Snow Squirrel Breeding Methods and Technical Key Points
The snow squirrel is a small mammal of the genus Sciurus in the family Sciuridae. Its tail hair is dense, long and fluffy, its limbs and front and hind feet are all relatively long, and its ear shells are well developed, reaching the eyes when folded forward. Its coat color is also affected by the seasons: the winter coat is gray or grayish-brown, and the summer coat is black or blackish-brown. Its main distribution area is the Eurasian continent. Let us take a look at the breeding methods for snow squirrels below!
Market Price of Snow Squirrels
The price of snow squirrels varies in different regions, and the selling prices also differ. At present, the market selling price is around 1500 yuan, which is also the most expensive compared with other types of squirrels. However, because snow squirrels have delicate faces, agile bodies, and are gentle, cute and docile, they are still loved by many people, and some families keep snow squirrels as pets. When buying, we should still shop around, ask several sellers to see how the prices are, and then decide whether to buy.
Living Habits of Snow Squirrels
The snow squirrel is a typical arboreal rodent species, inhabiting mountain coniferous forests and coniferous-broadleaf mixed forests. It uses branches, moss and feathers as nesting materials and builds nests among branches. The nest is round, with the exit opening on the leeward side, but it also sometimes lives in tree hollows, and some nests are made by repairing old large bird nests. Squirrels can make several nests each year, with main and secondary nests; the secondary nests are used for temporary rest, but they rarely build nests and mostly use old nests. They are active during the day and are most lively in the early morning. They do not hibernate, but their activity decreases in winter, and during the severe cold of deep winter they seldom leave the nest to move about. They mainly feed on plant foods, and also eat insects and their larvae, ant eggs, bird eggs and other animals, but the main food is the seeds of coniferous forests such as larch. In summer they mostly eat various berries and mushrooms, and when food is scarce they also eat young tree buds.
Main Varieties of Snow Squirrels
1. North China subspecies: In winter the back is pure dark gray; in summer the back, limbs and tail are all black, with reddish hair mixed on the northern part and the base of the tail. Skull length 52.7-53.8 mm. Distributed in Hebei, northeastern Beijing, Shanxi and Henan.
2. Brown-black subspecies: In winter the back is dark gray with fine grayish-brown ripples, and the hair is not fluffy. In summer the back is black or blackish-brown. The tail has relatively little reddish mix. Skull length 52.0-55.8 mm. Distributed in Hebei, and possibly also in Inner Mongolia; abroad it is distributed in the former Soviet Union and Mongolia.
3. Northeast subspecies: In winter the back is noticeably gray, with fine dark ripples, rarely dark brown changing to blackish-brown. The tail has a small amount of reddish hair mixed in. Skull length 53.0-57.0 mm. In China it is distributed in the Greater and Lesser Khingan Mountains and Heilongjiang; abroad it is distributed in the Ussuri region of the former Soviet Union.
4. Altai subspecies: In winter the coat color varies greatly and is relatively dark, mostly dark mouse gray, and the tail is black sometimes with light brown. In summer black and blackish-brown individuals predominate, and the tail usually has reddish-brown. The body is relatively small, with skull length 49.0-53.1 mm. Distributed in the **Altai Mountains and the Mongolian Altai Mountains, as well as the Altai Mountains of the former Soviet Union.
5. Ob subspecies: The hair is dense and thick. The winter coat is light yellowish-gray with gray ripples, and the tail is usually light gray mixed with varying degrees of black and yellowish-red hair. The summer coat is light in color, usually light brownish-yellow-red. The individual is relatively large, with skull length 54.6-59.2 mm. Distributed in the Tianshan Mountains of northern ** and in Novosibirsk and other places of the former Soviet Union.
Snow Squirrel Breeding Methods
1. Breeding method: Squirrels generally reach sexual maturity and can begin mating at 9-10 months of age. January-February and April-May each year are the peak estrus periods, when the conception rate is relatively high. The gestation period of female squirrels is about 38 days. About 1-2 weeks before the expected birth, the pregnant female squirrel can be moved into a birthing box. Males and females must be kept in separate cages, and plenty of water and food must be placed. When necessary, mealworms can be dropped in. After the young squirrels are born, they begin to eat feed at 1 week of age, and can be fed some fresh fruit and high-quality concentrated feed. They can be weaned at 5 weeks of age and raised in separate cages.
2. Food feeding: Squirrels seem to feed mainly on the seeds of Fagaceae plants, but in nature they also eat quite a lot of insects, so it is best to also feed some animal-based food. Nuts such as walnuts and chestnuts are squirrels' favorites. Biting open the hard shells is not only a game for squirrels, but can also help wear down their teeth. It is best to feed this type of food often. If artificial feed is the staple food, foods such as apples should also be supplemented separately.
3. Breeding cage: Squirrels are very lively and especially like climbing trees. Their activity space is relatively three-dimensional, so a wide and tall cage should be chosen as much as possible. Because squirrels are accustomed to building nests in trees, the nest box should be installed high in the cage. A nest box for small birds with an entrance at a high place can be used instead. Squirrels move very quickly, so care must be taken when opening and closing doors to avoid them escaping through the gap. If one does escape, and you suddenly grab it forcefully, avoid being bitten by the squirrel.
4. Dietary restrictions: Squirrels should not eat meat or egg foods, which have a great impact on the gastrointestinal digestive system. Vegetables that should not be eaten raw: carrots, potatoes, beans, ginger, scallions, garlic, chili peppers, etc. Fruits and vegetables that should not be eaten in large amounts: cabbage, rapeseed greens, lettuce, celtuce, lotus root, cucumber, tomatoes, eggplant, bananas, oranges, watermelon, pears, etc. Do not eat pickled dried fruits, preserved fruits, unripe or processed nuts, which are not easy to digest. Beverages, especially carbonated drinks. Tea leaves (there are reports that squirrels died after eating tea leaves). Cat and dog pet food (because it contains meat). Apple seeds and cherry pits (toxic to squirrels). Insects should not be eaten; although insects are nutritious, eating them will increase a squirrel's wildness. Do not eat foods containing chocolate or caffeine. These two things can make squirrels overly excited, are bad for both the squirrel's body and mood, and in severe cases can lead to death from an excessively fast heart rate, or death from heart failure.
6. Daily management: Remove feces and often keep the cage and enclosure clean and sanitary. In order to clean the fur and benefit the squirrel's health, clean every morning before feeding. Feeding utensils should be disinfected regularly, and a sand bath should be carried out at least once a week. A sand bath box that can hold 4 liters of sand is suitable. Put fine sand in the box, and each sand bath should last 20-30 minutes, which can enhance health. Some thin wooden sticks can also be placed in the cage to let the squirrel gnaw on them to wear down its teeth.