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Grey breeding

gerry attric

gerry attric

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I've been shooting grey squirrels for a looong time and I was a wee bit dubious about the suggestions that they are breeding 3, maybe 4, times a year but early this morning, 6th December, temperature -2C, I shot two lactating females at a feeder in 15 minutes. They were obviously still feeding kits, sadly no longer, but this is a first for me to see females in this condition so late in the year. Maybe the suggestions are not so unlikely after all.
 
gerry attric said:
I've been shooting grey squirrels for a looong time and I was a wee bit dubious about the suggestions that they are breeding 3, maybe 4, times a year but early this morning, 6th December, temperature -2C, I shot two lactating females at a feeder in 15 minutes. They were obviously still feeding kits, sadly no longer, but this is a first for me to see females in this condition so late in the year. Maybe the suggestions are not so unlikely after all.
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Mate where about in Northumberland? Just there are greys on the shoot i was feeding pheasant's last week and could not be sure but im certain that i saw two young greys at the bottom of a feeder either that or very small one!!! i was in the Belford area i carry a hushpower most time's but this day i didn't!!!! and never had time to get back and sit and wait
 
gerry attric said:
I've been shooting grey squirrels for a looong time and I was a wee bit dubious about the suggestions that they are breeding 3, maybe 4, times a year but early this morning, 6th December, temperature -2C, I shot two lactating females at a feeder in 15 minutes. They were obviously still feeding kits, sadly no longer, but this is a first for me to see females in this condition so late in the year. Maybe the suggestions are not so unlikely after all.
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People often don't believe things till they see it, I'm sure a lot of folk probably don't really pay attention, they've just shot a squirrel, they won't sex it or record it.
November was the last females I shot that were still showing signs of breeding, but not lactating, I'm still shooting small kits.
 
Only one I saw today was a youngster, I guess it is dependant on conditions and availability of food, if they can survive it makes sense to breed.
 
Seen loads of pairs of Squirrels lately frolicking 😜
 
gerry attric said:
I've been shooting grey squirrels for a looong time and I was a wee bit dubious about the suggestions that they are breeding 3, maybe 4, times a year but early this morning, 6th December, temperature -2C, I shot two lactating females at a feeder in 15 minutes. They were obviously still feeding kits, sadly no longer, but this is a first for me to see females in this condition so late in the year. Maybe the suggestions are not so unlikely after all.
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You feed and they breed. If you remove the food uncertainty from the squirrel's habitat you allow all, not just the most resourceful, to breed twice a year. If the food isn't in short supply because you are feeding high nutrition nuts, maybe they think spring has arrived. No wonder the numbers go up.
 
Carnivore said:
You feed and they breed. If you remove the food uncertainty from the squirrel's habitat you allow all, not just the most resourceful, to breed twice a year. If the food isn't in short supply because you are feeding high nutrition nuts, maybe they think spring has arrived. No wonder the numbers go up.
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The numbers aren't up because people are putting nuts in feeders, they are up because there have been two great years of acorns and hazel nuts, there are still berries on the Hawthorn and Holly, no long cold spells, just an odd week here and there
Greys are perfectly adapted for our woodlands and gardens, big healthy greys that can breed all year round.
 
Mice! said:
The numbers aren't up because people are putting nuts in feeders, they are up because there have been two great years of acorns and hazel nuts, there are still berries on the Hawthorn and Holly, no long cold spells, just an odd week here and there
Greys are perfectly adapted for our woodlands and gardens, big healthy greys that can breed all year round.
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Like Rabbits!!!
 
How do they breed when they're dead? This has been explained previously.

I am unconvinced of 4-times breeding in a year. Three times can indeed happen, and though rare, can happen. Don't forget also that the actual breeding 'times' can be mediated by weather and resources. Im definitely shooting lots of chunky monsters but they're not with kits now and many are males. The kits (from August / September time) are out on the branches and no longer suckling. If you do get a female that looks like she has suckling young, it could be a third breeding (but unlikely a forth).
 
Country rumours eh ,got to love em .Like foxes having two litters lol.Biologically impossible .
Id say the squirrel thing is down to individuals breeding at times when certain things play out like whether or not there’s a dominant male in the area ,natures input to bring the female into oestrus ,something which no amount of food can influence .
All food abundance does is allow a greater population to survive longer in harsh times .
Hours of light ,age and health are the only factors that bring most females,with certain exceptions into oestrus .It’s then down to a male to prove dominance and woo her by the lengthy ,noisey chase we see and attribute to play .
If he’s not keeping up with her it’s find one that can .
There are very few mammals that can breed frequently rats and muntjac being prime examples ,the rest relying on seasonal changes .
 
Checked on feeders earlier today and seen two very young squirrels. Never seen them that small this time year before. Also seen some decent fat ones, along with a couple rats, so the trusty s410 will be out some point this week
 
rearing a litter of young takes a lot out of the females, and they wont come into season until they've regained condition.
one that rears a large litter earlier in the year will take much longer to regain condition, and replenish mineral and fat reserves, and therefore come into season much later in the year than those that reared small litters ;) 🐿️🐿️
 
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