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Why are squirrels classified as rodents?

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Do squirrels forget where they hide their food? — squirrel Overview of food-burying behaviour in squirrels.

Squirrels are classified as rodents because they belong to the order Rodentia, a diverse group of mammals defined by specific anatomical characteristics.12

The primary feature that identifies a rodent is the presence of a single pair of ever-growing, rootless incisor teeth in both the upper and lower jaws. These specialized teeth are essential tools that allow rodents to gnaw, cut, and pry, which are behaviors fundamental to the survival of squirrels and other members of the order.13

Within this classification, squirrels make up the family Sciuridae, which includes not only tree squirrels but also ground squirrels, marmots, chipmunks, prairie dogs, and flying squirrels. While their body forms vary to suit different ecological niches—ranging from arboreal to fossorial (burrowing) lifestyles—they all share the fundamental dental structure that characterizes the order Rodentia.23