posted
The kids were hand feeding one of the squirrels in our backyard popcorn when it scratched Matthew- broke the skin but didn't draw blood. I've seen this squirrel on action enough not to consider it a mad squirrel. Matthew isn't upset- he thinks it's funny. Should I call the doc?
Posts: 2711 | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yes. Things that carry rabies and other diseases don't necessarily show the signs, and just because it didn't draw blood doesn't mean bacteria couldn't get into his system.
Posts: 1591 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
However, since it was a scratch instead of a bite, I wouldn't be as concerned. I mean the person didn't come in contact with the bodily fluids (blood or saliva) of the squirrel.
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:However, since it was a scratch instead of a bite, I wouldn't be as concerned. I mean the person didn't come in contact with the bodily fluids (blood or saliva) of the squirrel.
posted
Squirrels. They have a reputation as benign beings. In truth, they are ruthless killers. You might think, aw, they just eat nuts and seeds. Wrong! Baby birds and other small creatures are very tasty to these rats-with-tails. Also, they can become addicted to nicotine from eating cigarette butts in the garbage, or off the ground. When we learned this, one of my students said, "Aha! So that is why a squirrel kept jumping at my aunt when she was smoking a cigarette on the porch!"
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Not to be really scary, but the squirrel might have but his little squirrel hands in his little squirrel mouth when he was eating his little squirrel meal, contaminating his little squirrel hands with saliva.
I had lots of fun with squirrels one day this summer. If you fold a business card in half, it looks like a tiny newspaper. I put some peanut butter on the inside of the fold and left a few of these out on the back porch. After a while, the squirrels smelled peanut butter and came around to investigate. They licked the peanut butter off the cards by holding the cards in their two squirrel hands and holding it up to their faces. They kind of sit upright and it looks as if they are reading the newspaper. This is a lot of fun to see. But even better was when it turned out that there were not enough newpapers to go around. The squirrels without newspapers started chasing the squirrels with newspapers. They chased up and down the porch, on the fence, up and down trees, over to the garage and back to the porch. The squirrels with the newpapers would tuck the papers betweeen their teeth and run as fast as they could. Whenever they felt as if they had built up a comfortable lead, they would remove the newspaper from their mouths and "read" again, tucking it in the mouth again and running away when the pursuing squirrel got too close.
It was a hot riot! The show went on for over a half hour until the peanut butter was all gone.
Moral: if you want to feed the squirrels, provide them with squirrel newspapers.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Squirrels are not cute when they tear holes in our kitchen screens and destroy my bread. Not just once, either, at least 3-4 times. And the ceiling of the kitchen below me has a hole in it due to a squirrel.
Posts: 2867 | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
The ped called back. He said he wasn't concerned with rabies, and just to watch for signs of infection.
Posts: 2711 | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I would be more worried about the poor infulence those squirrels have on youngsters, Romanylass. They steal, smoke, and all sorts of other things.
And I also want a picture of the squirrels reading the "paper!"
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Elizabeth, remember they also inspire kids to eat their neighbors' children.
My history teacher back in high school said he hated them because they stole his sandwiches whenever he went pickniking. However you spell that.
Posts: 3389 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
When I was 4 or 5 years old, someone told me that wild animals can carry rabies. I spent the next few years in utter screaming terror of squirrels, refusing to even go in the yard if one was there.
I'm glad that is one phobia I outgrew.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Um, if I may, being treated for rabies is extremely unpleasant. I emphasize extremely. Extremely.
I'm sure you've already covered this with your kids, but otherwise wild animals (or otherwise "people fearing" animals) coming after you can be a sign of rabies--in its final stages.
The raccoon experience has left me very, very cagey. [/soapbox] Thank you for letting me share.
Posts: 516 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Our squirrels here in Fresno are all high-wire walkers. I was just sitting here at my computer the other day and glanced out to see one walking the phone wire I can see from the window.
Very talented squirrels we have here.
Posts: 2454 | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Talented, littlemissattitude? I call that extreme risk-taking, which fits the profile of the squirrile delinquent personality. They just don't care what happens to them. They are detached from society. And that makes them dangerous.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
If walking the phone wire makes squirrels talented, then we've got talented squirrels here, too. Our squirrels also come in the house (through an open window) and climb the drapes in our living room. Until we chase it out.
I like squirrels. From afar. As in, not close.
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I will take the risk, romanylass. They are, among other mentioned things, terrorists, pure and simple. Not very smart ones, either. Their bodies, littered about roadways from Boston to San Diego, are evidence of an attempt to play the heartstrings of American drivers. They figure they can take us out one by one, or, if they are lucky, create a 500 car pile-up, when nature-loving Americans swerve to avoid their road crossings. Just look at their success rate, though. Not high. Not high at all.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Two years ago I was working a 12hr grave and about ten every morning when I was in the midst of slumber a big 'ol grey squirrel would get outside my window and chitter like the world was going to end. I hated that squirrel.
This squirrel was so loud and obnoxious we started calling it psycho squirrel.
It would sit up in it's tree and chitter at my cat, who would meow frustratedly and pace back and forth for a few minutes. Finally in a burst of aggrivated energy my cat would shoot up the tree only to find his nemisis mocking him from three trees away.
I haven't heard that squirrel for quite some time. I think he got wise and stopped teasing my cat. Or maybe the cat finally got him.
Posts: 686 | Registered: Sep 2001
| IP: Logged |
I outgrew my terror of squirrels, not my healthy respect of wild animals in general. That is to say, seeing a squirrel won't send me running in a panic into the nearest building.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh, I think you all are giving the squirrels a bad rap. When I was at university, I used to sit out on a bench by the library on nice days to eat my lunch sometimes. When I did, very often a squirrel would come join me. I'd sit on the bench with my lunch spread out there, and the squirrel would bring his (her?) lunch and sit on the lawn beside me and eat lunch, too, in companionable silence.
On the other hand, where I used to live, there was this blue jay...It would come every single blessed morning at certain times of the year and tap, tap, tap on one bedroom window, the same window every time, as if it wanted to come in. This went on periodically for years. It was extremely loud and extremely annoying.
Posts: 2454 | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have seen a ton of albino squirrels, there were several of them on campus at the University of Louisville, those squirrels are almost the least afraid of humans of any squirrels i have ever seen.
The ones who are the least afraid are the seemingly over fed squirrels ate parks in washington D.C. . They are not at all apprehensive of people, and will try to eat anything a human drops, food, scraps, or paper, even coins.
Posts: 2332 | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Marek, those are the addicted-to-nicotine squirrels, because they eat cigarette butts. Also, they get to where they don;t want to eat their natural food anymore. Which is good for the baby birds, of course.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
"With the exception of instances such as those last year involving squirrels eating cigarette butts, becoming nicotine addicts, going crazy and attacking smokers, there really aren't too many reasons to hate squirrels. Sure, they ravage our campsites, throw nuts at us from the safety of their tree branches and even attempt to eat infants on occasion, but that does not negate the fact that this is still their week."
"Rehabilitation can be hard from an addicting substance. Fortunately, humans have now been coming up with ways to quit smoking for a while now. These include, gum, patches, hypnosis, cold turkey, and weaning oneself from them. Unfortunately, rodents are wild animals. This means that gum, patches, and hypnosis are out of the question. In addition, the requirements of the plan rule out cold turkey."
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote: Tante that is hilarious! Did you get pictures?
I didn't take pictures, but if you want to see it, all you need are some business cards and peanut butter.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
You wanna be mean? Leave chiclets. They chew and chew and chew and chew and don't know to spit it out or swallow.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh I want to try that one on our evil squirrels. One of them is definately building a nest in the roof and anything I can do to stop it or make it feel unwelcome would be fun to watch.
Posts: 2867 | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
A couple days ago I was standing outside having a conversation with two friends...when suddenly, right in the middle of the conversation, one of my friends saw a squirrel sitting on the path. So she immediately took off after the squirrel, shouting, "Wheeeee!", and chased it up a tree.
quote:Originally posted by kojabu: Oh I want to try that one on our evil squirrels. One of them is definately building a nest in the roof and anything I can do to stop it or make it feel unwelcome would be fun to watch.
Um, well, about EVIL, kojabu, you do live in the City of Evil, after all. The squirrels there would have to be pretty evil, more so than naturally.
posted
I'll bet the squirrels in Ithaca shun TV and fight for human rights causes. (After licking off the peanut butter, they make protest signs with the business cards).
What's wrong with that?
Posts: 2711 | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
JaneX lives in a city of evil just like Ithaca. These liberal hold-out areas are tough on squirrels.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
