Some people wonder how long squirrels live because of their pet squirrels. Others show interest in their lifespan because they don’t want rodents near their property.
Whether in the first or second group, you should know that different types of these small creatures have different lifespans.
Indoor squirrels live much longer than wild ones. For many reasons, most wild squirrels don’t live past their first or second year.
Generally speaking, squirrels live up to 18 years in the wild if they survive past their first year. In captivity, squirrels can live up to 20 years.
However, their lifespan depends on their species, surroundings, etc.
In today’s article, I will discuss the lifespan of wild and indoor squirrels and the factors that affect their lifespan, so let’s jump right in.
How Long Do Squirrels Live?
Most squirrels live 3-6 years, but their lifespan can vary because of their vulnerability in the wild. Moreover, squirrels face high mortality rates for babies one year or younger.
Nevertheless, some squirrels can survive for about 18 years in the wild. The same goes for pet squirrels. However, most indoor squirrels live longer than wild ones.
The species and care also play a role in their lifespan.
Female squirrels have two litters annually. They typically have 2-4 babies, but some can carry up to 8. The pregnancy of squirrels lasts around two months, and they give birth in late winter and midsummer.
Lastly, young squirrels weigh between 0.5 and 0.65 ounces. They’re hairless and reach adulthood within 9-10 months.
See my related article When Do Squirrels Have Babies?
What’s the Maximum Lifespan of a Squirrel?
The species and environment determine the lifespan of a squirrel.
For instance, newborn squirrels don’t live past their first year because of predators and the weather. However, if they survive their first year, they usually live around 3-18 years in nature.
Therefore, the maximum squirrel lifespan is 18 years.
How Long Do Squirrels Live in Captivity?
Squirrels in captivity live much longer than wild squirrels.
However, their lifespan depends on their species and human care. Indoor squirrels live longer than wild squirrels because they don’t face predators, consume better food, and have better shelter. Conversely, wild squirrels constantly face predators, so they have a higher chance of being eaten.
Moreover, indoor squirrels will get medical aid if they become sick, which further boosts the duration of their life.
Generally, some types of squirrels will survive as long as 15 years and more in captivity if cared for properly.
How Long Do Squirrels Live in the Wild?
Most squirrels have a long lifespan in the wild, assuming they survive past their first and second year. They can live between 3 and 15 years in the wild.
Unfortunately, most squirrels don’t survive their second birthday because of predators in the wild; different predators, such as bobcats, foxes, hawks, and humans, determine the lifespan of a squirrel in the wild.
Simply put, squirrels have a higher chance of survival if they escape predators in their first two years.
Generally, most young squirrels die before reaching adulthood. Furthermore, those who escape predators usually fail because of harsh weather conditions, diseases, etc.
How Long Do Ground Squirrels Live?
The California ground squirrels usually live between 3 and 4 years in the wild. However, they can survive up to 6 years.
On the other hand, a captive ground squirrel can live up to 10 years.
How Long Do Red Squirrels Live?
Red squirrels, known as fox squirrels, live long.
The average lifespan of red squirrels is five years. Still, they can survive up to 10 years in nature. On the flip side, captive red squirrels can live up to 8 years.
Unfortunately, the babies of female fox squirrels have a high mortality rate. Around 75% of their baby squirrels die before their first birthday.
How Long Do Brown Squirrels Live?
Wild brown squirrels can live up to 8-18 years. Captive brown squirrels can also survive up to 18 years. However, like red squirrels, most of their offspring die before their second birthday.
How Long Do Gray Squirrels Live?
Eastern gray squirrels can survive over 12 years in nature and around 20 years indoors. Female gray squirrels usually live longer than males in captivity because they get better medical care.
The records show that the oldest eastern gray squirrel has lived 24 years.
On the flip side, western gray squirrels have a lifespan of about 7-8 years in nature and nearly 18 years indoors.
How Long Do Southern Flying Squirrels Live?
Flying squirrels have a shorter lifespan than other types of squirrels.
The average life expectancy of a wild flying squirrel is about 3-5 years. On the other hand, a pet southern flying squirrel can survive up to 10 years.
How Long Do Black Squirrels Live?
Black squirrels have a lifespan of about six years in the wild and approximately 18 years in captivity.
Does Diet Affect a Squirrel’s Lifespan?
Squirrel species have a varied diet.
They’re omnivores, so they eat vegetables, seeds, fungi, nuts, fruit, meat, etc. They also eat eggs, insects, and even small reptiles.
Squirrels collect and bury lots of food when preparing for the cold days. They also steal food from other animals and people.
Unfortunately, there aren’t studies determining whether these rodents’ food affects their lifespan. However, squirrels with a better diet probably have a higher chance of survival than those with a poor-quality diet.
Lastly, most squirrels have a higher chance of getting hit by a vehicle than dying out of health issues, such as heart disease.
Final Thoughts
Squirrels don’t live as long as humans, but they live longer than other rodents, if lucky. Mostly, the lifespan of wild animals depends on the level of predation.
Squirrels have predators. However, they also have impressive eyesight, quick reflexes, and a running speed of 20 miles per hour. They’re also excellent jumpers and climbers.
These things help squirrels escape predators. If they survive their second birthday, they can live up to 18 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity.
So, if you have squirrels at home or near your property, you can expect these rodents to live long.
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