In a rug. Legally, you cannot simply take a squirrel from your backyard and call it your own. Squirrels are considered wards of the state and are protected under state laws against squirrel-napping. A squirrel's lifespan in the wild is somewhere between 2-6 years. A squirrel can consume rather large amounts of food, so make sure your budget will allow for a squirrel's dietary needs.
Squirrels like to eat seeds, fruits, buds, bark, roots, nuts, and mushrooms.
Red squirrels are very fond of pine cones and can cut as many as 100 pine cones from a tree in one hour. Ground squirrels also eat insects and bird eggs. Don't consider owning a squirrel if you have dogs or cats. Squirrels despise these two animals, because they know that their lives are in danger when in the presence of dogs or cats. In addition, chipmunks, prairie dogs, woodchucks, and groundhogs are also considered squirrels.