Please don't feed the squirrels.

[loves to dive]

I know there are signs all over WDW to not feed the wildlife, but I beg you, please pay attention and don't do it. Why you ask? I'll tell you why. I was there last Sat. and decided some fish and chips from GB would be nice. So, waited in line for 20 minutes, grabbed a bunch of packs of vinegar and took my bounty to the back of the pavilion and sat on a bench in front of the hedges in the shade. I was minding my own business with my food in my lap and looking to the side where I had laid my vinegar packs on the bench to open them. I was struggling to open them and not paying much attention to anything else when I felt something odd on my lap. Looked down and (I kid you not) a rat with a busy tail was sitting in lap getting ready to enjoy my fish. I did what any self respecting human being would do, screamed bloody murder. The darn rat just sat there and looked me, like Lady what is your issue? So I sort of tilted my lap to the side and it jumped off. Not to be discouraged, the darn rate then reached out for my leg like it was going to climb up. I stomped my foot and yelled shoo a lot (shoo is international). It finally left. This amused all the other people sitting around and one father with children (who were exclaiming over the cute squirrel) took a cracker out of his bag and tried to tempt it out. I said "you know it's just a rat with a busy tail and most likely has rabies and fleas right?" He said it wasn't a rat, I beg to differ, I had looked it up a while back at home while my dog was chasing one and they are indeed rodents. So, anyway, I go back to trying to open my vinegar, which is still laying on the bench next to me so again, I'm looking toward it. Again, I feel something on my leg. Looked down and the darn rat was on my leg again and I was feeling it's claws. Again, I screamed and tilted and this time, not to be satisfied with not getting any fish, it scratched me before jumping down. Again, it tried to reach for my leg and again I stomped my foot and yelled shoo. I had had enough by now, so I picked up all my things and moved across the way to a bench against a wall in the sun. Keep in mind, both times there were people on the other benches who felt this was the funniest thing they had ever seen and none thought it might be wise to say something to me when the darn rat was crawling into my lap.

Sadly, my fish was cold and more batter than fish but by george, I ate it. This was not my first encounter with wild life this trip. The day before while at Epcot, I was standing at a table in the Mexico pavilion under the shade eating and a few ducks decided to come around looking for droppings. Of course, there were kids in strollers throwing things on the ground for them while their parents just laughed. After the ducks had eaten everything on the ground, one decided my shoe looked interesting and came over and pecked at it. Thankfully, I had on tennis shoes and not sandals. I just moved my foot and told it to go away and, it being more polite than the bushy tailed rat, did so.

The moral of my story, don't feed the wild life at WDW. Oh, I did put a ton of hand sanitizer on my scratch (which was not deep) and when I got back to my room, took a hot soak in the tub and put antibiotic cream on it.

 

[robinb]

OMG, what a cheeky little critter! I’ve seen them help themselves to snacks in strollers but I’ve never heard of them climbing on people! Was it a baby or an adult? I hope your scratches will be ok.

I do admit that your description made me giggle just reading it so I probably would have laughed too.

I also admit to feeding critters at WDW. I’ve fed the little sparrows a couple of times and the ducks at Flame Tree BBQ when my DD was younger. Still, I agree with you about feeding the wildlife. I recall one lunch where the ducks were especially agressive and pecked at us when we didn’t feed them. FWIW, I’ve not fed the critters in years.

 

[loves to dive]

OMG, what a cheeky little critter! I’ve seen them help themselves to snacks in strollers but I’ve never heard of them climbing on people! Was it a baby or an adult? I hope your scratches will be ok.

I do admit that your description made me giggle just reading it so I probably would have laughed too.

I also admit to feeding critters at WDW. I’ve fed the little sparrows a couple of times and the ducks at Flame Tree BBQ when my DD was younger. Still, I agree with you about feeding the wildlife. I recall one lunch where the ducks were especially agressive and pecked at us when we didn’t feed them. FWIW, I’ve not fed the critters in years.

It was an adult. It was funny after the fact but not so much when I was living it. We have never fed them and don't feed them elsewhere unless there is some sort of food available for them. I even make sure if I'm with my grand daughter that no food is left in the stroller when we leave it parked. It's all fun and games and cuteness until someone gets hurt. The scratch didn't break much skin but I could see the darn thing biting had I been a tad more aggressive with it. I'm sure had it bitten one of the kids or even just climbed on it, someone would have been complaining to Disney and demanding some sort of payment for it. Obviously, it was a British squirrel since it only wanted my fish.

 

[reddog21]

Unless you can somehow keep people from spilling food on the ground the animals will always be there you just have to be more diligent when not leaving food uncovered or unattended. I find that theme park animals except birds are pretty docile and you probably scared it just as much as it scared you.

 

[dcassetta]

Don't feed the seagulls either! Several years ago, we saw a woman putting popcorn on her head. I guess she was hoping for a good picture. The seagulls did come and get the popcorn, and she went off to first aid with a bleeding scalp.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Wow that’s an aggressive squirrel. Alas everyone on DIS knows not to feed wildlife so you’re preaching to the choir.

Next time you get scratched in a Disney or Universal theme park and do not have antibiotic ointment/spray with you immediately go to FirstAid, any CM can give you directions. They’ll have some, it will be free and you won’t risk damaging your skin.

Scratched my leg at Volcano Bay and it took me a bit but I made it to First Aid where they gave me antibiotic ointment and band aids and said they can also come to you in the park if you ask a team member. Idk if Disney does that.

(If you need an emergency band aid at Swolphin forget it, they have to call Security and file reports and it’s an entire to-do. I didn’t have the experience but I overheard someone asking about a band aid.)

 

[mjkacmom]

It’s extremely rare for squirrels to have rabies. I used to feed mine on a little squirrel sized picnic table. Seagulls on the other hand, I try not to feed them. At the Jersey shore they are very aggressive, i will eat underneath a towel.

 

[disneyseniors]

I know there are signs all over WDW to not feed the wildlife, but I beg you, please pay attention and don't do it. Why you ask? I'll tell you why. I was there last Sat. and decided some fish and chips from GB would be nice. So, waited in line for 20 minutes, grabbed a bunch of packs of vinegar and took my bounty to the back of the pavilion and sat on a bench in front of the hedges in the shade. I was minding my own business with my food in my lap and looking to the side where I had laid my vinegar packs on the bench to open them. I was struggling to open them and not paying much attention to anything else when I felt something odd on my lap. Looked down and (I kid you not) a rat with a busy tail was sitting in lap getting ready to enjoy my fish. I did what any self respecting human being would do, screamed bloody murder. The darn rat just sat there and looked me, like Lady what is your issue? So I sort of tilted my lap to the side and it jumped off. Not to be discouraged, the darn rate then reached out for my leg like it was going to climb up. I stomped my foot and yelled shoo a lot (shoo is international). It finally left. This amused all the other people sitting around and one father with children (who were exclaiming over the cute squirrel) took a cracker out of his bag and tried to tempt it out. I said "you know it's just a rat with a busy tail and most likely has rabies and fleas right?" He said it wasn't a rat, I beg to differ, I had looked it up a while back at home while my dog was chasing one and they are indeed rodents. So, anyway, I go back to trying to open my vinegar, which is still laying on the bench next to me so again, I'm looking toward it. Again, I feel something on my leg. Looked down and the darn rat was on my leg again and I was feeling it's claws. Again, I screamed and tilted and this time, not to be satisfied with not getting any fish, it scratched me before jumping down. Again, it tried to reach for my leg and again I stomped my foot and yelled shoo. I had had enough by now, so I picked up all my things and moved across the way to a bench against a wall in the sun. Keep in mind, both times there were people on the other benches who felt this was the funniest thing they had ever seen and none thought it might be wise to say something to me when the darn rat was crawling into my lap.

Sadly, my fish was cold and more batter than fish but by george, I ate it. This was not my first encounter with wild life this trip. The day before while at Epcot, I was standing at a table in the Mexico pavilion under the shade eating and a few ducks decided to come around looking for droppings. Of course, there were kids in strollers throwing things on the ground for them while their parents just laughed. After the ducks had eaten everything on the ground, one decided my shoe looked interesting and came over and pecked at it. Thankfully, I had on tennis shoes and not sandals. I just moved my foot and told it to go away and, it being more polite than the bushy tailed rat, did so.

The moral of my story, don't feed the wild life at WDW. Oh, I did put a ton of hand sanitizer on my scratch (which was not deep) and when I got back to my room, took a hot soak in the tub and put antibiotic cream on it.

Wow, that is Not funny! It sounds like the squirrels are getting pretty brave and intrusive! That's scary to me. I can't believe people just laughed at you and did not help you get rid of it! That's just crazy to me. If people feed the squirrels then they are not afraid of humans anymore which is definitely not right. And you are right, they can have fleas and diseases too. I'm sorry you had to put up with that.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I remember years ago (this was probably back in 2017-18) I was in line for Splash Mountain in the outdoor area before you enter the barn and a girl in the party in the front of me, who was about 11-12 years old, was trying to coax squirrels nearby with popcorn and then when the squirrels came close, she would try to grab them by the tail. Well, one of the squirrels bit her finger and that girl began to scream and cry about having rabies and that she was going to die. I just rolled my eyes and was like, well that's what you get for giving popcorn to squirrels Her parents were 100% oblivious to everything, of course.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Just want to add, for the love of God, do not fall for the brown ducky eyes either. The ones near the Canda pavilion with the delicious Maple popcorn are nothing short of vultures, waiting to pounce. They send the one with the cutest brown ducky eyes to work his magic, but as soon as you toss him even one kernel a mob of dozens of duckies descend. They are nothing but a rabid mob I tell 'ya.

 

[wendlle]

we had one jump on my 2 year old at Seaworld many years ago, it was actually quite vicious and we ended up having to ditch the food and just leave the area.

 

[BrianL]

Well, they are not rats and likely do not have rabies (that's extremely rare) - but, I do agree that it is generally best not to feed them. Squirrels and other animals at WDW are really comfortable around people. I wouldn't want to see people or animals hurt over it.

 

[cheryl.UK]

This wasn't Disney but over here in the UK. I went for a walk around a local park after work when I spotted a squirrel on a path in front of me. I expected it to run off as I approached but instead it ran towards me and then ran up me and sat on my chest looking at me. I screamed and shook it off but it tried to come back so I ran off down the path. About 20 minutes later, I was way over the other side of a big lawn area (at least 100 metres) when I spotted it ( I assumed it was the same one.) It saw me at about the same time time and came running towards me at full pelt. I ran away again. The park ranger saw me and laughed. He told me that that particular squirrel had go so used to people feeding it that it basically demanded food now.

 

[Jacksonian]

I had a similar thing happen to me while eating a hamburger at the Grand Floridian pool. I was seated on a lounge chair, with my legs over the side facing my husband. I felt something scratching my lower back and I turn and see a squirrel looking at me with soulful eyes as he/she wanted to partake in my hamburger. I was surprised that it actually came that close as the PA squirrels always run from me.

 

[CarolynFH]

Don't feed the seagulls either! Several years ago, we saw a woman putting popcorn on her head. I guess she was hoping for a good picture. The seagulls did come and get the popcorn, and she went off to first aid with a bleeding scalp.

Some years ago outside Cosmic Ray’s a seagull divebombed a woman’s head and startled her so much that the French fries she was carrying went flying, and the gulls had a feast. We’re sure the gulls planned it that way.

We haven’t seen as many gulls around in the parks and on the Boardwalk as we used to - I’ve often wondered whether Disney did something to keep them away.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Some years ago outside Cosmic Ray’s a seagull divebombed a woman’s head and startled her so much that the French fries she was carrying went flying, and the gulls had a feast. We’re sure the gulls planned it that way.

We haven’t seen as many gulls around in the parks and on the Boardwalk as we used to - I’ve often wondered whether Disney did something to keep them away.

two words; "squirrel mafia"

 

[CarolynFH]

two words; "squirrel mafia"

Are the squirrels just competing with gulls for food and winning, or did they ravage gull nests so the gulls moved on?

 

[Lumpy1106]

Are the squirrels just competing with gulls for food and winning, or did they ravage gull nests so the gulls moved on?

I've heard they have an affinity for Fish & Chips. You don't want to mess with the squirrel mafia - I'm telling you.