Claws also help squirrels shovel soil when seeking buried treasure, after their keen noses have located underground acorns and other nuts. Dexterous hands manipulate food and tamp down earth over buried food. One of the most versatile of tree squirrel tools is the fluffy tail that provides balance during tightrope acts and added surface area for steering and cushioning a fall. Watch a squirrel in frigid weather, and you might see the animal's tail lying flat along its back, providing a cushion from the cold. On an icy or rainy day, the tip of the tail can act as an umbrella when held over the head.
Squirrels also use their tails as signal flags.
Two pairs of sharp incisors protrude from the front, flanked in the rear by powerful grinding teeth. Tireless grinding and gnawing keep squirrel teeth sharp and short enough that they don't endanger their owners. When outside their nests, squirrels spend most of their time eating or seeking food. While many ground squirrels hibernate in cold months, tree and flying squirrels remain active, drawing on their stored larder. Prone to constant gathering and hoarding of food, squirrels are important dispersers of tree seeds.