6 months old Squirrel suddenly acting up

[TheSweetestChip]

Hey all.
We have this little sweetheart Hudson Squirrel. He's about 7 months old.
He was born in captivity and both my husband and I raised him with special milk. He lives inside with us, in a large cage, but most of the time, the intire house is his playground. We absolutely adore him. We have always played with him, he would even just lay down with us expecting to be stroked.
A couple of days ago he started making the weirdest noise. Like a kind of chattering, but really load. While he does this, he doesn't show any signs of stress at all. He would even do it with nuts in his mouth. He also started hoarding real bad. Every nut that he can get his little paws on, disappears with him.
Suddenly, a day or two ago he started attacking our hands. Nothing big. Just scratches mostly and his bites aren't too bad. But he seems to really attack us, instead of the usual playing we do. He also does this to his little dog toy. Seeming really angry.
But the weirdest thing... he keeps coming back to us, crawling all over us, still staying with us, still wanting to be stroked...
I've been reading a lot of information on this forming, about wilding up and somehow his behavior just doesn't seem to fit with the descriptions. Could he just be in a very bad "hoarding" mood and been stressing out because of it?

[CritterMom]

NO HOARDING!!! NONE!!

I am sorry, Hudson, but you are inside with humans who dote on your every need. You don't NEED a hoard.

I am totally serious - nothing will invite periodic attacks - and dead serious ones - like a stash, and nuts in the shell are the real kryptonite. If your squirrel has any stashes in the "common" area of the house you will be attacked, and the same goes for his cage. Don't let him see you doing it - move him to a "clean" area where he can't see you to dispose of all of his other stashes. In addition to being an attempted murder trigger, they can also get ill eating old food from a stash.

So total house cleaning and then careful policing after and he will calm down (he is also in puberty so be patient).

[island rehabber]

:goodpostWhat CritterMom said! She is right on target -- NO stashes in the house or your little sweetie will turn into a rabid wolverine. Squirrel bites HURT.

Seriously, we have coached so many human squirrel parents through this very thing. :great

[HRT4SQRLS]

:Welcome to TheSquirrelBoard

It’s actually a pretty common problem. An attack from an agitated squirrel can be very bad. Goodness, if they were the size of a dog, they would kill you. :grin2

What else does Hudson eat besides nuts? I worry that if he has access to enough nuts to hoard he might not eat the healthy foods. At some point in the conversation we always ask about the diet because it’s so critical to their health. :thumbsup

[TheSweetestChip]

Thank you so much for all your reactions! This is helping a lot! :)
Tonight we'll do the big clean-up! I guess we were spoiling him too much ;).
His name is "Chip" by the way. :)
I'm surprised to read that he's in his puberty. We suspected that he probably would go through different stages in his life, but never thought of puberty :p.
Some other things we should be careful of?

We really did our reading before getting him, but the information in our area is soooo limited. This board was a wonderful find!

As for his diet. As I said :p. He is really spoiled. He eats a mixture of pumpkin seeds, walnuts, sunflowerseeds, mealworms, hazelnuts, dried fruits...
But he is a very picky eater. He just kinda throws the dried fruits away...
Every two days he eats fresh fruits and veggies. As it is getting colder we're giving him fruits with a focus on vitamin C. He's loving the golden kiwi's, mandarins, oranges... Strawberries and other berries are too sour for our little king at the moment. So he just throws them out.
He loves spinach. And every day he gets a small portion of mixed fruit (the one for babies, without added sugars) with mostly apple and banana, apple and strawberries and apple and pear. He loves this sooo much!
We noticed in the beginning that if we don't give him fresh fruits or his fruit mixture on a regular basis, he has bowel problems.

I hope this is the way to go. I noticed there is a nutrition thread on this forum. So I was going to study it to see if we need some adjustments.
So if you have tips, shoot!

[HRT4SQRLS]

These are some links that you will find helpful.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=67967&d=1232419601

The first is the healthy diet. The second is the Calcium to Phosphorus ratio of different foods.
The reason the second is so important is because squirrels get Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) if the diet is calcium deficient. There is a delicate balance in the body between Calcium and Phosphorus. The body metabolically tries to maintain a balance of 2:1 (Ca: P). The best foods are those with a similar ratio (2:1). A diet that is high in phosphorus like nuts and seeds will disrupt the calcium to phosphorus ratio. The body will attempt to reestablish the balance metabolically by pulling calcium from the bones. This is what causes MBD.

I’ll give you a little little homework exercise. Look up the Ca: P ratio of kale vs pine nuts.

You will need to reduce the nuts and seeds in Chip’s diet. He won’t like that but it must be done. Nuts are given only as treats in limited amounts. He will need a rodent block also. It is difficult to get the proper amount of calcium with vegetables alone. I would recommend you get a Picky Eater squirrel block from Henry’s Pets. I know this is a lot of information to process so I’ll leave you with this for now. I’m going to get a link for the Henrys blocks.

https://henryspets.com/picky-blocks-food-for-squirrels-flyers-rats-and-mice/

[Mel1959]

I’d like to get a better understanding of how Chip came to be. Was he bred in captivity by a breeder that sells squirrels? I know there are some out there. On this board we primarily deal with wild squirrels that folks are trying to help due to injury or have decided to keep. Most of these squirrels reach a point as they get older where their instincts kick in and they “wild up”. I am very curious to see how Chip does as he gets older….whether he will display any of this behavior or if it has been bred out of him.

It’ll be fascinating to learn, please keep us updated on how life progresses with him. And we loooove pictures. :grin3

As HRT mentioned, squirrel block is VERY important to his overall health.

[TheSweetestChip]

Yes he was actually bred in captivity. So we were really cautious about his health and such :).

I will definitely let you know how he evolves!

We're also going to buy the squirrel blocks :). Hopefully he likes them!

Aaaalso: Here are some pics ;).

320040

320041

320042


I’d like to get a better understanding of how Chip came to be. Was he bred in captivity by a breeder that sells squirrels? I know there are some out there. On this board we primarily deal with wild squirrels that folks are trying to help due to injury or have decided to keep. Most of these squirrels reach a point as they get older where their instincts kick in and they “wild up”. I am very curious to see how Chip does as he gets older….whether he will display any of this behavior or if it has been bred out of him.

It’ll be fascinating to learn, please keep us updated on how life progresses with him. And we loooove pictures. :grin3

As HRT mentioned, squirrel block is VERY important to his overall health.

[TheSweetestChip]

These are some links that you will find helpful.

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=67967&d=1232419601

The first is the healthy diet. The second is the Calcium to Phosphorus ratio of different foods.
The reason the second is so important is because squirrels get Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) if the diet is calcium deficient. There is a delicate balance in the body between Calcium and Phosphorus. The body metabolically tries to maintain a balance of 2:1 (Ca: P). The best foods are those with a similar ratio (2:1). A diet that is high in phosphorus like nuts and seeds will disrupt the calcium to phosphorus ratio. The body will attempt to reestablish the balance metabolically by pulling calcium from the bones. This is what causes MBD.

I’ll give you a little little homework exercise. Look up the Ca: P ratio of kale vs pine nuts.

You will need to reduce the nuts and seeds in Chip’s diet. He won’t like that but it must be done. Nuts are given only as treats in limited amounts. He will need a rodent block also. It is difficult to get the proper amount of calcium with vegetables alone. I would recommend you get a Picky Eater squirrel block from Henry’s Pets. I know this is a lot of information to process so I’ll leave you with this for now. I’m going to get a link for the Henrys blocks.

https://henryspets.com/picky-blocks-food-for-squirrels-flyers-rats-and-mice/

Thank you soooo much for the information! I'll make work of the excersice! The website "Henryspets" has also tons of information.
We would do anything for our little man so any advice is definitely welcome :). (Seriously... we haven't been on one trip since we got him and even found a house sitter who we are slowly introducing to him. She's doing sooo great though).

[TheSweetestChip]

A small question... We were told to leave his staches alone to avoid him being stressed out.
But you would recommend this at this moment then?
Even the ones in his cage? :)

[HRT4SQRLS]

Yes, I would remove them all. He will be angry but he will soon get over it. As long as he has the stashes he will try to defend them. He will take that aggression out on you. We have seen pics of literal blood baths from aggressive squirrels. These precious, cute little babies can become nasty little badgers. You’ve heard the saying, “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”…. well, they certainly will. Without hesitation. They will sink those incisors to the gum level into your finger or wherever. :peace :rotfl

If he has some in-shell nuts, you might let him keep ONE. Chip is a red squirrel, right? He is as cute as a button. :)

I read right over the part where he was bred in captivity. I just assumed you were in the US when I posted the Henry’s link. Your willingness to purchase the blocks makes that more likely. We don’t see captive bred often in the US but we do see captive bred squirrels in Asia. Those are very tough because they have almost no resources to keep them alive.

Yes, you have some work to do. It’s called tough love. You’re going to have to break Chip’s nut addiction. :) The Henry’s blocks have a pecan base so he will probably like them. They are a supplement block and are packed with vitamins and minerals.

[Mel1959]

:klunk:klunk:Love_Icon. Chip is definitely a cutie!

[TheSweetestChip]

Yes, I would remove them all. He will be angry but he will soon get over it. As long as he has the stashes he will try to defend them. He will take that aggression out on you. We have seen pics of literal blood baths from aggressive squirrels. These precious, cute little babies can become nasty little badgers. You’ve heard the saying, “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”…. well, they certainly will. Without hesitation. They will sink those incisors to the gum level into your finger or wherever. :peace :rotfl

If he has some in-shell nuts, you might let him keep ONE. Chip is a red squirrel, right? He is as cute as a button. :)

I read right over the part where he was bred in captivity. I just assumed you were in the US when I posted the Henry’s link. Your willingness to purchase the blocks makes that more likely. We don’t see captive bred often in the US but we do see captive bred squirrels in Asia. Those are very tough because they have almost no resources to keep them alive.

Yes, you have some work to do. It’s called tough love. You’re going to have to break Chip’s nut addiction. :) The Henry’s blocks have a pecan base so he will probably like them. They are a supplement block and are packed with vitamins and minerals.

Luckily no blood baths here at the moment :p. Although my hands are beginning to look pretty beaten up :D.
And yes he is a red squirrel (his breed is know here as the "American Hudson Squirrel") and he has such a big personality. Every day he does something new and sometimes his cuteness is just too much to handle.

He was bred in The Netherlands :). There they are allowed to breed a couple of different kinds of squirrels like the Hudson, but also the Tampion and the Japanese Squirrel. And for what I have seen, the squirrels there live in pure luxury. Big outside pens, tons of stuff to play with, but also a big awareness of inbreeding and things. I ordered his picky blocks yesterday (and the hazelnut sticks :p ) from Henry's Pet Shop. I payed more for delivery than for the food, but the good part is that it's being delivered tomorrow! So big changes are going to happen!

[TheSweetestChip]

:klunk:klunk:Love_Icon. Chip is definitely a cutie!

Hehe thank you! :grin2:grin2

[HRT4SQRLS]

There are a couple ‘celebrity’ red squirrels on TSB. I’m hesitant to say two because I might miss a special one. Both are no longer with us but they are the most endearing threads on TSB. The first is Jeffrey and the second is Meemor. Jeffrey lived with a loving mom and dad for his entire life. Meemor was released and lived in the trees in the Yukon.

Both threads have wonderful photos and video. I think you might enjoy them. :)

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?18063-Jeffrey/page203

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?22885-Meemor/page117

[TheSweetestChip]

There are a couple ‘celebrity’ red squirrels on TSB. I’m hesitant to say two because I might miss a special one. Both are no longer with us but they are the most endearing threads on TSB. The first is Jeffrey and the second is Meemor. Jeffrey lived with a loving mom and dad for his entire life. Meemor was released and lived in the trees in the Yukon.

Both threads have wonderful photos and video. I think you might enjoy them. :)

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?18063-Jeffrey/page203

https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?22885-Meemor/page117

Oooh these are great! Thank you!
So nice to see the similarities and discover certain names like "pancaked". I'm going to go through the entire thread, just to learn more about his behavior for the future.

Our picky blocks were delivered today by the way! So excited to start with his new diet. I'll let you guys know how it goes!

[TheSweetestChip]

Yes, I would remove them all. He will be angry but he will soon get over it. As long as he has the stashes he will try to defend them. He will take that aggression out on you. We have seen pics of literal blood baths from aggressive squirrels. These precious, cute little babies can become nasty little badgers. You’ve heard the saying, “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”…. well, they certainly will. Without hesitation. They will sink those incisors to the gum level into your finger or wherever. :peace :rotfl

If he has some in-shell nuts, you might let him keep ONE. Chip is a red squirrel, right? He is as cute as a button. :)

I read right over the part where he was bred in captivity. I just assumed you were in the US when I posted the Henry’s link. Your willingness to purchase the blocks makes that more likely. We don’t see captive bred often in the US but we do see captive bred squirrels in Asia. Those are very tough because they have almost no resources to keep them alive.

Yes, you have some work to do. It’s called tough love. You’re going to have to break Chip’s nut addiction. :) The Henry’s blocks have a pecan base so he will probably like them. They are a supplement block and are packed with vitamins and minerals.

Of i could ask just one more thing... :)
how do you give the blocks? It says we should freeze the bag, but do we give the blocks frozen then? Or should we defrost them the night in advance? :)

[TheSweetestChip]

Hey guys :)
A quick update! We started giving chip the picky blocks and he likes them :).
We also cleared out all of his stashes and he really went back to his old self.
However... he seems a lot more calm than he used to be. And i mean really a lot... yesterday he fell afsleep on me arm. He also seems very hungry. Always
He's stil active, running around and playing, just not as strong anymore. Is this just Chip getting used to his new diet?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Of i could ask just one more thing... :)
how do you give the blocks? It says we should freeze the bag, but do we give the blocks frozen then? Or should we defrost them the night in advance? :)

Sorry I missed your question. You can feed them either way. They will eat them frozen or you can do a quick 5 sec microwave.

When I first receive the fresh blocks I will put 6-8 blocks in a ZipLoc bag in the refrigerator to feed for a few days. The rest are always frozen until ready to use.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Hey guys :)
A quick update! We started giving chip the picky blocks and he likes them :).
We also cleared out all of his stashes and he really went back to his old self.
However... he seems a lot more calm than he used to be. And i mean really a lot... yesterday he fell afsleep on me arm. He also seems very hungry. Always
He's stil active, running around and playing, just not as strong anymore. Is this just Chip getting used to his new diet?

Happy to hear he likes the blocks. It doesn’t sound like a problem. I think that now that he no longer has a stash to stress about he can be a carefree, happy boy. I’m not sure what ‘not as strong’ means. I hope it means not as aggressive. :grin2

[TheSweetestChip]

Happy to hear he likes the blocks. It doesn’t sound like a problem. I think that now that he no longer has a stash to stress about he can be a carefree, happy boy. I’m not sure what ‘not as strong’ means. I hope it means not as aggressive. :grin2

Oh no he's definitly not aggressive :). Just seems a bit "weaker" than before. But he's still very playful, running around...
At the moment though, he's just always searching for food (and even stealing it :o). Hope this passes...
We're really holding in to the food plan from Henry's (with the pyramid), but it doesn't seem enough. Or did we just spoil him too much and now he has to get used to the new amounts?

[HRT4SQRLS]

Chip can have as much as he wants of the healthy foods. The Henry’s blocks are limited because they are a supplement block. He can have 1-2 blocks per day. If you want to buy Envigo Teklad 2018 he can have as many as he wants. It is a commercial rodent block. We don’t want Chip hungry. Feed that boy! :grin2 He can eat veggies to his hearts content. Fruit is limited because of the sugar. Of course, the nuts are a no no until he gets past that addiction. At some point in the future he can have one nut per day. Seeds are also unhealthy so they are limited.

Most young squirrels burn off the calories so I wouldn’t worry about excess weight right now. Maybe later but not now.