# Spotted Ground Squirrel (*Xerospermophilus spilosoma*) The Spotted Ground Squirrel is a small, playful animal with a spotted coat. They love to dig and can often be seen running around in grassy areas, looking for food and playing with friends. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Spotted Ground Squirrel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Spotted_ground_squirrel.jpg&width=800) Photo: NPS, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spotted_ground_squirrel.jpg) ## Appearance The Spotted Ground Squirrel has a slender body with brownish-grey fur covered in distinct small white spots. It has a relatively short, thin tail compared to tree squirrels. Its light belly helps it blend into the sandy ground. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Sciuridae - **Genus:** Xerospermophilus ## Interesting facts - Some can go a whole year without drinking water, getting it all from their food! - These squirrels sometimes share their burrows with rattlesnakes, oddly enough! - They collect food in special cheek pouches that can stretch bigger than their head! - They seal their burrow entrances with dirt to nap safely inside! ## Special abilities - **Speedy Burrower:** Spotted Ground Squirrels can dig burrows quickly that help them hide from predators and escape the desert heat. - **Sentinel Stance:** Spotted Ground Squirrels can stand tall on their hind legs to watch for danger, alerting others with chirps. - **Heat Helper:** Spotted Ground Squirrels can enter estivation, a deep sleep that helps them survive hot, dry times with little food. - **Stealthy Spots:** Spotted Ground Squirrels have a spotted coat that helps them blend perfectly into their rocky or sandy surroundings. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 20-28 cm - **Weight:** 0.1-0.25 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 25 km/h - **Litter Size:** 4-12 - **Gestation:** 25-30 days ## Diet & Feeding These tiny omnivores munch on seeds, plants, and bugs they find on the ground! - **Primary Foods:** Seeds, Grasses, Leaves, Cactus fruit, Insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — A primary predator in its habitat. - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Hunts them from the sky. - **Eaten by:** [Western Diamondback Rattlesnake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-diamondback-rattlesnake) (*Crotalus atrox*) — Predates them both in burrows and above ground. - **Eats:** Engelmann Prickly Pear (*Opuntia engelmannii*) — Feeds on its fruits and pads for food and water. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Watch from a distance and don’t try to touch or catch them, as they are wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Spotted Ground Squirrel? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Spotted Ground Squirrel? 20-28 cm ### How much does Spotted Ground Squirrel weigh? 0.1-0.25 kg ### How long does Spotted Ground Squirrel live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Spotted Ground Squirrel move? 25 km/h ### What does Spotted Ground Squirrel eat? These tiny omnivores munch on seeds, plants, and bugs they find on the ground! ### Where is Spotted Ground Squirrel usually found? Grasslands ### How does Spotted Ground Squirrel hunt? Foraging ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Spotted Ground Squirrel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-ground-squirrel)