite!!! Reply

yanie - 2012-01-02 my squirrel was ok and now she is dead suddenly what could of happened so suddenly Charlie Roche - 2012-01-02 A little squirrel can pass for many of the same reasons a human can at an early age. Could have had a heart defect or a stroke. Could have eaten or gotten into something toxic. Could just be genetic. I am sorry as no matter how, I know it is sad. There is no answer. James Peter - 2012-03-02 Poisoning is the probably the most common cause, followed by electrocution from chewing hot wires and then disease. If he died suddenly 'seeming perfectly fine then dead over night' I would suspect poison. Maybe you have kids or anyone else living with you for that matter, who might of injured him accidentally but didn't say anything. How old was your squirrel? And are tou positive that his diet was healthy? People often lose their squirrels from malnutrition without ever knowing, malnutrition can very well cause sudden heart failure/death in squirrels 'or any animal for that matter'. For example, potassium deficiency. Did you ever let him go outside or walk him? All it takes is a single rosary pea and your squirrel is doomed. So yeah, I'd focus on these things before ruling out a natural death unless of course you had an old squirrel. Deb - 2012-03-30 Hello, Can someone please help? We have a pet squirrel named Stewart. She is approx 7-8 months old now. She has her own room and has never been caged. She, so far is not nasty to other people, and loves her mommy. If she doesn't like someone she just ignores them. I love our girl with all my heart. Unfortunately we have to move and cannot take her. I must find her a good home. We live in West Virginia and rehab for any kind of animal is very low, much less our Stewart. Can someone please, please help me. Is it too late to let her go outdoors? Thank you, Deb Charlie Roche - 2012-03-31 I would think a re hab facility as they gradually introduce the little fella back to the outdoors but usually will feed it also. So the little guy would be gradully introduced to outside via a window/cage left open with food in the window cage. Best of both worlds. My grandma had one and she would return every day and then she actually brough her babies. Grandma would let her in the kitchen and we could play with her and babies. Reply

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