the squirrel is one of the most known rodents of our home. In the parks of many cities, the graceful animals often became so trustful that one can speak of a real Kulturfolger here. Beside its original life-areas, older foliage and needle-forest-continuances, these croissants open up more and more parklands and gardens than new habitat.
Shape The squirrel gains a length of 20-25 cm, the bushy tail can become up to 20 cm long. The shape of the squirrel is so known that can be abstained confidently on a nearer description. 2 color-forms occur with us: The upper side can be sorrel or dun, the underside always is whitish. The black animals are more at the mountains, that tied red to the low-countries. It is remarkably that the pretty "ear-brushes" are very much longer than with the summer-official dress with the winter-fur. In the winter, the squirrels often are colored somewhat gray. The furs of the Siberian race have a big economic meaning in Russia: From the pure-dawns, the fur-work confessed as "Feh" is produced fleecy winter-furs of the eastern squirrels.
Way of life As real tree-animal, the squirrel almost spends its whole life in the treetops. It climbs extremely skillfully and very fast; trunk-downward, it simply runs with the head in front. Squirrels jump considerably wide and very unerring; with the tail, they can correct the course during the jump.
The squirrel is an early riser. Still before it becomes light, it becomes vigorously, it goes to sleep already again for it in the late afternoon. The day over puts in it several breaks. It lives usually individually and claims a precinct, that is defended opposite competitors.
Surely one will be surprised if one sets eyes on a swimming squirrel once. However the animals are afraid in no way to go into the water also once.
This rounds, covered squirrel-nest, the Kobel, is built from branches and is dressed in the Innern with moss, grass, feathers and hair. Beside the main-nest, so-called "Spielkobel" are still prepared often. The squirrels don't hold any hibernation, they stick only with very bad weather in the Kobel for days.
Reproduction The combination-time begins with combination-games and tone-remarks in February. At all, the squirrels are very voice-joyful. The females place 2 throws with 3-8 (on average 5) boys in the year. The babies are blind nest-stools and in the birth very helpless.
Food The menu of the squirrel is very diversified. It consumes seeds, nuts, buds, blooms, bark and berries. In gardens, the "Eichkatzen" eat also fruit. Unfortunately the croissants act also as bad robbers by attacking squabs and bird-eggs from the nests plundering. They consume however also many damaging Kerbtiere (insects) beside it.
Hibernation How mentions, the animals don't hold any hibernation. Therefore the squirrel positions supplies for the winter in that it hides seeds and nuts in tree-holes or buries in the earth. Since it always recovers some of the reserve-places no more, it can make itself quite considerably useful when afforesting the forest. The reserve-attitude is carried out with such meticulousness that the expression became "action squirrels" custom itself for similar human measures.
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