If you’re thinking about putting a squirrel house in your yard, below you will find squirrel house designs that will look amazing. Whether you decide to make your own squirrel house or buy one, these designs are sure to inspire you.
There’s nothing like feeding the wildlife that visit your yard – it’s a great way to get connected to nature. Additions to your garden like squirrel houses are a great way to do this but to be effective they need to be properly designed.
Not only does a well-designed squirrel house encourage squirrels to spend more time in your garden, but it will stop them from entering your house.
If you want to build a squirrel house, you’ll need a few things. It’s similar to building a birdhouse. You’ll need a jigsaw, a drill, and some wooden boards. You will also need a mounting device to place it on the tree.
Building a squirrel house is also made easier by buying a squirrel house kit that contains all the materials you need, as well as step-by-step instructions.
Below, you’ll find some fun and interesting designs that your neighborhood squirrels are sure to appreciate! We hope they inspire you!
Squirrel Condo
A squirrel condo acts as a squirrel nest box, which is a shelter for the squirrels and their babies. It is a simple, natural looking structure made of plywood or a type of hardware that can hold up to the weather. This shelter is suitable for all types and squirrels, especially for expectant squirrels moms to have their babies.
After mom has given birth, she will make the father leave so she can care for the babies and so there is enough room for them to grow. However, the father will live in a nearby den.
The babies remain in the den until they are weaned, at which time they will leave and start their own life.
Below you’ll find a picture for a cedar squirrel condo.
It has a small interior platform giving the squirrels access to the main house on top. The large nest box is the perfect size, and the condo is made entirely of cedar. It’s joined together without using any nails or screws. To make it stand out from the crowd, it also has a gallery rail on the porch!
A custom squirrel box is a great option for those who are not so confident with DIY. Amazon as well as your local pet store is sure to have some custom squirrel boxes, but if you can’t find any there, check out Nuts About Squirrels. They provide nesting boxes for grey squirrels, flying squirrels, and any other tree squirrel you wish to feed.
Squirrel Houses Made Out of Tires and Recyclables
If you’re into DIY and crafts however (and love to do some recycling too), then why not combine the two and make a squirrel house of recyclable materials like rubber? Rubber houses are more durable than wooden houses, as they don’t rot and you won’t have to worry about it being damaged by the squirrels chewing it.
As long as the tree remains standing, backyard squirrels will have a place to stay in your yard for years to come!
Much like squirrel feeders, squirrel houses can be made from recycled items that you can find around the house. Just make sure that whatever material you choose is strong enough that the squirrels won’t chew through it with their sharp incisors.
Nesting Box
Nesting houses are particularly useful for squirrels since they house the newborn babies until they are old enough to leave the nest and live by themselves.
Nesting accommodations should be similar to a squirrel den structure, and equipped with a few openings so the box is well-ventilated. The house should be placed in a south-facing position away from strong wings or heavy rain.
It also doesn’t have to be mounted in a tree. It can be mounted in any secluded place that is out of reach of any potential predators.
Many people also provide nest materials in their nesting houses. Old leaves are the best choice for nesting, but soft and firm man made materials can be used too as long as they won’t get easily caught in the squirrels’ claws.
The house roof should be sealed to keep out damp, and a perching peg can also be placed near the door to let mom and the babies (at a certain age) sit outside.
Feeding and Nesting Box Combo
What’s even better than a nesting box? A nesting box that’s also a feeding box. These types of designs have a convenient feeding place near the nest, which makes it easy for mom to eat while keeping her babies safe, as she won’t need to venture out and possibly leave her babies at the mercy of predators.
To be kind to the squirrels as well as the planet, why not attach an environmentally friendly feeder made from poly-lumber milk jugs and recycled plastic? Not only is it a great way to feed your backyard squirrels, but it helps to keep plastic out of landfills. You can fill it with corn, or any other food squirrels love to eat!
Squirrel House Maze
Squirrels are opportunistic feeders that are always foraging for their food. The squirrel house pictured below is sure to entertain the squirrels as they work their way through the maze and mimic how they find their food in the wild.
This particular squirrel house is 25” high x 27” wide and 5 ½” deep.
Place some corn on the cob, acorns, or any of their favorite nuts throughout the maze and watch them make their way through the maze in search of food! Not only will the squirrels have fun, but you will too.
Usually made of plywood or hardwood, a squirrel den is a natural-looking structure that is built to stand bad weather. The den is suitable for any member of the family, be it momma squirrels, papa squirrels, or baby squirrels. If you’re going to build a squirrel den for a family however, you may want to build three.
This is because the mom and dad will share a den until the babies are born. Then, the dad will leave so the mom can care for her new babies. Meanwhile, the dad lives alone in a separate but nearby den.
When the babies are weaned and leave the nest, the mom and dad can live together again, and their now grown-up children can take up residence in the other two dens.
A typical squirrel den is built in a rectangular shape with a three-inch opening next to the tree trunk so the squirrels can easily access it. The length of a squirrel den is usually twelve to eighteen inches in height, and six inches in width.
Interior steps or a maze-like pattern are often added between top and bottom so the squirrels can move around naturally as well as have a place to store nuts and other foods.
Decorative Squirrel Houses
Squirrel houses don’t need to be plain and boring now that there are so many adorable themes available for them! These include ranch houses with wraparound porches, storybook houses, and gingerbread houses. To give the squirrels a truly luxurious home, there are even castle-inspired houses with turrets and drawbridges.
You can also find squirrel houses made of natural resources like a tree trunk that have a fantastical and rustic theme. Whatever the look of your garden, and whatever outdoor decor you have, you’re sure to find a squirrel house that fits right in! There are also squirrel house plans for different species of squirrel, like the flying squirrel.
Your squirrel house or den can also be decorated for the holidays, or just updated to reflect the change of the seasons. Changing the look of your squirrel house can be more rewarding than decorating your lawn, as you know there will be a few furry friends who will appreciate your efforts and make use of the house.
To Build or Not to Build?
We hope that the squirrel house ideas we’ve shown you above have got your creative juices flowing! But you may be wondering, should I build my own squirrel house or buy one? While both have a monetary cost, building a squirrel house also means spending time as well as money on your project.
But your backyard squirrels are sure to love it and be regular visitors!
Final Thoughts
Feeding squirrels is a great way to get you and your family outside, and a squirrel house is a surefire way to attract them to your yard.
There is also a sense of achievement and pride in providing a shelter for squirrels and their families during the winter, and knowing that they even feel safe enough to have their babies in the squirrel house you’ve provided.
You don’t need to have a lot of craft experience to create a squirrel house, and whether you build it yourself or buy one, the squirrels will appreciate it!
