Whether you know it as a pine squirrel, Douglas squirrel, or chickaree, Tamiasciurus douglasii is one of the cutest tree-dwelling mammals in British Columbia. Here is everything you need to know about these little rodents, including what to do when they cause you to search for professional squirrel removal in Coquitlam.
What Do They Look Like?
Douglas squirrels have orange tummies, brown backs, and pale rings around their eyes that resemble spectacles. In summer, you may notice dark lines that look like racing stripes on their sides. In winter, the squirrels also grow distinctive ear tufts, and their black markings fade to gray.
Red squirrels and Douglas squirrels are both approximately 35 centimetres long from head to tail tip. Red squirrels lack the distinct markings and colours of Douglas squirrels, so it is easy to tell the two species apart. The eastern gray squirrel dwarfs both of them, weighing up to twice as much as they do.
What Do They Eat?
Douglas squirrels rely on seeds from conifer trees as their main food source. But like most rodents, Douglas squirrels are omnivores that also eat a variety of foods in their environments. Here are some of their favourites:
- Flowers and berries
- Invertebrates such as worms and insects
- Nestling birds and small mammals
- Mushrooms
If you watch Douglas squirrels eat, you will notice some unique behaviours. When gnawing a mature conifer cone, they start at the bottom and spiral their way to the top, eating the seeds as they go. When they come across green, unripened cones, they will bury them in damp soil to keep the cones fresh until ready to eat. They also dry mushrooms to eat later by placing them in the crotch of a tree.
Where Do They Live?
The Pacific Northwest and the Sierra Nevada mountains are the only places in the world that Douglas squirrels call home. Their range extends through the southwestern corner of British Columbia and along the coast into Western Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.
If you live in an urban area of Coquitlam, then you may be accustomed to seeing mostly gray squirrels around town. Douglas squirrels don’t mind living near people, but they prefer forests with an abundance of cone-bearing trees such as hemlock, spruce, pine or fir.
What Do They Do?
Douglas squirrels spend most of their time up in trees where they can watch for predators from a favourite branch. You can find their hangouts by looking on the ground for piles of discarded cone scales that the squirrels toss down while eating.
Because they are usually up in the tree canopy, much of their communication with other squirrels is vocal rather than visual. In early spring, they are especially noisy as they use their screeches, barks, and chirrs to defend territories and pursue mates.
How Do They Get Inside Houses?
During summer, Douglas squirrels construct a nest out of bark, branches, lichens, and moss, and place it in a conifer tree. This cozy structure, called a drey, is where they raise their babies. In the winter, they move into a hollow tree and spend less time outdoors.
When a human home is within a Douglas squirrel’s approximately one-hectare territory, the squirrels will move into it in the same way they would a tree. Unfortunately, they will chew holes in siding and can cause electrical shorts by gnawing on wires. They can also create an unsanitary situation by urinating and defecating on insulation.
How Skedaddle Provides Squirrel Removal
Douglas squirrels are enjoyable to watch in the yard, but they cause problems when they come indoors. Skedaddle technicians will remove them humanely, then seal up openings to keep them out. If you are having issues with any type of squirrel, call Skedaddle for a home inspection today.
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