Squirrel alert!

[Lizzybee]

We just got back on 8/28 and that day we spent at Animal Kingdom. While waiting in line for the Kali River Rapids, I somehow managed to jam my toe into the bottom of my son's sandal (he stepped back, I stepped forward). Anyway long story short, after I got off the ride my sandal was bloody from my toenail bleeding on both sides. So my son insisted I go to first aid. While there, getting my toe cleaned and bandaged, a little girl came in who had been bitten by the squirrel. She must have been about 9-10 yrs old with a English accent. She told us that although the squirrels seem quite friendly we should stay away from them. For those of you tempted to allow your children to get near squirrels, please don't. This little girl had blood dripping down her arm (not a major injury but she seemed shocked by it all and they were holding her arm up in the air). She was accompanied by her father and a CM. This isn't to cause a scandal or a panic or say "look what happened at WDW", just a word to the wise for parents to not let kids feed or pet the squirrels.
BTW, when we came home from WDW, there was a squirrel our basement . It had been in our attic but had moved out (or so I thought, I guess it moved down the ventilation) so I had a havahart trap and work gloves to catch it. We put the trap in the basement in the morning and when I went to check it in the afternoon it was still empty and the squirrel scurried by my feet. Then I heard this horrible screaming noise. I thought it was in the (humane catch and release) trap in the basement, but it had fallen into the laundry sink and couldn't get out. The police came to get him out and it was just a baby, he's at a wildlife re-hab.

 

[danny1649]

You made me smile bless your heart Thank You

 

[TSR6]

Indeed.

Do not feed, nor try to play with the wild animals. They are wild, and they will bite.

 

[PixieDust32]

Yeap, Wild animals are not safe!

 

[MareSINY]

Last September we were at Sea World and a squirrel kept coming past my dad who was sitting in his ECV, it turned out he wanted (and got!) the kids Happy Meal that was int he basket of his chair. The darn thing actually was brave enough to jump up and grab a fry. Needless to say we threw out the bag. LOL

 

[wfloyd]

I am sure that the squirrels at WDW work as a little shoplifting team. One will distract you and look real cute for the cameras while the rest are sneaking up behind you to grab your food. We have seen it a couple of times at MK but the sea gulls tend to scare them off a little.

 

[JESW]

Funny you should post this as we just got back on the 28th and I also noticed a lot of "friendly" squirrels - ones that would come right up to you on the walkway. I had to keep reminding my animal-loving DD6 to NOT go near them, no matter how friendly and cute they seemed. (I got bit by one when younger when I tried to pet it - they can be nasty and very fast)

We also noticed a lot of lizards around this trip. It was our first august trip so maybe they are out more this time of year???

Jill

 

[Mariposa]

Heh, I know this is a serious matter, but I can't help but giggle at the idea of packs of bloodthirsty squirrels roaming the parks.

Seriously, though, can they carry rabies? I think I remember my DM warning me about this when I was little. (Yep, just checked. While it appears that it's not LIKELY for a squirrel to have rabies, it does happen- another reason to be extra careful about kids around them.)

 

[candleonwater]

I know I shouldn't laugh, but can't help it. Before these pictures were taken at EPCOT in 2003 my daughter had a habit of quacking at her skating coaches.... for some reason, after this trip, she suddenly stopped quacking! (And yes, I realize they are two different ducks, but the sequence of pictures was too funny)

 

[JRawkSteady]

In all honesty, they're not "Disney squirrels." They're still wild animals looking for food. I'm sure they didn't mean harm to the girl, but when a squirrel smells food, he thinks it is! I'm sure kids tend t osmell like some sort of food throughout the day!

With that said - squirrels are darn cute!!

 

[civileng68]

Here's the thing............................#1) these animals are around people so much that they are not scared of people anymore, which is why you can get so close. They are fed all of the time and if you get near them they'll attack.

Here's something you all should know that I learned myself.

If you truly love animals, dont feed them, as hard as that may be. Trust me, they are not hungry if at Disney World.

My wife and I were at the AK and we were feeding little pieces of good (fries or something) to some birds (wild birds). A CM from AK (who knew her stuff by the way) came over and politely asked us to stop. Very politely she told us why animals shouldn't eat people food, even BREAD!

It was shocking and made perfect sense.

She said that first of all, while our bodies are not made to handle grease, we eat so much of it, that it often doesn't phase us. However, birds, ducks, squirrels are not used to eating it and it can kill them very quickly from eating, fries, and crumbs of stuff.

She said that in the wild, birds, and squirrels eat seeds and nuts and even bread can kill them. She said those animals are not used to having gluton, yeast, and things like that in their system. She said that wild animals, including, ducks, birds and squirrels have been found throughout the AK especially (I guess many animals flock there, FOR SOME REASON ) dead, and over time they have learned that it is likely the cause of guest feeding the animals bad food items.

Trust me folkes, those animals get enough of our bad food from what we accidentally drop and from the trash. They ARE NOT HUNGRY though they act like it. So while most of us animal lovers feed them out of compassion, we are killing them. Just let them be.

 

[Dalton5]

I know, serious subject, but I had to smile and I'm sorry but I can't resist adding a quote from the famous Willy Wonka,

"Don't touch that squirrels nuts!"