The world's top ten most beautiful squirrels

Squirrels are common small rodents, and many species have become popular pets due to their adorable appearance. So, which squirrels are the most charming? We've compiled a list of the world's ten most beautiful squirrels, including: the Indian Giant Squirrel, the Snow Squirrel, the Variegated Squirrel, the Tasseled-eared Squirrel, the Tricolor Squirrel, the Eurasian Red Squirrel, and the Siberian Chipmunk. Let's learn about these beautiful squirrels together!

1. Indian Giant Squirrel (bright and colorful fur)

The Indian giant squirrel, also known as the Malabar giant squirrel, is one of the most beautiful squirrels. It is very large, with a head and body length of about 36 centimeters and a tail that can reach 50 centimeters in length, making it roughly the size of a hare. Its fur is vibrantly colored, with a mix of reddish-brown, black, yellowish-brown, and yellowish-white hues, creating a unique and striking visual impact that clearly distinguishes it from squirrels with a single color.

The Indian giant squirrel has a rounded snout, large and bright eyes, and a pair of round, furry ears shaped like those of a giant panda, making it look both round and cute.

2. Snow squirrel (fluffy fur/fur color affected by season)

Snow squirrels are among the most popular squirrels, consistently ranking high in the pet squirrel market due to their attractive appearance and market price. Adult snow squirrels are approximately 25 centimeters long, with tails that can lie close to their backs or even extend to their necks, and in some cases, reach their heads. Their activity pattern is to be active at dawn and rest after dark. They venture out to forage for food in the early morning and evening, while typically resting in secluded spots in trees during midday.

Snow squirrels' fur color changes with the seasons: in summer, their fur is orange-red or orange-yellow, with a few gray-white hairs scattered all over their bodies; while in winter, their fur turns gray-white, with their limbs and ears turning orange-red. Especially in winter, their fur appears particularly full and fluffy, and their long ear hairs make them look exceptionally majestic. Snow squirrels typically reproduce 1 to 2 litters per year, with 3 to 6 babies per litter.

3. Variegated squirrel (with many different colored subspecies/fluffy tail)

The variegated squirrel is one of the most visually striking squirrels, widely distributed in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, southern Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Its head and body length is approximately 26 centimeters, with a tail about the same length, and it weighs about 500 grams. There are several subspecies of the variegated squirrel, with richly colored fur, especially its long, bushy tail, which is very eye-catching. They typically inhabit coniferous and broadleaf mixed forests in temperate or subarctic zones. Variegated squirrels are primarily herbivorous, with their main diet consisting of seeds and nuts. However, this squirrel has been linked to the spread of the Bonaris virus, which has caused three deaths.

4. Tasseled-eared squirrel (with tufts of hair on its ears/dense fur on its tail)

The tasseled-eared squirrel is one of the top ten squirrel species, and it is very cute. It is relatively large, with a body length of about 26 cm, a tail length of about 21 cm, and a weight between 590 and 620 grams. Its most distinctive feature is its pair of fluffy ears, with hair extending upwards 2 to 3 cm from each ear. The tasseled-eared squirrel's coat color ranges from gray to black, with a white belly, a distinct red stripe along its back, and a thick, bushy tail.

These squirrels prefer to inhabit coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests in temperate or subarctic zones, especially relying on yellow pine forests. They typically nest in trees or use tree cavities for shelter. The tasseled-eared squirrel is a diurnal animal, adept at climbing and jumping, usually solitary, and does not hibernate.

5. Tricolor squirrel (with gorgeous fur)

There are approximately 35 genera and 212 species of squirrels, among which the variegated squirrel is one of the most popular. Native to the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, they inhabit tropical rainforests and are a medium-sized squirrel. The variegated squirrel has a dark reddish-brown back and tail, distinct white stripes from its cheeks to its sides, yellowish-brown forelimbs and belly, and a white belly. Compared to many squirrels with monochromatic fur, the variegated squirrel's coat is more vibrant. Because they originally live in tropical rainforests, variegated squirrels do not prefer overly dry environments. If you plan to keep a variegated squirrel as a pet, it's best to provide it with a spacious area to play and live in.

6. Eurasian Red Squirrel (Cute appearance/Gentle temperament)

For those looking to keep a squirrel as a pet, we recommend the Eurasian Red Squirrel, also known as the Devil Squirrel. The Devil Squirrel is highly prized for its striking appearance. Depending on their fur color, Devil Squirrels can be categorized into Black Devil, Red Devil, and Tricolor Devil. They typically measure between 20 and 26 centimeters in length, with their tails usually exceeding two-thirds of their body length. Head shapes can be either pointed or round: pointed faces give a clever and mischievous look, while round faces convey a憨厚 (honest and simple) and adorable appearance. The purer and more uniform the fur color, the higher the price. The Devil Squirrel's main diet consists of fruits, seeds, and some meat; during the breeding season, they will also consume bird eggs. Overall, this squirrel is very docile towards its owner, making it a very suitable little pet.

7. Siberian Chipmunk (small size/5 stripes on its back)

The Siberian chipmunk, also known as the golden chipmunk or common chipmunk, is one of the most common squirrels. They are approximately 13 to 16 centimeters long, with a tail that is 9 to 13 centimeters long. The chipmunk has a brownish-black head, white above and below its eyes and around its ears, and a light brown back with five distinct black longitudinal stripes, the middle one being the longest and extending to the top of its head. The underside of its tail is brownish-yellow, with long, bushy fur resembling a broom, extending to both sides.

Chipmunks are very clean animals and are constantly grooming themselves. They are omnivorous, primarily feeding on various nuts, beans, herbs, and crop seeds, and occasionally eating insects and the green parts of plants.

8. Fox-squirrel (a hybrid of a fox and a squirrel)

The fox squirrel is a large, robust arboreal squirrel with five pairs of molars (including premolars), five of which are upper molars. It lacks a skin flap between its fore and hind limbs and has a long, furry tail. Compared to the common squirrel, the fox squirrel is much larger, reaching approximately 70 centimeters in length including its tail. For climbing, it possesses sharp claws, flexible forearm flexors, and strong abdominal muscles. Furthermore, the fox squirrel has highly developed senses, including excellent vision, hearing, and smell, which aids it in arboreal activity and foraging for food.

9. Red-bellied squirrel (chest, abdomen, and inner sides of limbs are rust-red or brownish-red / tail is bushy)

The red-bellied squirrel is native to Southeast Asia and is currently mainly distributed in countries such as Myanmar, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. It is also found in Yunnan, Guizhou, Hainan, and Fujian provinces of China. Its chest, abdomen, and inner limbs are rust-red or brownish-red. It is about 20 cm long and typically weighs less than 500 grams. Most of its body is covered in long fur, with only the head, chest, abdomen, and limbs having short hair. Because of its very bushy tail, which contrasts with its short body hair, it has earned the nickname "Hush-tailed squirrel."

10. North American Red Squirrel

The American red squirrel, also known as the North American red squirrel, is slightly larger than the chipmunk, measuring approximately 28 to 35 centimeters in length and weighing between 200 and 250 grams. Their fur ranges in color from light brown to reddish-brown, with a white belly. There are several subspecies, widely distributed in deciduous and coniferous forests of North America, and commonly found in urban parks and forested suburbs. American red squirrels are diurnal and do not hibernate. Their diet primarily consists of seeds from conifers, beech, walnut, and maple trees, but they also consume fruits, buds, flowers, phloem, fungi, insects, bird eggs, and small vertebrates. American red squirrels have a habit of storing food, typically hiding it in multiple burrows made of twigs and grass. Each squirrel has several burrows within its territory and exhibits a strong sense of territoriality.

Other common squirrel species :