Is There a Market for Squirrel Farming? A Detailed Guide to Pen Construction, Feeding and Breeding Techniques

Depending on their living environment, the squirrel family is divided into tree squirrels, ground squirrels and rock squirrels, among others. Their food consists mainly of seeds and fruits, and squirrels can also be raised on a large scale.So is there a market for squirrel farming now? How are the pens built? What are the feeding management and breeding techniques?

Is there a market for squirrel farming now?

1. Squirrels are well-known fur animals, and the wholesale price of a single squirrel pelt reaches as high as sixty or seventy yuan. In many large and medium-sized cities, squirrels are also a hot commodity in the pet market and ecological parks. However, because wild resources are protected and few people raise them, many people know little about them, so squirrels on the market often have a price but no buyers.

2. Squirrels give birth only once a year, with large litters of 7-8 and small litters of 3-4. At the highest price they fetch more than 10 US dollars, generally 4-5 US dollars, and at the lowest no less than 1-2 US dollars, about 10-plus yuan. At present, the domestic squirrel consumer market is not yet well established; farmed squirrels are mainly exported to Japan and some European countries as pets, and this kind of squirrel farming is concentrated in the suburbs of Tianjin and the Kuancheng County area of Chengde, with an annual output of more than 20,000 animals. The annual output value is about more than 1 million yuan.

How are squirrel pens built?

In the wild, squirrels live alone, so the environmental conditions provided should give them sufficient conditions for solitary living while still allowing them to contact one another, which is beneficial for breeding.

1. Pen conditions: an open three-walled type, facing south with its back to the north, with brick walls on three sides, measuring 5 m long, 3 m wide and 3 m high. The floor is made of lime-sand soil, and there is a door on the north side (1.8 m high, 7 m wide) leading to the operation corridor, but there should also be a small partition outside the door, about 2 sq m, with a side door leading to the corridor, mainly to prevent the animals from running straight outside. Several rows of small wooden boxes are nailed to the three walls, and the first row can be nailed starting at more than 1 m above the ground. The wooden boxes measure 25 cm long and 25 cm wide, with an opening on one side (15 cm high, 12 cm wide), and the distance between boxes is 30 cm. The distance between rows (from the top of the lower row of boxes to the bottom of the upper row) is 30 cm, and the two rows of boxes may be staggered. They can be installed all the way up to the top. After stocking, adjustments can be made according to the actual situation. In the middle of the room, place a large dead tree with many forks or 2-3 medium-sized dead forked branches for them to move around on.

2. Exercise yard conditions: directly connected to the open pen, measuring 36 m long, 3 m wide and 3 m high. The three sides and the roof are all made of fine wire mesh, with a mesh size of no more than 1.5 cm being suitable. Below the mesh, a brick wall is built around it 20 cm above the ground. Likewise, place 1-2 dead forked branches appropriately, with a lime-sand soil floor.

What are the feeding management and breeding techniques for squirrels?

1. Feed: pine nuts, hazelnuts, melon seeds, sunflower, pears, apples and so on can be fed; according to the season and different regions, provide as many kinds of feed as possible for them to choose from. The feed can be placed in several spots to prevent them from fighting over it; dry feed can be added once every 2-3 days, while fruits should be supplied daily, preferably eaten up the same day. The water basin should always have clean water.

2. Management: when it is hot in summer, observe the animals' behavior and, if necessary, temporarily add straw mats or bamboo mats to the roof of the exercise yard for shade and spray water to cool them down. In winter, no heat-preservation measures are needed.

3. Key points of breeding techniques: when introducing animals, those with robust constitutions must be selected for breeding, and the male-to-female ratio may be 3-4:1. Set aside the weak ones separately, especially weak males, which may be attacked by other males. During the breeding period, some animal-based foods such as cooked eggs and bread can be given to see whether they like them. In addition, place some clean dry leaves, shredded hemp, fine twigs and so on in the pen for them to use as bedding or to build nests.

Young animals six months old should be separated and raised individually to avoid excessive density.

4. Disease and natural enemy control: because squirrels are few in number under artificial rearing conditions, receive little attention and are not easy to observe, there are no reports of them suffering from any particular disease. However, they are rodents and may transmit bubonic plague, so hygiene must be done well every day and disinfection carried out regularly. In addition, the pens and exercise yard must be strictly guarded against wild mice and house mice getting in, which would cause feed grabbing, harm the squirrels and spread diseases.