yes another handling issue

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

I have seen it written in many places that squirrels will make little grunty noises when happy.
Simon does this every time I go over to his cage whether I have food or not, he runs to me and grunts, so the grunting is a happy boy??
So why won't he let me pick him up with out a fight, about 7 or 8 times a day he comes out fighting and growling like he's going to kill me if I don't put him down.
Only one of these times do I bath and massage his legs in water , the other times I just coo at him , pet his head and hold on for dear life, about an hour or so until he relaxes then I put him back and give him a small treat.
2 minutes later I will go back and he runs over to greet me like nothing happened and lets me rub him wrestle anything I want to do but pick him up.
He has grown so much and is strong and very playful and very happy, but only in his cage.

[djarenspace9]

Grunts come in many variations,
can you do a simulation? :rotfl

[Margie]

Don't feel alone. I don't do any of those things to Stormy Lee, and if I try to pick her up or hold her she fights like a tiger. It's like trying to hold greased water. She squeals and acts like I'm torturing her. She is four and a half months old now. How old is Simon? Are you sure Simon is a male? I thought Stormy was a male when she was a baby, since she had what looked like a penis almost up to her navel. Later, it moved down next to her tail. It still looks like a penis, but no room for a scrotum, so I guess she's a female. It's nothing like sexing kittens or even rats! I had no squirrel experience to go by, and no other squirrels to compare her to. But from what I keep reading, most squirrels aren't fond of being handled. It's a prey animal response to feeling trapped.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Grunts come in many variations,
can you do a simulation? :rotfl
yeah ok here goes

rant rant rant

[djarenspace9]

:D

It's like with cats...they mostly say MEOW but anyone who has had a cat
knows there's like 18 versions of meow and each has a different meaning.

My Scooter is very ornery, and his grunts range from
"Hey, you got something for me?" to "Stay the HELL away from my NUT!"

He adjusts the tone accordingly, and even does a little jig to let me know when he really means business.

:poke

[Pierre]

Since he has mobility issues, perhaps he is indeed excited to see you but the picking up part scares him. [Any chance it could hurt?] It might, to him, be a very scary feeling being picked up--it might simulate unconsciously a feeling of being captured by a predator and he knows he can't get away because of his limited mobility and strength.

Does he relax once out of your hands and once sitting on your lap or such?
:grouphug

[djarenspace9]

I agree with Pierre and Margie.
It is not a naturally good feeling for a prey animal to be picked up.
In some odd cases there are squirrels that allow or even enjoy being held,
but in my experience we have to settle for petting them and maybe having them come to us, rather than being picked up.

I think that's why I like fostering the babies so much,
cause they let me squish and kiss them up to a certain point, and then I get rid of them. :D (just kidding)

Simon is at that age when they are weaned and usually resist being picked up for feedings.
See if you can train him to hop in a little basket so you can carry him over to the couch or wherever you want to play with him.
Some squirrels will just hitch a ride on your shoulder, but since he can't jump that may be a happy medium for both of you.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Since he has mobility issues, perhaps he is indeed excited to see you but the picking up part scares him. [Any chance it could hurt?] It might, to him, be a very scary feeling being picked up--it might simulate unconsciously a feeling of being captured by a predator and he knows he can't get away because of his limited mobility and strength.

Does he relax once out of your hands and once sitting on your lap or such?
:grouphug
If I let go of him in my lap he would try to run away from me, gets very disoriented unless he can see his cage then he heads for it and goes in.
He does finally relax after I hold him at least 1/2 hour, I was scared of hurting him when we when found him, he was so little and his back was broken.
I have tried covering his head but he doesnt like that, he wants to see where he is going. I hold him close to me and just talk very quietly and rub his head. I know it takes time and have asked this question before , just wondering is anyone else has some different input to help us along.

We can bring him out in his bed as long as we keep him covered in the bed

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

I guess I got the wrong idea about the handling, I thought he would get used to it, but you have explained it well thank you, it makes more sense now.
I just dont want him to be afraid of me and trust me even though I have to do the mean bathing and bladder expressing things to him.

Simon is about 5 months old now.

[Pierre]

Oh, I don't think you're doing the wrong thing at all!
I think loving careful handling is exactly what you should do, since he's and NR. He needs to get used to it and hopefully come to look forward to your visits and love. I just meant that he reaction might be related to an innate fear -- a hand wrapping around him is similar to a predator grabbing him. There might be a way to get him out of the cage without worrying him. ??? Can you scoop him up, or lift him out while he's in his bed or something?
Hopefully he'll become habituated to being held in time and not worry so much in the future. He'll learn it is not an attack of any sort.

I'm just guessing here---you're his expert! :grouphug

[JLM27]

How a bout a little fleece hammock for him to ride in when you take him out.

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

have tried the hammocks, also tried the ferret hang around the neck carrier that zips shut and has a screen window, he just doesn't like anything that moves.
He went through a very bad storm back in the end of Sept
Very high winds and we had several large old oaks fall down, I think his nest was in one of them, we found him maybe a week later. very small very scared, he has warmed up to us a lot, loves us, just not when we pick him up, in the bed is ok so we do that, we are going to leave his doors open a little longer and see if he will come out just worried about getting him back in, probably at this point he would come if I had a pecan for him, that is his late night snack

[Jackie in Tampa]

You're getting great advise...
it sounds like you are doing all I would, just takes time.:grouphug

simon has no defense, and he knows it
he feels helpless when held up/out.
never suspend him, it makes him feel vunerable, if holding him , it needs to be close to your body, up against you.
Try the pouch, when walking with him..
no running water, have bath ready..water really does scare most sqs, the sound.
i used a big plastic halloween candy bowl, not hard, I wore gloves and actually wrapped Sprinkles in a baby blankey {cotton recieving, thin} dunked him in the blanket, it made him feel more secure, used the blankey as a bath cloth...
I never used a hair dryer oon a sq, I think it's cruel, no matter who says otherwise...
sqs don't like to be blown. Just another cotton blankey to dry him..
good luck..
kisses to simon:Love_Icon