Massachusetts Wildlife Rehabilitator Practice Exam

Newborn grey squirrels are indeed blind and hairless at birth. This particular developmental stage is typical for many rodent species, where infants are born in a highly vulnerable state. Being hairless provides them with both the necessity to be warm and protected by their mother, as they are unable to regulate their own body temperature. The lack of sight at birth means that they rely completely on their mother for several weeks, as they are entirely dependent on her for nourishment, warmth, and safety during this critical period of development. As they grow, they will begin to develop fur and open their eyes, allowing them to explore their surroundings as they approach independence. Other options suggest that squirrels may be born either with hair or sight, but this is not consistent with their biological developmental norms. Squirrels, like many mammals in their nesting stage, are adapted to have these features at birth to optimize their survival chances in a vulnerable state.