Allowing squirrels to rough house play with you....safe?

[strdsk]

Hey all....hope you're safe out there! My lil one LOVES to rough play with my hands. I get on the floor with him and let him pounce my hands the way wild squirrels jump and roll around with other squirrels and twigs. Only with me though.....totally sweet and soft with my wife. Just trying to be a good daddy. Gotta wear gloves sometimes. He doesn't get me hospital bad, but has drawn blood when he gets overzealous. is this normal and safe for the both of us? Thanks!!

[RockyPops]

Yes they love to wrestle! And they seem to know how hard not to bite. They don't mind hanging by their back feet off of your skin though! Painful!

My favorite part of the day is playtime.

It is normal and safe with a little care. Always a chance of being a little over zealous and someone getting hurt.

My little Coco has gotten into a habit of nibbling on my ears. Talking about nerves of steel...those little razors chattering away on your ear at lightning speed! :grin2

[strdsk]

That is so cute! I just wanted to make sure I wasn't provoking him to be mean....

[Lighten-Up]

I love playtime too. I suit up in double layers of long underwear, not so fun in the summer, but it allows the squirrels to zoom around me when I am standing up and hang from their toenails on my clothing without gashing me; while I sweat. :grin2. Occasionally they choose to hang from their toenails on my hand, and yes, ouch!

I also go to the floor and play hand wrestle, standing up too, as I go into the RC, and they like to hand wrestle while standing on the branches, I don't like this because I think they'll fall off the branches, but they are really good and flipping and landing feet side down.

Flopping my hand around bouncing style like a squirrel leaps joyously in the air is loved by them. Many times the wrestle bites are gentle, but on other occasions he gets a little rough, it is then I whisper things like, keep it gentle, I have human skin, not fur hide. And if that doesn't work I say a soft but firm OUCH! And then he seems to understand and tones it down.

I watch the baby wild squirrels and they play for months as they grow into adults. I believe that play is a very important part of their development and if we are their only source of play, I think that it is important that we supply that to them. In a way, I think innocent play also may help them learn maneuvering with other squirrels should a fight ever break out in their wild lives.

Sometimes play time winds down into a belly rub, :Love_Icon

[CritterMom]

I always use play time as a teaching moment, too. I usually wear light cotton gardening gloves to protect against the little scissorshands, and I do a "ramp up/ramp down" method. We play and wrestle for a few minutes and then I work a finger in to rub ears and paws until he relaxes and calms down, then we wrestle more and cuddle more. This keeps them from getting totally nuts, and also teaches them how hard is okay and how hard is too hard.