How many babies do squirrels have?

How many babies squirrels have depends on the species, location, and food availability, but most common tree squirrels like Eastern gray squirrels and fox squirrels have relatively small litters compared to mice and rats. A female gray squirrel typically has two breeding seasons per year, one in late winter from December to February and another in late spring to early summer from May to June. Each litter usually contains two to four babies, called kittens or kits, though litters can range from one to six. The gestation period is about 38 to 46 days. Newborn squirrels are hairless, blind, and completely dependent on their mother, weighing only about half an ounce. The mother nurses them for about 8 to 10 weeks in a nest called a drey made of leaves and twigs, or in a tree cavity or attic. By about 10 to 12 weeks they start venturing out and learning to forage, and by 12 weeks they are mostly weaned. In southern regions with abundant food, squirrels may have two litters per year, while in northern areas they may have only one. Red squirrels and flying squirrels have similar litter sizes of two to five. Survival rate is low in the wild due to predators, disease, and harsh weather, so many babies do not survive to adulthood.