My sweet boy is suddenly attacking me

[GeorgiesMom]

My one and a half year old foxer male has been in a grouchy mood for a month. It started when his testicles got big again. Two days ago he lunged for my face when I opened the cage door to let him out to play. Today he kept aggressivly going for my hands and feet. I had to catch him using a small quilt to keep from getting bit when play time was over. Is this just normal hormones? The last time he went through this it seemed like it would never end but he was younger then and not so aggressive.

[Mel1959]

What you describe is normal behavior for a squirrel as it matures…..male or female. This is the main reason we don’t recommend that squirrels be kept as pets, unless there’s some reason they can’t be released. He instinctually knows he’s supposed to be procreating. It’s as frustrating for him as it is scary for you.

Is there a reason he can’t be released? If there is no reason then I’d seriously consider preparing him for release this Spring. The mating game usually happens twice a year and personally it’s not something I would want to deal with.

Please be careful. Squirrels are capable of inflicting a lot of damage.

[GeorgiesMom]

What you describe is normal behavior for a squirrel as it matures…..male or female. This is the main reason we don’t recommend that squirrels be kept as pets, unless there’s some reason they can’t be released. He instinctually knows he’s supposed to be procreating. It’s as frustrating for him as it is scary for you.

Is there a reason he can’t be released? If there is no reason then I’d seriously consider preparing him for release this Spring. The mating game usually happens twice a year and personally it’s not something I would want to deal with.

Please be careful. Squirrels are capable of inflicting a lot of damage.

I had not planned on keeping him when he was brought to me at 5 weeks old. I've raised squirrels in the past and released them but that was in a different state and there was someone who released my rehabbed squirrels on her property.
However, I live in a town in the middle of nowhere in a different state now and dont have a single place to release him. I tried to get help from someone on this board when he was younger but no one offered. Theres no rehab places anywhere near me that could release him.
A friend's 10 year old little girl brought him to me when he was a baby and begged me to help him. Believe me I weighed all the pros and cons of keeping him and spoke with one of the most knowledgeable squirrel rehabbers in the country at length about the situation. Since I had no place to release him, and nowhere to take him to be released by someone else, I had to make the decision to keep him. I am an educated former zookeeper so I am accustomed to dealing with wild animals and have no problem with keeping him here, I've got a suit of armor to deal with him during these times lol. I just need hope that he will go back to being sweet once his breeding time is over

[CritterMom]

He will, as long as you continue to engage with him while he is having his hormonal time. You can't just leave him in his cage because he is pitching hissy fits - you need to protect yourself and keep socializing with him.

I would also go through the cage with a fine toothed comb and remove every single edible thing you find stashed, especially any nuts. They will lose their minds over a single stashed nut. Place him somewhere else - another room - when you do this, and make sure you keep up on it.

[GeorgiesMom]

He will, as long as you continue to engage with him while he is having his hormonal time. You can't just leave him in his cage because he is pitching hissy fits - you need to protect yourself and keep socializing with him.

I would also go through the cage with a fine toothed comb and remove every single edible thing you find stashed, especially any nuts. They will lose their minds over a single stashed nut. Place him somewhere else - another room - when you do this, and make sure you keep up on it.

Thanks, I go through his cage each day to make sure hes not stashing anything and he never gets nuts
..ever. I wouldnt even consider leaving him in his cage all the time while hes hormonal...I know he needs time out and he gets a couple of hours out ea h day with my undivided attention.