Hello

[AryanSilvie]

Hello Everyone,
I'm new to this forum from India.

My question is how easily people can contact squirrels. I think it's an emotional attachment with some people that can easily pick squirrels in their hands. I never tried to catch a squirrel in my hand. Because I'm always busy seeing their freedom and cuteness.

[stepnstone]

Hello Everyone, I'm new to this forum from India.
My question is how easily people can contact squirrels. I think it's an emotional attachment with some people that can easily pick squirrels in their hands.
I never tried to catch a squirrel in my hand. Because I'm always busy seeing their freedom and cuteness.

A squirrel reacts to one's energy and emotions...
For the squirrel it all comes down to trust or in the case of injury, the need to trust to receive help.

[McCarthy]

Being able to pick-up a wild squirrel with your hands is very rare. They are not used to being handled like that. Most will bite the crap out of you if you try, even when you got to a point of hand-feeding them or them walking over you.

Squirrels are not "cuddly" animals, especially when they are wild. Almost all of those cute squirrel videos you can find on YouTube are pets that have been brought up by humans since an early age. And even those squirrels tend to become aggressive to the point that they don't like being handled.

If you want to interact with wild squirrels, it comes down to being able to read the squirrel's body and vocal language, and being a good match for their feelings and current situation. For example, when they show warning signs, its not the time to bug them, just leave them alone until they feel safe again.

They all have different personality types, much like humans, so there is no one behavior that works for all.

Any close relationship with a squirrel is indeed based on trust only. It will take several weeks up to several months, depending on your personality type and your patience.

If you push it and try to make things happen quickly, you will be found on the other side of the tree, hence they will hide from you. I see it every day: people think they can just walk up to a squirrel, pretend to have some food in the hand, and be best friends within 15 seconds. Not going to happen. And if they get annoyed by this no-food-for-you trap, they may bite the heck out of your finger as a thank-you.

If you corner them (trying to catch one as you said), you may end up with a face-hugger, Alien movie style, with some claw and bite marks incoming.

Try it with patience's and routine. Show up every day at the same time and just sit in the same place. Bring some healthy food like avocado (no peel) or almonds. Let them come to you, don't follow them around. Following squirrels is what predators do, and they don't like that at all.

For the most part, I don't touch them at all, and that's why they trust me. Adult squirrels don't touch each other either, and when they do, its a fight. Out of a group of 7 squirrels, they all walk all over me, but there are only 2 that I can play with and pick up by hand in certain situations. Getting to this point took me over 4 months, showing up almost every day.