Critters of the Week

Where Spotted: Westover Hills
Common Name: Eastern Gray Squirrel
Scientific Name: Sciurus carolinensis
Average Length: Body – 23 to 30 cm (9.1 to 11.8 in) Tail – 19 to 25 cm (7.5 to 9.8 in)
Average Weight: 400 and 600 g (14 and 21 oz)

Quick Facts (Wikipedia)

• Eastern gray squirrels build a type of nest, known as a drey, in the forks of trees, consisting mainly of dry leaves and twigs.
• The eastern gray squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; it hoards food in numerous small caches for later recovery.
• Each squirrel is estimated to make several thousand caches each season.
• They will pretend to bury the object if they feel that they are being watched. They do this by preparing the spot as usual, for instance, digging a hole or widening a crack, miming the placement of the food, while actually concealing it in their mouths, and then covering up the “cache” as if they had deposited the object.
• Not a quick fact but I highly recommend this Style Weekly Article from 2014 by Ned Oliver: The People’s Pets.  Which is where we grabbed these two quick facts.
  • Squirrels first started appearing in cities on the East Coast between the 1840s and 1860s, when officials in Philadelphia and Boston began experimenting with the introduction of what Benson calls “free-living squirrels” in their city parks.
  • Richmond appears to have been on the cusp of the squirrel trend, with its colony well-established enough by 1880 that casual mentions began appearing in writings.

Pumpkin Spice at Richmond SPCA

Hi there, my name is Pumpkin Spice, and I got that name because folks seem to love hanging out with me, especially in the colder season. I party hard and love harder.

“The more you are like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.” – Walt Disney

If you’re looking for a sweet companion to help keep you warm, come visit the SPCA today.

Age: 4 years,
Gender: Spayed Female
Color: Black / Orange
Declawed: No
ID: 39578039

Adopt Pumpkin Spice at Richmond SPCA

Learn more about Richmond SPCA adoption process.

Please note that the adoptable critter we’ve selected was available when we created the post the animal might not be available when you go to the facility.