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Learn About Animal Homes
 The environment in which an animal lives (its
habitat) must provide water, food, shelter, and space. Its home
must also make the animal feel protected from predators, harsh weather,
and other threats.
Animal homes come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be found from the
deepest depths of the ocean to the very top of a mountain. Some animal homes are easy to see, while others are camouflaged to protect
them from predators. The structure of an
animal's home depends on the type of animal, the environment it lives in, and
what it needs to survive. Some homes are for just one animal or for a mother and
her babies. Other homes are for a large group of animals to all live together.
Animal homes serve a variety of purposes. Many animals design their homes to
trap heat in and keep the cold out, especially
when there are
babies living in the home, since baby animals cannot keep themselves warm
like their parents can. Nests, dens, and burrows are examples of this type of
home.
How to Apply It at Home
If you have a pet, use it as an example to discuss with children what animals
need in order to have a home. Talk about an animal's need for shelter and fresh food and
water. If you use wood shavings or sawdust as bedding for your pet, discuss how
it makes a soft place for him to sleep, keeps him warm, and can be changed to help keep the
pet's home clean.
Types of Animal Homes
 There are many different types of animal homes. Here are some of the most
common ones and the animals that use them.
- Barns and Houses - Domesticated animals are ones that live with
humans. You may have a few domesticated animals living with you right now!
The most common animals that live in houses are dogs and cats. Some animals
that live with humans are too big or too messy to live in a house. Animals
like horses, cows, goats, sheep, and pigs can be pets, but they usually live
in barns.
- Webs - Spiders spin webs to live in. Webs are also perfect traps for
catching insects for spiders to eat.
- Hives - Bees, wasps, and yellow jackets make wax inside their bodies,
then they use the wax to build
homes called hives. These insects like to live together in huge numbers. A
hive makes a good home for a
whole colony.
- Caves - Lions, tigers, bears, wolves, and bats make their homes in
caves. Caves that make good homes are not just found on dry land. Many
animals that live in the water, especially eels, like to live in underwater
caves. Some fish and sharks like to find an underwater cave to catch a quick
nap in!
- Burrows and Holes - Many animals dig into the ground to make their
homes. Foxes, rabbits, prairie dogs, and ants all live underground. Some
underground homes are very simple with just one large hole and a single exit
while others are quite complex with many rooms, entrances, and exits.
- Shells - Many animals with soft bodies actually carry their homes with
them! These homes are called shells and the hard exterior of the shells
help protect the animals inside. Most animals such as snails, crabs, and
turtles have "built on" shells. Hermit crabs use old shells from other
animals as their homes; they find new shells as they grow.
- Nests - Birds make nests to lay their eggs in. Nests can be built in the
branches of a tree or on the ground, and some city birds build their nests in
the nooks and crannies of buildings.
- Hollow Logs - Animals that live in the woods, such as bobcats, mink,
foxes, otters, skunks, and weasels often like to make their homes in hollow logs.
- Tree Hollows - Squirrels, owls, porcupines, and raccoons all like to make their
homes in the hollow (an empty hole in the trunk) of a tree. Even black bears like to live in tree
hollows.
Click here to download and print a free worksheet on animal homes.
Click here for animal homes science projects.
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