There are at least 265 species of Amarillo squirrels that are found all over the world. They are clever and nimble rodents that belong in the same family of marmots, prairie dogs, and chipmunks. Just like the other rodents, the squirrels are known for their front teeth that are continuously growing. They can only control its growth by constantly gnawing on tough materials. You will often see them running from the different branches of the trees. Others prefer to create a complex tunnel or burrows. 

Appearance of the Squirrel

As we mentioned above, there are more than 200 types of Texas squirrels and they vary in terms of sizes. The smallest one would be the African Pygmy. This squirrel has an average length of 3.9 inches. They can also weigh at around 10 grams. The biggest type of squirrel is the Ratufa Indica. It may reach up to 1 meter in terms of length and can weigh as heavy as 1.8kg. Their feet are padded that allows them to absorb the shock when they jump from a height of 20 ft. The placement of their eyes allows them to have a greater view of their surrounding without the need to turn their head. 

Life Cycle

The gestation period of the squirrels will depend upon the size of the species. In some cases it can be around 29 days while in other instances, it can reach up to 65 days. The smaller ones will expectedly have shorter gestation period. The mother squirrel will have an approximately 2-8 young ones that are called kits or kitten. While this creature is known for their outstanding sense of sight, they were actually blind when they were born. They will completely depend upon their mother for their survival. After around 8 weeks, the baby squirrel will start to explore the area around their nest. After 8-10 weeks, they will leave their nest and will reach their sexual maturity. The life span of the squirrels in the wild is around 12 years and those that are in captivity are about 20 years.

Habitat

The forest in the eastern part of North America provides an excellent habitat for the Texas squirrels. The tree squirrels prefer to live in coniferous forest. Ground squirrels are obviously found in the tunnel system on the ground. There are also other types of squirrels that will hibernate on burrows during the winter season. The flying squirrels will create their den in the hollows of the trees. 

Diet

The usual part of the squirrel's diet would be nuts and seeds including hickory nuts, butternuts, beechnuts, and acorns. The abundant supply of beechnuts at the Adirondacks is perhaps one of the reasons why there is large population of squirrels in the area. They also love to munch on small seeds such as basswood, ashes, and maples. During the summer season, the squirrels will eat fruits, berries, and even fungi. 

Squirrels are social Amarillo creatures; they prefer to live in large group and exhibit a strong sense of camaraderie. You will often notice this, when they sense a threat. They will create strange calls to notify their members about the impending danger.