Is Squirrel Dangerous? Pls Reply Fast...

http://www.cdc.gov/rabiesandkids/animals.html

"In the United States today, about 93 of every 100 reported cases of rabies are in wild animals. Raccoons are the most common wild animal with rabies.

Some other common wild animals that may have rabies are skunks, coyotes, bats, and foxes. It would be really unusual for rats, mice, squirrels, or groundhogs to get rabies, but it does happen."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"What animals almost never have rabies? Rabbits, hamsters, squirrels, chipmunks, guinea pigs, gerbils, opossums, rats, and mice are hardly ever affected with rabies (Birds, fish, bugs, amphibians, & reptiles don’t get rabies either.) . You may still need a tetanus shot or other medical care if these animals bite you."

http://pelotes.jea.com/rabies.htm

You'll need a rabies shot. It isn't normal for squirrels to be "friendly" with people. This is also the time of year rabies is rampant.

It's possible for squirrels to carry rabies, but the actual incidence of rabid squirrels is rare. As long as you cleaned the scratch and it doesn't get infected, you should be fine.

Um, they are known to carry rabies. They are not pets.

I would call the doc, and for future reference, I would not try to touch anything "wild" as you don't know what they have!

outdoor animals such as squirrels, chipmunks, etc. can carry rabies. They also can have deer ticks and fleas on them....

I doubt VERY seriously that you are sick since it was with nails instead of teeth - however - I would NEVER encourage the feeding of W. animals - no matter how cute they are - in my back yard....they are W. ANIMALS for a reason - NOT A HOUSE PET.

If you want to feed it - put nuts on the ground in the grass NOT near your home.

Call your family practice office and tell them what happened and see if they want to see you. Or just have you watch it for the next 24 hours.

As long as you weren't bitten, you should be ok. If you were bitten you'd probably need rabies shots.

No more feeding the squirrel, especially with the 2 yr old :)

****VERY IMPORTANT****
ETA: After checking with my husband, who is an ER physician, he says to get a rabies shot.

Don't feed, pet, or try to domesticate wild animals. It's not healthy for them or you.

I was attacked by a squirrel when I was a little girl. It ran up my dress and I had scratches all over me. The fire department came out because she ran up the tree. They destroyed the squirrel and tested her. She did not have rabies. Had she, I would have had to go through the shots if they hadn't gotten the squirrel, I would have had to go through the shots. So I'm sorry the squirrel died but I'm so glad I didn't have to go through the shots.

You need to call your doctor and discuss with him. We aren't doctors and I'm not sure if soapy water is good enough. I am very AFRAID of squirrels. I will cross the street before walking next to one!!! Don't feed wild animals. They may look cute but they are wild.

It is a wild animal.
They have contagions.
Sure they look cute. But it is still a wild animal.

Don't try and pet it and make friends with it.
They like you because you feed it and they are getting accustomed to you.
But it is still a wild animal.
And they can get aggressive.

Even scratches or bites from a pet cat or dog, can get infected.

I would've used peroxide on those scratches. Squirrels can carry disease & even rabies in some cases even though rabies is generally spread through saliva but they still can cause possible infections. I usually make it a rule, for myself, to just enjoy wildlife from a distance or if the birds, squirrels, etc come onto the porch, I just leave them alone. Never know what disease they may carry. I'd clean the scratches again then put peroxide & even perhaps neosporin & hopefully that will help but to be safe, as other posters stated, I'd call a doctor or nurse practictioner. Good luck!

My in-laws had a crazy squirrel that would literally jump on their backs and try to attack them!! (The squirrel was not infected with rabies. ) They had to call wildlife people out to catch it. They told them that fortunately, squirrels don't really carry rabies. It's not very common for them to have it. In fact, it's really unheard of. Rodents almost never carry rabies in the US. With that said, it's a wild animal. As with any animal (especially, wild) they carry all kinds of bacteria. Clean the scratches with soapy water and follow with peroxide. If you notice any changes in the wound, or feel sick...time to see a Dr. You should get a tetanus shot, if you do not already have one.

For future reference, it's not wise to allow yourself or your child to feed or touch wild animals. You should not have let that happen, and the squirrel taught you a lesson. Hopefully, you learned from it.

Are you up to date with your tetanus shots?

Squirrels can carry rabies and yes, you can get rabies from a scratch -- a bite is not the only way it can be spread. Folks telling you it has to be a bite are wrong. Even a small scratch can transfer rabies. A girl here got rabies from a bat scratch -- not a bite -- a scratch so small it wasn't even noticed until it was too late and she already had developed rabies.

See a doctor immediately. Don't just call, go in tomorrow. The doctor likely will not wait until you show signs because...with rabies by the time you have symptoms it's too late. If you need rabies shots, you must have them within a certain time frame or they will be useless. I'm not saying you have it but animal scratches or bites are nothing to mess with.

Please stop feeding any animals because they will see your balcony as a buffet and will lose their natural fear of humans. That is dangerous for them and for you and especially your daughter, who is too young to understand why she must never get too close to them.

You are fine as long as you weren't bitten.
Never try to pet a wild animal.
I've known some squirrels and chipmunks I could feed by hand.
There's a funny story about a chipmunk getting startled and running up my bell bottom pants (this was in the 80's).
We both managed to get out of the situation without injury but it was scary having the little critter's claws holding onto my thigh.
You should have SEEN the look on my boyfriend's (now husband) mother's face as he's helping me take my pants off and explaining 'No. Really. There's a chipmunk up her pants'.

They can - it's unlikely.

Keep an eye on the sore, make sure it doesn't get infected.

Any new symptoms (vomiting, fever, etc) - go see a doc.

It sounds like you will be ok, but I would call your doctor or even the Humane Society could probably tell you for sure. I would be wary about coming into contact with any wild animal, especially around small children. You never know what diseases they may carry!
HTH,
A.

Call your doctor on the safe side and leave the squirel alone. Most likely it will be fine. Domesticating wildlife is not safe or heathly for you or them. Aside from scarier things rabies, they carry fleas, lice, other parasites, plus bacteria or virals in their urines and feces. I would start chasing the rodents away when it comes. Do not make your living area's a happy place for wildlife.

Up peroxide on it and then keep an eye on it. If it starts getting really red around the outside or hurting worst call the dr or sever symptoms like vomiting then go to the nearest ER. They can have all kinds of nasty stuff in their clows as they craw all over everything.

I would suggest you contact your local wildlife DNR office. Or a veterinarian.
I was bitten by a squirrel once. P'd me off but good.
One of the cats had caught it by the neck and was walking along carrying it, and I got the cat and made it let go of the squirrel (who was unharmed). The little bugger clamped down on my thumb!
And then... then... it wouldn't let go!!!

This all happened on the sidewalk in front of my office. I carried the blasted thing in with me (had no choice, really) to get some assistance. Plopped my hand/arm/squirrel on top of my desk while my boss went for a towel to wrap around the thing. Can't remember exactly how, but we got it to let go eventually. It's front teeth put a hole in the middle of my thumb. It wasn't a cut, it was a puncture. And those are the worst kind, because you can't clean them properly. The germs are trapped deep within the wound and you can't just rinse the opened "cut" like with a cut.

Anyway, my boss called their vet (also best friend and a client--I worked for an attorney) and asked about the rabies concern. We had managed to get the squirrel into a cat carrier somehow. He said, really, squirrels just aren't carriers. Technically, could they? yeah. But the odds are so farfetched... And, at that particular time, there was no rabies activity in the area.
You will find that usually, your local wildlife professionals will know if there is rabies activity in your area.

Vet indicated that my biggest concern was the wound, as it was a puncture and not an open cut.

I went into the bathroom as soon as the beast let go of my hand and ran cold water over my thumb, squeezing the blood out the entire time... for like 5 minutes. It bled easily so I felt pretty good about having flushed out anything that might have gotten in it. Then I used to hydrogen peroxide to flush it some more. Then neosporin and a bandage.

It was sore and bruised for a few days, but healed just fine. I never had any issues. Never even went to the doctor. Maybe I should have, given what I've seen in the news lately about necrotic fasciitis (flesh eating bacteria), but hind sight is 20/20. It didn't get infected. I didn't get rabies.
I think they let the squirrel go after a few days. I bet it hauled a** away from there....

That was over 20 years ago.

My sister tried to feed a squirrel when we were young. It scratched her hand while grabbing the cheese. Her Dr insisted she get a rabies shot. Now, keep in mind this was many years ago.

My personal opinion (I am NOT a Dr. so this is FWIW) is that soap and water and a little antibiotic creme should suffice. I would not run screaming to the Dr or ER in fear that I am dying from rabies. Be smart about this.

However, squirrels are wild animals and wild animals DO carry many viruses, including rabies.

We have a lot of wild animals in my back area and we never, ever feed them because you don't want them getting into your roof, etc. We have bobcats as well and squirrels are prime meal targets... I've had bobcats on my back deck and no I do not ever feed them.

Use this a a lesson to observe the wild animals but leave them alone.

You should be okay. Clean the scratches with soap and water and put some Neosporin on.

Be careful. Wild animals can carry rabies and other viruses. Don't try to touch it again!

Squirrels can carry rabies and rodent plague, which can infect humans. Both are serious conditions, rabies is deadly and there is no treatment for it.
You should contact your doctor and talk to him about it. If rabies is common where you live you may need to go through rabies prophylaxis, a series of shots that will prevent you from getting the disease if you have been exposed.
Good luck.

Call your doctor's office, and go from there. I have some very friendly squirrels where I work, I do understanding thinking they would be friendly like a cat.