Rabid Squirrels

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“Can squirrels carry the rabies virus?” is a common question since squirrels are plentiful. Yes, squirrels can carry the rabies virus, but it is scarce. They carry rabies much less often than other small mammals living around us, such as raccoons, bats, or skunks.

Rabies is a virus that attacks the central nervous system. It causes severe brain inflammation, which disrupts the animal’s normal brain functions and causes it to act erratically. Rabies can be transmitted to humans and pets through a bite or scratch.

Since many people like to feed squirrels, they have become more likely to approach humans. Physical contact with squirrels is not recommended. If you see a squirrel exhibiting unusual behavior, you should never approach it. It’s best to call Critter Control for squirrel removal. Their specialists are fully trained to safely and humanely deal with a rabid squirrel.

How to Identify Rabies in Squirrels

When a squirrel’s brain becomes inflamed because of rabies, the swelling in its brain impairs communication between neurons. That affects its brain functions, including cognition and motor control.

The question “Does a squirrel have rabies?” can sometimes be answered by observing the symptoms it exhibits, such as:

• Walking in circles
• Falling over
• Drooling because of the extra saliva rabies produces
• Aggression
• Seizures & muscle spasms

How Can You Get Rabies From a Squirrel?

Squirrels rarely if ever carry rabies. Small animals like rats, mice, rabbits, opossums, and squirrels hardly ever have rabies. There has not been a reported case of rabies from a squirrel bite.  The most common carriers of rabies are bats, skunks, raccoons, and foxes. 

If an infected animal with rabies bites or scratches someone, the virus is transmitted through the break in the skin caused by the bite or scratch. It is possible to contract rabies through exposure to its saliva without being bitten. If you feed a rabid animal and then rub your eyes or touch your mouth or an open wound you have, the rabies virus could be passed to you.

If a squirrel with rabies bites or scratches someone, the virus is transmitted through the break in the skin caused by the bite or scratch. It is possible to contract rabies through exposure to its saliva without being bitten. If you feed a rabid squirrel and then rub your eyes or touch your mouth or an open wound you have, the rabies virus could be passed to you.

How to Identify Rabies in Humans

If you are bitten by a squirrel or any wild animal, it is imperative to seek medical help right away, whether the animal has symptoms or not. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, so never wait.

Early symptoms of rabies include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Weakness
• Itching and discomfort at the site of the bite

Severe symptoms include:

• Confusion and hallucinations
• Producing a lot of saliva
• Fear of water
• Seizures and muscle spasms
• Partial or full paralysis

Rabies symptoms do not appear right away. It can take anywhere from several days to a year, but the average time before symptoms appear is two to three months. It takes so long for symptoms to appear because the virus has to travel to the brain. The incubation period is also affected by where the bite or scratch occurred on the body, the severity of the bite, and the amount of virus introduced.

Contact Critter Control for Squirrel Removal

Critter Control is considered a pioneer in the wildlife control industry with over 40 years of wildlife control experience. With offices throughout the country, Critter Control knows how to get rid of squirrels and how to use squirrel repellents to keep them away. There is no better solution to any wildlife nuisance issue than contacting a Critter Control specialist.