When the squirrel comes: we build a comfortable and beautiful house for the squirrel with our own hands

The purpose of building a squirrel colony

Squirrels by nature live alone, and therefore every furry animal needs a personal shelter. In their natural habitat, they settle in tree hollows or build nests in them. However, if you want to place this animal in your summer cottage, then you need to equip a house for the squirrel .

It performs the following functions:

• protects the animal from precipitation and cold weather, so in winter the squirrels do not leave the house for weeks;
• is a pantry for various food supplies - berries, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, which squirrels collect and store throughout the summer;
• is a breeding ground, as the squirrel gives birth to its young every spring and summer, blind and helpless. They need to stay with their mother in a dry, warm and safe place.

During periods of severe cold, squirrels help each other survive and can move into one house with several individuals at once. However, with the onset of spring, each animal needs its own home in which it can give birth. There may be manifestations of a real battle for space, when animals drive out the legal residents and settle in the squirrel colony themselves. Therefore, the installation of such a structure will not only please your eyes, but will also significantly help the life of the furry animal.

Squirrel house and feeder: video

In a tree, the construction of a squirrel nest occurs in a similar way, but without the top cut and installation of a roof, but simply sawing the hollow in a place where the tree is no longer alive, for example, on a large dead branch. The hollow is cut out using a special tool - a chainsaw, a drill with attachments, etc., then it is cleaned a little from the inside, protected at the entrance - and that’s all. The squirrel house, just as natural as the previous one, is completely ready.

As you can see, there are practically no difficulties in building a squirrel house with your own hands. Sometimes, of course, such a question comes down to a tool, practical knowledge or free time, but if you bypass all this, tune in and quickly create your first masterpiece, then you will only have to do one thing - lure the squirrel to its new house and settle it in the new building for a long time .

Requirements for building a house

1. A squirrel's home should be built only from natural wood. Therefore, when constructing a house for a squirrel with your own hands, you should not allow the use of artificial, sealed or plastic building materials.
2. You cannot line the squirrel cage from the inside. The internal walls of the house must also be made of natural material, not treated with varnish, paint or other chemicals. Synthetic smells will only scare away the animal, and it will never settle in such a squirrel forest.
3. It is necessary to respect the dimensions of the living space. Squirrels prefer to live in small, cozy and warm houses, and therefore the squirrel colony should be compact. In large buildings, the risk of freezing inside the squirrel nest increases significantly, from where the squirrel will quickly move out.

Useful tips before construction

In forests, red animals love to be in the hollows of oak trees or coniferous trees. The structures for them should be made from this kind of wood.

There are several squirrel colonies in the photo:

In order for a squirrel to settle in a house built for it, it is necessary to follow certain rules:

1. First, you can choose the tree on which the housing will be mounted. You can choose it closer to your windows, so that you can then observe the life of the animal from home.
2. To avoid direct sunlight, the squirrel house must be installed on the south side.
3. For the safety of the animal, the height of the housing can be about 5 meters.

The correct dimensions of the home

The main purpose of a squirrel colony is to provide space for the animal itself and its offspring. But here one nuance appears, since each cub needs to have personal space. This can be easily achieved by installing small partitions or building a multi-story squirrel barn.

It is extremely difficult to recognize the dimensions of a one-story house for squirrels in the photo. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on numbers. The optimal parameters for constructing a simple squirrel cage are: height -50 cm, depth - about 45 cm and width - no more than 40 cm. It is also necessary to take into account the size of the hole for the manhole. Its diameter should not exceed 7 cm, and the shape is preferably round.

For a multi-tiered squirrel cage, you should maintain a height of 30 cm for each floor. To ensure a comfortable stay for the animal inside, the optimal width of the building will be 25 cm. It is also important to remember that it is not recommended to build a large squirrel colony, even if it is multi-story. This directly affects the comfort of the home and the animal’s desire to stay in it.

Materials for building a house

The initial stage for building a house is the correct selection of material for the squirrel’s future home. It depends on what appearance the owner prefers and what he has on the property. So, squirrel cages can have the following variations:

1. Construction of a squirrel cage from edged boards. Such a house is usually held together with standard self-tapping screws and insulated on the outside with moss. In this case, the house for the squirrel takes on the appearance of a birdhouse, but according to its characteristics it is suitable for the animal to live in.
2. Construction of a squirrel cage from solid wood. As a result, such a dwelling becomes outwardly similar to the squirrel’s natural habitat – a hollow.

How to set up an enclosure for squirrels

What types of enclosures for squirrels are there:

Since squirrels are unpretentious animals, they can willingly live in an apartment. The future house - an aviary or a squirrel colony - should be located opposite the window. The size of the area depends on the number of animals. These cute creatures require a height of up to 3 meters.

First you need to assemble the frame. The boards and beams must be strong and are quite suitable for supports that are firmly installed to the floor and ceiling. The entire enclosure should be covered with netting. You can fix the mesh using self-tapping screws. In the squirrel barn it is necessary to make a small door for cleaning the room and delivering food.

How else can you make a cage for squirrels:

Subtleties of building a squirrel farm

• In building a house, you can use any available wooden materials: from boards to slabs.
• The material for the squirrel cage must be dry.
• The optimal board thickness for constructing a squirrel cage is 20-25 mm, since such a structure will last much longer.
• You cannot plan the boards on the side where the inner wall of the squirrel cage will be located.
• Strictly adhere to the recommended sizes.
• It is better to insert the bottom of the squirrel cage inside, rather than nailing it on the outside, since such installation guarantees durability.

Construction of a squirrel colony from boards

In order to construct a house for a squirrel, there is practically no need for a drawing, since the process is very simple. For work, you should prepare the following materials in advance:

1. Board 3 m long, 20 mm thick, 30 cm wide.
2. Hacksaw or jigsaw.
3. Square.
4. Sandpaper.
5. Glue.
6. Self-tapping screws.

Preparing the Components

So, to know for sure how to make a house for a squirrel, the first thing you need to do is prepare the individual parts. To do this, you should perform a number of actions:

1. It is necessary to measure and saw off 55 cm along the length of the board - this part will serve as the back wall of the squirrel cage.
2. On the same board, you should outline 5 cm at the top and bottom - this will leave room for the subsequent attachment of the house to the tree.
3. Then you need to cut 2 parts along the board, each measuring 25x45 cm - these will be the side walls of the house.
4. Saw off a piece measuring 20x25cm, which will serve as a partition.
5. The remaining planks will play the role of a porch in the squirrel garden.

Making an entrance hole

To make “doors” for the squirrel cage, you will need to cut round holes of the correct shape using a jigsaw. The optimal size for the “entrance door” is 7 cm. A hole of this diameter will allow the squirrel to feel comfortable inside the structure and not let the heat out. The holes should then be carefully sanded to avoid damaging the animal. Squirrels often run the risk of getting hurt by getting their paws caught in wood chips.

Putting the structure together

After a painstaking process of preparing all the components of the structure, the squirrel colony itself should be formed from them. To do this, all fragments of the house must first be secured with glue. This will make sure that the shapes are correct and consistent, and you will see how correctly all the components are fitted. Then you can finally fix all the components using standard self-tapping screws. It is important to note that when driving in regular nails there is a risk of injury to the animal, so their use is not recommended.

The house is ready. After its final assembly, you can insulate the bottom by laying tow or a little forest moss on it. This way, you give the furry residents the opportunity to eliminate minor errors that arose during the construction of the squirrel colony on their own in order to provide their home with maximum comfort.

Procedure

To make a house for a squirrel, it is enough to follow a certain algorithm, and then the task will be completed in one day.

First, a project is created independently or taken on the Internet, after which drawings are prepared based on it. At this stage, it is imperative to take into account the size ratio of the important components of the structure, that is, the bottom, side walls and roof. If desired, you can additionally create a back wall and shelves. Next, the material for the squirrel cage is determined. As mentioned above, the best option would be a dried wooden board.

It is better to first draw the calculated details on a stencil, and then transfer them to wood using a pencil and ruler. Having cut out the individual parts of the house, you need to connect them using nails and screws. In the basic version, cracks are sealed with forest moss. Finally, the finished feeder is attached to the trunk with wire or several clamps. Of course, you can do it simpler and simply place a cardboard box or plastic bottle on the tree. But in this case, you should be prepared that, firstly, squirrels are unlikely to like such a craft, and, secondly, its service life will be very limited.

The algorithm for creating a squirrel nest from a solid stump looks a little different. First, two circles of equal thickness are cut out, forming the roof of the second floor and the bottom of the first. Next, a part of the log is taken, approximately 75 centimeters in length, inside of which it is necessary to hollow out the insides on both sides so that a couple of floors are obtained. Having secured the roof and bottom, you can proceed to cutting the entrance holes.

Construction of a log house

Squirrel colonies in the form of a natural hollow fit much more harmoniously into the exterior of a suburban area, since their appearance merges with the bosom of nature. In addition, structures of this type retain thermoregulatory characteristics much better; they are practical and reliable, which allows squirrels to use the home for more than one year.

Building a squirrel colony from a single log is quite simple. To do this, you need to prepare a wooden deck typical for a specific forest area. It has been noted that furry rodents prefer to settle in coniferous or oak hollows. Less attractive types of trees are birch and aspen, but the animal will not live in a poplar squirrel forest at all.

So, to make a solid house for a squirrel, the diameter of the log must be from 45 cm. Then the following manipulations must be carried out with the prepared tree:

• Saw off a part of the deck 5 cm thick - it will serve as a roof for the house.
• Cut a part of the log, the height of which will be 40 cm.
• Then you should make a cavity in the upper part of the deck, which will be the immediate place of residence of the animal.
• Leave 3 cm of thickness on the bottom and side walls of the log.
• Cut an entrance hole with a diameter of 8 cm, which will be located on the front side of the deck.
• Cover the upper part of the squirrel cage with the previously prepared lid.
• Use self-tapping screws to secure any snag or branch that will serve as a porch for the house.

How to install the house correctly?

Creating comfortable living conditions and a cozy atmosphere for the animal is the main goal facing the creator of the squirrel farm. For this reason, the following rules must be observed:

• the squirrel must be fixed to the tree;
• the height of the house must be at least 5 m from the ground level so that the animal feels safe and calm;
• the structure must be positioned in such a way that the entrance hole “looks” at the south or east side;
• you cannot fasten the house with a hole in the direction where the constant winds in a particular area are directed;
• the bottom of the squirrel nest should be covered with a little moss;
• Build a feeding trough next to the house so that the furry residents quickly settle into their new place.

Making a feeder

The photo shows different feeders for squirrels:

A simple and quick way to make a feeder for small animals is using a plastic bottle. Its most suitable volume is 5 liters. A round hole with a diameter of 10 cm is made in the bottle.

You can make a nest for a whole family of wild verniki to settle. The nesting house will not be so high, but wide, so that the mother and her children will be comfortable. At the bottom of the entrance hole, install 2-3 perches for babies. The nest should be attached to a tree so that it is not accessible to predators. Make sure that it is not blown by the wind. The bottom of the house is covered with dry leaves and hay so that the veritelle can build a nest.

To make it comfortable for the mother of the little ones to live in the garden, you can combine such a little house with a feeding trough. On the opposite side of the panel entrance, a hole with the diameter of the neck of a liter jar is cut. Its bottom should be made longer, according to the height of this jar. Various delicacies are poured into it. These can be seeds, nuts, apples and other delicacies, which are inserted into the holes of the house and attached with a dart to the bottom bar. To replenish food regularly, the jar should be easy to remove.

Today these animals are very popular all over the world for catching beautiful skins. And their extraordinary fertility saves them. There can be as many as 10 cubs. Every year more and more forests are destroyed, but squirrels find a way out here too - they move to parks, gardens, they can even be found in vineyards. In preparation for winter, the clever woman of the northern forests makes a lot of supplies. Other animals often steal hidden food. Sometimes she forgets where she hid it. Over time, the seeds and nuts germinate, giving birth to new plantings.

Squirrels are funny and attractive. They will never live in environmentally unfavorable places.

And if you see a smart tailed girl near your window, at home or in the country, everything is not so bad in your city or village.

Caring for a squirrel house

Over time, colonies of bacteria can form in the squirrel colony, which provoke the appearance of unpleasant odors and diseases of the animals themselves. Therefore, caring for the home of furry animals involves mandatory cleaning of the squirrel colony at the end of the summer.

So, cleaning the house includes removing any dirt, insulation materials, debris and husks that were used by the animals. You can also wipe the walls and bottom of the squirrel hut with a damp cloth, then let the house dry and lay fresh bedding on the bottom. In order to avoid contact with pathogenic microorganisms, cleaning work should be carried out using rubber gloves.

The idea for creating an original squirrel colony is presented in the video:

Protein content

Keeping squirrels in the apartment

The appearance of these animals in apartments occurs, as a rule, in two ways. The first is when people thoughtlessly and, having pity on the animal, usually a baby squirrel, take it into their home, having no place to keep it and having scant information about its needs. The second is a deliberate and “planned” establishment of such an animal at home, for example, after purchasing it from a squirrel nursery .
The lifespan of a common squirrel in captivity is 7 - 10 years, under good housing and feeding conditions.

Young animals adapt to a new environment the fastest and easiest; most of them forget about their previous habitat within a day. Sexually mature males, acquired during the mating season, adapt to the apartment in 2 - 3 days, while females will need more time for this, sometimes up to 2 weeks.

Before you bring a squirrel into your home or after you have brought it into your apartment, you need to create the right conditions so that the animal feels good.

Squirrels are very active and playful animals; they can run and climb for hours. Therefore, how comfortable she will be living at home depends largely on the size of her new home. The best thing you can offer her is a high enclosure made of metal mesh, its minimum dimensions are 100 cm in height, 50 cm in length and width. If she is on the street or on a balcony, she must be covered with a gable roof made of tin. Housing for squirrels should be located in a place without drafts, heating and noise. There should be a nest in the enclosure - like those that a squirrel builds for itself in the wild, but a birdhouse will also do. There should also be one large or several small branches so that the animal can run along them and grind off claws, planks, perches and shelves on which the animal will sit.

The most difficult period in the home life of squirrels comes during molting, which occurs 2 times a year. Some animals become lethargic and sleepy, while others, on the contrary, become more active or behave as usual. Spring molting in the common squirrel occurs immediately after estrus. In males, molting begins earlier and lasts until mid-summer. Females molt later than males, but more intensely; it ends when the squirrels are born.

For animal owners, shedding does not bring any big trouble, as it goes away gradually. But it is still recommended to place plates of any material 10 cm high around the perimeter of the base of the cage or enclosure.

Caring for a squirrel also involves regular cleaning of its house, which should be done as it gets dirty (about once a week). You shouldn’t disturb her nest, as they love their smell very much and get very worried when they don’t smell it. Feeders need to be washed every day, and the water in the drinking bowl or bowl should also be changed once a day.

Some people keep their squirrels in an apartment outside the cage or are let out of it frequently.

Just before you let the squirrel roam freely around the apartment, you need to remove all substances and objects that are dangerous to the health of the animal, as well as close the electrical wiring. You cannot open windows and doors, since it is impossible to return an animal that has jumped out of the apartment.

If a squirrel escapes from its cage, there is no way to catch it. This is a very dexterous animal, but even during stress during catching it may not be able to hold on and fall and get injured. Therefore, when the animal gets hungry, it will go into the cage itself to get food.

In order for a squirrel to feel good at home and not get sick, in addition to the right conditions, it must be fed correctly. Her diet should include pine nuts and hazelnuts, fresh and dried mushrooms, acorns, seeds, fresh eggs, insects, worms and beetles. She also needs spruce and pine cones with seeds, buds on spruce and pine branches, young birch leaves, willow and aspen catkins, blueberries, lingonberries, and cloudberries. In a word, everything that they eat in the wild. Squirrels should not eat sweets, peppers or food prepared for humans. We must not forget that a squirrel is, first and foremost, a rodent. To ensure that animals do not experience a deficiency of minerals, when kept at home, they need to be given crushed eggshells, chalk, or calcium gluconate or calcium glycerophosphate tablets, raw spongy bones, and coarse table salt.

In order to have the opportunity to have a pleasant time and communicate with a squirrel, it must be calm and tamed, otherwise such contact will bring nothing but stress for the animal and bites of the owners. You need to start contacting the animal immediately after its adaptation period in the apartment. To make friends with a squirrel, you need to treat it with food from your hands as often as possible, ensuring that it itself makes contact. And only after this, you can slowly and carefully pick her up and stroke her, starting with a short period of time and increasing it each time. The squirrel requires constant attention, since it has a very “short memory” and without regular communication it quickly runs wild.

An undeniable advantage of keeping squirrels at home is that they are very clean animals, without an unpleasant odor, and if they are accustomed to handling, they are very affectionate and friendly.

Keeping squirrels in the garden

Squirrels cannot be called domesticated, but taming them is not at all difficult. With all their love of freedom, these animals easily get used to people and even more easily to a place of constant feeding. If you decide to buy a squirrel, then remember that squirrels can be kept not only in a city apartment, but also in a suburban area, especially if there are a lot of trees there. These cheerful, energetic animals can transform the territory of your estate and literally fill it with life. Watching squirrels cheerfully jumping through the trees, gnawing nuts or carefully hiding supplies in secluded places is an activity that captivates both children and adults. And an elegant enclosure, necessary for taming animals at first, can become a real decoration for a personal plot, made taking into account the design elements of the territory or even the house itself.

An aviary cage is needed so that the animals get used to their new habitat and recognize it as their own. And after 3-5 months they will become free and full-fledged residents of your estate. Squirrels living in a suburban area become a simple and natural connection between a person and nature, an opportunity to take care of these charming furry animals and, while watching them, take a break from everyday activities. Decorating gardens or small parks, squirrels delight both their owners and their children every day.