Squirrels are best known as being early risers who start the day early, but recently, someone asked me what time do squirrels wake up, and I thought it was an interesting question that was worthy of a blog post.
To be clear, when I use the term “squirrel,” I’m referring to tree squirrel species like the Gray squirrel (or grey squirrel), Fox squirrel, and red squirrel species. Species like ground squirrels and flying squirrels are not included in that definition.
Squirrels are Active During the Day
Squirrels are primarily active during the day, spending the majority of their time foraging for food and engaging in other daytime activities. By being active during the day, squirrels can take advantage of the daylight to search for food, socialize, and build nests. As a species, they are most active in the early morning and late afternoon.
Additionally, their diurnal behavior allows them to make use of the resources available during the day, such as open flowers and fruits. While squirrels are known to exhibit some nocturnal behavior, particularly in urban areas where there is less noise and traffic, their overall activity pattern is primarily focused on the daytime.
Squirrel Sleeping Habits
Squirrels sleep after the sun goes down and then typically wake up around an hour before the sun rises. This sleeping pattern allows them to maximize their foraging time during the safer daylight hours. Additionally, squirrels may have periods of inactivity during the day to conserve energy, especially if their food source is scarce. This inactivity can last up to 12 hours and helps squirrels maintain their energy levels during times of limited food availability.
Another interesting fact is that squirrels sleep with their eyes closed like people do.
Factors That Affect Activity Level
There are several factors that can impact the sleeping habits and activity levels of squirrels, including the following:
Temperature
Squirrels are more active during warmer temperatures and become less active when the temperature drops below 30 degrees. During the winter, when temperatures dip below 30 degrees, squirrels tend to wake up later in the morning and may not become active until the temperatures warm up.
During periods of colder temps, it’s not uncommon to see squirrels basking in the sun when they first exit their den in an effort to warm up.
Food availability
Another factor that can impact a squirrel’s level of daily activity is the availability of food. In situations when food is readily available, it’s not uncommon to see members of this species leave their dens or nests at first light to start foraging.
However, in situations where food is scarcer, it’s common to see squirrels reduce their volume of activity in an effort to save energy to locate food. When food sources are harder to locate, squirrels tend to spend less time socializing or engaging in play behavior.
Factors that affect squirrel activity include the presence of predators, food availability, and the daily cycle of light and darkness.
A Reduction in Daylight Hours
As the seasons change, the days grow shorter, and the sun sets earlier. In this situation, the reduction in daylight hours can impact when squirrels rise and how active they are during those hours.
When the days are shorter, squirrels have fewer hours for feeding and socializing. For this reason, they seem to socialize less and focus more on locating food during the winter months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some commonly asked questions associated with the times that squirrels are awake during the day:
What time do squirrels go to bed?
Being a diurnal species, wild squirrels typically go to sleep within an hour of the sun going down. Squirrels living in or around municipalities with bright night lighting are known to go to bed later, as researchers believe that the man made lighting may confuse their circadian rhythm.
What is the average lifespan of a squirrel?
Various factors, including local population density, food availability, predation, and disease prevalence, influence a squirrel’s average lifespan. These factors can affect the overall health and survival rates of squirrels in different environments.
Researchers believe that squirrels in the wild can live anywhere from 3 to 5 years, although the average lifespan is believed to be closer to three years or less. Squirrels in captivity potentially live much longer, with a lifespan of 10 to 15 years.
Do squirrels migrate to warmer climates during the winter?
Most squirrel species do not migrate to warmer climates during winter. Instead, they employ various survival strategies to survive during colder temperatures. Those strategies include shared dens to share body heat, migrating from nests to dens in hollow trees, and a reduction in daily activity to conserve energy.
Do squirrels hibernate?
Technically, by definition, squirrels do not enter a state of hibernation like other hibernator species (like bears). However, during the colder winter months, squirrels will enter a state of reduced activity called torpor. In this torpor state, some bodily functions are slowed down to conserve energy. Another side effect of torpor is longer sleep sessions during the day, which is uncommon for most diurnal species.
How do squirrels communicate with each other?
Squirrels communicate with each other through a combination of vocalizations, tail movements, scent marking, and visual signals. These communication methods allow them to convey information about threats, territory, and mating availability to other squirrels in their social group.
What are some common predators of squirrels, and how do they defend themselves?
Common predators of squirrels include owls, hawks, snakes, and domestic cats. Squirrels employ various defense mechanisms, such as freezing, vocalizing, and running in zigzag patterns to avoid predators. They may also release a strong odor or use their sharp teeth to bite if necessary.
Do squirrels sleep at night?
Very much like humans, squirrels do sleep at night. They are active during the day and sleep at night, just like humans.
Where do squirrels sleep at night?
Squirrels sleep in various places at night. Most sleep in either a nest in a tree (called a drey) or in a den built in a hollow tree. Both the drey and den are lined with insulation materials like leaves or moss for warmth.
Are squirrels nocturnal animals?
Technically, squirrels are not considered a nocturnal species. They are a diurnal species awake during the day and sleeping when the night falls.
How long do squirrels sleep at night?
The duration of a squirrel’s sleep at night can vary based on factors like the outside temperature and when the sun goes down. Researchers believe that, on average, they may sleep 8-12 hours a night.
When are squirrels the most active?
Squirrels are most active during the early morning and late afternoon. These are the times when they are usually seen running around and collecting food.
Do baby squirrels sleep at night?
Baby squirrels also sleep at night. However, they tend to sleep for shorter periods and wake up more frequently to be fed by their mother.
I’ve been hunting squirrels for 45 years, and I try to spend as much time as I can in the woods chasing bushy tails. I do hunt a few other game species, including deer, doves, some upland birds, and the occasional coyote. I prefer to harvest squirrels with a rimfire rifle and do my best to ethically harvest bushy tails with a head or neck shot. In addition to hunting, I enjoy fishing and various types of shooting. When I’m not squirrel hunting, I work in the gun holster industry.
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