Who can resist a knockout combination of beautiful, black beady eyes and a bushy tail which quivers with excitement at the mere sight of you. If not for the tail, you would think that I was referring to the gorgeous lady who just moved in next door. What I’m talking about is an irresistibly cute squirrel. Although most people would think that squirrels are best left to roam around in the wild, it is possible to have them as pets.
The first thing to remember when caring for small pets is to understand everything you can about them: this includes their behavior and needs. It is a deadly sin to simply leave them alone with a bowl of food and water and hope that they will thrive. They are not robots or toys which sustain themselves. More than providing your pet squirrel with its basic needs, there are a few extras to consider:
Like most rodents, squirrels grow and learn pretty quickly. When you take your pet squirrel home for the first time, you should waste no time in teaching it a few social skills. What you can do is to carry it in your pocket as you go about doing your household chores. You can have it sit on your lap as you read a book. The goal is to get your pet squirrel to warm up to you and interact with other humans in your household. It will then feel safe when it’s with you. Otherwise, it has a tendency to bite when it feels threatened.
As for food, you will have to feed your pet squirrel with lots of nuts, hard seeds and dried food. You can even get it some old bones to chew on. Then, you wouldn’t have to worry about your pet squirrel gnawing on the dining table legs. They can also be fed with bananas, apples and carrots.
Squirrels are notorious climbers, so be sure to keep fragile objects away from the tops of your shelves, to avoid any untoward accidents. Curtains may not be a good idea either, as your squirrel is sure to make a climbing circus act out of it.
Your pet squirrel’s claws will need regular trimming or sanding down. Do it carefully though, as they do not particularly like this.
Squirrels will need de-worming every six months. For this, you can use a rat or puppy de-wormer. Watch out for intestinal problems as well.
Pet squirrel care is not that difficult. As long as you give it the nutrition, healthcare and socialization it needs, it’s going to be a worthwhile companion for you and your family.
Image Credit: 1.
Amanda Jacobson is health and self improvement blogger. But above all she loves wrighting about animals. You can find her articles on http://catweightloss.org/ and http://www.dogweightloss.org/
