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Thread: Biting

  1. #1
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    Default Biting

    My young squirrel has taken on biting me. Why? She’s about 6-7 weeks of age

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: Biting

    Squirrels bite and all squirrels are different.

    6-7 weeks is a little young to be biting, but not unheard of. Is she getting enough to eat? What and how much are you feeding? Have you had her for awhile? Or did she just come into your care?

    Squirrels that already have their eyes open when their world is turned upside down can be more cautious and scared, and therefore bite. Squirrels will also use their teeth in play. Are they aggressive bites or play, grooming bites?

    Can u post a picture? Maybe she’s older than you think.

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  5. #3
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    Default Re: Biting

    The fox valley 20/50 formula is coming today!!! But 10mL of pet ag formula like every 4-5 hours max. I have had her for almost two weeks now. When I first found her she could not climb, slept all the time. Would fall asleep after 3mL of the formula.

    Her fur on her tail really grew a lot in the past week. Her top teeth came through last week. She just figured out how to sit up on her own. She is much more active in the past two days.

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  7. #4
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    Default Re: Biting

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    Squirrels bite and all squirrels are different.

    6-7 weeks is a little young to be biting, but not unheard of. Is she getting enough to eat? What and how much are you feeding? Have you had her for awhile? Or did she just come into your care?

    Squirrels that already have their eyes open when their world is turned upside down can be more cautious and scared, and therefore bite. Squirrels will also use their teeth in play. Are they aggressive bites or play, grooming bites?

    Can u post a picture? Maybe she’s older than you think.

    The fox valley 20/50 formula is coming today!!! But 10mL of pet ag formula like every 4-5 hours max. I have had her for almost two weeks now. When I first found her she could not climb, slept all the time. Would fall asleep after 3mL of the formula.

    Her fur on her tail really grew a lot in the past week. Her top teeth came through last week. She just figured out how to sit up on her own. She is much more active in the past two days.

    Name:  83776305-2D99-4D7E-B25A-48EDB6B85758.jpg
Views: 128
Size:  246.5 KB

    Name:  3702BEA0-5176-4BAF-BBDE-CB0C07FBA578.jpg
Views: 140
Size:  115.0 KB

    Name:  6C70B06A-975D-4227-B3C3-70EAE989A961.jpg
Views: 141
Size:  192.8 KB

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  9. #5
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    Default Re: Biting



    She's adorable!
    "I hope everyone got or gets their Baby Love today"~Shewhosweptforest

    https://www.henryspets.com/1-baby-squirrel-care-guide/

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  11. #6
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    Default Re: Biting

    Please! Do not put her outside at this point! Young squirrels will surprise you. She might take off at full speed and you may end up unable to catch her. That could be a death sentence for her. I almost lost one that way!!! Just lucky my backyard did not have a tree to climb up - he only climbed up one of my tall cedars and we mamaged to catch him there but...
    "In the midst of our lives we must find the magic that makes our souls soar."
    My darling Scooter, beloved Hami, sweet gentle Simon... YOU are the ones who brought that magic in my life. You've changed the way I see all things around me now and, because of you, I want to be a better person. This is not goodbye, my sweethearts. You be at peace, your work here on earth is done... now you are finally, truly free. Until we meet at the Bridge again, please remember that I will always love you.
    The greatness of a nation can be measured by the way it treats its animals.
    - Gandhi -

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  13. #7
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    Default Re: Biting

    She is soooo adorable! My boy has started biting last two weeks, he's a bit older. He just wants to PLAY with me. Rarely breaks the skin, but still hurts and i try to relax and close my fists (so he at least doesn't get my fingers) and wait for him to stop. This seems to work best for me. Mom's no fun is she doesn't keep moving/playing.

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  15. #8
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    Default Re: Biting

    Also, we've been taking Jemmy out for a few weeks now. I won't take him out alone, I've been terrified of him running off too early. As Scotterzmom mentioned! My husband always goes out with us, so that we have two sets of eyes on him and can block any escape attempts.

    We let him climb the tree in our backyard (Red Maple) and have let him climb other trees. (We wait patiently for him to be done and take him back in. He's on his own schedule of course.) However, seems like he wants to spend more and more time outside climbing. We'll be putting his cage out for the next two weeks for outdoor overnights and then a soft release.

    I think Jemmy is 12-14 weeks now. So much older than your girl. I'd love to keep him forever and more, but have been trying to get him ready for his time to go.

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  17. #9
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    Default Re: Biting

    Even with two sets of eyes on him, you won’t outrun him if he heads for a tree and doesn’t come down.

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  19. #10
    Squirrelagirl Guest

    Default Re: Biting

    Your baby looks to how mine did at 10-12 weeks old. My first baby squirrelagirl(god rest her soul) started biting for play as well as to take in her environment around this age but my current baby, Squir, started the behavior much later. Like infants squirrels tend to use their mouths to help them take in and understand their environments and they are curious! They also love to play this way as well as express hunger boredom or anger so it will take time to learn what your little ones different bites mean. Just be careful on what your squirrel has acces to because if yours is anything like mine they’ll put any and everything in their mouth witch can b very dangerous!!

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  21. #11
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    Default Re: Biting

    Quote Originally Posted by Scooterzmom View Post
    Please! Do not put her outside at this point! Young squirrels will surprise you. She might take off at full speed and you may end up unable to catch her. That could be a death sentence for her. I almost lost one that way!!! Just lucky my backyard did not have a tree to climb up - he only climbed up one of my tall cedars and we mamaged to catch him there but...
    Thanks - I was about to make the same comment!

    I learned this lesson with one of the first squirrels in my care: She climbed an oak tree in my back yard one morning. Fortunately, the oak was not close enough to other trees for her to get anywhere else. I sat in a chair reading a book beneath the tree for over 8 hours before she finally came down.

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  23. #12
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    Default Re: Biting

    I have raised and released 6 squirrels, plus had one (Ziggy) that could not be released.

    Several of these squirrels have used their teeth to interact with me. Several have liked to give me gentle nips on the hand or wrists. Several have liked to grab the ends of my fingers between their teeth and tug. My NR Ziggy used to groom me with his teeth for hours.

    With a few of these squirrels, their play biting was a bit too hard at first. In these cases, I would both speak to them asking them to be gentle with me as well as make the sorts of sounds I would make when trying to stop them from doing something, i.e helping them learn boundaries. In my experience, young squirrels are looking to their carer for cues as to what is okay or not, and quickly adapt when given feedback.

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  25. #13
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    Default Re: Biting

    Quote Originally Posted by olorin19 View Post
    Thanks - I was about to make the same comment!

    I learned this lesson with one of the first squirrels in my care: She climbed an oak tree in my back yard one morning. Fortunately, the oak was not close enough to other trees for her to get anywhere else. I sat in a chair reading a book beneath the tree for over 8 hours before she finally came down.
    Thank you so much! Yeah, we had a little inside the like that already before you wrote, but luckily for me she can’t seem to grip onto the oak tree. But she did get up our small magnolia tree! 🙈 so she’s been inside on the screened in porch with me!

  26. #14
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    Default Re: Biting

    Quote Originally Posted by olorin19 View Post
    I have raised and released 6 squirrels, plus had one (Ziggy) that could not be released.

    Several of these squirrels have used their teeth to interact with me. Several have liked to give me gentle nips on the hand or wrists. Several have liked to grab the ends of my fingers between their teeth and tug. My NR Ziggy used to groom me with his teeth for hours.

    With a few of these squirrels, their play biting was a bit too hard at first. In these cases, I would both speak to them asking them to be gentle with me as well as make the sorts of sounds I would make when trying to stop them from doing something, i.e helping them learn boundaries. In my experience, young squirrels are looking to their carer for cues as to what is okay or not, and quickly adapt when given feedback.

    Thank you so much for your response I really appreciate it and have been using different sounds for her for different things! The biting might have just been because she was tired and wanted to go to her cage. But she has been play nibbling and licking lately which is fine cause it’s not breaking skin!

    Thank you again!

  27. #15
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    Default Re: Biting

    Quote Originally Posted by Sherby View Post
    Thank you so much for your response I really appreciate it and have been using different sounds for her for different things! The biting might have just been because she was tired and wanted to go to her cage. But she has been play nibbling and licking lately which is fine cause it’s not breaking skin!

    Thank you again!
    Unless absolutely necessary, I do not handle squirrels after about 4-5 months old.. Rather, I let them climb and perch on me, take food from my hand, etc., but I let them dictate contact.

    Exceptions are things like needing to administer antibiotics, examine an injury, etc., for which I don thick gloves as a precaution.

    I have released 4 different squirrels that were overwintered, and all 4 have remained quite tame with me - climbing and perching on me, taking food gently from my hand, etc. But I do not try to pet them or hold them, as tempting as that might be at times.

    It is a wonderful blessing to have a squirrel you raised that remains your friend for years.

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