Do Squirrels Have Nests?

It is always a pleasure to see these adorable and nimble creatures in our yard. They have these charming little eyes and fuzzy tails while holding on tight to their precious pecan food. They are also very talented; they can do acrobatic stunts and climb like Spiderman. Most of all, these very cute animals are very smart, just like our beloved dogs at home. They can learn easily when trained. If you teach them how to find ways to a problem, they can. If you’d like them to eat peanuts on your hands, they will. Squirrels are highly trainable, entertaining, friendly and adorable creatures that you’d want to keep one as your wonderful pet.

Amazing, isn’t it? But really, most of us know little about squirrels . All we know is that they are fun to watch in our yard running around and climbing those big and tall trees. Actually, there are so many things that we need to discover about these creatures so that we can treat them better.

Let’s start off with their home – where do they live and do they have nests.

Do Squirrels Have Nests?

Yes, they do and there are two kinds.

The first one is called tree cavity dens. What are these? Well, woodpecker birds originally make these dens; using their pointed, long and strong beaks, they chisel out tree barks to look for food like insects and other pests. Sometimes, these birds are able to create holes, which the squirrels later on use to build a den. Oh yes, squirrels are very resourceful and witty. Although they have strong frontal teeth, they aren’t able to chisel the outer barks of trees. So what they do is just look for those ready-made holes or tree cavities, and dig more to make them deeper, perfect to become a hideout or a den. Some of them are very strategic by creating a system of tunnels inside the tree. But of course, there are trees having natural holes especially on their bottom trunk so squirrels are also very lucky to find those. The tree cavity dens are their favorite because they can best protect them all year round, whether it’s rainy, snowy or sunny.

The second one is called leaf nests. The squirrels themselves create these nests out of hard work, patience and perseverance. Just imagine these cute and small creatures finding leaves to use and carrying them up to their chosen tree. Yes, just like birds they look for leaves. However, their nests are obviously larger and seemingly unproportioned – the edges are not well formed unlike bird nests. The leaf nests are usually situated 20 feet from the ground and are tucked in tree fork. But hear ye, hear ye, these aren’t just made out of leaves alone. The leaves are combined with twigs, moss and other materials for durability and of course, stability. The squirrels strategically places the twigs in the tree fork to create a base for the nest. Next, they put moss to the leaves and roll to combine, which they then puts on the interwoven twigs. Afterwards, they form a spherical frame surrounding the base; thereby, creating the outer part of the nest. As the finale, they stuff all the materials together to strengthen the structure.

So Where Do Squirrels Go at Night?

Of course, to their nests – whether it’s a tree cavity den or leaf nest. These nests become their sanctuaries where they can find relaxation, a home to sleep during the night, sure protection from any predators and natural calamities, and an area to reproduce and raise their babies.

Read more about squirrel nests in our article All About Squirrel Nests.