Squirrels are a common feature in backyards and parks, because of this, humans are very used to having these animals around. These animals are loved by humans, even though they’re rodents. This may be because of their harmless nature and cute appearance, this makes them non-threatening and approachable. But what happens when a squirrel is overly friendly? This article explores the question of ‘overly friendly squirrels, are they a good or a bad thing’

Overly friendly squirrels are no longer a rare sighting, the more squirrels live among humans, the friendlier they become. These animals usually try to get very close to you and may even seek you out. Unfortunately, they can be dangerous as they can attack you or give you rabies.

Overly friendly squirrels, are they safe?

Petting, feeding and playing with squirrels can be great. Finding and playing with a squirrel that is not scared of humans can be a source of great joy. But there are risks associated with playing with an overly friendly squirrel 

Squirrels can be fun to watch and even interact with at times, but these animals can take “having fun” too far. Squirrels are much less predictable than domesticated dogs or cats who don’t generally act out and bite you. Squirrels can bite, and when squirrels bite they can leave wounds. The chances of a squirrel carrying rabies are low but these rodents can still carry this disease. If the animal bites you it can infect you.

If a squirrel is overly friendly it likely learnt that behaviour as a result of being around people who’ve fed it. Feeding squirrels may be all well and good but this learnt behaviour can also turn into entitlement. The animal may react badly if not given food, acting badly can present as the animal attacking you. Feeding squirrels can also teach these animals to depend on humans for food full time, if not given food, the squirrel may not be able to survive on its own. 

If a squirrel is overly friendly, the reason why it acts this way may be because it is an orphaned baby squirrel. Baby squirrels have strange behaviours, like not being fearful of humans, they will interact with humans freely because they don’t think of us as predators. If a baby squirrel hangs around you, and you don’t see a squirrel parent in sight, you’d need to take the animal to a wildlife rehabilitation centre 

Squirrels are wild animals and regardless of how cute and cuddly they are, it is important to be safe and take precautions when you’re around them. 

Do squirrels get attached to humans?

Squirrels don’t generally get attached to humans but they sometimes do. A squirrel can get attached to the human woman who raised him. Male squirrels are usually the ones to get attached, they will dislike any other human once they’ve found the human they prefer. If a squirrel in the park gets attached to you this may be because you constantly feed it. Once you’ve run out of food the animal may lose interest in you. In this case, the animal was not attached to you, it was simply looking for food 

Why squirrels are bad pets?

Squirrels are bad pets. These rodents are wild animals and thus, they can attack you for reasons unknown to you, they make bad pets because they have not been domesticated to be able to live with humans. In addition, they are very destructive and energetic. Trying to cage squirrels is difficult because they are very strong and persistent, these animals are able to break out of cages.  Also, they are used to being able to roam around over large open spaces, caging them will not be mentally healthy for them. Your furniture will never be safe if you own a squirrel, because these animals like to chew and gnaw on things, your furniture will always be in danger of being damaged. Their long claws can also damage your furniture, and your body, if you don’t protect it and yourself 

Conclusion 

An overly friendly squirrel may seem like a good thing but the situation can become dangerous quickly. Overly friendly squirrels generally do not have boundaries and this makes them feel entitled to food from humans. They don’t become attached to humans, they become attached to you giving them food. Having a squirrel as a pet can also result in damage to your furniture, and injuries to yourself 

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: Do squirrels get attached to humans?, What does it mean when a squirrel stares at you?, Do squirrels blink?, Do squirrels sleep with their eyes open?