Why is Peanut nibbling at my skin? Ouch!

[mugzeezma]

Aww. Zipper sounds like a very affectionate squirrel. So was poor Mugzi (RIP). Enjoy each other as much as you can.

thank you for remembering my boy,,,we had a similar routine at night,,,he would run up the stairs for a snuggle and do the grooming thing,,,pass out in my lap and I would carry him to his nestbox,,,, a limp bundle.

BTW
I absolutely LOVE the name ZIPPER!!!! That is an awesome sq name

[Stevelisa]

sorry i probably shouldn't be writing on an old thread, but i just googled what happened to me and it brought me here 12 years later...

Chippy our red girl of 9 mos did this first time today ... all of a sudden stops on my forearm, begins this gentle nibbling on my arm. At first i thought it was licking, like a cat's rough tongue, but then it got a bit more intense going along with her teeth picking of tiny scabs ! Of course there are plenty of them on my forearms and hands, we are overwintering two young reds. She even squawked at me when i gently tried to push her off ! I let her go at it, then she goes to the other arm. She was also rubbing her chin on my arm. Then i notice she has left her musky scent on my arms ! The scent is a bit similar to her urine, but she didn't even do that on me today. Is this really their way of affection or just a scab thing.... so if she or her baby got a cut would she constantly lick their own wound ?

[Diggie's Friend]

Being rodents they like to spend time chewing on things in general. Some squirrels will chew down on the finger nails of their caregivers.

Grooming arm hair with lightly scraping the skin. aka: 'teeny bites', is s friendly act of grooming. Sometimes they will do this with litter mates prior to going off totally on their own.

Seen most commonly with animals that live in herds, colonies, it denotes acceptance. When a squirrels grooms a human, it is thought to be their way of displaying their acceptance.

As they begin to wild up this changes; yet if in long term care, it may continue. The squirrels we raised did this with our arms on occasion; moments we cherish.

[Diggie's Friend]

Chin rubbing is marking their territory; you are owned!!

[Stevelisa]

No doubt in my mind who is the owner here
Chippy amazes us with her personality. She is so close to Lisa, she jumps into her housecoat so Lisa can hold her and massage her for about 30 seconds (goes totally limp with her eyes closed enjoying it), then squirms away and jumps back 5 seconds later for more. I told my adult daughter about it today... I'm convinced she thinks I'm crazy.

[Stevelisa]

Thankyou DF for explaining this behaviour