Although squirrels can be as adorable and charming as puppies or kittens, they are not animals that are to be taken in as pets. Don’t be deluded by their cute and seemingly cuddly nature—attempting to domesticate a squirrel can have disastrous effects, both for you and the squirrel.
We hate to disappoint your idea of keeping a cute, cuddly little squirrel as a pet but there are good reasons as to why squirrels have not been housebroken:
1. Germs! First and foremost, squirrels carry germs and disease both on their fur as well as in their mouths. They live outside and end up in places like garbage cans, dumps, sewers and other varying locations where germs fester. As soon as a squirrel gets into your house, those germs are then brought in and can spread like wildfire. Germs such as rabies are the most common that cannot only affect us, but our pets as well. This reason for shying away from squirrels is the most important, due to the severe effects it can have on your life. If you ever find yourself with a squirrel in your home, don’t hesitate to call for professional wild squirrel removal in Greenville, SC to help rid you of the situation.
2. Squirrels do not rely on others. Unlike your typical house pet (cat, dog, hamster, fish, etc…) squirrels do not rely on anyone or anything to provide them with food, water, protection or companionship. Squirrels are solitary animals, which makes them unsuitable to live with others.
3. Squirrels do not adapt. Once a squirrel is removed from its environment, it can make them very fearful and stressed. This kind of stress can lead to the squirrel acting out and becoming aggressive or even cause it to have seizures and die. Furthermore, even though a squirrel may potentially take to one human, it does not mean that it accepts all human contact. Strangers will not receive a friendly welcome from a squirrel, no matter how long it has been domesticated!
4. Squirrels can cause damage to your home. Pets tend to go through phases where they are teething or getting used to their claws. As a result of this, they usually end up ruining something here and there. A shoe, a curtain, a rug, etc. Squirrels on the other hand have teeth and razor-sharp claws that are constantly growing and developing. As these two things develop, they are constantly trying to chew or climb on things such as furniture, curtains, walls, woodwork, etc… ultimately causing major interior damage. Unfortunately, this situation can never be changed because squirrels cannot be taught that this is bad behavior, so these kinds of situations will continue to happen.
As National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association so eloquently states, “a captive squirrel is constantly looking for a way out and that behavior cannot be changed.”
If you find yourself in this situation, the best thing you can do for an orphaned or injured squirrel is to call a professional company that has experience with wild squirrel removal in Greenville, SC. They have the experience of working with these animals and can then help the animal get back into the wild where it is meant to be.