Hurt feelings - what do I do

[SquirrellyGirl7]

I have an 8 week old male squirrel who came to me at about 2-3 weeks old. He has been perfect, no issues, very playful etc. This morning I was getting ready for work and he was (as normal) sitting on my shoulder. I went to adjust him so he didn't fall and he attacked my hand pretty badly. It scared the snot out of me (having never had it happen before) and as I jerked my hand down, he came with it and smacked against the counter in the bathroom.

I was horrified and tried to make sure he was ok, but I suspect he thinks I was trying to hurt him, and he attacked my hand again. I wrapped him in my shirt and put him back in his cage. He crawled into his bed and started "crying" and "chattering" warnings etc. I was hysterical and crying because he was so upset. I let him be for a few minutes, but my heart was breaking, so I went back in the cage to try to calm him down and comfort him. He did let me touch him - but it was very reluctantly and fearfully which he has NEVER been.

He is clearly not injured, but he is now clearly fearful of me because of me shaking him down onto the counter. Any assistance in repairing this situation???? I am sitting at work crying as I type this...so please any advice is welcome advice. The last thing I want is Peanut being frightened of the only person he has in the world at the moment. Do they recover well from these type of incidents? From the look of the board, I guess the sudden attacks are pretty common, so I suspect someone has to have had an accident surrounding "the first incident". How do I help him get over this?

[CritterMom]

Fake it. Walk in there when you get home like NONE of this has happened and don't act weird. Do exactly the same things you normally do with him at the same time - literally try to cut that incident from your brain. If you act normal you have a much greater chance that HE will act normal. I have found that squirrels have a great ability to forgive if you don't keep feeding the issue by drawing attention to it. Having some snooze time in between the incident and when you see him next helps too.

[stepnstone]

I have an 8 week old male squirrel who came to me at about 2-3 weeks old. He has been perfect, no issues, very playful etc. This morning I was getting ready for work and he was (as normal) sitting on my shoulder. I went to adjust him so he didn't fall and he attacked my hand pretty badly.

These babies will attack over "unusual" smells/aromas. Perfume, cosmetics, hair spray/gels, lotions, soaps,
shampoos, are just a few... Even a change in laundry detergent can provoke an attack.
Hands are the usual target!
If you think back on your morning you can probably figure out what it was that set him off. You may want
to rethink your practice of having him in with you when preparing yourself for work.

[PuddyRat]

Good luck with your Peanut (we named ours Peanut as well -- lol).

[SquirrellyGirl7]

Thanks everyone...

I hadn't used anything unusual, but I had just gotten out of the shower (usually I shower at night). I am guessing that is what set this entire thing off. I thought my heart was going to break in half when he buried himself in his bed and started screaming. OMG I will literally do anything to avoid that ever happening again. Prior to joining - I have referred to this site repeatedly and I just want to thank everyone for posting (and the site admin for making it pop up in almost every search on squirrels I execute online). This board has been a life-saver over the past 4 weeks of mommy-hood for Peanut. 264307

[pappy1264]

OMG...I cannot go near Peanut after I first shower! Glad you both are ok.

[stepnstone]

OMG...I cannot go near Peanut after I first shower! Glad you both are ok.

That's also a lesson I learned the hard way...:hurt
I always have to wait an hour or two before I can chance going near my girl.
I suppose she prefers my usual body funk... http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/yellow-hd/embarrassed-smile-smiley-emoticon.gif

[SquirrellyGirl7]

I suddenly feel like I am trying to raise a very cute, tree climbing gremlin guys lol. I will do my best to act like all is well when I walk in tonight...hopefully I can manage. Thanks again to everyone for the help...I am happy to know I am not the only one who got beat up for being clean...who knew?

[stepnstone]

I am happy to know I am not the only one who got beat up for being clean...who knew?

We do and now so do you with the same "lessons learned." http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/laughing/rolling.gif
One of the worst azz whoop'ins I got was when I ran out of shampoo
and used my roommates... that was a serious no no!

[czarina]

It is definitely best not to let them out when you are applying any cosmetics. Too many different scents assaulting their hyper sensative wee noses!

Mine go nuts trying to steal things from my hands. It just gets worse as they age. Your are risking your, and his safety.

A while back I was viciously attacked, and left bleeding and crying,(and naked!), after stepping out of the tub, by " the sweetest squirrel " you could ever imagine. Before I could even grab my towel, a squirrel out of nowhere, was all over my hands. Six to eight deep bites to each hand.

My mistake, not his. Too many scents assaulting his nose. Within an hour he jumping and doing all of his cute tricks that he does, so I will let him out of his cage.

It took me a couple of days to get my nerve up, and I handled him very carefully. He was back to his usual sweet self. But, it took me much longer to get over it.

I always wash my hands well, AND with the same soap before handling any squirrels. And in between squirrels, for their safety and mine.

Never forget that they have wild instincts that they cannot overcome, and sensitivity to scent is a biggie. And probably the most dangerous to their human counterparts, us. Make sure you always use the same laundry detergent, (I use All Free), to launder their fleece with.

Now I never let anybody out while I bathe or put make-up on.

Hope things are back to normal for you two now.:hug

[SquirrellyGirl7]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the replies and support. Last night when I got home by boy was back to normal. Sweet and perhaps even extra-clingy. We had a good night and I got up at 5am this morning to give him "out and about time" prior to my shower. Just as a test I walked NEAR his cage after my shower and he started screaming...so it was definitely the shower that set him off. Lesson learned - I will never shower and come near him again.

I really appreciate everyone's help and responses.

I "faked it" and all went well. I am so glad to put yesterday behind me.

[pappy1264]

And NEVER go near after using hand lotion (or even facial moisturizer)....:crazy:eek:crazy1:icon_devil

[TessiesMom]

My Tess is the same way - when I just walk down the hall after a shower I can hear her in her room growling and chattering her teeth. My vet's theory about all this: A squirrel's number-one trusted sense is its nose. When we approach them after a shower they think, Well, it looks like Mom and sounds like Mom, but when we don't smell like we usually do the squirrel thinks it's a trick and a threat, and reacts accordingly. Makes sense to me.

[JLM27]

Maybe get more neutral-smelling soaps and shampoos?

[SammysMom]

I have found that an Amish friend of my dad's makes goats milk soap. I now order a dozen or more bars at a time with NO scent or coloring. I once used Ajax laundry detergent and it wreaked havoc in this house. I also made the grave error of using almond honey soap once...boy was I sorry! :shakehead

[czarina]

Almond :rofl4

Hoping you didn't get *cracked*!:grin2

[Mennome]

Be careful after using cleaning supplies also. They leave a residual smell on your hands, even the green cleaning products I use. I learned this one after a very scared 5 wk old refused to be touched for feeding. Thankfully he did not bite as in your scare today.

Also, remember essential oils are extremely potent and in some cases, such as tea tree oil, deadly.

[Chickenlegs]

My babies love me best right after they pee on me :grin3

[Spanky]

My babies love me best right after they pee on me :grin3

:laugh2

[SammysMom]

Oh yeah...nothing makes Sammy happier than sniffing a spot he peed on...:shakehead
My babies love me best right after they pee on me :grin3

[Spanky]

Oh yeah...nothing makes Sammy happier than sniffing a spot he peed on...:shakehead


Hmmm... THAT may explain why these squirrels are always climbing all over me and sniffing!!! :thinking

[SquirrellyGirl7]

I think I got through the "I can only pee on mom" stage...and I am pretty happy about that. Poop...different story. Now I am on the "YOU WILL LET ME CLEAN THE INSIDE OF YOUR NOSE AND YOUR EYEBALLS NOW!!!!! stage. Can anyone shed light on this?