7 month old grey squirrel

[mlkent]

My 7 month old grey squirrel, Lucky, has been acting very different in the mornings. I usually let her out and run around before breakfast. This week she has been running from me and refusing to get back in her cage. Its at least a 30 minute game of chase before I catch her, and when I finally do catch her, she squawks and chirps and fights to get loose. She is usually a really calm and laid back squirrel in the mornings. What's the deal?

[Nemehoto]

I'm not an expert like others here, but it is fall. I would think instinctively that she is feeling the need to build several dreys and horde food for the winter. As well as know every inch of her territory. My guys (I have a boy and a girl I have raised from 1-3 day old pinkies) are quite rambunctious now and spend all their out of cage time racing around looking in cubby holes in the my pillows, and clothes and doing wild leaps from the valances, drapes, the bed posts,and furniture and neither one especially wants to be handled or be in their cage, but they are perfectly happy to sit on my head or my shoulders.

It's probably the season. As a wild animal, their instincts will outweigh reason during certain times of the year. Fall is time of feast before famine and a dangerous time to be a squirrel since the leaves are falling and they are more vulnerable to "predators", they can't sit still or they will be eaten. If you think like a squirrel, (food, protection, can't be seen or caught) you can probably bribe her into her cage with paper towels for nest building or a treat.)

[sage4dylan]

I'm not an expert like others here, but it is fall. I would think instinctively that she is feeling the need to build several dreys and horde food for the winter. As well as know every inch of her territory. My guys (I have a boy and a girl I have raised from 1-3 day old pinkies) are quite rambunctious now and spend all their out of cage time racing around looking in cubby holes in the my pillows, and clothes and doing wild leaps from the valances, drapes, the bed posts,and furniture and neither one especially wants to be handled or be in their cage, but they are perfectly happy to sit on my head or my shoulders.

It's probably the season. As a wild animal, their instincts will outweigh reason during certain times of the year. Fall is time of feast before famine and a dangerous time to be a squirrel since the leaves are falling and they are more vulnerable to "predators", they can't sit still or they will be eaten. If you think like a squirrel, (food, protection, can't be seen or caught) you can probably bribe her into her cage with paper towels for nest building or a treat.)

That is pretty interesting, I never thought of it that way. Mine is acting a little different too... I should have thought about the season change and the differences in his behaviour... :poke duh!!! He was running WILD yesterday lol. Today it's cooler here and he's stayed in his fleece more. He's also trying to hide more food ( which isn't easy because he only has fleece in his cage, need to find more stuff to put in there that will be fairly easy to clean out ).

[Squirrly-hugs]

My 6 month old was really crazy yesterday, too! Although from what I've read anywhere from 6 to 11 months can be a VERY challenging stage, right? I think it also has a LOT to do with the weather too, I see a couple patches on his haunches that are kinda shedding and read that's typical at this time of year. Even though he's indoors mostly I guess nature can still run it's course, tell them it's time to prepare for winter. I pray for patience for us all...............:osnap

I'm looking forward to introducing him to snow for the first time...............video camera in hand, of course! :rotfl