this charming little animal that causes sympathy in both adults and children, has recently become quite common pet of many citizens.Funny animal as if created for the decoration of our nature - dense forest, the city park and a living room corner.
Squirrel is very attractive in appearance.It is very proportioned animal with thick brown hair flaming in the summer and the silvery-yellow - in the winter, dark brushes with sharp ears and a fluffy tail.Her muzzle is decorated with clever black eyes.All of this gives the impression of refined elegance.
Have you seen ever, as the protein moves?Description of its movements can be reduced to a few words - lightness, dynamics and grace.All the movements and postures of this elegant and refined beauty - she climbs on a huge tree trunk, with lightning speed, "flies" from branch to branch, or passion gnaws cone, clutching her small but strong legs, fluffed while its unusual tail.
Habitat
Life protein was always interested not only scientists, but also ordinary travelers.It is always interesting to watch the behavior of the animal, its incredible activity, curiosity, cute gullibility, lightning-fast transition from one activity to another.
This wild animals.Squirrel in the wild in Russia is found in the steppe and forest zone.Since the end of the XX century, this animal became inhabit the parks and gardens close to various settlements, and sometimes in their territory.They are not afraid of big cities.
Squirrel, a description of which can be found in many publications, ranging from textbooks to special directories, settling in hollows and in special nest in the shape of a ball - Heine, she masters from the rough branches outside and soft crust inside.
The settlements are often happy to take birdhouses and other nesting birds.
Squirrel - very clever animal.She is in no hurry, even in very harsh winter migrate to warmer climes, if it has no problems with the food or feed people.
Squirrel: description, exterior features
Squirrel ordinary - it's pretty small small animal with a slender, slightly elongated body, with a tail "raschёsom" and head right, rounded shape.Ears oblong, winter appear expressed brush.
on the face, abdomen, front paws are whiskers, special sense organs that help animals better orient themselves in space.The rear legs are much longer than the front, and the fingers on the paws crowned with sharp, prehensile claws.On each side of the tail hair is longer than the whole body, so the tail is somewhat flattened shape.
squirrel finds a mild winter, high and fluffy fur.In summer, it is more rare, hard, short.Color varies seasonally, within a single population.The animal molts twice a year (except for the tail - it sheds only once).
spring molt occurs in April and May, and in autumn - in September and November.
Power proteins
This cute rodent - a typical inhabitant of the forest.Perhaps that is why the basis of its diet are seeds of trees and shrubs.Squirrel prefer to live in mixed coniferous-deciduous forests.Here she has the best feeding conditions.In addition, the animal loves ripe dark coniferous forests - spruce, cedar, Fir;followed by planting deciduous, mixed pine, thickets of cedar elfin wood.In the Caucasus and Crimea, ordinary protein feels very comfortable in the cultural landscapes - vineyards and orchards.
Lifestyle
Squirrel - agile and lively small mammal.She easily makes huge "hops" from tree to tree.Sometimes they "fly" in a straight line up to 10-15 m, with the masterful "steering" tail.In the snow-free time as well as during the rut, he spends a long time on the ground, on which moves jumps.
Squirrel winter moves mainly on the "top".At the slightest danger hiding in the trees, usually lurking in the crown.Active in the morning and evening.Up to 80% of the time she spends in search of food.
In the midst of winter leaves the nest only during the power in extreme cold does not come out of the nest, falling into a drowsy state.Squirrel not territorial - individual plots are expressed weakly.
proteins differ ability to hide and find the hidden seeds and nuts, quickly realize that people can be a source of food and have become accustomed to the hand.
Despite the charming appearance, they are quite aggressive, moderately suspicious and even different quarrelsomeness.These cute little animals can easily be tame animals, but pets in the usual sense is unlikely.They can not be attributed to the animals, which can caress or "cuddle".Even in the warmest friendships you will rarely be able to pat the animal on the fur.
very rare protein becomes so tame that allows you to take yourself in hand.Young animals more quickly adapt to the new environment than adults.
Types of protein to animals that are kept in captivity, are proteins and protein-ordinary Teleut.
squirrel is common to rodents, it is familiar to every person - adult and child, even if he had seen her only in the image.It spreads throughout Russia.The only exception is the zone of deserts, steppes and semi-deserts.
protein Teleut - separate subspecies of common proteins.It is mainly distributed in East Siberia and the Kamchatka Peninsula, acclimatized in the Crimea and the Caucasus.
These types of protein differ from each other only by size and color - Teleut larger.
Lifespan The average lifespan of these animals in the wild is not more than 3.5 years.At home, when the animal is not threatened by frost, it will provide food and protected from predators, squirrels live up to 10-12 years.Cases where the proteins live in captivity up to 16 years, rather an exception to the rule.
dietary protein diet
this little animal is diverse.It consists of more than 130 names of various feeds.The main part among them are the seeds of conifers - pine, cedar, spruce, fir, larch.
In the southern, oak forests with undergrowth of protein with pleasure regales hazelnuts and acorns.She also eats mushrooms, shoots and buds of trees, tubers and rhizomes, berries, lichens, grass.Quite often the shortage of feed protein actively eats buds eaten, thereby causing significant damage to these trees.
During the breeding season does not give up animal feed - insects and their larvae, feed on eggs, chicks, small vertebrates.Full amount of food consumed depends on the season: in the spring, during the rut, it may be up to 80 grams of food per day, in the winter - about '35
the winter thrifty squirrel collects small stores of nuts, acorns, cones, zataskivaya themnests or hiding them among the roots.In addition, it dries the mushrooms as a good housewife, hanging them on the branches of trees.
However, quite often it forgets its warehouses and found them quite by accident in the winter.This is often used by small rodents, birds and even brown bears.Protein itself enjoys inventory of their forest neighbors (nutcrackers, chipmunks, mice) that she feels even through the half meter layer of snow.
Care and Maintenance
Squirrel home - a creature with a boundless energy that can jump and run around the clock.For its contents in the house for a spacious aviary or a large cage.
for one animal is required 50h60sm cage size and height of 150 cm. The bars do better galvanized, or cover them with a good powder coating.The gap between the bars should not be more than 2 cm. The cage must be equipped with a sliding tray that it was easier to clean.On the tray lay hay, cane or the forest moss.
sure in the cell to be drinkers, feeders and houses, where proteins are generally satisfied with the nests.One small animal must be two houses that need to be well secured at a sufficient height.Put the pieces in a cage with a soft cloth, pieces of wool, fine sawdust, a little wool, which is required to use the squirrel nest in the organization.
owner should have access to the house (you can use a folding roof or a wide input).Do not forget the salt and mineral stones to be installed in a convenient place for a pet, it is better if it will be a place close to the drinker or trough.
We have already said that the proteins in dire need of movement, therefore no different ladders, hammocks, swings, large branches and the wheels you can not do.
Squirrel home will feel comfortable in the cell established away from drafts and direct sunlight.It should be clean every other day.It will protect your pet from infectious diseases.
Breeding
In mid-latitudes in the wild squirrels reproduce twice a year.Born 12 pups per litter.Pregnancy proteins home lasts 5 weeks.Immediately after the delivery of the protein begins to fulfill their maternal duties.She is very good mother, squirrels surrounding care and attention.At the age of two weeks, young covered with fur, 4 weeks of age, they begin to see clearly.By the 40th day the kids are starting to look for food themselves, 2 month pass to a fully independent life.Full puberty happens to five months.
Note that at home do not often multiplies protein.Description of experts suggests that this process is possible only in captivity under good care of the beast and its quality food.
