Disiplining biting

[realityrocks4]

We have a three month old flying squirrel. Recently when I tried to return him to his cage he attacked my entire hand and bit my thumb, then started making that wild fighting squirrel noise. My children had him out last night like everyother night and he tried to grap a valentine's candy. When my youngest tried to take the candy away from him - he bit him. Each time he has bitten now, he is drawing some serious blood!! Should I be afraid of some crazy squirrel attacking? Thanks for any advice.

[Mrs. Jack]

welcome. we've quite a few experienced flyer owners who I'm sure will come in and give you tons of great advice.
With the one situation of the candy though, I'd offer that a lot of critters will bite if you try to take away something from them that they want. Better to keep it from happening at all, create a 'safe' place to play where there isn't any chance of him getting ahold of something you'd need take away. and make sure he has plenty of his own toys and things to chew on for variety.
I wouldn't be afraid though.. critters have teeth and they bite, indeed it hurts, but fear will only exasperate the situation. Think of it as a phase that you must patiently work through with him.. just like when raising smooth kids.

[realityrocks4]

Thank you.

[Somebody's Mother]

my guinea pig used to bite. he weighs 3 lbs and my flyer weighs only 4 ounces. so the gp bite was quite severe. i finally started tapping his nose each time he bit me and telling him no!! it took awhile but now when he even starts to bite i say no and he stops.
i am still working with my flyer. she hasn't bit hard but she does like to clamp down on my thumb. i tell her no and extract my thumb from her mouth.

[Bobo's Mom]

If she keeps biting put her little fur butt in time out. If you do tap the nose just make sure it's a slight tap followed by a loud NO. Some people use a spray bottle & mist them lightly with it. Time out seems to be very successful. Get a small travel cage & next time she decides to sink her teeth in tell her no & put her in the cage for 5-10 mins. Or if you don't have a travel cage just return her to her own cage. Soon enough she'll realize her behavior is cutting into her play time & she'll knock it off.

[Secret Squirrel]

Sound like your little fellow is scared out of his tiny mind. Creating a safe eniviroment for him to be handled in is very importaint. They are so small and we are so big. Try to have only one or two people at a time handle him. They usually bond with one person...leaving other family members out in the cold (or worse...bitten). What power the fuzz butts have over us!!!!:D
Really can't blame him for wanting the Valentine candy...:Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon we all want candy!!!! Biting was his way of saying..."Let go I want the candy ya big olf!!""" chatter, chatter, chatter!!!! He pretty much trained you!!! :rotfl
Amazing how much fear a tiny ball of fur can create......Oh yeah!! Big time!!
I have used the firm tap on the nose followed by the "NO"! I also use the "Stink eye" which works very well. You just have to be consistant and try not to show fear.
Good luck and keep the 1st Aid kit handy :wott !!!!!!!!!

[Liza]

I LOVE the "stink eye"!! I had to use it on the male of my trio of reds.. his problem was more dominance that fear, though. He wanted to make sure I knew my place in the world... as his loyal servant and food provider, cage cleaner and bringer of nuts NOW. It is amazing how those tiny teeth can be a semi-deadly weapon in the mouth of a squirrel-bully!!! (He also was showing some dominance issues with the other squirrels.. holding them down, taking their food, etc. Typical teenage boy squirrel :D ) SO I got me some of those light leather gloves at the farm store, and purposefully got him mad at me. I then did back to him what he had been doing.. I gently but firmly held him down and as Secret Squirrel says- gave him the dreaded "stink eye".... I held him on his back until he quit fighting (only a minute or so- and please don't yell at me- he was not damaged in any way) and gave him the evilest eye I could sum up. He was sweet and contrite for quite a while after that. I've had to do it two more times, but the last time, when I put on the glove and gave him the eye, he just laid right down like he was saying "Ok- don't even bother.. I remember now"...

They are so much smarter than most people give them credit for.. if you can find out his motivation for biting, (he sounds overwhelmed to me) you can deal with it much more appropriately..

Good luck..

Liza, mom to children, both furry and smooth

[Secret Squirrel]

I LOVE the "stink eye"!! I had to use it on the male of my trio of reds..

Hey what can I say....It works!!!!!:rotfl :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl