Squirrels are curious creatures. They love to explore the world around them and will even try to get into your house if they can! There are lots of things that people want to know about these little animals and one question that frequently pops up is how big do squirrels get? In this article, we’ll answer that question by talking about the average sizes of squirrels and how heavy they can get. We’ll also talk about some interesting facts on their weight, height, and length in comparison with other animals so you can see just how big a typical squirrel really is.
So How Big Can They Get?
Squirrels, within their lifetime, will grow to be about two feet long, which is usually around the length of a standard ruler. You can imagine that this includes their tail as well! Their height will vary slightly depending on what species they are but it’s usually around six inches tall or so. If you take into account how big squirrels get when compared to other animals then perhaps you’ll be able to get a better idea of the size.
The average sizes of these little creatures vary depending on the squirrel species but most share similar traits. When it comes to weight, most types of squirrel weigh between 1 – 1.5 lbs. which is about as heavy as some small house cats. However, some types of squirrels can get up to almost 12 inches long and weigh close to two pounds.
For the most part, larger species of squirrels are found in northern climates whereas smaller species tend to be located south where there’s more warmth. It can also depend on whether you’re talking about ground squirrels, tree squirrels, or whether you’re looking at flying squirrels.
Tree squirrels are usually smaller than ground squirrels, but this will depend on the species. For example, eastern gray squirrels and fox squirrels are larger whereas red squirrels can be as small as four inches!
What Is The Average Size of a Squirrel?
The average size for squirrels tends to depend more on their species than anything else, but you can find some averages that will give you an idea of what is normal when looking at black or gray squirrels which are most common within North America.
You’ll usually see them between 14 and 16 inches from nose-tip to tail-tip with tails anywhere from six to ten inches long not including hair fur which accounts for another two inches or so. Their height sitting up straight would typically fall somewhere around 15 inches and they weigh in right around one pound.
How Much Do Squirrels Weigh?
Squirrels vary greatly in terms of their weight and size based on species as well as where they’re located geographically (ones in cold climates tend to be on the heavier side). However, you’ll usually see them somewhere between 14 ounces for a smaller tree squirrel to 12 lbs. for an average-sized ground or gray squirrel. They tend to be slightly larger if they live in colder climates where food is scarce and the only source of sustenance are mushrooms and tree bark. Their bodies are usually bigger as they need to store more fat to help them stay warm.
The average weight for adult gray or black squirrels tends to be around one pound, but that could vary depending on their size as well as other factors such as sex, age, habitat, and region where the squirrels originated in addition to other things.
Flying squirrels typically weigh less than half a pound whereas the largest species can get up towards three pounds! Ground squirrels range anywhere from one ounce all the way up to about seven pounds while tree squirrels tend more towards being in the range of one to two pounds.
How Big Do Gray Squirrels Get?
Grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis, the most common squirrel roaming all urban areas across the United States, is usually around 10 inches long excluding their tails. The tails are usually about the same length as their body and they typically weigh around one pound and stand around 6 inches tall.
How Big Do Flying Squirrels Get?
Flying squirrels in North America are small compared to those found in other parts of the world. The biggest northern flying squirrel can grow to be about 14 inches long with a tail that is around 11 inches not including fur. They typically weigh between 110 and 230 grams (about 0.25 to 0.51 pounds).
Flying squirrels in Southeast Asia are so much larger with some species growing up to 7 times the size of the smallest flying squirrel. Giant flying squirrels like the red and white giant flying squirrel can grow to be about 1 ft. 9.5 in long with a tail reaching 2 ft. 1 inches! These squirrels can weigh as much as 7 pounds and live in mountaintops and jungles of Southeast Asia.
How Big Do Tree Squirrels Get?
Tree squirrel sizes also tend to vary quite a bit depending on their species. Gray and fox squirrel for example is typically larger whereas a red squirrel can only reach about four inches at most even when full grown which makes them one of the tiniest rodents in the family.
The largest family member of the tree squirrels in North America is the eastern fox squirrel. They can grow to an overall length of about 20 to 30 inches with a tail of around 15 inches. These creatures can also weigh up to 2 pounds on average.
If you include the tree squirrels in Southeast Asia though, the biggest will be the Black giant squirrel which can grow to be about 32 inches long with a tail of up to 17 inches! They weigh from four pounds all the way up to nine pounds which makes them one of the largest tree squirrels in the world.
Indian giant squirrel is another big tree squirrel that can grow up to 1 ft. 8 in long. Their tail is about 15 inches and weighs between three and four pounds! These giants live in India and Sri Lanka.
How Big Can Ground Squirrels Get?
Ground squirrels also vary greatly in terms of average size depending on which subspecies you’re talking about. The term ground squirrel usually refers to medium-sized ground dwellers as the big ones are more commonly known as marmots.
For the medium-sized ground squirrels – which the term is often used – their average size is about 12 to 15 inches long from head to tail. Their largest member is the Arctic ground squirrel which can grow approximately 39 cm (15 in) length.
However, if we’re going to include the marmots, their biggest family member would be the Olympic marmot. These guys are huge and can sometimes grow up to 30 inches long and weigh as much as 11 kg! (24.3 lbs.)
What Is The Largest Squirrel on Record?
The largest squirrel on record is the Black Giant Squirrel. It is an incredibly long animal with a head-to-body length of 14 to 20 inches, not including the tail which is another 19 to 24 inches! Its body length is usually like that of a domestic cat, but with a much longer tail. The squirrel weighs in at around three pounds which makes it quite heavy for its size. They are mostly found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia.
Average Squirrel Size and Height
So how big is a typical squirrel? It’s hard to say because there are so many different types of squirrels. However, on average they’re around 17 inches long and their tail adds another ten inches! They can grow up to 30 centimeters in length which means that the longest species may be close to two feet! This makes them larger than most similarly sized mammals such as rabbits but smaller than some like skunks and weasels. As far as height goes, this varies between 12-18 inches depending on the type of animal you’re looking at. Their tails can be as long as their bodies and can grow to be quite bushy.
Conclusion
As you can see squirrels can get really big! They’re some of the biggest rodents in North America. The smallest squirrels are about as tall as a human’s thumb (African pygmy squirrel) and can fit into an adult’s hand whereas the largest ones measure two feet long!
They vary greatly depending on species, but most grow to be between 12 inches all the way up to 30 centimeters. The average height is around 17 inches but varies greatly in terms of overall size depending on which subspecies you’re talking about. When it comes to mass, some weigh just three pounds while others may reach eleven kilograms (24 lbs.) so there is quite a lot of variation in that value as well.
If you want to learn more about big squirrels or if you’re having problems with nuisance ones, call AAAC Wildlife Removal and we’ll be happy to assist you!
Originally published on https://aaacwildliferemoval.com/blog/squirrels/how-big-can-squirrels-get
