Squirrels are widely loved, their furry twitchy tails, petite physique, tiny cuddly bodies, energetic behaviors, and lively noises make squirrels rather adorable animals. Plus, their diets are relatively easy to maintain, even though they eat quite a bit. They may be cute but are squirrels friendly? This article looks into it.

Squirrels can be very friendly, or unfriendly and aggressive. Their friendliness depends on their species and if they have lived in areas close to humans or not. Red squirrels are not friendly, grey and flying squirrels are friendly. 

Are squirrels friendly?

Squirrels that live in different environments will react differently to you and to each other. Each type has evolved to act a certain way towards each other and to humans: 

Squirrels in the wild: 

Are grey squirrels friendly?

Grey squirrels are quite friendly animals. Researchers have noted that these types of squirrels peacefully interact with others in the area, be it with humans or other squirrels.

One of the main reasons why these animals are so friendly is because they are not territorial, they are happy to share spaces with others 

These animals can live with one another, feed in close proximity to one another, participate in social grooming, and are generally friendly towards each other.

The only instance where these animals will be less than friendly, and sometimes aggressive towards each other, is when they are competing with one another.

Males compete with other males for females to mate with during squirrel mating periods. Squirrels can also become aggressive when they are competing for food.

But at the end of the day, these animals are as friendly as can be with each other, and may even seem shy to humans. 

Are red squirrels friendly? 

Red squirrels are more aggressive and unfriendly, they are the opposite of grey squirrels. These animals are more than likely to be the initiators of conflict between squirrels, other animals, and humans. 

Red squirrels make warning chatters when other squirrels come into their territory, they will defend their territory and they take this very seriously, 

These animals are known to be more on the aggressive and feisty side. If two of these more aggressive squirrels cross paths, they may enter into a conflict and start to stomp their feet at each other, chatter at each other, and flick their tails at each other. 

Some say that the red squirrel’s attitude can be attributed to their size. Because they are small, they may be acting more aggressively as a way to compensate for their small size. They are small and thus have to act big and tough.

Are flying squirrels friendly? 

Flying squirrels are friendly animals. They have the ability to flee from danger very easily and this keeps them from having to become aggressive when they come face to face with a perceived threat. 

They are not dangerous as they don’t have sharp teeth to use as weapons in the first place, their method of escaping danger is using the membrane skin on the sides of their bodies to fly away. 

If anything, they are shy animals. These animals can be taken as pets because they are able to bond with humans when they are young, older flying squirrels will likely not be so keen to bond with you.

Not only are they friendly, but they are also sociable, easy to take care of, and quite curious animals.

Squirrels in urban areas: 

Urban squirrels: 

Generally, if squirrels are in human-populated areas they are more trusting and friendly to humans, they may even approach us. Some are so accustomed to humans that the animal will come up to you and eat from your hands.

That being said, if we get too friendly with squirrels, they may expect food from us. They do this because they become used to humans feeding them as opposed to chasing and harassing them.

How do squirrels show affection?

A comfortable and trusting squirrel will shower you with affection. From scurrying about in a lively game of catch me if you can, to light, tickly nibbles on your hands and ears. They will even occasionally steal a kiss or a few by licking your face to show their affection.

Squirrels are naturally shy and keep a small close circle of human friends making them very loyal and affectionate to the few they trust.

Do squirrels remember humans?

An affectionate squirrel that has bonded and is loyal to you will remember you.

While squirrels are naturally defensive and timid around humans and other animals in the wild, after you’ve gained their trust and they’ve bonded with you they tend to be loyal and not forget you.

Even a squirrel that has lost its cool and is acting up will still seek your attention.

However, they will get defensive with a human that they don’t trust or haven’t bonded with, even if they’ve seen them several times. This means your squirrel may not be as affectionate to your other visiting human friends.

Is it safe to touch squirrels?

It’s quite safe to touch a squirrel if it lets you. Of course, it’s best to always follow proper hygiene etiquette by washing or sanitizing your hands after touching the animal especially if it is a wild squirrel.

Squirrels in the wild move around in many different locations and because of this their fur can contain various contaminants. It’s also best to be gentle and mindful when touching squirrels because they have sharp claws that may nip at you unintentionally when they respond.

Of course, it’s never a great idea to surprise a wild animal, especially a squirrel. It will respond defensively and you risk getting bit by its very sharp and powerful teeth. So, be wary when you do.

Are squirrels bad to have around?

Squirrels aren’t necessarily bad to have around. All in all, pet squirrels can be loads of fun.

Their presence can really liven things up. If you let them roam your house, they will take a peek at every opening as they are naturally curious. They will scamper about playfully and tease you mischievously in a game of catch me if you can. 

Wild squirrels might steal your food, fruits, pet food, and maybe live in a room like your attic. But they also reduce bugs around your home since they hunt bugs. They’ll even plant your yard with random trees from the nuts and seeds they’ve buried.

Conclusion

In conclusion, squirrels can be friendly towards humans depending on where they live and what species they are.

Red squirrels are naturally more aggressive towards other squirrels, humans, and even each other. 

Friendlier squirrels include grey squirrels and flying squirrels. Both of these squirrels are friendly to other squirrels and humans 

Squirrels that live in more urban areas will be friendly to humans because they are used to being around us.

These little animals show affection by nibbling on you or licking you. If a squirrel has bonded with you it will remember you. They aren’t necessarily bad to have around but take care if you want to touch them.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other squirrel related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: My cat ate a squirrel, what you need to know, Do squirrels eat meat?, Do squirrels eat squirrels?, Do squirrels eat bird eggs?