I had sunflowers on my patio. and I gave the seeds this squirrel since the birds weren't eating them, ( and now I just found out that my boyfriend has been feeding it peanuts) but now he just hangs around on the patio when my boyfriend goes outside the squirrel runs up to him and will get extremly close and run circles around him, is it being friendly, i'm afraid it will bite him? what dieases do squirrels have?
is it safe to let them come up to you?
2006-10-12 09:48:39 · 7 answers · asked by 21/f/mn 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
The squirrel knows it can get food from your boyfriend, so it is being friendly with him, and trying to act cute to get food. I would use caution when around it, and not let it get too close, it can carry diseases. They don't necessarily have them, but they are susceptible to carry them, so it's best not to take a chance. If your boyfriend keeps feeding it and spending time out with it there is the possibility that it will become slightly domesticated and not look elsewhere for food. He might get stuck feeding a squirrel all the time...........
2006-10-12 10:00:43 · answer #1 · answered by Scotty 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is very unlikely that a squirrel would have rabies. People hunt and eat them here in the south regularly with no problems whatsoever. We too, have had friendly squirrels, some of which we raised from babies as they had been orphaned, others, that just like yours found us to be a friendly and convenient source of food, also became playfull yard pets. It takes a little getting used to when a squirrel leaps from a tree to your shoulder and looks you in the eye from a few inches away, but this happened to all of my family members with no injuries and only good memories of the experience. (We discovered that if we stood beside his favorite tree, he would invariably leap over to say hello. - So we took turns letting him do just that. The first time was the only time this was a suprise, and we'd been feeding him from our hands for a while before he did that.) Mom also raised a couple of orphan baby flying squirrels in het house. they would fly from the curtains to your shirt, head, lap, etc. It was great.
2006-10-12 10:06:13 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wild animals have the potential to carry anything from fleas to rabies, but that doesn't mean they all have them.
If the squirrel comes up to you it is because he has been getting a free handout. If that is okay with you, don't stop feeding him now & into the winter. Don't make any moves towards him, but let him come to you. If you get bit, they may want the animal for observation or tests. They don't survive the tests so try not to get bit. He will probably be your yard pet until it finds a mate.
Be careful & now that you have him hooked, don't stop.
2006-10-12 09:59:49 · answer #3 · answered by fairly smart 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No not safe at all, they carry diseases and fleas. Rabies is common in squirrels and fleas have all kind of bad diseases. Do some research and you'll see what I am talking about.
It's okay to feed it but no physical contact would be better.
2006-10-12 09:52:48 · answer #4 · answered by hpneil 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ehh, consider yourself lucky! Not many people get to befriend squirrels. As long as it doesn't bite you or you don't sleep with it or weird stuff like that, you should be fine. I've heard rabies shots are very painful.
2006-10-12 09:56:55 · answer #5 · answered by Jenny 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its not safe. They have diseases and rabies. Most animals have it like birds too. However u can feed it just don't get too close
2006-10-12 09:57:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anthony 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
cacth it then take it to a vet and get it tested then if it's ok see if you can keep it as a pet your boyfreind would probly apreeicate that
2006-10-12 10:09:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋