Are squirrels safe to touch?

Question

I haven't touched a squirrel but there is this friendly squirrel that always comes to my garden and I was wondering if it is safe to touch or even breathe next to it.

Answer 1

yeah some are if they're friendly. Just remember that they're wild animals, rodents at that, with big teeth and sharp claws. If they feel threatened, they will defend themselves

Answer 2

NO

Answer 3

As usual, people give you the "safe" answer.  

The real answer depends on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, how you sense the animal is reacting to you, and how dangerously you wish to live.  

If you want to culture the animal to eat from your hand, get a good pair of gloves and work from there.   With time and trust on the part of the squirrel, you should be able to eventually hand feed it.

Answer 4

NO! The little buggers will bite you.  

Answer 5

absolutely NO

Answer 6

they are wild animals and even if you hand feed it if you touch it or make any quick movements towards it, it would probably bite you, or for sure run off to a tree or something.

no they arnt really safe to touch

Answer 7

We had a squirrel as a pet for awhile.  It was a baby whose nest got blown down in a storm.  Mom never came back for him so we took him in.  We kept him  in a birdcage and fed him with a baby animal bottle.

I would be cautious of squirrels in the wild.  You have no way of knowing if they are healthy ( rabies, etc ).  I think it's fine to leave food for him, etc but I would be very cautious about approaching the animal.

Answer 8

Yes, they're fine..just don't provoke them into biting you..

Answer 9

There is  a real chance it will tear you up. My sister has to squirrels their mother was killed and she has raised them when there tamed there sweet little thing

Answer 10

Actually, squirrels are almost never found to be infected with rabies and have not been known to cause rabies among humans in the United States. Bites by these animals are usually not considered a risk of rabies unless the animal was sick or behaving in any unusual manner and rabies is widespread in your area. In addition, squirrels, birds,hamsters, and rabbits are not known carriers of the hantavirus.

It might bite you though, which would probably annoy you.

Answer 11

A friend of a friend tried that..and the cute lil squirely bit clean thru her thumb nail.. that really hurt and so did the rabies shots she had to get afterwards  ...'nough said.....( You can take a animal out of the wild, but you can't take the wild out the animal)

Answer 12

While I do know some animals become tame if they are fed and come to trust a person, no animal is safe to touch, especially a wild one. Do so at your own risk. Animals cannot be predicted. Some wild squirrels may have rabies or other disease. All have claws and teeth.  

Answer 13

No, and please don't. Yes, they are cute, but they do bite and they can carry rabies. Just admire them from a distance, okay?