Description of the palm squirrel and its habitat, features of reproduction, behavior and nutrition of the animal in the natural environment and at home. The content of the article:
- Description and distribution
- Power features
- Lifestyle
- Home content
The palm squirrel is a typical inhabitant of the Indian subcontinent and adjacent islands. This small animal is also called the Indian palm squirrel. Its closest relative is the northern palm squirrel, which lives in Pakistan and Nepal.
Description and distribution of palm squirrel
The palm squirrel (Indian palm squirrel, five-striped palm squirrel) is a squirrel rodent. The animal is small. In length, it can reach a maximum of 20 centimeters, the optimal size is 14-17 centimeters. The rodent's tail has the same length as the whole body, it is quite fluffy, the hair on it is longer than on the body. Weighs only 100 grams.
The animal's coat is thick, soft, low. The animal looks like a squirrel in its appearance, but the color is different and resembles a chipmunk. Therefore, such squirrels are often confused with chipmunks. Moreover, they are the spitting image of cartoon Chip and Dale. On the back, the coat ranges from light gray to almost black. There are certainly five wide stripes that run along the entire back. The abdomen is whitish.
This nimble animal lives everywhere in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran. On the shores of Sri Lanka, palm squirrel is also widespread. And at the end of the last century, it was randomly brought to Israel and Australia.
The animal loves palm thickets and tropical forests. However, it can often be found in urban settings. For example, in the cities of Delhi, Karnataka, Agra, Jaipur, Hikkaduwa, Mount Lavinia, Bentota, etc. palm squirrels are a common feature of the local fauna. They live in the crowns of trees, in places of architectural ruins, which makes many tourists very happy.
However, you can meet the animal with the family in the most unusual places, for example, near the carriageway near the road, where they can calmly gnaw seeds and nuts. And on the roofs of houses you can often find nests of palm squirrels.
Nutritional features of palm squirrel
The small animal, like all rodents, prefers to eat nuts, seeds, berries, fruits, acorns, buds and tree shoots. Certain regions of India suffer from palm protein dietary addictions. Coffee plantations are especially damaged - squirrels eat the buds and buds of coffee trees.
Usually, without fear, squirrels take food from people's hands. And in street catering establishments, rodents strive to "attack" the plate of a gaping person. Squirrels can steal all the food, you just have to look away.
Also, palm squirrels do not hesitate to eat insects, larvae, bird eggs. They gnaw the branches and take out the ant larvae from them.
Unlike other varieties of squirrels, palm squirrels never store food. They do not need this, as food is abundant throughout the year.
Palm squirrel lifestyle
Palm squirrels build nests in the form of balls, which they weave from plant fibers. As a rule, palm leaf veins are used as a building material.
Squirrels fix their nests in the crowns of trees and palms, as well as in any convenient secluded places, even on the roofs of human dwellings. Palm squirrels are not afraid of neighbors with people, but at the same time they are quite shy. When a person approaches, they immediately hide, but when they see food, they can come up and take it from their hands.
The animals have excellent movement speed and coordination, they move very quickly from the roof to the loggia, to the tree and back.
Adult males do not protect the territory of residence as a whole, however, they can show signs of aggression near the nests and temporary shelters themselves. The male can attack a congener that is approaching his house. But palm squirrels do not fight for food.
These squirrels are very quiet animals. It is very rare to hear their shrill loud whistle, which they emit only in case of extreme danger.
Animals reach sexual maturity at the age of 6 to 8 months. The family of palm squirrels has its own hierarchy, and during the breeding season several males usually compete for one female. The winner gets the opportunity to mate with her and stays with her for the whole day. The female builds a spherical nest and gives birth to and nurses children in it.
Palm squirrels are pregnant for about 40 days. Most often, 2-5 squirrels are born. They are blind and hairless. Their mother breastfeeds for two months.
Palm squirrel babies are born tiny and defenseless. They can sleep anywhere, curled up in a ball. They often fall asleep right on the palm of a person. They reach independence approximately 6 weeks after birth.
In captivity, palm squirrels do not breed seasonally. In their natural environment, animals most often breed in March-April, as well as from July to September.
Palm protein content at home
Palm squirrels can also live in captivity. Their content is not much different from ordinary proteins at home. The feed mixture for them is sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, various nuts, and watermelon seeds. It is worth noting that seeds and nuts should only be given raw to proteins. You cannot fry or bake them.
Palm proteins also love fresh and dried fruits such as apples, bananas, tangerines, oranges, pears, cherries, grapes, dates, figs, raisins, prunes, dried apricots, coconut, cherries, pineapple. You can also give vegetables: cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots. They enjoy eating homemade palm proteins and dairy products - cottage cheese, yogurt. You can mix them with muesli.
A mineral stone for rodents is suitable as an additional source of minerals, as well as a material for grinding down incisors. You can also feed the squirrels a cuttlefish skeleton for birds. The regular presence of freshly cut branches of fruit trees (apple, cherry, pear) is mandatory.
The Palm Squirrel is a nimble and active pet. It is especially active in the mornings and evenings. And at lunch he likes to sleep. The animal is not noisy, unlike its close relatives - degus and chipmunks.
The palm squirrel cage must be upright. Its dimensions are usually 80x80x50 cm. It is great if the cage has a pull-out tray. This will make cleaning much easier. The latter should be done once every three days. And once a week to carry out a general cleaning. The cage and all its contents should be thoroughly washed out and poured over with boiling water. It is worth noting that the palm squirrel, like hamsters and rats, has a rather strong odor.
The filler for the cell can be dry peat, sawdust, wood shavings. Place branches in it for the animal to climb. They should also be changed regularly as they absorb the squirrel odor. Do not forget about the nesting house. Its presence in the cage is mandatory. The squirrel must have a place for privacy.
A metal running wheel will help keep the squirrel in good shape. Its diameter can be about 20 centimeters.
In captivity, palm squirrels can live for about 10 years. When deciding to purchase protein, keep the pros and cons in mind. The advantages of this animal are its contact, interesting behavior, kind disposition and activity. Cons - an unpleasant smell and the need to have a large cage.
If you have a palm squirrel at home, try to contact with it as much as possible, “communicate”. Do not make sudden movements near her or shout. It is especially important not to frighten the animal in the first months of its presence in the house. Let the squirrel get used to you and the environment.
What does a palm squirrel look like - watch the video:
Photos of palm squirrels resemble the cartoon chipmunks Chip and Dale, so they are often chosen as pets for babies. They are beautiful, peaceful and unpretentious animals. However, it is much more interesting to observe them in their natural habitat.
