Male or Female?

[Daisey007]

Hi Everyone,

I've often wondered which makes the best pet squirrel; a male or a female, and why?

Thanks,
Miss Daisey

[SammysMom]

Male or female really doesn't matter. Squirrels make terrible pets without some underlying problem that makes them NR. It really is the truth...:Love_Icon

[redwuff]

Hi Ms Daisy,

My vote goes for male. I have had some boys that are just plain "simple" goofy and not a mean bone in their body. Girls seem to me to have a bit more of an agenda.

[Daisey007]

Male or female really doesn't matter. Squirrels make terrible pets without some underlying problem that makes them NR. It really is the truth...:Love_Icon

They're definitely a challenge! :laugh2

[PennyCash]

Hi Ms Daisy,

My vote goes for male. I have had some boys that are just plain "simple" goofy and not a mean bone in their body. Girls seem to me to have a bit more of an agenda.

I almost snorted my water when I read this Trysh :wave123 :rotfl

Pam,
There are so many super sweet squirrels from both sexes, just as there's some who have their moments from either sex. Either can have seasonal issues that temporarily effect their behavior.
Even among my wild gang I see both male and female who are sweet, those who are grumpy and those who are frankly sort of mean. For years now I've had at least one male and one female who beg from me regularly. Typically 2 females to one male, this season however it's several males to the one sweet girl.
So personally I believe that there's several factors that would be involved. How they were cared for and raised as well as the squirrel unique personality.
I know that I've been blessed to have my girl climb into my hand for almost four years now. She loves her Momma time and we've never had any problems between the two of us. She hasn't always been great with other people but she wasn't socialized so that she could be released. We've just started working on social skills and are improving constantly. My husband got to pet her just last night and not so much as a scratch.
:serene

[Nancy in New York]

Carol Lynn has a little outdoor/clingy buddy for over a year who
is so attached to Carol that she hangs around her for hours.
She panics to get inside with Carol and is her little shadow.

You would think this little girl was hand raised.

Take a quick peak at little Midge if you get a chance. :serene

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?49645-Nose-s-Poses/page12&highlight=

[Trooper]

I am no expert, but if 5 years of hand raising my NR male Trooper and 4 females that were released in our back yard, plus the observations of dozens upon dozens of wilds that come every day, twice a day to get our nuts, gives me any experience on the subject, I would have to echo PennyCash's comments:

One moment they are putty in your hands full of love and affection, filling your hearts with that fuzzy feeling that you are holding in your arms a wild being that loves you, wants you and needs you (no anthropomorphizing intended here), and the next minute they are sinking their 1/2 ton of pressure incisors into your hand, legs or whatever they feel at that time it is a threat to their safety or their stash.

I believe they all have their moments of sweetness and red devil horned behavior. But one thing I do recognize is that we, the caregivers have a lot to do with how they respond to humans in general and to us. Like it is a norm with most wild animals, a soft voice, cuddling, physical touch, caressing, kissing and all the sort of soothing demonstrations of affection we sometimes show to our peer fellow man, will have a tremendous effect on animals, especially wild ones.

I once had a 12 feet Burmese Python as a pet, whom I treated in the same noted manner. If you were to see her respond to me, you'd think she was a pet cat, coming to my calling (not voice but tapping the floor as they are deaf) and rolling herself around my neck. I know that the imagery of a 12 ft. Python does not instill good feelings with most people, but my point was that tenderness and love wins all, regardless of gender.

Trooper's dad.

[Rocky1]

I fell in love with my squirrels before I had any idea which sex they were. Turned out they were mostly girls. They are also sweet, amazingly intelligent, well kept, prompt (they seem to show up about the same time every day), adorable, and have the best variety of personalities. I have an acrobat, a large hungry squirrel (who steals whole blocks of uncooked ramon noodles when I'm not guarding them carefully enough), nearly identical twins that spar, and a sweet performer who dances when I say hi. I love them all.