Squirrel Noises

[jackfoster]

Hi all. I have a one year old male squirrel (Rocky). For the most part he's a quiet type, I have noticed grunting when he has a nut, but I figured that was just territorial. Lately, in the morning he has been making this weird, keening sound. It is very hard to describe, it is high pitched, sort of sustained and follwed by teeth chattering. He'll emit several of these like an alarm. I've done a little looking around and I haven't seen an explanation of this, he is neutered, so I've ruled out that it is a mating call. Is this even the mating season? He lives indoors (missing a leg) and we have no balcony, so I don't think it's something he's picked up from other squirrels. He seems to be a relatively happy guy (I wouldn't mind having his life) has anyone had experience with this?

[thundersquirrel]

haha i hear the grey squirrels in my yard make that noise. i figure if they hear a dog, or smell something new, or just see a strange human object that clicks with their instincts, they make that noise.

it also might be a way to check in with the neighbors. even though squirrels are mostly solitary/small family, it's nice to know if you have other squirrels around ready to warn you of danger.

funnily enough, it's only the grey/black squirrels in my yard that do the longer, "keening" sound at the end of their chatter. fox squirrels just chatter and flick their tails more.

[aurora42245]

My three have also started doing that. When it happens Im the only one around. They have gone to the extent of lunging at the cage at me. I figured that I must have startled them...

[pelohojo]

I've always associated what I am imagining you are describing as an alarm or an alert....wild squirrels that I hear do it, usually combine it with their "barking" and tail twitching alarm demonstrations. Mine haven't ever done the "keening", but my little girl squirrel will occasionally get on a barking tangent, for no apparent reason. Her brother will look at her with a kind of curious look, then go back to whatever he was doing (usually sleeping, hehe)