View Full Version : Sudden, worsening aggression at an older age?
Chikazz
06-12-2016, 11:02 AM
Hi guys. As some of you know, my NR named Secret is two years old now. We've had him since he was 4-5 weeks old. He and my BF have been buddies for ages. BF would have his own playtime with him before and after work and let him out. Earlier this year (maybe three months ago) he started getting angry at my boyfriend. He's positively furious at him, all the time. He would stomp, chatter, and lunge as soon as my boyfriend walked in. We stopped giving him unshelled nuts, and until I left on my trip (I'm gone all of June) I was clearing his caches every day. I even started making boo balls because he'll eat those right away, but he was hoarding his toasted HHB blocks.
It happened very suddenly. My boyfriend says he's gotten even angrier since I left, even though I thought it was probably seasonal (when it started, the squirrels outside were getting a bit moony too), and we expected him to calm down by now... It makes it tough. While I'm gone, BF has to feed him when he's asleep, and can't let him out at all, he's just too angry >.<
Any ideas what happened? We've been careful about soaps and scents and stuff. BF DID get his long curly hair cut very short, but I can't recall if that matches the timeline. I want the little guy to have some playtime and "out" time but it sounds like it's impossible until I get home in a few weeks. Any ideas?
Rhapsody
06-12-2016, 02:01 PM
It may be something you can't change, as a squirrel gets older they often attach to just one person and no longer want any one else to mess with them...... this has happened at my house with 1 of the 2 nr squirrels i have. My son who takes care of them for me when I go away has his wife distract the squirrel with a nut on one end of the cage while he places a food bowl in the cage on the other end....... but sadly no play time while I am away.
Daisey007
06-12-2016, 06:01 PM
In my experience, most squirrels are just one person animals but occasionally a female will accept two people but love one more than the other! lol... But males are almost like a whole different animal altogether! I'd say it's rare to have one accept two people even if two people raise it from a pinky, eventually it will chose one. And they can be bold with their aggression too! If the person is accessible to the squirrel, he will go directly over to the person and attack, completely non provoked! BUT with all that said, I have seen a correlation of that behavior to mating season. I have a male named Chewy that has attacked me more than once, and I AM his person but it was during the mating season...and it seems that we are right in the middle of mating season now.
I would take away ALL nuts and H blocks until your return. The blocks primary ingredient is either peanuts or pecans which why the squirrel stashes them, and gives him the same possessiveness towards the blocks as actual nuts. The BF needs to feed only by bowl, dish or tray - no hand feeding ever. NO NUTS from BF. If it gets bad enough, the BF should simply feed without interaction - no talking or trying to 'socialize' with him, not even sweet talk. My male will eventually be sorry for what he did, and come to me with his head lowered wanting affection. :Love_Icon but I doubt they do that with the second person. For all your squirrel knows, you're not there because your BF did something to you! lol...
Best of luck!
Pam
Chikazz
06-13-2016, 10:08 AM
Thanks guys! Poor boyfriend >.< He loves our little squir as much as I do, and he's pretty bummed that it's like this. I hope he calms back down again.
Secret IS neutered. We had him neutered when it was clear he was NR. He's a singleton and he's super afraid of other squirrels, and rain. We took him to Duckman and the squirrel refuge but it didn't work out. O.o (On a side note, he's also deathly afraid of hardboiled eggs. Explain that one, LOL)
Up until now, Secret loved everyone he met. And still does, even new people. He's just really angry at my boyfriend. Sigh.
jeepin48
06-20-2016, 10:50 AM
My male fox squirrel was a 1 person guy. He would go through a few days of aggression and would come back. I usually forced affection on him by catching him and petting him. Once he was being pet, he would not move for anything. Maybe you could re-introduce him with that technique.
PennyCash
06-20-2016, 11:48 AM
Thanks guys! Poor boyfriend >.< He loves our little squir as much as I do, and he's pretty bummed that it's like this. I hope he calms back down again.
Secret IS neutered. We had him neutered when it was clear he was NR. He's a singleton and he's super afraid of other squirrels, and rain. We took him to Duckman and the squirrel refuge but it didn't work out. O.o (On a side note, he's also deathly afraid of hardboiled eggs. Explain that one, LOL)
Up until now, Secret loved everyone he met. And still does, even new people. He's just really angry at my boyfriend. Sigh.
When I read about a male squirrel getting angry with the male of the house and a female with the human female. I find myself wondering if it's possible that it's jealousy? I know that dogs and cats can be very jealous of a partner because they want you all to themselves. I wonder if squirrels can be the same? Even though I know that they are basically one person babies
Chikazz
06-26-2016, 01:51 PM
Things finally settled recently, just before I got home. Now that Secret is no longer out for blood, BF has been playing with him a bit and things are improving :) My best friend is here visiting and Secret really likes him, so I think it was probably seasonal. He still has a bit of food aggression but it's also improving :)
HRT4SQRLS
06-26-2016, 02:25 PM
That's great news. I'm SO glad to hear this. I've heard horror stories about a squirrel in the house that only likes one person.
I remember a situation where the squirrel ONLY loved the mom and dad. The kids (older) were terrified of the squirrel and with good reason. He would sit up high on the furniture and flick his tail, chitter at them and basically terrorize the house. To make it worse, the parents didn't seem to think it was a problem. :eek Now that's a problem... not like you could rehome the kids.
I'm so relieved. I'm sure you would have missed the BF. :rotfl
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