Neutering male grey

[Pennyorf]

Has anyone on this board ever had their male squirrel neutered? Does it help with their aggressive behavior or is it money wasted?

I have a male grey that will be one yr old in October. He is attached to me but no one else. He will still get aggressive towards me at times, three times over 9 months of raising him.

I found a vet who is willing to do the operation in September but I would like to know if this will curb his aggression. He has refused to be released and after raising him from infancy I'd prefer to keep him rather than to see him crushed by a car one day.

He has another squirrel, a younger female squirrel that he plays with that we rescued 4 months ago and he just absolutely loves her and so do we. I'm a little worried about them mating but more concerned about his aggressiveness.

I really hope the surgery will cure the aggressive behavior. I know it does with male dogs. Anyone out their with experience that could advise me would be appreciated.

I know all about the wound healing and processes and how to be watchful that he doesn't self mutilate or rip out his stitches. I just need to know if the surgery is worth the risk.

[djarenspace9]

I don't believe there is any proven truth to neutering calming a squirrel.
I did have two of my males neutered but it was to prevent breeding.
They are non releasable and free roam in a room with another nr female.
In order to give them this conditional freedom I felt it was necessary.
They were very bonded and I did not want to separate them.

Neither was aggressive to begin with so I could not say if it had a calming effect.
I would not recommend doing the surgery just in hopes it could have that effect.
The risks would not outweigh the possible benefits.
It can be traumatic and painful.
The first one was a breeze and I was happy with having done it.
The second was a bit traumtized and in pain and sore for a while and I felt regret.
I would not ever do it again.

I will avoid socializing males and females for that reason.
Then there is no need for that concern.

Squirrels are temperamental by their nature.
I'd say it's part of their charm :D

[Pennyorf]

You are very fortunate that your boy squirrels were never aggressive towards you. My squirrels also have free reign and are not caged but one is aggressive and one is not.

Stosh2010, a respected member on this site for years also faces the same problem with his 'king of costa rica". It is not how you raise them, we all raise them with love, or atleast I hope we all do.

Some squirrels, male and female will have a mean streek. I'm not sure why but I was hoping that neutering him would have a calming effect.

If your boys weren't aggressive in the first place then I'm still left with the unanswered question. Will it help with aggression or not?

They are like my children, I have raised them from infancy and bottle fed them. I'm not about to allow them to hurt their surgical wounds. I work at a hospital with infants in the nicu so I do know about healthcare and healing.

[Pennyorf]

Tempormental is one thing. Almost getting your finger bitten off my the knuckle is another. They can do serious damage and when they are in their state of biting or attacking, it is serious business.

If your boys are sweet to you that is great but if they decide to turn on you they will do serious damage and won't let go. A squirrels bite is 7000 psi, an aligators is 3,000.

They will cut through your cartilidge and hit and scrape bone over and over again with continuous biting and will not let go.

It is sad when this happens especially after giving nothing but love and the belly and underarm rubs that they seems to cherish. But unfortunatley it seems to happen often with a majority of us and we loving parents deal with it.

[astra]

I don't believe there is any proven truth to neutering calming a squirrel.
I did have two of my males neutered but it was to prevent breeding.
They are non releasable and free roam in a room with another nr female.
In order to give them this conditional freedom I felt it was necessary.
They were very bonded and I did not want to separate them.

Neither was aggressive to begin with so I could not say if it had a calming effect.
I would not recommend doing the surgery just in hopes it could have that effect.
The risks would not outweigh the possible benefits.
It can be traumatic and painful.
The first one was a breeze and I was happy with having done it.
The second was a bit traumtized and in pain and sore for a while and I felt regret.
I would not ever do it again.

I will avoid socializing males and females for that reason.
Then there is no need for that concern.

Squirrels are temperamental by their nature.
I'd say it's part of their charm :D
:goodpost

some squirrels are 'bitier' than others. Some are just plain biters, others - aren't.
Most of the are a one person animal, which means bites and scratches and open attacks for everyone else, except their chosen animal.
Although, even the chosen animal, sometimes, gets bitten etc b/c squirrels are, essentially, wild animals, which means: instincts, instincts, instincts...
Moodiness, that is often manifested through bites and lunges when in a bad mood (or not feeling well, or being spooked, or ...) - part of being a squirrel

Squirrels bite, but those, with more rambunctious temperament and hyper or Alpha personality, bite more.

There have been squirrels here who bite (or used to bite). Some of them calmed down with time, others - had a few phases which passed eventually, yet others - humans just adjust and adapt
(Virgo's Knothead and Stosh's Rama come to mind first... can't remember others, but maybe, other people could recall...)

All of that is just part of being a squirrel.

And precisely because all of the above is part of being a squirrel, neutering does not do much.
Neutering does not guarantee that a squirrel will stop biting or significantly calm down.
A biter is always a biter, unless he mellows down with time.
All possible trauma, complications, difficult healing etc and other risks are, really, not worth it if the only reason for neutering is to calm the squirrel.

Of course, the final decision is with the squirrel's human

[shellyb1018]

My vet had told me if I do that to Skeeter, it would help with her aggression, but that was her first vet visit, (she was only about 15 weeks old). As she grew (she is 10 months now) she pretty much is a softie. So I didn't have it done.
I am glad she is a baby love, I really didint want to put her through something like that.
FYI...He also gave me info on "laser Therapy" ask your vet about it. Dont know much about it because I didnt have it done. But do ask, if you feel you have no alternative. It would be a little more costly that regular surgery, but again, Im sure it would be worth it if you decide.

[djarenspace9]

Believe me, Pennyorf, I feel your pain. (literally)
One of my males has turned on me too.
He is a healthy 1 year old but I did not raise him and he was too friendly to release.
He jumped on everybody he met and had no fear of any person or animal.
At about 8 months his hormones must have kicked in and he completely changed.
Now his mission in life is to kill me, I am very afraid of him.
After months of tiptoeing around him and bloody attacks,
I had to cage him for my own safety.
I love this squirrel so much, even though he was not one of my babies,
he was always very special to me and I am at a crossroads.
I want to release him if he can handle it but know I cannot do it here if he is going to come after me.
I cannot find the right place or person to release him for me.
I understand how neutering could be a way to try and help him but if he is to ever be free that is not an option I can take.
I might be ordering one of Stosh's armors pretty soon....

[stosh2010]

Anesthesia is needed for surgery--and THAT is always a dangerous option..Be sure, if you proceed, to get a recomendation for an EXCELLENT and experienced Vet... Not many I would trust.

[astra]

My vet had told me if I do that to Skeeter, it would help with her aggression, but that was her first vet visit, (she was only about 15 weeks old). As she grew (she is 10 months now) she pretty much is a softie. So I didn't have it done.
I am glad she is a baby love, I really didint want to put her through something like that.
FYI...He also gave me info on "laser Therapy" ask your vet about it. Dont know much about it because I didnt have it done. But do ask, if you feel you have no alternative. It would be a little more costly that regular surgery, but again, Im sure it would be worth it if you decide.
oh, so glad you didn't!

Because if neutering boys can result in discussions like this, spaying girl squirrels is a big NO.
Spaying is a much more invasive procedure than in boys, it is extremely painful, rarely heals well, too often results in complications, too traumatic etc etc etc.
So, girl squirrels SHOULD NOT be spayed ever.

and again, as in boys - such procedures do fairly little to help with temperament
:grouphug

[Jackie in Tampa]

Karen I will try to release your boy here if you want..

Pennyorf,
My vets have always said no to the nuetering if it is done to calm them...they are wild animals and the wild runs deep.
They all have doubted it would make a difference and I have several vets.
I also have males and females out together all the time, for many years...no babies....:dono {for what that's worth}
it is certainly not a guarantee that they won't..:tilt
where are the pics:poke

edit, NO WAY would I ever spay a female sq...no way! too risky for what it's worth...

[shellyb1018]

Pennyorf,I also should add...Skeeter is wild, she runs like a mad dog, she has bitten my son, if I give her a nut "freely" out of her cage, she may just bite me too. She is aggressive a good part of the time when she has free time.
She does have a mind of her own, I have bloody scratches to prove that. BUT, she also will fall asleep in my arms. Let me play with her belly, I hug her, kiss her, sniff her all the time. She started making these "calming" stages about 2 months or so ago.
Maybe, I dont know what you have tried at this time, but just maybe, you could change up some things for him, I dunno. Skeeter is on a schedule, but, I am always changing things around her :dono All squirrels are different, even though ours are about the same age...still girl/boy difference.

Maybe it might be best to order an armored head piece from Stosh :rotfl

[pappy1264]

Pennyorf, is he a nr? I don't believe neutering will help with biting, it is part of who they are (some are biters, some are not). Unless there is good reason (making him a nr), perhaps you might want to think of releasing him? I have three here, none are aggessive with me (or anyone else for that matter). Two are true 'nr' (one is a neuro and missing most of a front foot, other is blind in one eye and truly wants nothing to do with the outside world. The third is way too friendly, will go to anyone and I don't think he knows he is a squirrel. He is actually the most cuddly out of all them! But none ever bite, never have, all are over a year, two males, one female.) It sounds like he is just growing up and doing what squirrels do. Again, don't know if this baby has issues that make him a nr.

[Anne]

You need to talk to Sarabi. She had her male Simba neutered to calm down his aggression-it didn't work and now no matter what he is NR and she must live with his behavior. To release him would be a death sentence. Simba loves her to death but can not be trusted even now. He has gone after her several times since.
I personally have never tried or even thought about neutering a squirrel-Simba is the only one I know of that anyone has had neutered. There probably others but I don't know of any.
These are not cats or dogs and it doesn't work with very aggressive dogs either!

[Pennyorf]

To Astra-

So some squirrels mellow with time? Do you know at what age? He is usually nice to me or should I say excepting of me. He loathes everyone else and tries to kill them. I'm the only one that he wouldn't attack until...

He came at me viciously the other day and kept coming at me. He has never done this to me. I can usually pet him, give kisses, scratch him under the underarm, etc. But when I came home from work on Monday he tore after me as soon as I walked into the room.

I'm not going to blame myself but in retrospect there were two different things that happened that day that are unusual for him.

First, I walked in without my usual gloves on. He hates hands but if I wear my gloves I'm fine. I'm sure you know all about the gloves and robe technique, without those we'd look like walking lepers or meth adicts because of the slashing wounds that we receive. I'm not sure why I reference addicts to describe the wounds but I work at a hospital and when I have to go in with scratches all over my hands and forearms I feel like people are looking at me like I have a problem.

Second, I left my gloves on my bed and was trying desparetly to put them on when he attacked. Also on the bed was a burger king bag with hash browns in it that has been sitting there since breakfast next to my gloves.

Maybe he was in a pissy mood, for God's sake he has no reason to be, he is spoiled rotten, but he does seem to get pissy. He also has started walking around like a proud man on the prowl and will give you looks like I can take you down anytime I want to. He struts his stuff like a boxer before a boxing match.

I hope he calms down. I did try to release him once before but he bee lined it right back into the house and does NOT want to have anything to do with outdoors. I mean NOTHING. He won't even look out of a window.

He is not unhealthy. He is big and built like a boxer, not fat, just a big guy. He eats peacans, brocolli, mushrooms, carrots, celery, raddish, endamamis, advacodo, corn, etc. He also gets calcium in his water. Believe me he is healthy. He just has this dominant mentality and it is starting to suck!

If you could give me some hope by offering me some insight on what age they calm down from your experience that would be great!

[Pennyorf]

You need to talk to Sarabi. She had her male Simba neutered to calm down his aggression-it didn't work and now no matter what he is NR and she must live with his behavior. To release him would be a death sentence. Simba loves her to death but can not be trusted even now. He has gone after her several times since.
I personally have never tried or even thought about neutering a squirrel-Simba is the only one I know of that anyone has had neutered. There probably others but I don't know of any.
These are not cats or dogs and it doesn't work with very aggressive dogs either!
__________________
Anne

Anne, this might be a silly question but if the surgery did not have any effect on Simbas aggression why would it be a death sentence for him to be released? Wouldn't he have no desire to chase after the females and avoid the conflict but still be aggressive enough to protect his own nest and food supply? Or are you saying that over time the testerone would diminish and he would become unable to or unwilling to be aggressive enough to fight for his livelyhood? From what I've read squirrels stay within a certain small area of where the nest. So if he is still mean and aggresive enough to protect his space while being uninteresed in the mating ritual and avoiding that conflict then why would he be a candidate for the death sentence?

[astra]

__________________
Anne

Anne, this might be a silly question but if the surgery did not have any effect on Simbas aggression why would it be a death sentence for him to be released? Wouldn't he have no desire to chase after the females and avoid the conflict but still be aggressive enough to protect his own nest and food supply? Or are you saying that over time the testerone would diminish and he would become unable to or unwilling to be aggressive enough to fight for his livelyhood? From what I've read squirrels stay within a certain small area of where the nest. So if he is still mean and aggresive enough to protect his space while being uninteresed in the mating ritual and avoiding that conflict then why would he be a candidate for the death sentence?
I am sure Anne will reply, too, but while she is asleep and I am still awake :eek:, I will share what I know.

Hormones, in animals and humans, play an important part in our psycho makeup, our personality, what makes us who we are.
Without hormones, we lose a lot of that, including our instincts, reactions, spunk etc. It may not be as noticeable in humans (although, it often is), because we do not use our instincts as much.
But it is crucial to an animal.

Once neutered, a squirrel's reaction is much slower for the wildlife pace. His instincts are dulled, his spunk is gone etc etc etc.
Again, in captivity it may not be as obvious, but out there in the wild it is.
Even if his reactions are only seconds slower - he will be an easy meal for predators.
His spunk and instincts diminished - he won't be able to stand up for himself against bullies; he won't be able to fight successfully for his territory, for food, for a better nest, for a better tree hole in the winter etc etc etc etc.
The fight-or-flight response, the aggression so needed in the wild, the split-second reactions to potential danger, high alertness to potential threats - all of this and much more will never be enough for the "survival of the fittest" - type lifestyle in the wild.

Yes, in captivity often the bites will still bite even when neutered, but one should not confuse the biting/squirrelliness with the kind of hormone-driven fight-or-flight response that is absolutely crucial for survival in the wild.

Besides, animals always sense when one of their kin is off.
And, due to survival of the fittest law of the jungle, the "off" ones get bullied and ostracized. Other squirrels will know that the neutered guy is off and he will become a constant target for bullies.
If you add to that what I described above + the male aggression during mating seasons that he will not be able to match = constant stress and fear, insufficient food, difficulty to find a good home --> weakened immune system --> illnesses --> prolonged suffering --> painful lonely death.

Neutered wild animals do not belong in the wild.
To release a neutered squirrel is pretty much the same as to release a skunk whose scent glands were removed, or let a declawed cat go.

That's what I know.

I am sure other people will share what they know

[Chickenlegs]

Know nothing about neutering but as far as release goes, I have a little guy who has had an open doorway to freedom since early April. I didn't think he'd EVER poke his nose out. He's been in and out for a month and has finally started spending time outside at night. If given opportunity and patience maybe your guy might give it a go too. I'd love it if my little man wanted to stay with me in air conditioned comfort but first and foremost he's a squirrel. Your baby won't go out on a schedule but bet if given opportunity and time he'll discover a tree beats a cage any day of he week (maybe).

[astra]

To Astra-

So some squirrels mellow with time? Do you know at what age? He is usually nice to me or should I say excepting of me. He loathes everyone else and tries to kill them. I'm the only one that he wouldn't attack until...

He came at me viciously the other day and kept coming at me. He has never done this to me. I can usually pet him, give kisses, scratch him under the underarm, etc. But when I came home from work on Monday he tore after me as soon as I walked into the room.

I'm not going to blame myself but in retrospect there were two different things that happened that day that are unusual for him.

First, I walked in without my usual gloves on. He hates hands but if I wear my gloves I'm fine. I'm sure you know all about the gloves and robe technique, without those we'd look like walking lepers or meth adicts because of the slashing wounds that we receive. I'm not sure why I reference addicts to describe the wounds but I work at a hospital and when I have to go in with scratches all over my hands and forearms I feel like people are looking at me like I have a problem.

Second, I left my gloves on my bed and was trying desparetly to put them on when he attacked. Also on the bed was a burger king bag with hash browns in it that has been sitting there since breakfast next to my gloves.

Maybe he was in a pissy mood, for God's sake he has no reason to be, he is spoiled rotten, but he does seem to get pissy. He also has started walking around like a proud man on the prowl and will give you looks like I can take you down anytime I want to. He struts his stuff like a boxer before a boxing match.

I hope he calms down. I did try to release him once before but he bee lined it right back into the house and does NOT want to have anything to do with outdoors. I mean NOTHING. He won't even look out of a window.

He is not unhealthy. He is big and built like a boxer, not fat, just a big guy. He eats peacans, brocolli, mushrooms, carrots, celery, raddish, endamamis, advacodo, corn, etc. He also gets calcium in his water. Believe me he is healthy. He just has this dominant mentality and it is starting to suck!

If you could give me some hope by offering me some insight on what age they calm down from your experience that would be great!
That's totally normal - that he is attached to you only and does not care for anyone else.
Squirrels are a one-person animals in 99.9% of all cases.
They choose one human, and the rest are either openly disliked or even attacked.

There are quite a few squirrels who wanted NOTHING to do with the outside, and chose to stay inside.
So, again - he is not as unusual in this as it might seem.
Some squirrels decide once and for all that they don't care for the outside.
Others - with a slower gradual release process eventually decide to move out.
In both situations - the key is to listen to the squirrel.
If your guy starts pacing, chewing on cage bars, getting very unhappy, miserable etc etc etc - that might be a sign that he wants the outside. But these have to be constant and persistent. It is very different from occasional moodiness and just normal squirrel temperament.
If he is content and happy inside with you - I would not change it, personally. I believe that to push outside a squirrel that does not want to be outside is just as wrong as to keep inside a squirrel that wants to live outside. But that's my view. A lot of people think differently.
So, ultimately, it is the squirrel's human's decision - you need to be in tune with him and listen to him.

As for when he attacked you - it is not as unusual either :).
1) sometimes, when in a bad mood or whatever, they can bite even their chosen human.
Look at it this way: biting is the way for a squirrel to express displeasure.
People do not bite each other when in a bad mood, or not feeling well, or stressed out etc etc etc, but people snap at each other, snark, flip etc etc etc.
Well, if we can have a bad day or two, so can animals, including squirrels.
It's just that often squirrels express their bad day by biting.
Not because they hate you, but because that's how they are programmed to express their bad days/moods/moments etc.

2) the changes you described could very well be what provoked that.
Yes, bare hands is not a good idea.
There was a discussion here a few months ago - there is something about bare hands that provokes squirrels to bite and scratch. Could be because they, themselves, are furry, but we aren't. Who knows.
The bottom line for us - yes, bare hands are risky.
Once you put gloves on - everything seems fine.
So, keep your gloves on :).

That bag with food - new smells, unfamiliar smells etc - can easily provoke a bite or an aggressive reaction.
Also, maybe, when you came from work you smelled like something strange, too?
Did you wash your hands before that with a strange soap or something?
Even a change in your shampoo, hand soap etc etc can provoke biting and aggression.
If you come smelling like something strange - that can provoke, too.
A lot of people keep a special squirrel clothes because of that.

And yes - about the scratches and all ;-). It's painful and it does not look pretty. So, yes, special squirrel clothes is a solution.;)

3. As for him getting "pissed" for no reason... well, to him there must have been a valid reason that you just didn't know about.
Again, just like humans, squirrels are rather complex, have their own feelings, preferences etc etc etc. Just like humans get moody for no apparent reason, so do animals.
Also, does he get enough stimulation (e.g., games, activity etc etc etc)? Squirrels need constant stimulation. They get bored easily: so variety is important.

However, as much as they enjoy variety and new games, routine is very important, too (actually, true for a lot of animals, including humans).
They need to have a set routine. When there is no set routine, animals can get neurotic. But within those routine activities they need variety and fun.

4. Also, during mating season most squirrels get a bit extra hyper, extra aggressive, extra anything. So, just try to be aware of that.
Right now it's a mating/baby season. So, he might be reacting to that, too.
But this is passing.
As soon as mating season is over, he should calm down, too.

5. Sometimes, it's a dominance/control kind of thing.
Strict discipline helped some people.

During a similar discussion here some time ago, some people shared what worked for them:
if a squirrel turns really aggressive, bossy and bites a lot, take it (with gloves or in a blankie) and put it in the cage, and leave the room.
Then, come back after some time, let him out and see if it calmed.
It often helps.
But s/he must go to the cage right after the biting/aggressive incident.
No need to emotional reaction - just put him/her in the cage and walk out.

BUT what is also important that it is done when the squirrel is truly unusually aggressive. NOT when it's just being a squirrel and is playing rough or something.
If one disciplines a squirrel for being a squirrel, that will confuse the poor animal completely and may cause neurosis and other problems.
So, it is important that such disciplining is done ONLY when there is a truly extra unusual aggressive behaviour.

6. Another thing - could he have had a nut stashed somewhere?
They can get very protective over their nuts.
So make sure he has no stashes.

7. As for what age - it's hard to tell.
It is all very individual. Some squirrels calm down after about a year, some - a bit later. Some calm down faster, others - gradually. Some have occasional recurring episodes, others - are more stable.
But they all do calm down eventually. And the older they get, the calmer they are.
Just make sure you continue to play and interact with him - strengthen the bond and trust etc. Just keep your hands covered.:)

If, as you said, he was aggressive 3 times in 9 months - that's nothing :). I would even say, that's common.

Keep asking questions here - a lot of people are dealing with the same situations (squirrels will always be squirrels), so they can share what worked for them. You are not alone :).

And I am sure the experts (and I am not one) here will be able to share more information about this.
:grouphug

[SquirrelRefuge]

I had a male squirrel that was brought to me as a baby and as he grew, I noticed he was severely maloccluded. He lived in my 'squirrelarium' most of the time but as he got older, I let him run loose since he always came home and allowed me to catch him to trim his teeth.

Anyway, I had him neutered because I didnt know if his issue was something he could pass on to squirrel babies. I found that he was less aggressive than other males by far, but I cant say for sure that it was because of the neutering or just his temperament.

I have hand raised many squirrels and after every season I end up with a few NR's and their temperaments range from sweetie to satan - so a lot of it just depends on the squirrel I think. If I had a NR that was a biter and I had to handle it, I would have it done if the squirrel's overall temperament was pretty good. I dont think it would really make that big of a difference if the squirrel is just cranky by nature. Case in point, just last weekend I had two visits to the ER from an infected prairie dog bite and he was neutered.... but sadly, also a bit psycho.

[Pennyorf]

to Astra

You are so brilliant and seem to know exactly what is going on with my situation.

As soon as the attack was over I did walk out of the room and cooled off for about 45 minutes. I was so worried about him and decided to glove and robe up to go check on him. I wanted to reassure him that even though he tried to bite my fingers off that I still loved him. There is a MAJOR difference between play bites and damaging attacks.

Although I was still afraid of him I offered him a snack and he seemed to be his usual self but I did put him in his cage with the snack and left him there. The cage is 9 feet tall and 8 feet long and is in my bedroom with trees and hammocks, condo's etc. But I did cage him cause I didnt want to be attacked again. That was at 6:30 in the evening. Normally he goes to bed at 7:30 so he had an extra hour caged. Normally he has free reign of the room until bedtime.

It seems easy to keep them on a strict schedule because they implament that themselves. They both wake up at 6:30 sharp, play, play, play then take a nap from 1 to 3pm and play some more until bedtime. My bedroom is huge and has turned into a squirrel amuzement park. The have a slide and a 5 foot centipede attached to the air vent by a 5 foot rope that they swing off
of.

I feed them four times a day and keep shelled nuts away because I know better. I give them nuts but I will shell them first.

I feel that I am so committed to them. I even changed my work schedule and most of my life to accommidate them. I can no longer travel and miss out on special events because they seem to be worth it. I just wish my Brodi could just be sweet like my baby girl. He is making our life most difficult. I had to move my husband out of our bedroom so he wouldn't be attacked and I really, really LOVE my husband.

Brodi is a pain in the ass but if I saw his body ran over by a car I would never forgive myself. Someone needs to build a huge screened in lanai with oak trees in my back yard. Screened in and safe. That would be perfect.

[quagmire]

Raising Quagmire was so nice until he came of age and his first rut was terrible! Bite, bite, bite!! Ow, OW, OWW! Neutering took care of that. While his rut seasons were active, he no longer chewed our hands up. So in his case it did calm him down. Others say it doesn't make a difference, for Quagmire it made him much more mellow, and since he was a NR, it was money well spent, under $80. He is almost 4 years old now and a real sweetheart.

[Pennyorf]

When is "rut season?"

[quagmire]

'Rut' or I guess mating season usually was around Feb-March & August-Sept. or so, in these parts. He usually had those issues twice a year were he got really hyper and a bit nasty.

[Rhapsody]

I had my squirrel Marven neutered while he was already going in for surgery to have his four front teeth removed due to a tooth disorder called malocclusion and for me I feel that it greatly calmed him down and has allowed others to be near his cage and to feed him without him going bonkers....... but I personally do not think I would have done the neutering if Marven had not already had to have other life saving surgery performed.

[Pennyorf]

Picture of my little devil. Brodi.178537

[ShereeJacobi]

I have found with my squirrel, certain things trigger aggression. One is using shampoo or body soap with perfumes, especially with almond extract in them. I buy the cheap stuff, make sure it has no nut extract, and everything is great now. I use to have to wait a good 1/2 day to be around him after bathing. Not anymore. But, before someone enlightened me on this board, I got serious injuries!
The next thing that started an aggressive behaviour with my squirrel, was one day he was taking an in the shell nut out of my hand and his claws scratched me and I jerked back. Ever since, if I hand him a nut in the shell, I have to be extremely careful cause within micro seconds, he's aggressive. Only with the nuts in the shells! All the others shelled I can pet him while he's eating them. Go figure!
There is a reason your squirrel is getting aggressive with you. You just have to figure out what's triggering it!
Just my opinion!

[TinyPaws]

Like people, squirrels have their own personality..I have 2 flyer girls and Dylan my grey..My one girl is super snuggly and has never shown any aggression towards me, though she does try to bite Jim when he trims her teeth..Dylan my grey, is a mama's boy..He has never really shown aggression towards me or bite me..I can even go into his nest area to clean out the nuts and stuff..He loves to cuddle and he loves to play rough..so I hand wrestle with him all the time and he never injures me..He will be 3 next month..He does have his boughts of rebellion during which time he will try to take my things or chew on them..but he's a sweetie...Bonnie my other flyer, she has her sweet days where she likes to be held and petted..but she also has her bad days where she's drawn blood simply because I offer her something to eat..

I think it just depends on the squirrels personality..with a little having to do with genetics..as Bonny does take after her mother..

I would opt not to neuter..