Squirrel Attack!

[ShereeJacobi]

Any suggestions? My squirrel does not like me right after I bathe. I have to wait a half of day to enter the room. It had been an hour after bathing, so I put on yesterdays clothes and the jacket I always wear so no arm scratches, but it just wasn’t enough. I wash my hands when I fix his food in the AM’s and soap smell is on them I am sure, but he doesn’t attack unless I have just showered. He sniffs around my hands real good, but no teeth imprints left. Anything I can do? I would like to be able to bathe, put clean clothes on and walk in the room! You would think they could look at you and know who you are, but he has never been able to do that! Maybe he does, but smell rules! Obviously a fresh soap scent sends him in threat rage! Serious bites this AM. I thought for sure he was going to break a bone in my hand before I could get him off! He didn’t do the serious bites until I moved my hands, then it was all out war on his part. 3 hours later, he was a lover again. He loves me, tries to protect me from chicken hawks he can see out the big window every now and then! I just dunno how to desensitize him to a fresh clean smell so I am not a threat! tinfoil

[Anne]

Try and change the bath soap you use, it may be too strong for him. Mine react to newly washed me too-but not that terribly. Because my children both have Cystic Fibrosis, I can't wear perfumes or use a strong soap/shampoo, that may make a difference.:dono

[SammysMom]

Sammy went through this horrible issue when I used a new soap that contained almond butter. I laughingly said it must be because he thought I was eating his stash of almonds...
He was fine as soon as I changed to goat's milk soap :shakehead
I later tried to use St. Ives Apricot scrub and was attacked again. :shakehead When I looked at those ingredients it turns out they use walnut shells. I have learned to stick with whatever the little knucklehead is cool with. Goat's milk soap it is. I leave the exfoliating to him:Love_Icon and no longer use the scrub...:jump

[crazysquirrels]

I used Dove. And Talula didn't care. ANY OTHER SOAP IRRITATED HER. DAMN CAPS LOCK. Its cheap too. and nice for your skin.

[TessiesMom]

My Tess (malocclusion) will be six in August, and has always been just like this. I can walk down the hall past her room after a shower and hear her in there chattering her teeth and grunting with rage. My vet thinks that, because squirrels rely so heavily on their sense of smell, her brain is telling her, "It looks like Mommy, and sounds like Mommy, but it doesn't smell like Mommy, so it's a trick! I'm being fooled! Danger! Danger!" I guess it's as good a theory as any - I just learned (painfully) to stay away from her cage until I smell like myself again.

[ShereeJacobi]

Try and change the bath soap you use, it may be too strong for him. Mine react to newly washed me too-but not that terribly. Because my children both have Cystic Fibrosis, I can't wear perfumes or use a strong soap/shampoo, that may make a difference.:dono
Thank you! I will try a different soap!:thankyou

[ShereeJacobi]

I used Dove. And Talula didn't care. ANY OTHER SOAP IRRITATED HER. DAMN CAPS LOCK. Its cheap too. and nice for your skin.
It appears all the replies say change soap! Thank you so much for the input!:thankyou

[ShereeJacobi]

Sammy went through this horrible issue when I used a new soap that contained almond butter. I laughingly said it must be because he thought I was eating his stash of almonds...
He was fine as soon as I changed to goat's milk soap :shakehead
I later tried to use St. Ives Apricot scrub and was attacked again. :shakehead When I looked at those ingredients it turns out they use walnut shells. I have learned to stick with whatever the little knucklehead is cool with. Goat's milk soap it is. I leave the exfoliating to him:Love_Icon and no longer use the scrub...:jump
LOL, I thought the exfoliating was good! They sure don't like warts either! Thank you for the input!:thankyou

[island rehabber]

I later tried to use St. Ives Apricot scrub and was attacked again. :shakehead When I looked at those ingredients it turns out they use walnut shells.

omg is THAT what it is, the St Ives? I used it for the first time with this bunch of kids in the house and everyone wanted to eat me for lunch! :rotfl:sanp3

[ShereeJacobi]

omg is THAT what it is, the St Ives? I used it for the first time with this bunch of kids in the house and everyone wanted to eat me for lunch! :rotfl:sanp3
LOL, I thought for sure I was going to have my hand bones chewed through before I could get my baby off me! I mean, he was really aggressive! Like when I hand him a nut and he thinks it's just possible I might take it away! But, after a few hours he was loving again!:sanp3