Screaming Hic-ups???

[CharityS]

Okay, last week my fiancee served the squirrels (both ~3 months old) breakfast in their room. He called out for me when Nicodemus, sitting on top of his against-the-wall matress/nest, started squawcking...rhythmically! It was like, "Squawck.....*pause*.....Squawck!.....*pause*.....S quack!!"

At first I thought he might have been screaming because something was upsetting him. BUT....if that were the case, he would have stopped squawcking when I picked him up and held him. Next, I panicked because I thought, "Well, maybe he's choking!"....but I forgot to mention that the whole time this was going on, he was eating a banana grain cracker...with no difficulty whatsoever. Hmmmmm....

I noticed that each time he squawcked, it was accompanied by what seemed like an INVOLUNTARY contraction of his tummy muscles. He also didn't seem to like the contractions very much. So that is why, I think it was hiccups.


Has anyone else heard of screaming hic-ups?!

[Mars]

Can't say I have. :rotfl Baby okay now?

[jules]

I think he was warning you to stay away from his food!:D

[CharityS]

Oh yes yes, he's definately okay! The episode only lasted about 5 minutes or so, and hasn't happened since. Thanks!

[4skwerlz]

They were giving a full-on alarm call. This cry, which I call "qwak, qwaaaak, qwaaaaak" is, once it begins, partly involuntary, like a hiccup. Sometimes my squirrels will start, and then quickly realize that the danger isn't really there and try to eat a nut, but the "qwaaaak" keeps "burping" up. Nothing's wrong. It's completely normal!

[CharityS]

Thanks 4skwerlz!!! That's EXACTLY what it was like! Like I said, my first inclination was that it was a warning call! And then ya, he picked up a cracker and ate it while his alarm was still going off!!

Awww....bless his little heart~ I love my Squirrels!!!:thankyou

[TexanSquirrel]

:rotfl :rotfl :rotfl