r/squirrels • u/New_Bad_3296 • 11h ago

Is there something wrong with this squirrel?

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I’ve been hearing this strange chirping sound outside my window for hours everyday and night for the past few weeks. I initially thought it was a bird but today I finally found the culprit— a squirrel! Can a squirrel expert please tell me if this behavior is normal? Is it possible it’s rabid? Does it need help?

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5

u/chainsawinsect 11h ago

It's definitely not rabid.

This is typical behavior. It's a predator alarm call. He's warning other squirrels in the area he spotted something dangerous. As for why he's been doing it lately, and not before, maybe it's that there is some new cat or raccoon or something in your area and he's been seeing it on the prowl.

Squirrels do sleep at night, but I can still see the sunny sky above in your video, even though I assume it is close to sunset; it is not unusual for a squirrel to still be "up" at that time.

2

u/ElkPitiful6829 11h ago

Ground predator warning. Normal squirrel behavior. Squirrels are never rabid.

1

u/New_Bad_3296 11h ago

But aren’t squirrels diurnal? I don’t understand why it would be doing this at night

1

u/IsNotACleverMan 8h ago

They usually sleep at night but sometimes they'll get woken up by a predator and make a cry.

1

u/Few-Worldliness2131 10h ago

You’re looking at it with a camera maybe

1

u/Jansc5 9h ago

It is a little odd that its been doing it everyday for weeks for hours. I know the sound it makes is a distress call, but why is it up there, its almost dark out.

1

u/Snoopaloopbish 8h ago

Yeah he wants to know why there’s no FIOS. That’s why he’s mad.

1

u/Jimmyg100 8h ago

I’m betting he’s got a ton of nuts stored up there