Aggressive 10 week old?

[Fenwick9696]

Hello. So We have had Stanley since he was a few days old. He is now 10 weeks old and seems healthy. He is sweet but does play rough. He loves to jump to me and run around me like a tree leaving scratches. He also likes to nibble on me. I have to tell him no a few times and then he will start licking me instead. I thought that that was all just normal behavior. This morning he was normal with me but when my fiancé tried to put him away he started “barking” and twitching his tail. Then this afternoon he said he was playing more aggressively. He cleaned his cage then tried to put him away and he got really aggressive, he was barking and attacked his face. He finally got him back in the cage. Then opened it to give him more food and he got out again. He just ran around until I got home. I called him over and he went right in my pocket and fell asleep.

I’m not sure if the aggression is because his cage was cleaned, he didn’t want to go in the cage, he’s “wilding up” or if nuts are making him aggressive.

Side not because I don’t know if it’s related but he stopped accepting milk a week ago and eats more nuts than he should, I know it’s supposed to be only 2 a day. He gets 2 almonds, and like 10 roasted pumpkin seeds. He also eats 3-4 rodent blocks, a strawberry or carrot or 2, and iceberg lettuce. I know I need to cut out the strawberries and carrots and get veggies with a better calcium to phosphorus ratio. Going to the store tomorrow.

If this is because he’s “wilding up”, My plan was to do a soft release in the spring. I take him outside every day and he’s starting to get comfortable. The most exploring he has ever done was jumping to climb my hibiscus tree and eat the flowers. If it comes to it I don’t know if it would be ok to put his cage outside then open it and let him explore but still put food in his cage? I live in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In the mornings and afternoons it feels like fall but during the day it feels like summer.


Sorry for such a long post I wanted to include as much info as possible. Thank you for taking the time to read!

[Scooterzmom]

I would say your boy is starting to wild up, yes, but he also showing the rest of the world whom he has chosen to be his human... i.e. you. Squirrels as you know don't make great pets and that is precisely one of the many reasons. They don't take to humans in general when raised in captivity but will accept one as their person...if they must.
Now the nut situation is not helping any...and neither is the cage cleaning. Certainly it's worse when it,s not even his hooman who cleaned it he also might have come to expect a nut when approached by your fiancé and he's saying "you don't give me what I want, why should I put up with you?" However, you must understand that nut or no nut, your fiancé will never be accepted by him the way Stanley has accepted you.

I would suggest you do let him out to play, ok, but maybe your fiancé can take a walk during that time? or stay in another room? The idea being for the little guy to get some exercize and interact with another living being (you) but not put others at risk.

P.S. I suggest wearing a good sweatshirt for playtime, unless you want to end up looking like you fell into a thick rosebush.

[Tmstrat]

Im starting to go through the same with my two. I’m the tree and they love to bite my fingers and get aggressive skritches from me while playing. They tolerate my husbands presence but he remains fairly still when in their room, he jerked once and got a good claw latch into his arm. I always wear jeans and a sweatshirt in the room cause their little claws are getting sharper by the day. I decided to endure that claws to ensure they get good climbing and moving exercise. Mine are also 10 weeks and will be released in April

[Mel1959]

Hello. So We have had Stanley since he was a few days old. He is now 10 weeks old and seems healthy. He is sweet but does play rough. He loves to jump to me and run around me like a tree leaving scratches. He also likes to nibble on me. I have to tell him no a few times and then he will start licking me instead. I thought that that was all just normal behavior. This morning he was normal with me but when my fiancé tried to put him away he started “barking” and twitching his tail. Then this afternoon he said he was playing more aggressively. He cleaned his cage then tried to put him away and he got really aggressive, he was barking and attacked his face. He finally got him back in the cage. Then opened it to give him more food and he got out again. He just ran around until I got home. I called him over and he went right in my pocket and fell asleep.

I’m not sure if the aggression is because his cage was cleaned, he didn’t want to go in the cage, he’s “wilding up” or if nuts are making him aggressive.

Side not because I don’t know if it’s related but he stopped accepting milk a week ago and eats more nuts than he should, I know it’s supposed to be only 2 a day. He gets 2 almonds, and like 10 roasted pumpkin seeds. He also eats 3-4 rodent blocks, a strawberry or carrot or 2, and iceberg lettuce. I know I need to cut out the strawberries and carrots and get veggies with a better calcium to phosphorus ratio. Going to the store tomorrow.

If this is because he’s “wilding up”, My plan was to do a soft release in the spring. I take him outside every day and he’s starting to get comfortable. The most exploring he has ever done was jumping to climb my hibiscus tree and eat the flowers. If it comes to it I don’t know if it would be ok to put his cage outside then open it and let him explore but still put food in his cage? I live in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In the mornings and afternoons it feels like fall but during the day it feels like summer.


Sorry for such a long post I wanted to include as much info as possible. Thank you for taking the time to read!

What Skooterzmom said!

But,if you don’t want him to leave and not return I would not take him outside and let him climb on the hibiscus or any other trees unless you are ready for him to be released. With that said, we always recommend a soft release where they have a few weeks in a release cage outside to adjust to the sights, sounds and smells of other squirrels and things. There have been many a squirrel on here that have scampered up a tree and take off before their hooman wanted them to. eek

[Fenwick9696]

Ohh! That’s scarry!! Any advice on a Over winter/ soft release? What I mean by this is a soft release but leave the cage out and feed him all winter?

Or would it be better just to keep him indoors over winter?

[Fenwick9696]

@Tmstrat, I’m glad it’s normal! Thank goodness for sweaters. Until they get under them.. owww lol!

[Tmstrat]

@Tmstrat, I’m glad it’s normal! Thank goodness for sweaters. Until they get under them.. owww lol!

Oh yeah, my little girl likes doing zoomiez on me and she constantly burrows under on my bare skin....I’m sure I look like I got ants in my pants when that happens lol!