When squirrels attack
By The Horse
@TheHorse (220130)
Walnut Creek, California
December 3, 2015 11:41pm CST
When the ground squirrels destroyed our garden this past Summer, I joked that they were "vicious herbivores," and that they were in attack mode. I was only kidding. They were pretty bold, but they never attacked me or any of the kids I work with.
Today I heard on the radio that tree squirrels have been literally attacking humans in the North Bay of the Bay Area. In one incident, a man was puttering around in his garage (I imagined myself refinishing speakers) when a squirrel attacked him. It literally climbed up his body and was either scratching or biting him on his arms and upper body. His wife heard his screams, chased the squirrel around with a broom, and was eventually attacked herself. Both sustained what were described as "serious injuries."
According to the report I heard (on KCBS-AM), there have been five such attacks in recent months.
What the heck is going on? I used to feed the squirrels on the University of Chicago campus by hand. I've had raccoons give me that "may I help you?" look when they are on my balcony. But they never attacked. I once ran into a black bear while hiking in Glacier Park Montana. He ignored me. I even had a stare down with a male big horn sheep at the base of Mt. Gould in Glacier Park (I actually got a picture of him), but nothing came of it.
Have you aver been attacked by a squirrel or other unusual critter?
22 people like this
25 responses
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
4 Dec 15
I have encountered overly 'friendly', very tame and persistent squirrels in a city park which, when fed, were very bold indeed to the point of menace. My daughter was also bitten by a squirrel whilst she was working at an outdoor restaurant. The bite turned very septic and took a long time to heal. I gather that squirrels can often carry Weil's disease (Leptospirosis)
3 people like this
@RasmaSandra (80658)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
4 Dec 15
@TheHorse I don't know about the squirrels here in Latvia but this summer crows were nesting in trees by an apartment block and if they felt threatened came swooping down on people. One guy had to have a couple of stitches in his forehead where the beak hit him.
2 people like this
@dpk262006 (58678)
• Delhi, India
4 Dec 15
I've not been attacked by squirrels every, on the other hand they run away seeing me. However, they come and destroy beautiful flowers and leaves in my garden and they are shameless
and don't even repent that how much loss they cause to me.
and don't even repent that how much loss they cause to me.2 people like this
@dpk262006 (58678)
• Delhi, India
7 Dec 15
@TheHorse - It is really bad that they destroyed your garden and there is no way to punish or prosecute them.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220130)
• Walnut Creek, California
7 Dec 15
@dpk262006 I tell the kids, "They're just ground squirrels, doing what ground squirres do." But I admit (not to the kids) to having fantasized chilling out there with a Bud, a comfy chair, and my .22.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341824)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Dec 15
Would the squirrels have had rabies? We don't have rabies in Australia so I know next to nothing about it. I wouldn't have liked to have been attacked by the bighorn. I think a butt from him might do some damage - or at least hurt a lot.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341824)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Dec 15
@TheHorse Once wild animals lose their fear of humans some become very vicious. Magpies dive-bomb people regularly during nesting season but occasionally one decides it will come straight at a person's eyes. There is the odd male kangaroo on a golf course which will stand up to people if they get too close.
1 person likes this
@norcal (4889)
• Franklinton, North Carolina
4 Dec 15
I haven't, but I heard a story on the radio last week about a lady that was attacked by a raccoon while she was out for a walk. It latched onto her so hard, her husband had to beat it off of her with a bat. Wild animals are usually scared of people. I had a huge black bear in my garage once, I'm glad it was scared of me.
3 people like this
@celticeagle (168171)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Dec 15
No! We have had squirrels that would eat right out of our hands. I wonder if they are getting something in their diets that are making them this way. Hmm.
1 person likes this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
4 Dec 15
Being bitten by a squirrel must be pretty painful, they can bite into hard nuts with those teeth, perhaps they could also carry rabies? I have never heard of a squirrel being aggressive like that, maybe it was the mating season - that can bring out aggressive behavior.
2 people like this
@Ceerios (4698)
• Goodfellow, Texas
12 Jun 16
@TheHorse - I was attacked one time by a wild lady. When I asked her, "Why are you attacking me?" she replied that it was because I was too beautiful to leave unmolested. Gotta watch out for wild critters. They are so often unpredictable. (I had not realized how beautiful I was...) 
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
5 Dec 15
No, but I would be worried if this kind of thing is happening. It means they may be ill. That could be contagious and dangerous.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
5 Dec 15
@TheHorse Just avoid going where they were reported. If one is sick, there may be others.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220130)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 Dec 15
@ElizabethWallace The reports have all come from the "North Bay." I'm not sure if that means Richmond or Marin Country. But it's not places I frequent.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
18 Dec 15
Never heard of squirrel attacks on humans, but I was attacked by a Blue Jay a year and a half ago.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
18 Dec 15
@TheHorse the Jay thought I was threatening his fledgling that was walking on the roadway.
@LeaPea2417 (37369)
• Toccoa, Georgia
5 Dec 15
Oh my, that is very scary. I will be on the look out for squirrels now and warn my husband, son and my parents.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
5 Dec 15
The first thing that came to my mind is rabies, The first rabies in years showed up in my area this week with raccoons. Never have been attacked and hope it never happens. They leave my gardens alone too but try to get the bird feeders. ( birdfeeders are squirrel proof)
1 person likes this
@shellyjaneo (1081)
• United Kingdom
5 Dec 15
The American Grey Squirrels have always been knows as an aggressive species but attacking a human that wasn't a threat is very strange maybe they are getting more aggressive x
1 person likes this
@AnanthuVs (394)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
5 Dec 15
Im rarely heard that squirrels are biting others,they often run away when seeing humans or other animals
1 person likes this
