When food is scarce, they may chew bark from trees or eat insects and other animal matter. Flying squirrels - same as above except more animal matter, such as bird eggs and nestlings, and insects. Behavior - Home range size varies from 1 to 100 acres depending on the season and availability of food. During fall, squirrels may travel 50 miles or more in search of better habitat. Typically about half the squirrels in a population die each year.
Squirrels are a food source for hawks, owls, snakes, and several mammalian predators.
Flying squirrels are active at night, while all other species are active during the day. Reproduction - Squirrels breed when they are 1 year old. They breed from mid-December to early January and again in June. Young squirrels may breed only once in their first year. The gestation period is 42 to 45 days.