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Thread: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

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    Default Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Hi all! I’ve started noticing over the last few weeks that occasionally my squirrely girl wakes up in the night she is trembling/shivering for a few minutes. She sleeps in my room in her nest, but I go to sleep a few hours after she tucks herself in. As soon as she climbs on and starts grooming me, it goes away and she crawls back into bed. It’s similar to if she’s scared... or even cold (though her body is warm).

    Her diet and appetite is great, she gets her sunlight every day (or artificial if it’s cloudy) and she is plenty active during the day with me. She is about 5 months and I’ve had her about 4 of those months. Am I scaring her when I come in for the night? I’m very quiet and she usually sleeps like a rock, though I almost think she waits up for me to come in. Or does she just have anxiety when I leave her? She’s very clingy and never leaves my side for long.

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Not sure what is going on? What does her diet consist of?
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Quote Originally Posted by TubeDriver View Post
    Not sure what is going on? What does her diet consist of?
    2 Henry’s blocks a day with a mix of greens (spring mix, radicchio, escarole, dandelion, etc), veggies (squash, broccoli, avocado, snap peas, green bean, mushroom, tomato, carrot, cauliflower, sweet potato, brussel sprouts, etc.) and a few small pieces of fruit (blueberry, cherry, lime, grapefruit, apple, blackberry, mango, etc.). Also the occasional rose, clover or pine cone when we are outdoors. She also has Harlan Teklad 2018 as a free feed if she wants.

    We rotate different foods each week but it consists mainly of those. She also gets a drop of Beni-bac in the mornings. She gets an almond or hazelnut at night.

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Diet sounds great. Has she had any neuro type issues since you have had her? Any changes at all to her behavior recently during the day?


    Quote Originally Posted by miss.crimson View Post
    2 Henry’s blocks a day with a mix of greens (spring mix, radicchio, escarole, dandelion, etc), veggies (squash, broccoli, avocado, snap peas, green bean, mushroom, tomato, carrot, cauliflower, sweet potato, brussel sprouts, etc.) and a few small pieces of fruit (blueberry, cherry, lime, grapefruit, apple, blackberry, mango, etc.). Also the occasional rose, clover or pine cone when we are outdoors. She also has Harlan Teklad 2018 as a free feed if she wants.

    We rotate different foods each week but it consists mainly of those. She also gets a drop of Beni-bac in the mornings. She gets an almond or hazelnut at night.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Quote Originally Posted by TubeDriver View Post
    Diet sounds great. Has she had any neuro type issues since you have had her? Any changes at all to her behavior recently during the day?
    No changes! She’s still the same spunky little girl she’s always been. She’s never had any neurological problems at any time either. That’s why it’s so odd to me! She plays, eats and sleeps normal. It just seems to happen to her at night when I come in for bed and goes away within minutes. Can squirrels have anxiety? Lol.

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Squirrels can be scared or anxious but this sounds unusual. Could you get a video of this behavior and post it here?


    Quote Originally Posted by miss.crimson View Post
    No changes! She’s still the same spunky little girl she’s always been. She’s never had any neurological problems at any time either. That’s why it’s so odd to me! She plays, eats and sleeps normal. It just seems to happen to her at night when I come in for bed and goes away within minutes. Can squirrels have anxiety? Lol.
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Quote Originally Posted by TubeDriver View Post
    Squirrels can be scared or anxious but this sounds unusual. Could you get a video of this behavior and post it here?
    I honestly think it may not be visible in a video. I can feel it when I pet or hold her, but it doesn’t LOOK like she’s trembling. Almost like when you would be cold in winter but not so much that you’re visibly shaking. As if your body is working to warm itself up kind of trembling. Though she’s warm from being tucked into her blankets and nesting. It’s really hard to explain

    I can try my best for a photo but I may not have the best of luck.

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Maybe she is happy to see you, that you have returned. It is like she is purring.
    You could hold and hug her. And you will feel that.
    My Pixie does that a lot. For years now. And she is in great shape.
    Likes to be hugged then.

    But shivering is a bit more intense and that could be if she is cold.

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Quote Originally Posted by BigNibbler View Post
    Maybe she is happy to see you, that you have returned. It is like she is purring.
    You could hold and hug her. And you will feel that.
    My Pixie does that a lot. For years now. And she is in great shape.
    Likes to be hugged then.

    But shivering is a bit more intense and that could be if she is cold.
    I was wondering about it maybe being happy or excited to see me. She goes in for bed around 9 or so and I’m not in for a few hours after. As soon as she comes down, I definitely hold and hug her (thinking maybe she was scared). She is quite attached to me so it makes sense if I leave her for too long.

    She is definitely not cold as her body feels warm once she comes out from under her blankies. She must just love me tons and cannot contain it 🥰

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    That could be it. If she seems fine otherwise, would not worry too much.


    Quote Originally Posted by miss.crimson View Post
    I was wondering about it maybe being happy or excited to see me. She goes in for bed around 9 or so and I’m not in for a few hours after. As soon as she comes down, I definitely hold and hug her (thinking maybe she was scared). She is quite attached to me so it makes sense if I leave her for too long.

    She is definitely not cold as her body feels warm once she comes out from under her blankies. She must just love me tons and cannot contain it 🥰
    See my wild squirrel adventures in the thread "Squirtle's yard!":
    https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...quirtle-s-Yard!

    Loving dad to Sir Max, 2017-2018. There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

    "Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right."
    -Grateful Dead

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    My Corwynn slept above me for months, like you I would go to bed hours after he had, but I don't think this disturbed him, sometimes he would come out for a rub, other times he would shake his nest to acknowledge me, other times I would hear nothing and figured he was sound asleep.

    He would wake up in the very early am and move about then go back to sleep, I never understood that. But in the morning, he would climb out of his nest and come to me to be held and snuggled over,each time he would "vibrate" quite a lot. He would just sit there and shake. At first I was concerned, but everything else about him was fine, so I have come to the conclusion much like Big Nibbler stated, that this is a type of squirrel purring. I really feel that my Corwynn is happy to see me and have closeness and so he purrs while I love on him, then he grooms himself and the vibrating/shaking stops and he goes on about his day.

    Hope this helps, maybe this is what you are experiencing with your squirrelly girl?

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    BTW - usually, even though they are asleep, their big brains are processing all the sounds.
    I say this cause occasionally, a new sound is created. Something that they have not heard, and suddenly they will jump right up.

    FURTHERMORE - if you are one who has trained them to know their name - you can try whispering it when she is deep asleep. Just say it once, making sure it is audible of course, and there is a good chance that you will see after a few moments a tail twitch or she will rise to investigate. Of course, if she has no need for anything, and she associates her name sound with you giving her food - not with you needing her to come to you at once, THEN, even she likely will ignore it after a twitch.

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lighten-Up View Post
    My Corwynn slept above me for months, like you I would go to bed hours after he had, but I don't think this disturbed him, sometimes he would come out for a rub, other times he would shake his nest to acknowledge me, other times I would hear nothing and figured he was sound asleep.

    He would wake up in the very early am and move about then go back to sleep, I never understood that. But in the morning, he would climb out of his nest and come to me to be held and snuggled over,each time he would "vibrate" quite a lot. He would just sit there and shake. At first I was concerned, but everything else about him was fine, so I have come to the conclusion much like Big Nibbler stated, that this is a type of squirrel purring. I really feel that my Corwynn is happy to see me and have closeness and so he purrs while I love on him, then he grooms himself and the vibrating/shaking stops and he goes on about his day.

    Hope this helps, maybe this is what you are experiencing with your squirrelly girl?
    Thank you so much! Your post has actually made me feel much better, and it makes a lot of sense. She is quite healthy but also seems very attached. As soon as she sees I’m awake in the morning, she runs right over to the headboard, hovers over me and makes those adorable little oinky noises and immediately starts grooming my arms lol.

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Quote Originally Posted by BigNibbler View Post
    BTW - usually, even though they are asleep, their big brains are processing all the sounds.
    I say this cause occasionally, a new sound is created. Something that they have not heard, and suddenly they will jump right up.

    FURTHERMORE - if you are one who has trained them to know their name - you can try whispering it when she is deep asleep. Just say it once, making sure it is audible of course, and there is a good chance that you will see after a few moments a tail twitch or she will rise to investigate. Of course, if she has no need for anything, and she associates her name sound with you giving her food - not with you needing her to come to you at once, THEN, even she likely will ignore it after a twitch.
    I’ve actually done that a few times when she is asleep, because I missed her fuzzy butt. I’ll check in, talk to her and give her nose some rubs. She associates her name with coming to me and always wakes up, crawls onto my arm, gets some pets and goes back to sleep. She doesn’t react to the bedroom door opening any longer or my bathroom light coming on. Usually where I’d notice the vibrate. Now it’s more if I intentionally wake her to say goodnight.

    Thank you everyone for the advice! I feel much better.

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Quote Originally Posted by miss.crimson View Post
    Thank you so much! Your post has actually made me feel much better, and it makes a lot of sense. She is quite healthy but also seems very attached. As soon as she sees I’m awake in the morning, she runs right over to the headboard, hovers over me and makes those adorable little oinky noises and immediately starts grooming my arms lol.
    So glad my experience with a vibrating squirrel helped!

    Now it's my time to thank you... My little guy makes these little soft squeaks when I hold him, I've never heard them with my other squirrels, and so I have been trying to figure out what it is and what it means. I think your description of "Oinky Noises" perfectly describes what I have been wondering about. For the little noises are adorable!! And they melt my heart every time he utters them. . I keep wondering if these are baby squirrel noises that he will grow out of as he is 5 and 1/2 months now. Or if they are a closeness bonding noise that will continue into adulthood.

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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    Actually, if you are lucky, the little oinky noises should last into adulthood. My guys all do this still... When they know I'm bringing the food, or that I,ll be taking them out for free range play in their room... it means "I'm happy to see you (or be with you)".
    "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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    Default Re: Trembling/Shivering at Night?

    This was such a sweet and adorable thread to read. I am shamelessly jealous that you guys get squirrelly "good vibrations" and little oinky noises, but also so happy for you.

    "I hope everyone got or gets their Baby Love today"~Shewhosweptforest

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

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