Help with Joey's behavioral changes

[JoeysKeeper]

Hey guys!

I've found that recently my squirrel, Joey, has had a lot of changes in his behavior. I got him a little over a year ago because someone in the neighborhood of my work had taken him in and nursed him to health as a baby, but domesticated him in the process. He was used to dogs and people. They let him out in the neighborhood and he was bothering all the customers at my work - drinking their coffee and jumping on them. Anyway, I chose to take him in and figure out what to do with him. After I had him for a while I realized he was, in my eyes, too domesticated to be released. He had no fears about other animals or people. So I decided to take him in and raise him the best I could.

Fast forward a little over a year - He became quite attached to me over the past year, and doesn't really like other people, which I expected from researching everything on squirrels. However, for about the past 2 months - he has become really aggressive toward me. I recently moved and maybe that's the problem - but it's hard to tell. I even got an apartment where he can have his own room! I can't even get his water bottle out of his cage without him trying to attack me. I'm not sure what to do. I really just want the best for him, and I've been trying to give him that. Any advice is appreciated.

[trueblue]

Hi there Joeys Keeper. Sounds like he was pretty tame if he was out in the neighborhood jumping on people. Also sounds like he has it good now with his own room... !!! If you have had him for a year, then he must have been 6-8 months old when he was released? So he might be close to 1.5 - 2 years old? My boy True had behavioral changes also. He got aggressive at certain times and I think it was related to his age, and linked to mating season. His behavior improved after a period of weeks and then later in the year it was the same thing. So this may be it... Im sure others will be along with their opinions. For my guy, I used some distractions for example, he had a large stuffed toy that I would approach him with. And a hand puppet. If he was in aggressive mode then he would tear into the toy, and usually with him after a bit of that it turned into more play than aggressiveness. :tilt It was like he had to get it out of his system and play helped. I hope things improve with Joey.

[MJS]

WHEN OTHERS HAVE POSTED WITH A SIMILAR SITUATION IT HAS ALMOST ALWAYS BEEN HORMONE/MATING SEASON RELATED...SO THE PROBABILITY IS THAT IT WILL PASS. SUGGESTIONS HAVE ALWAYS INCLUDED SPENDING AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE IN THE ROOM WITH HIM (CAGED) TALKING TO HIM IN A SOOTHING VOICE AS IF NOTHING HAD CHANGED. ALSO, WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF, MAKE SURE TO CHECK HIS CAGE FOR STASHED GOODIES. HE MAY BE GUARDING HIS STORED TREASURES. :grin

[farrelli]

We see this complaint a lot. Usually it's due to mating season, hidden caches of nuts and such that they're protecting, or environmental changes such as new soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, etc. Most times people are about to identify the environmental change and correct it. Clean out the caches, play around with the smells and noises, etc. And if it's mating season, you just have to wait it out. For some it's a couple days, for others it's a couple months or more. They almost always come around. And if it is mating, it seems that with age the periods of aggressiveness decrease.

Oh, and if he has his own room now, perhaps the smell of a previous pet is making him anxious? Perhaps really clean it or try another room?