Monday, January 18, 2010

Can I keep squirrel as a pet in FL? I don't think any petshop sells squirrels. How can I get a baby squirrel ?

Even if it's legal, it's a bad idea.


You'd be better off with a sewer rat.Can I keep squirrel as a pet in FL? I don't think any petshop sells squirrels. How can I get a baby squirrel ?
My dad brought home a baby squirrel when I was a kid. It's mother and siblings got killed by a car and apparently the squirrel (Bucky) jumped into the car with my dad. We kept him in the house for a while until he became sexually mature and my father took him to the woods in Alabama and let him go. (Probably not the best thing to do) When the males get sexually mature they get aggressive and he started building nests in our couch. I've always though he was a cool pet, maybe a female would be calmer. I don't know how you can go about getting one unless you contact an animal refuge organization and tell them you would like to take a squirrelett and raise it. They may require that you let it go. I wish I could be more help on how to get one but but once you do get one, make sure to have a potted tree in the house. They like to chill out in them.Can I keep squirrel as a pet in FL? I don't think any petshop sells squirrels. How can I get a baby squirrel ?
Rats are legal as pets and a squirrel is not much more than a rat with a bushy tail.
It is usually illegal. Because they are wild animals. They will be unpredictable
FL department of wildlife can answer this for you as far as legality. You might want to do a search for wildlife rescuers in FL who might have an orphaned baby squirrel which for some reason can not be released back into the wild.





Or you could have the best of both worlds. A free squirrel who is tame and is your friend. Squirrels are very easy to tame with patience and appropriate food. My father in law tames squirrels every where he lives. He puts treats (nuts, bread with peanut butter, seeds) on the porch railing or step or picnic table for a day or two and goes on inside. Once the squirrel gets used to finding treats there he puts out the treat and sits quietly nearby while the squirrel checks him out and decides to eat. After a couple of days he starts calling the squirrel when he puts the food out and then talking to it when it comes. Next he moves the food nearer him or visa versa till the squirrel is eating from his hand or shoulder and coming when called.





We were at an eating place w/ an outdoor deck in the Daytona Beach FL area last week. The staff were feeding french fries to a squirrel. I decided to see if it would take fries from me too. Before long I had 3 squirrels coming up asking for their share and taking them from my hand.





Two warnings. Not everyone likes or is nice to squirrels and by teaching them to be your friend you are teaching them to trust humans. So if you have or could get neighbors who hunt or who think of squirrels as rodent pests to be poisoned or would hurt them other ways please do not tame any squirrels because it could mean their death or injury. Squirrels are mammals so technically a squirrel could get rabies tho I've never heard of it. You should also know sometimes squirrels do mistake fingers for food and the same teeth that can crack a nut shell can give you a very hard deep bite.
Pet shops do not sell squirrels.. keeping a wild animal is illegal...


although they are adorable when babies! ( well pretty cute all grown up too) but... they mature... they do not want to be caged.. they want to find a mate...they do get nasty. ( yes, even the females)


but... check w/ the rehabbers in your area... I have a 2 squirrels now that cannot be released.. One.. a female, now a year old.. she has no top teeth.. and her bottom teeth grow continuously.. so I get to hold her down every 2 weeks and trim her teeth.. she nows hates me... and hates her cage... and hates anyone who walks by her cage.. and I raised this baby!!!


also.. a little fox squirrel whos rescuers kept him instead of bringing him to me.. when they finally noticed something was wrong... ( his little hand a sticking out sideways!).. then they bring him to me... they did not feed the squirrel what I told them to! resulting in a tiny... malnourished... slightly deformed ( arms and legs).... he cant climb yet.. but he tries so hard..


i dont know the laws in Florida.. but I would rather see you help a little squirrel that needs long term care....(unreleasable)


the healthy hyper ones definately belong in the trees! :)
Most squirrels, since they are naturally wild animals, are not available as pets. Southern Flying Squirrels however, are sometimes available.





It is illegal to keep native squirrels as pets in most states in the US but not all. Please check with your local Fish %26amp; Game for specific laws.
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