When a squirrel lies completely flat on the ground, belly-down with all four limbs stretched out, it is engaging in a behavior informally known as “splooting.” This posture, which makes the animal look like a furry pancake, is common during warmer months when temperatures soar. Splooting is a deliberate, instinctual response to overheating, allowing the squirrel to regulate its internal body temperature and find an immediate way to cool down.
The Science of Splooting for Cooling
Squirrels lack the widespread sweat glands necessary to cool their bodies through evaporative cooling, unlike humans. To prevent overheating, they employ a strategy scientists refer to as “heat dumping.” Heat dumping is a highly effective, non-evaporative method of thermoregulation that relies on conduction. Conduction is the process where heat moves directly from a warmer object to a cooler object that is touching it.
The squirrel maximizes heat transfer by pressing its entire underside against a cold surface. The belly and chest area have a significantly lower density of fur compared to the rest of its body. Maximizing the surface area of this skin on a cooler material allows the animal to efficiently transfer excess body heat away from its core. The splooting position ensures a large, uninterrupted contact patch, making it a powerful, temporary cooling mechanism.
Distinguishing Normal Behavior from Distress
Seeing a squirrel lying motionless often causes concern, but splooting is usually normal, adaptive behavior. A squirrel splooting for cooling will remain aware of its surroundings. Its eyes will be open, and it will react quickly to sudden noise or movement, springing up to flee if it perceives a threat. This posture indicates the animal is actively coping with environmental stress.
Heat stress can become serious, and a distressed squirrel will exhibit distinct symptoms. These include complete unresponsiveness, staggered or erratic movement, or a noticeable lack of coordination. Rapid, open-mouthed breathing, similar to panting in a dog, indicates that the squirrel’s cooling mechanisms are failing. If these symptoms are observed, the animal may be suffering from heat exhaustion and require intervention from a wildlife professional.
The Surfaces Squirrels Choose and Why
A splooting squirrel deliberately seeks out surfaces that are effective heat sinks. A heat sink is a material or object that absorbs and dissipates heat away from another object. Squirrels understand, through instinct, that materials with high thermal conductivity will draw heat away most quickly.
This is why they are frequently found on surfaces such as:
- Shaded concrete sidewalks
- Metal window ledges
- Stone steps
- Thick tree branches near the trunk
These dense surfaces remain cooler than the squirrel’s body, maximizing the efficiency of the conductive cooling process. By selecting these specific surfaces, the squirrel ensures the fastest possible exchange of internal body heat with the environment.