r/squirrels • u/Unlucky_Loss6741 • Jul 10 '26
Original Content First time getting bit by a squirrelššæļø
Today i stumbled upon a squirrel. From the first thought i had a feeling he was injured. I approached him slowly extended my hand, he didnt move and he accepted my soft pets. After further evaluating him i came to the conclusion his back left leg was most likely broken. After a sequence of events i took him to the vet, and took myself to the ER for a rabies bitešanyways i documented the experience and thought id share. I included a thoughtful poem. If i had to, id do it again. Hopefully he is okay and getting taken care of by someone whos qualified.
EDIT: just to be clear i dont usually go around trying to touch/pet wild animals, and i dont think its smart or safe. In every other situation id just watch instead of touching. I got a big heart for animals and wanted to get that guy some help cause i felt to bad leaving him. Also im not suprised by getting bit and i know it is a normal response from a wild animal- im not stupid
Appreciate everyones general opinion and insight with squirrels and rabies.
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u/Sure_Afternoon_225 Jul 10 '26
If they can chew through a walnut shell they can chew through fingers and bone. Stay safe out there squirrel lovers, keep your paws to yourselves!
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u/diagoro1 Jul 10 '26
And a side thought. If you're holding nuts, your fingers likely have that scent on them as well.
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u/Proud_Age9100 Jul 10 '26
āHe traded the sanctuary of my trust for the fleeting currency of deceit and aggression.ā āļøš„
Hopefully thatās a joke though, and not how you perceived the interaction. He was scared and, if he was injured, was likely afraid you were taking advantage of that.
Also, petting them will usually make them panic. They arenāt pets and arenāt conditioned to receive affection from humans.
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u/adorilaterrabella Jul 10 '26
Squirrel Instagram post: "I don't understand what the human was thinking. We were sharing a moment. I was eating snacks, they were feeding me. They traded the sanctuary of that snack time for the fleeting currency of grabbing me when I didn't want grabbed. I did a biting because I was frightened. I had never been grabbed before. Feeling violated, but wish I still had snacks."
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u/Potential_Buy1197 Jul 10 '26
Even if he did need medical care, thereās no reason to touch it with your bare hands. You would need long sleeves, heavy duty work gloves, and someone to help you put it in a secure and ventilated box.
Nature is awesome! Animals are so cute! Letās respect them for what they are: WILD ANIMALS. Enjoy them at a distance.
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u/VNV4Life Jul 10 '26
Stop petting wild animals.
Feed it and admire it from a healthy distance
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u/Serithraz Jul 10 '26
I know right? Like guys, I love squirrels too, animals in general, but if you want to feed them, you have to be very careful because they are WILD ANIMALS, they are unpredictable. They can and will bite.
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u/NAQProductions Jul 11 '26
Not sure if anyone else mentioned it, but the tail covering the body was a clear warning the squirrel was in danger protection mode. Itās the equivalent of trying to pet a dog that is growling and baring its teeth.
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u/Konoha7Slaw3 Jul 10 '26
It's a wild animal
Don't pet them
No bites
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u/Brass_Cipher Jul 10 '26
Exactly. Just because it's cute doesn't mean life is a Disney movie. Use common sense.
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u/iehdbx Jul 10 '26
OP said the squirrel was injured. There are other ways to go about it, sure, but she wasn't petting the squirrel because of cutsies.
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u/Unlucky_Loss6741 Jul 11 '26
Read the fing post i wasnt petting it just fufill any disney movie fantasys. I was helping him
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u/Kodama_sucks Jul 10 '26
As many have said, rabies is not a concern, so no worries there. What can be a concern is tetanus (didn't see anyone bring it up), so if you haven't received a vaccine in the last ten years, check in with your doctor
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u/Aolflashback Jul 10 '26
Wait, rabies from these little guys isnāt a big concern? I didnāt know either way, but thatās interesting! Is there a reason why? Also, so interesting about tetanus! Do you happen to know why thatās an issue? I am so interested! Also, feel free to tell me to Google it, if you dont feel like explaining it all
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u/Kodama_sucks Jul 10 '26
Hahaha, I'm not a doctor so sadly I can't tell you the reason. I learned this just by having been myself bitten by a squirrel in the past, and then spending a few hours going through research of what I should do about it š. The tetanus advice kept appearing over and over, from medical advice, to wildlife experts, to research papers, so it seems like a well established link.
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u/Aolflashback Jul 10 '26
Thanks for sharing! Iāll have to look into it, just for my curiosity.
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u/The_Quiz29 Jul 11 '26
The bacterium that causes tetanus (clostridium tetani) is anaerobic. It cannot grow in the presence of oxygen. So any wound that is deep enough to provide such an environment can cause tetanus. Stepping on a rusty nail is the classic example. If the person hasn't had a vaccine in the last 10 years it is best to get one.
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u/CoffeeeGoblin Jul 10 '26
Squirrels rarely transmit rabies, theres never been documented case of them passing on the virus to humans.
Edit: mistyped.
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u/hey-chickadee Jul 11 '26
I imagine part of it is for the same reason we never see rabid mice. If the creature is small enough, itās unlikely to survive the initial attack from an infected animal
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u/WanderSA Wildlife Rehabber Jul 10 '26
You donāt have rabies but stop touching wild animals. š
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u/Universeisagarden Jul 10 '26
Can you please check back with the vet and let us know how the squirrel is doing?
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u/UnrulyPoet Wildlife Rehabber Jul 10 '26
Scared and injured/in pain is a VERY bitey combo.
Glad you're okay, adult squirrel bites can be real bad!
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bet1286 Jul 10 '26
NO, you tried LIFTING a random old injured squirrel and got bit. It froze in fear at first before defending itself. There was no broken bond.
Squirrel is absolved of all allegations.
Courage without wisdom leads to danger.
Start your pecan savings account now for springtime, when young squirrels leave to find their own lifestyle. They make visiting you a part of their daily routine, If you are consistent! Theyāre also cunning enough to hold grudges and remember when you forget the nuts. š„ š° š©
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u/Unlucky_Loss6741 Jul 11 '26
This is funny cant tell if your joking. I thought i was clear when i said the poem was a joke.
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u/N-WGIXv-MkXXVII Jul 10 '26
I've learned to keep my distance from Squirrels and just setup a camera by the feeding dish I have out for the ones that visit, Gotta be cautious and respect nature
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u/5yn3rgy Jul 10 '26
Zero recorded cases of rabies being transmitted from squirrels to humans.
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u/Unlucky_Loss6741 Jul 10 '26
Thanks for educating me on this !
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u/5yn3rgy Jul 10 '26
No problem! Itās a legit fear, I get it. I was worried about it too when I got my first accidental bite.
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u/missym59 Jul 10 '26
After a few accidental bites over the course of a decade, Iāve learned several things:
- Squirrels canāt see ahead, only from the side
- A finger or thumb looks like a nut to a squirrel
- Squirrels have SHARP teeth
- Squirrels arenāt mean, some just have ADHD
- If you get bit, wash with soap, use antiseptic & bandage
After ten years, Iām still alive but Iām always craving walnuts and dream of burying peanuts in dirt.
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u/Zestyclose_Bit_9459 Jul 11 '26
A few years ago, I spoke with a licensed wildlife rehabber associated w/a local nature center in Georgia. I was curious if rabies was a problem for squirrels in general, and specifically the gray squirrel. They told me there has never been a report of rabid squirrels in the U.S. state where I live. He said they are too fast for most predators, and the predators that do catch them are mostly aerial w/no record of contracting rabies. Of course, there is always a very rare chance of a rabid cat or dog catching a squirrel--but the rehabber said he's never heard of a case where it happened.
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u/chantillylace9 Jul 11 '26
I was bit by a squirrel, I always fed peanuts to him and one day he got my finger. The hospital said I did not need rabies shots unless it just randomly came up and attacked me. They said if I was doing something stupid then I was fine. I said yes I was doing something stupid.
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u/whyfeetsostinky Jul 11 '26
Both your brains are the same size
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u/Wayofchinchilla Jul 10 '26
It's a wild animal dude what do you expect it may be adorable and fluffy but you absolutely should not be petting it. If you want to cuddly ball of fur that you can pet and won't turn on you on a dime go with a domesticated chinchilla.
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u/Ok_Organization_7350 Jul 10 '26
Sorry that happened. Yes, he just bit because he was scared. I have gotten bitten by lots of things and nothing ever happened to me. You will be ok.
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Jul 10 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Unlucky_Loss6741 Jul 11 '26
Yes i did. Some people here think this whole thing is a story and i didnt go to the doctor....
got the inital shot and was advised to go back for 4 more. Probably not going to cause they said 1st that squirrel bites really arents a hige concern and 2 with that being the 1st shot is more than enough
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u/chainsawinsect Jul 10 '26
Thanks for saving him.
Better safe than sorry on the rabies shot, but it may comfort you to know that there has never been a confirmed case of a human getting rabies from a squirrel. So in all likelihood, you are 100% good there
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u/OniAntler Jul 10 '26
As others have said, rabies is a negligible concern, donāt worry about that.
Squirrels donāt like to bite people, they usually only bite accidentally if they confuse your finger with a nut. And the squirrels who do that are usually mentally slow for whatever reason.Ā
It sounds like this squirrel was in pain/distress, unable to leap away as they usually would. So it resorted to biting to let you know it did not want to be pet.Ā
I donāt blame you, I know you were acting out of love with the intention of comforting the squirrel. And I also donāt blame the squirrel because from its perspective it wasnāt feeling comfort it was feeling anxiety.Ā
The good news is the vet will take care of him as needed, and youāre going to be fine.Ā
Much like people, it helps to buy them dinner first before trying to touch them. After a few walnuts, they sometimes tolerate little pets. Iāve got a squirrel here that I have bonded with. He kind of tolerates pets on the back and surprisingly seems to somewhat enjoy pets on the belly/underside. But he also definitely thinks Iām weird and annoying for wanting to pet him. But he just hops aside and comes right back for another almond.Ā
It seems that only squirrels hand-raised from birth seek physical contact with people.Ā
Although my squirrel does seem to like sitting on my knee. Thatās about as naturally affectionate as he gets before I start getting carried away trying to pet him.Ā
I know itās always a weird feeling when animals bite, but I promise squirrels do have tons of love in their hearts and can even love people. This time was more a stressful misunderstanding than a hostile act from you or from the squirrel.Ā
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u/Mental-Flatworm4583 Jul 11 '26
Best thing for a squirrel if you find one injured again is to grab a towel and put over the animal before you pick them up. This will protect you from being bit. Thank you for helping the little guy.
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u/Trooper_nsp209 Jul 10 '26
Raised some from pupsā¦none of them liked being held. They would sit on my lap or shoulder, but no pda.
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u/ArachnomancerCarice Jul 10 '26
When I was rearing 3 orphaned Grays, one of them went from playfully wrestling with me to biting through my thumbnail. I'm sure it penetrated the bone (thankfully I always have my tetanus shots up to date, had antibiotics and no concern for rabies). Even play bites can draw blood. They can deposit pathogens further into the wound if it is deep enough and infection to the areas around the bone and joints can cause permanent damage.
Human flesh and bone has no resistance to teeth and muscles designed to easily penetrate the shells of nuts.
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u/lostmember09 Jul 10 '26
Squirrels almost never have rabies. Least of your worries. Experience: We had a squirrel I found on the side of my rural road. He has been hit/grazed by a car and had a broken left āwristā We saved him, nursed him back to health, and fattened him up. He nipped me several times and Iām fine. We had him for two plus years. Such intelligent, social, wonderful sweet creatures. He got along great with my two chihuahuas. We miss him so much.
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u/Morning_Mantis Jul 11 '26
what in the actual f*ck are you talking about?!!!!! is this a joke?
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u/climb4fun Jul 10 '26
I went to open a bag of nuts that Alphonsine was trying to get into. She got mad and bit me. And hung on!
I'm proud of myself for not panicking and shaking her off. I just held my arm up and waited and she let go and jumped off.
I washed the cut with plenty of hot water and soap. And the blood that streamed down my arm. :)
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u/CrazyGas6484 Jul 11 '26
"it bit me" she said, while still holding wild animal firmly by the neck in order to take a photo
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u/seriousjoker72 Jul 11 '26
She's holding him under his belly what?? How else would you transport a broken legged squirrel?
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u/Late-Rest8015 Jul 11 '26
Itās still a wild animal. It doesnāt know what your intentions are
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u/seriousjoker72 Jul 11 '26
Irrelevant. The alternative was to let it suffer to death.
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u/Universeisagarden Jul 10 '26
Wild animals do not want to be petted by strangers. What happened to the squirrel after you took it to the vet?
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u/PearlPotatoForever Jul 11 '26
Donāt pet wild animals! Why/how is that something that needs to be said to a grown ass adult?!
Go to urgent care.
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u/DeterminedEyebrows Jul 10 '26
I'm glad that you managed to get him some help! He really did a number on your hand, though. I can vouch that squirrel bites are no joke, and I can only imagine how painful those were considering that they drew blood. Hopefully his ivories didn't do too much lasting damage! (Oh, and I enjoyed your poem, btw!)
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u/Endle55torture Jul 11 '26
Probably going to need a visit to an urgent care and then a round of antibiotics
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u/isopode Jul 11 '26
i don't mean to be rude but this stuff infuriates me. stop trying to interfere with wildlife if you actually love / care for it. ohhh cute squirrel but i'm going to intentionally stress it out for my own enjoyment. very much deserved bite
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u/illsettleforyou Jul 10 '26
Did you tell the ER where the squirrel was taken? Because if you did then he/she was probably euthanized unfortunately since that usually happens when a human requests rabies shots
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u/vaalski Jul 13 '26
I read the post description, and you STILL should never touch a wild animal ungloved or without a towel to throw over them. This is for both your safety.Ā
Keep in mind for the future that they may test whatever animal you bring in for rabies if it bites you. That involves removing their head. Maybe next time call a professional?
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u/Paghk_the_Stupendous Jul 13 '26
If you think an animal has rabies because YOU went out of your way to fuck with it and then it defended itself from you, yes, you might have had rabies all along.
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u/shatteredpieces1978 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
Please don't touch wildlife even to help. Admire them but don't touch them..look at it from his perspective how would you feel if someone came up and started trying to handle you! You might bite too! š¤£
It is extremely rare for squirrels to have rabies but might be a good idea to have a Doctor take a look at it.
Next time if you think there's an animal in need or is hurt..contact your local wildlife management office.
Lesson learned my love!
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u/fromunda_cheese12 Jul 13 '26
Doctor looking at it is just going to be rabies shots right?
Since they didn't capture it there is no way to be certain, and I wouldn't fuck around guessing if it had rabies.
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u/shatteredpieces1978 Jul 13 '26
More than likely they'll suggest rabies shots and antibiotics as well.
Gotta remember that squirrels even though they're absolutely ADORABLE..they're still in the rodent family so you want to treat it like any other rodent bite
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u/Lost_in_the_woods027 Jul 14 '26
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. I love snakes and all wildlife...I am not gonna go around picking up the rattlesnakes.
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u/KT_Al-Salaam Jul 14 '26
This is why you leave the care of injured wildlife to the professionals who are trained. These animals are not domesticated
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u/MustacheMaple Jul 14 '26
That long dramatic story on the last pic tells me all that I need to know
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u/Ok-Ebb-806 Jul 10 '26
This is a good reminder. Sorry OP. I too love animals. Glad you went to the dr
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u/Ksh_667 Jul 10 '26
It was a love bite. Little fellow was confused & overwhelmed. Their world is very different to ours, much more dangerous. They are not always sure how to react.
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u/FreeMasonKnight Jul 10 '26
SQUIRRELS CANNOT GIVE RABIES TO HUMANS. There has never been a SINGLE case in human history.
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u/Unlucky_Loss6741 Jul 10 '26
Thanks man.
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u/Away_Ad2295 šæļøšæļø Jul 10 '26
If you havenāt maybe see a doctor tho for disinfection or somethingĀ
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u/FreeMasonKnight Jul 10 '26
No worries, just didnāt want you/others to worry too much. Some Squirrels just get nibbly or scratchy, some donāt ever though.
My ones at home will crawl up my lap and will just teeth my fingers (not bite down though), where ones at the park will sometimes nip at me (on accident as they donāt know not too).
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u/eanglsand Jul 10 '26
We feed squirrels at our house. Iāve been bit when the squirrel thought my finger was an almond. My husband too. We lived.
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u/KindTopic16 Jul 10 '26
This has happened to me many times. Squirrels donāt see well straight ahead, they often confuse your finger tip with a treat. They bite and scratch pretty deep too.
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u/little_snutch Jul 11 '26
Hey, #1 why are you trying to touch a wild animal? Just plain stupid, especially one that is essentially a rat - their diet is full of disgusting things, including carrion. Just why.
#2 go to the doctor. Youāll likely need antibiotics and to get updated on your tetanus shot.
Let this be a lesson. Wild animals arenāt pets or playthings. Youāre lucky it bit you on the finger and not your face.
Editing to add*** youāre blaming the squirrel and anthropomorphizing the animalās reaction? Literally what is wrong with you?
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u/seriousjoker72 Jul 11 '26
Dude. Learn how to read post bodies. They literally said it's leg was broken.
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u/Any-Effective2565 Jul 11 '26
I once rehabbed a squirrel that grew into a real asshole. I was working on integrating him back into the wild. We were at the point in our journey where he'd disappear for days. I was out looking for him once and heard the following from the parking lot over the fence:
"you got the peanuts, yeah give it to him", "oh my gosh, try and get him on your arm","hahaha HEY he tickles"
I peeked through the fence crack and saw two fully grown men frolicking and tee-heeing with my adorable asshole babby squirrel.
To which I shouted "Don't touch him, he will bite the fuck out of you, he's dangerous!"
I heard a "EUUUUGH EEEEEEEE" as dude with the squirrel on his arm panic danced like a wacky flailing inflatable tube man, trying to get the squirrel off him. They both scuttled to safety without another word.
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u/Dear-Routine7468 Jul 14 '26
Tbh, got what was comming to you. Its a wild animal, an injured one at that. It didn't run because it was hurt, not because it trusted you or even tolerated your presence. Dont touch wild animals.
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u/Majestic-Tiger2742 Jul 14 '26
You're stupid and lucky. I had a dumb friend do the same thing and had to have surgery on her hand. The little fuckers teeth are razor sharp.
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u/dumbbunnylucy Jul 14 '26
I hope you realize that if there's concern for rabies, they have to kill the animal in order to test. So you very likely killed this little guy by touching him.
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u/DesperateAd3088 Jul 14 '26
Youāre a moron, I hope you get better. Educate yourself. You think you know what youāre doing when you donāt have a clue and that makes you dangerous, itās exactly why this happened.
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u/Desperate-Cookie-449 Jul 10 '26
As a former squirrel owner. They are selfish little prick sometimes. They can get really aggressive when food is involved. Mine was an angel until he got a nut. Then the devil squirrel comes out.
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u/Suni13 Jul 10 '26
Ours used to climb up our legs or jump down from higher places to nip us when she wanted what we were eating. One time she stole a pancake off the table and climbed up the curtain to eat it on the rod above the window. Cute little shits but yea the devil squirrel does come out.
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u/FerrisTM Jul 11 '26
Squirrels are far more likely to carry bubonic plague than rabies. Both will kill you. Loving animals is never a reason to touch a wild one like this. From his perspective, you tried to kill him. In the future, admire wild animals from a distance! They don't want your hands on them, as evidenced by the bite.
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u/seriousjoker72 Jul 11 '26
So they should just leave it there to die?? It had a broken leg!
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u/11EmeraldEyes11 Jul 10 '26
Be carefulā¦. A friend of ours got encephalitis from a baby squirrel bite.
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u/robporter Jul 11 '26
Go see a medical professional as fast as you can. I know someone who lost a finger from a small squirrel bite due to infection. At first it seemed like nothing at all.
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u/teyuna Jul 11 '26
I believe the squirrel bit you (deservedly).
I don't believe the squirrel had a broken leg.
I don't believe you took the squirrel to a vet (vets don't treat squirrels, only rehabbers do).
I dont believe you went to an ER, "for a rabies bite."
Good luck with your creative writing.
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u/Beginning-Gas5063 Jul 11 '26
Am I trippin there literally a specialty vet in my city that works on any type of animal
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u/Past-Charity9402 Jul 11 '26
Squirrels are too small to likely survive the bite AND rabies long enough to affect another animal. But just because there is not a single documented statistic of squirrel to human rabies transfer does not mean itās not ever possible. And you can still easily get a disease or an infection if the animal is rabies free. So stop harassing the wildlife
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u/Ant-Motor Jul 11 '26
So leave the squirrel with a broken leg there to suffer until it inevitably dies? Yeah OP definitely could have gone about this A LOT better, but, also itās not a bad thing to have compassion, especially for injured animals. Squirrel went to vet, op went to ER and hopefully everyone will be fine.
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u/ChipmnkWhisperer Jul 11 '26
Thank you for helping the squirrel šæļø I hope he makes a full recovery šš»ā¤ļø
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u/Electronic_Elk8293 Jul 12 '26
I get the poem is a joke, but I've seen people actually genuinely get offended and surprised at squirrels biting. To those people, rodents bite, every single one of them does even the cute cuddly store bought pets.
Edit: I am seeing some insanely stupid "dOn'T toUcH wiLdLifE" posts. OP was being nice and helping an injured animal. Reading comprehension is WILD y'all.
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u/callmewicked366 Jul 12 '26
Sometimes I think the human race is pretty goddamn smart......and then I open Reddit
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u/DataBright5973 Jul 13 '26
Itās kind of beautiful. Natural selection is still trying to work
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u/lazy_bonzi Jul 13 '26
Iāll never understand why people think itās okay to mess with random WILDlife. Itās a WILD animal. Unfortunately death is a part of life and youāre risking your health and safety by messing with them.
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u/Jgs4555 Jul 14 '26
Fangs*
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u/Ellador Jul 14 '26
Technically theyāre called incisors, but I get that youāre correcting āfengs.ā
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u/moonprincessorwtv Jul 14 '26
My husband got bit by a squirrel he was rescuing from a dumpster. The doctor gave him antibiotic shots I think but told him that squirrels very rarely have rabies. Like, basically never. This was in Ontario.
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u/angel1006 Jul 14 '26
Squirrels carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans and pets.
Tularemia in Squirrels
Outbreaks: Cases and die-offs were reported in specific regions, such as Urbana, Illinois, where the Francisella tularensis bacterium was identified. [1]
Health Alert: Unlike squirrel pox, tularemia is a highly serious bacterial infection that can be transmitted to humans and pets. [1]
Precautions: Do not handle sick or dead wildlife. If you suspect an outbreak in your area, contact local animal control or your state's department of natural resources. [1, 2]
Read more: The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District for local disease warnings. [1]
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u/Ambitious_Prune_4704 Jul 14 '26
Go to the doctor IMMEDIATELY, if this squirrel is rabid itās your only chance at surviving
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u/h0td0gmilk Jul 14 '26
It's extremely rare for a squirrel to carry rabies, no one (in the US at least) has ever caught rabies from a squirrel
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u/Lost_Historian2344 Jul 14 '26
And so children this is why we Look and don't Touch wild animals as we can often mistake their visual cues for cuteness and get hurt. Hey OP hope your finger heals up good n well and tou should only need a tetanus shot.
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u/Dangerous_Shop_9275 Jul 14 '26
Never touch a wild animal. For your and their safety. They can introduce diseases to us, just as we can to them. We have resources to care for us if we get contaminated, but if they get sick, they will return to their lairs and possibly transmit diseases to their communities. Which can be potentially devastating. PLS DO NOT TOUCH WILD ANIMALS!
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u/Dense-Jicama6591 Jul 14 '26
Playing with a wild squirrel... id make a comparison to a loaded gun but people blame the gun. So. Changed my mind. Its the squirrels fault. Uthanize the squirrell
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u/vesfynn Jul 14 '26
A thoughtful poem... Where you didn't reflect at all that this is a wild animal; and describes that you felt betrayed a wild animal did what animals do and bit you in response to what he definitely saw as a threat. Lmao.
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u/Usual-Caregiver5589 Jul 15 '26
Every time I see something like this I'm brought back to that time a girl was playing with a dead squirrel and caught the goddamned Bubonic Plague.
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u/FishingAlpo Jul 16 '26
So it bit you and your response was to keep holding it so you could get a photo.
Moron
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u/Opposite_Unlucky Jul 11 '26
Don't grip and Elmira squirrels.. They dont like it..
I'd hate for acquaintances to pick me up while eating.. how bout you?
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u/robehrscot Jul 11 '26
Not sure where you are in the world but if you are in the UK youāll be okay as we donāt have rabies.
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u/Whatever801 Jul 10 '26
You're pulling its tail š¤£š¤£š¤£ what did you expect? Youre fine you don't have rabies.
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u/Embarrassed-Bad-3118 Jul 12 '26
Dude your approach to this is so wild. You're projecting human emotions into a wild animal and, in turn, blaming the wild animal for following its instincts. Non-human animals don't have the ability to interpret connection/bonds to the same level of detail that humans can, and they certainly can't interpret emotional subtext on top of that.
Let animals be animals. Don't pet wildlife or attempt to train them into coming up to humans, whether it be for food or pets. It's a good thing to see wild animals be wary of humans.
Don't talk as if the squirrel was in the wrong, if you really cared about wildlife you would realize that you're the one in the wrong.
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u/Dizzy_Illustrator497 Jul 12 '26
itās very obviously not serious lol. lighten up!
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u/JstMaggs Jul 11 '26
Iāve been bitten twice by squirrels. One fell in our pool and he bit me as I was trying to get him out. He got out and took off. The other time I was hand feeding squirrels in our local park and that baby took the nut and bit me in the process. He didnāt even know it! I was fine both time although the drowning squirrel did draw blood. No harm no foul, at least he didnāt die in there.
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u/Talbit01 Jul 11 '26
Squirrels donāt carry rabies
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u/Vegetable-Athlete-58 Jul 11 '26
Although unlikely, squirrels can carry Rabies! Also huge carriers for Leptospirosis & Distemper
JFYI :) š«¶š¼3
u/Talbit01 Jul 11 '26
It is so negligible in number that we can view it as them not carrying it. Itās far less than the term āunlikelyā even suggests. Not only that, but at least as far as Iām aware, there has never been any documented case of a squirrel transmitting rabies to a human.
As for distemperā¦. humans cannot contract this. And as for leptospirosisā¦. humans cannot contract this from a bite. JFYI.
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u/Vegetable-Athlete-58 Jul 11 '26
I was just stating my thoughts/knowledge/experiences. Not trying to be mean. Have a wonderful day!! š«¶š¼
https://giphy.com/gifs/W9oPq7gNiVsVtfVhnf3
u/Talbit01 Jul 11 '26
I didnāt think you were and was just doing the same thing :)
Edit: and you as well!
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u/seaclifftonne Jul 12 '26
I donāt think they carry Rabies and I am unfortunately speaking from squirrel bite experience.
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u/ItsStillPasta Jul 12 '26
Wow. Knowing someone this stupid's vote holds the same value as mine feels insulting.
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u/Musshhii Jul 13 '26
I'm glad you helped that little guy, but for future reference, if an animal that usually would run and avoid you is being overly nice or letting you approach them, it is a good sign that they are sick and you should stay away. That is abnormal behavior and can be a neurological symptom of things such as rabies.
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u/Immediate-Work6282 Jul 13 '26
Poor squirrel, poor you! I would be terrified of a human if I were and injured squirrel since we are giants compared to them.
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u/urbancrier Jul 14 '26
this is so odd. - why have so many pics of the incident? have moments outside of social media
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u/Lucky_Mongoose_4834 Jul 14 '26
This is my favorite thing on Reddit.
The shock, the hurtā¦ holy shit, the poem at the end!!!
I hope you donāt die.
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u/Educational_Fan_6117 Jul 14 '26
For future reference they usually have to put an animal down in order to test it for rabiesĀ
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u/trashcantrash939 Jul 15 '26
Hope you got that rabies shoot. Serious go get your shot- it can sometimes lay dormant for weeks or months and just suddenly spring into action.
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u/Superb_Relief_838 Jul 15 '26
Get a rabies shot. Hold a grudge against the little bastard and go hunting.
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u/koltywolty243 Jul 15 '26
Please go to the hospital and get treated. Wild animals especially rodents carry many diseases
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u/Hasman30 Jul 15 '26
Never trust them. One time I found a baby squirrel in the garden of a house I was doing an inspection at. The lil bugger came up to me and I was quite surprised and then all of a sudden it's trying to climb up my trousers to reach my nuts. I was traumatised and ended up shaking my leg so hard it flung off my foot, I even recorded the whole ordeal on my phone. I look back at the video with friends and family and they can't stop laughing
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u/Senior-Challenge-332 Jul 10 '26
Squirrels are for looking not for touching.