abusive male

[gingchamp]

Lately my male squirrel has been chewing on my female, they are 1 year old siblings. Rosie is going bald on her underside because of it. Chip will pin her down and start chewing. She crys and trys to fight him off but since he's much bigger than her, it usually dosent work. Why is he doing this??? What can I do to stop him???
:thinking

[JLM27]

Are these gray squirrels? Flying squirrels?

[gingchamp]

They are greys

[JLM27]

You had better separate them until we figure this out. This is a new one.

[gingchamp]

I will do that. Ive even considered releasing chip into the wild but since i live in a city, i dont have any way of rehabbing him

[JLM27]

Maybe TSB can find a rehabber for you. He sounds like he is acting neurotic. Is he doing anything else, like pacing and excessive chewing on his cage or nest box?

[gingchamp]

Ive made some phone calls today and everyone ive talked to says hes too old to rehab now. That he'd never survive on his own. Id say he is being neurotic. He does some pacing and chewing on his cage. He's is constantly doing something to his sister too

[JLM27]

Let him out more in the house. And get her a separate cage/nest box. She deserves safety.

[BeeFernandez22]

I'm in STL, Missouri. Let me know if I can help in any way.

[virgo062]

Ive made some phone calls today and everyone ive talked to says hes too old to rehab now. That he'd never survive on his own. Id say he is being neurotic. He does some pacing and chewing on his cage. He's is constantly doing something to his sister too

I don't agree with that....Unless they are not afraid of strangers I think they do fine....The pacing and chewing tells me he is ready to be released

[Bravo]

I don't agree with that....Unless they are not afraid of strangers I think they do fine....The pacing and chewing tells me he is ready to be released

Agree, it sounds like pent-up energy with nowhere to go and nothing to do except manifest in aggressive behavior. However, that's my un-rehabber, urbanite opinion. :D

[Kristal]

It seems like a normal behaviour gone crazy. My guys wrestle with each other a lot and quite often the one who gets pinned is "punished" with a lot of kisses and grooming. It's really adorable, actually... when mine do it. Squirrels have a rough and tumble way of interacting and expressing love, but this is just rough :shakehead

Do they spend all their time in a cage? Could you let them have at least the run of a room if you plan to keep them?

[mugzeezma]

Ive made some phone calls today and everyone ive talked to says hes too old to rehab now. That he'd never survive on his own. Id say he is being neurotic. He does some pacing and chewing on his cage. He's is constantly doing something to his sister too
What city are you in? Do you know how to Private Message?
How large is the cage?

Even the minimum NWRA 4x4x8 is small for a tree squirrel.

He's not too old but it will take time...right now is breeding season so he's all worked up and nowhere to go.
Sister sq needs sanctuary from him before he kills her.
I had the opposite last fall where the male was getting beatup by the female sib. I released her in October...she still comes around. He was released about 3 weeks ago.


If you can get him out here I will do what I can...